Third Culture Kid Interview: Archie in the United Arab Emirates

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in another country?

A third culture kid (TCK) is someone who is from one country, but who lives in another one most of the time. And often they blend these two cultures into their own third culture. 

Over the next few months, we'll talk with TCKs who are learning to navigate two cultures—the one their families are from and the one where their families live.

This month a TCK will share what it's like to live in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where 65% of people are Muslim. The UAE is a country where people from all over the world live! Only 11% of people living in the UAE are Emirati! Around 59% people are South Asian, 18% Arab, and the remaining 12% living in the UAE are Westerners, East Asians, or African.

Let's dive into our TCK interview to learn more about this desert country.

Name: 
Archie

Age: 
10 (and a half!)

Country: 
United Arab Emirates (UAE)

How Long I’ve Lived Here: 
8 years

Main Religion Where I Live: 
Islam, but lots of other religions, too.

What My Local Friends Believe: 

My best friends are Christian, Greek Orthodox, and Muslim.

Language My Local Friends Speak: 
A lot of my friends speak Arabic, but one of my best friends speaks Greek, and another one speaks Arabic. 

How Well I Speak the Local Language: (1 = not at all, 10=fluent: can easily speak, read, and write it)

In Arabic, I would say about 3.5. Maybe better if they talk slowly. 

Favorite Local Dish: 

Kunafa! It’s like heaven on a plate. It’s delicious, hot cream covered in crispy flakes, and then the whole thing is fried. Then, while it’s still hot, it’s drizzled with a sugary syrup. It’s a dessert but it’s my favorite thing to eat. 

What My School Is Like Here: 
My school is international, so the students are from all over the world. My teacher is British, and most of the teachers are either British or South African. 

My Best Local Friend Is: 

I can’t really pick just one. My three best friends are Cameron, Dawoud, and Theo. 

Favorite Toy: 
Nintendo Switch

What I Do For Fun: 
Play Nintendo Switch! But I also really love to play football (soccer) and basketball. 

Favorite Part of Living Here: 
I like how diverse it is here. All of my friends are from different parts of the world. It’s fun to celebrate different holidays with them and eat foods that their families ate in their home countries. 

One Way To Pray for My Local Friends: 

Pray that my friends who don’t know Jesus would believe and follow him. 

I hope you enjoyed hearing from Archie and learning a bit more about the UAE. But don't stop learning about the UAE yet! 

Here are some research questions for you to dive into about this Middle Eastern country:

1) What is the capital of the UAE?

2) Arabic is one of the official languages of the Emirates. What's another one?

3) What does the UAE's flag look like? Draw a picture of the Emarati flag.

4) Luqaimat is a popular food in Emirati culture. It's a sticky and sweet treat. Find a luqaimat recipe online and make it for a snack for your family.

5) What's the most popular sport in the UAE?

6) What is the currency (or money) used in the UAE called? 

Be sure to swing by next month to catch our next TCK interview with Levi in Sri Lanka! And don't miss our interview with children's author, Diane Stortz, next week.