Norma McCaig has taken her final journey...

Norma McCaig, Founder of Global Nomads International (GNI), passed quietly away on Monday night November 10th, 2008 at her home in Reston, Virginia. She died of complications from cancer.

In 1984, Norma McCaig, herself a TCK, coined the term ‘global nomad.’, also known as “third culture kids”, and has tirelessly raised awareness of Third Culture Kids.

Norma writes: “Global nomads are very good mediators. Whenever TCKs move into another culture, they become very good, objective observers. They’re like cultural sponges. Those skills translate into ideal requirements for combating racism and advancing social and refugee work.”

The TCK community world-wide has just lost a distinguished advocate for TCKs everywhere.

If you wish to make a contribution, please make it to the Cancer Foundation in her name (Cancer Foundation: http://www.cancer.org/). Norma’s address for condolences is:

1559 SCANDIA CIR.
RESTON, VA 20190
*********************************

Norma was a good friend - one who knew how to challenge, laugh with, and encourage me in my journey as a TCK.

I will miss you, Norma!
Margie

Using Your TCK Skills

Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2008
Kevin Conrad
By By JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ

It was a classic David versus Goliath moment. At the December 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Kevin Conrad challenged the U.S., the sole holdout on a plan for a post-2012 climate treaty. "If, for some reason, you're not willing to lead, leave it to the rest of us," he declared. "Please, get out of the way!" Within minutes, the U.S. backed down. The resulting "Bali Action Plan" provides a road map for an international climate treaty that will succeed the Kyoto Protocol. The Bali agreement was significant for Conrad, who was there as Papua New Guinea's Special Envoy for Climate Change, because it contained provisions for which he'd fought for years. For the first time, the U.N. Climate Treaty agreed to recognize the role of tropical forests and deforestation in tackling global warming.

This issue has long been central to Conrad, 40, who was raised in a small village deep in the rain forests of Papua New Guinea. He first addressed deforestation as a graduate student at Columbia University. While there, he sought my assistance on how the international community can provide incentives for conserving rain forests. He knew that without payment for environ-mental services, which have been excluded from current climate-change agreements, countries like Papua New Guinea simply cannot protect their forests.

Momentum quickly shifted after Conrad secured the support of two visionary leaders, Prime Minister Michael T. Somare of Papua New Guinea and President Oscar Arias Sánchez of Costa Rica. Making the case that deforestation in the developing world accounts for 20% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, Somare and Arias have called for countries that preserve their rain forests to be compensated.

Conrad is at the vanguard of this movement as executive director of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN), an intergovernmental alliance of over 40 countries that has emerged as a formidable force within U.N. climate negotiations. At the CfRN's request, the World Bank established the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, which has raised $172 million to support analytical work and capacity building to reduce deforestation. More recently, Norway has pledged $2.8 billion to combat deforestation. Sparked by Conrad, Somare and Arias, these initiatives may mobilize the largest sums in history to support rain-forest conservation.

Conrad's Bali stand was no mere act of bravado, but evidence of a powerful phenomenon: a giant bloc of developing nations demonstrating more determination in the face of climate change than an industrial giant. Driven by this same sense of urgency, the CfRN represents a vital partnership between developed and developing nations that could significantly mitigate climate change. As Conrad's call to arms reminded us, what we need is precisely this kind of leadership, wherever we can find it.
~~Joseph E. Stiglitz is University Professor at Columbia University and winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics

Find this article at:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1841778_1841779_1841795,00.html

Running on Empty...

Here it is - the end of August - and I have not made any posts on this blogsite! I know there are a few readers out there who are faithful to keep checking back here...and for that, I Thank You!!!

The last teleconference from TCK Academy is tomorrow - you can go to this site (http://tckacademy.com/class/blog/uncategorized/a-live-interview-featuring-kellie-poulin-and-terry-kinnard/) to register. I missed posting one - an important one too - on the subject of *grief* - but I was at a TCK re-entry conference and the internet access was almost nil. I got home Friday night before the Saturday teleconference, and with over 300 emails to catch up on, I missed the notice and of course then didn't get it posted on here!

If you are subscribed to the Among Worlds magazine and have not seen it appear in your mailbox yet, well...it is because it has not been mailed out. My most sincere apologies to all the subscribers to this magazine. I ran out of emotional energy, have been fighting a few memory-fiends from my past, not sleeping well...and just haven't been able to function at full capacity. If it were not for my wonderful friend (and a super graphic artist) Joy Reid, you would be waiting even longer. Joy has stepped in to help me - and hopefully we can get it all pulled together, sent to the printer, and mailed off to you in the next 2 weeks.

*Raising my glass of tea* "Here is a toast to all of you - for your graciousness, understanding and patience!!"

Margie

Daddy Dolls

In the March 2008 issue of Among Worlds magazine, Stephanie Ware wrote a detailed article about a new approach to helping kids who are separated from their parent(s). The article pertained mostly to those families who are in the military and have one (or both) parent serving overseas while their families remain stateside. But, as I told Stephanie, I feel it would be applicable to any kid who is separated from their family - especially those in boarding schools.

Anyway...below is a short video about "Daddy Dolls" (see http://www.hugahero.com/ for further information). The video is an excerpt from the 'Good Morning American' show, televised on June 5th (I believe that is correct).

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=8191182

Yeah - I am so excited that we were able to cover this before any of the big 3 media groups did! Whoohoo!

Way to go Stephanie, Tricia Dyal and Nikki Darnell!

Margie

7 Things Every TCK Should Know

7 Things Every TCK Should Know

Are you a "Third Culture Kid" or adult? Are you a parent, family member or teacher and feel like you want to learn more about this Third Culture way of life?

Just about every TCK we talk to has occasional questions and some frustration when it comes to belonging, their relationships, and the Third Culture way of life.

What do you think Ruth Van Reken, co-author of Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds, and Paulette Bethel, an international transition coach, have discovered over their careers serving expatriate communities through various forms of trainings, on-site workshops, and writing, that can help you?

Plenty. And they're ready to teach you the "7 Things Every TCK Should Know" in the first teleclass ever held for TCKs.

In fact, they have so much material, they will have 90-minute classes to ensure you learn all these important life skills. In addition, there is a free mini-course by Ruth Van Reken to answer ALL of your top questions.

In this teleclass, you will learn:

1. How do I sort out who I am and where I belong when I can't get past the feeling of belonging "everywhere and nowhere?"

2. How can I make and maintain friendships with non-TCKs and TCKs?

3. How do I deal with the grief I still feel from long ago losses of country and friends?

4. How do I stop restlessness, and the cycles of separation and loss I continue to create for myself because I can't seem to stay in one place more than 2-3 years?

5. How do I learn to recognize and develop fully the gifts I received from this TCK experience?

...and there is more on the site.

This is an exciting event because it's the first teleclass held for TCKs. It has never been done before.

You can ask Ruth and Paulette your questions live by email or on the phone. It's like a conference but without any travel or conference fees -- you can listen to it online or on the phone.

And it's completely free!

You can get all the details about this teleclass (and a list of some of the questions they are going to be answering) at this web page:

http://tckacademy.com/class

IMPORTANT: Please check out that page right away. This is a time limited AND space limited event. There is a free mini-course after you sign-up by email - EVEN if you can't attend the event!

Kind Regards,
Margie Ulsh

P.S: We are trying to spread the word so please forward this email and invite your friends, colleagues, and anyone you know who might be interested in the event.

Here is the link again to the event:

http://tckacademy.com/class