The five recipients of the David C. Pollock Scholarships this year come to us from all over the globe: Nigeria, Canada, US, Haiti, Tunisia, Australia, UK, and Kenya. They are writing books, doing original research, creating theatre for TCKs and refugees, reaching out to survivors of torture, creating online spaces for cross-culturals, ministering to families and TCK’s internationally and busking with a flute. We are pleased to introduce them to you.
Mary Bassey Mary Bassey is a Nigerian-Canadian-American TCK currently residing in Southern California. She is a biochemistry graduate who advocates for diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. She is also the creator of Verily Merrily Mary where she encourages thinkers and writers to be culturally engaged difference-makers. She co-hosts a bimonthly Twitter chat called #TCKchat, uniting TCKs from around the world to talk about various aspects of nomadic childhood. She is the current Ms. Efik USA and advocates for the Efik people. She is also a contributor to the Huffington Post and The Black Expat.
Adam Geller Like many TCK’s, Adam’s first memory takes place at 40,000 feet. He and his siblings grew up in Australia in a house with other immigrants, making from scratch their international family where no more than three shared color, national origin, or religion. After returning to the U.S., he found himself happiest with broad-minded, wide-eyed, and confused cross-culturals. In the works of David C Pollock, Ruth van Reken and others, he found his “family” again, and finally stopped being confused. He is looking forward to meeting others at #FIGT16 that share his experience, and to connect with partners around his research, which is among the first to link the historical experience of colonialists with modern TCK’s.
Pamela Kefi Pamela Bos Kefi is a Director at Jewish Family Service in Buffalo, NY where she oversees Survivors of Torture and refugee resettlement programs. Through her consulting business, Pam provides international relocation and cross-cultural services. Pam worked as Executive Director of Deaf Adult Services and the International Institute of Buffalo. She worked in Haiti for the Department of State and USAID, was a trailing spouse, is in a cross-cultural marriage, and is almost done raising cross-cultural kids. She served on the Board of an International School and was a Peace Corps volunteer. Pam has enough knowledge of French, Arabic and American Sign Language to make friends and buy food! She is interested in the use of technology and encourage employers to provide added supports for trailing spouses, as well as the greater integration of cross-cultural supports into refugee resettlement in order to mitigate feelings of estrangement, inadequacy and under-involvement in civic life often experienced by refugees.
Eric Larsen Raised as a military brat and missionary kid in Kenya, Australia (as the son of a TCK from India), Eric currently works globally, based in the USA. He founded GYFM (Global Youth & Family Ministries) in 2007. He enjoys teaching/investigating the intersection of glocalizing youth culture, adolescent development, and third culture dynamics, and implications for the rising generation of today's multi-local young people. His related book “MissionNext: How the Church Can Reach a Glocal Generation” will be released in early 2016. He earned a doctorate in Youth, Family and Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary, and is an ordained Presbyterian pastor. He serves as Adjunct Professor of next-gen ministry at Covenant Theological Seminary (USA), San Pablo Seminary (Mexico), Christ Bible Seminary (Japan), and The Chalmers Institute (Scotland). He is a dedicated family man, married 23 years with four amazing adolescent daughters.
Amy Clare Tasker Amy Clare Tasker is a London-based theatre maker who believes stories have a unique power create community and inspire empathy. Born in Manchester, she grew up the San Francisco Bay Area from the age of five, and returned to England in 2013 - with an American accent, US passport, and minor identity crisis. She is currently directing a verbatim theatre piece made of real stories collected from Third Culture Kids. Using scripted dialogue alongside verbatim interviews, movement, music, and multi-media, “Home is Where…” explores the complexity, absurdity, and joy of our multicultural lives. (More at www.amyclaretasker.com/hyphenated). She is also developing a new initiative in London to create theatre with refugees, helping them gain confidence in English, meet others in their local community, and participate in the powerful act of sharing their stories.
REGISTER FOR #FIGT16NL TODAY!
Seats are filling up for our first conference in Europe. If you haven’t registered for the conference yet, don’t delay! In addition to our keynote speakers, we have confirmed over 60 additional presenters so far who will cover a variety of topics related to our theme of “Bringing Empathy and Expertise to the Evolving Global Family” at the conference during Concurrent sessions, Ignite sessions, Kitchen Table Conversations and Panel discussions. Updates are constantly being added to the website, so check back for the latest details.
The FIGT Boston Affiliate will now be holding regular meetings on the fourth Sunday of each month beginning in February 2016. We will continue to meet in members’ homes for a time of networking and appetizers followed by a presentation or facilitated discussion. If you are interested in attending please contact either Tina Quick, Anne Copeland, or Naomi Nakamura.
For more information on our other affiliates, please check the links below.
Mary Bassey is a Nigerian-Canadian-American TCK currently residing in Southern California. She is a biochemistry graduate who advocates for diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. She is also the creator of Verily Merrily Mary where she encourages thinkers and writers to be culturally engaged difference-makers. She co-hosts a bimonthly Twitter chat called #TCKchat, uniting TCKs from around the world to talk about various aspects of nomadic childhood. She is the current Ms. Efik USA and advocates for the Efik people. She is also a contributor to the Huffington Post and The Black Expat. 
Like many TCK’s, Adam’s first memory takes place at 40,000 feet. He and his siblings grew up in Australia in a house with other immigrants, making from scratch their international family where no more than three shared color, national origin, or religion. After returning to the U.S., he found himself happiest with broad-minded, wide-eyed, and confused cross-culturals. In the works of David C Pollock, Ruth van Reken and others, he found his “family” again, and finally stopped being confused. He is looking forward to meeting others at #FIGT16 that share his experience, and to connect with partners around his research, which is among the first to link the historical experience of colonialists with modern TCK’s. 
Pamela Bos Kefi is a Director at Jewish Family Service in Buffalo, NY where she oversees Survivors of Torture and refugee resettlement programs. Through her consulting business, Pam provides international relocation and cross-cultural services. Pam worked as Executive Director of Deaf Adult Services and the International Institute of Buffalo. She worked in Haiti for the Department of State and USAID, was a trailing spouse, is in a cross-cultural marriage, and is almost done raising cross-cultural kids. She served on the Board of an International School and was a Peace Corps volunteer. Pam has enough knowledge of French, Arabic and American Sign Language to make friends and buy food! She is interested in the use of technology and encourage employers to provide added supports for trailing spouses, as well as the greater integration of cross-cultural supports into refugee resettlement in order to mitigate feelings of estrangement, inadequacy and under-involvement in civic life often experienced by refugees. 
Raised as a military brat and missionary kid in Kenya, Australia (as the son of a TCK from India), Eric currently works globally, based in the USA. He founded GYFM (Global Youth & Family Ministries) in 2007. He enjoys teaching/investigating the intersection of glocalizing youth culture, adolescent development, and third culture dynamics, and implications for the rising generation of today's multi-local young people. His related book “MissionNext: How the Church Can Reach a Glocal Generation” will be released in early 2016. He earned a doctorate in Youth, Family and Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary, and is an ordained Presbyterian pastor. He serves as Adjunct Professor of next-gen ministry at Covenant Theological Seminary (USA), San Pablo Seminary (Mexico), Christ Bible Seminary (Japan), and The Chalmers Institute (Scotland). He is a dedicated family man, married 23 years with four amazing adolescent daughters. 
Amy Clare Tasker is a London-based theatre maker who believes stories have a unique power create community and inspire empathy. Born in Manchester, she grew up the San Francisco Bay Area from the age of five, and returned to England in 2013 - with an American accent, US passport, and minor identity crisis. She is currently directing a verbatim theatre piece made of real stories collected from Third Culture Kids. Using scripted dialogue alongside verbatim interviews, movement, music, and multi-media, “Home is Where…” explores the complexity, absurdity, and joy of our multicultural lives. (More at 
What do you gain when you suddenly find yourself with a driver? Naomi Hattaway reflects on her time in India. 
