Project Update: Critical Context Stage 2 - Draft 1

Are there any specific questions/headings that were prompted and helped structure your thinking? Set out the concept or question you want to research. You should articulate this as a statement that sets out your intentions.

Throughout this project I will be researching and discussing two topics that I personally relate to. The first one being third culture kids. A reason for this is because I grew up as a TCK where I spent twelve years abroad due to my father’s career. In total I have only spent two years of my childhood in Malaysia where I eventually decided to further my studies here to feel closer to ‘home’. Growing up I never exactly knew where I considered myself from because I was never ‘Malay’ enough to fit in with my cousins and relatives but then again I did not fit in with the locals in the countries I have lived in. I want to learn more about the impact towards mental health - how it may have affected a (TCK) individual growing up and how they overcame those struggles which has then helped in the present. How are they able to bring these skills into higher education and work life? Through research, it is shown that many TCKs deal with grief as well as detachment issues though it also means that they are able to develop a strong asset of skills (Parez-Barquero, 2019). I want to explore, analyse how these assets from these experiences are able to make a person the best version of themselves. By talking and interviewing other TCKs I am able to look over their experiences and observe any similarities. The second topic that I will be further researching is sustainable living. From a young age I have always been interested in nature and the environment surrounding us. As of recently, I have been more interested in sustainable living. Therefore, I want to discover ways to become more sustainable as a graphic designer. To start living sustainably takes up many sacrifices, but to me I know that I would be much happier knowing that I am able to bring this lifestyle into my job and the way I do my work. I want to focus on educating myself on how I am able to make print better for the environment while maintaining the same quality of work as per what we are familiar with.

Is there a specific proposition/ judgment/ opinion that you have regarding this question/concept?

I believe that it is important others to understand and to be aware of struggles that a person is or may be facing. When a person has never dealt with the issue directly, it may be harder for him or her to comfort and connect with the individual simply due to the lack of experience. This topic is important to me as I know that there are others out there who have similar experiences as I do but may not know of many people that do once they are back in their homeland or in an environment where being a TCK is not common. Personally, I have never faced struggles that were heavy on my mental state but I do know of another who has and is very dear to me yet she has made a name for herself as an artist, working with a famous Pakistani singer. Nevertheless, educating yourself is a step in the right direction to be able to be there for others. I find it important to always be there for others because you never know what they could be going through. I also find it important to be able to convert the negatives and turn it into something positive, making us a stronger individual. I think that it is easier for a person to be passionate for something if they have had past experiences regarding the issue.

As a third culture kid I have been introduced to numerous global issues, many of which I am still understanding and educating myself. In addition to this, I have always been drawn to nature, the environment and everything surrounding it. Naturally, without a doubt I want to expand my knowledge and include it within this project. It is often heard that we need to be more conscious about our environment, to create a better place for future generations. There are many businesses and corporations that claim to be ‘sustainable’ yet are not transparent among their consumers in how they run their productions (Ellison, 2015). Previously, I would have never thought to second guess whether the product I had purchased truly was sustainable because the company claims that they are sustainable. This is one of the many reasons why I aim to live sustainably. I believe that by living sustainably not only creates a healthy routine and habit, reduces your ecological footprint but also will also have an impact on your well being in terms of happiness and sense of purpose.

Address the different contexts that may relate to specific questions; Elaborate on the different content and concepts that you have researched regarding your specific question.

The main context of the first topic is the emotional burden that comes with being a TCK. It is not a bad thing to be slightly more emotionally sensitive, but when you have close friends or even yourself moving to another destination where it’s possible that you will never meet the people closest to you ever again, it’s difficult to not feel all those emotions, to feel powerless. From research, it states that unresolved grief is common amongst the community. However, with a strong amount of skills and traits that are picked up with this experience, an individual is able to develop an identity/personality that stands out. TCKs almost always develop significant communication skills which is an important trait to have especially when a person is moving towards a higher education as well as starting their career. Being a good communicator helps boost one’s confidence whether it is a public speaking or a one on one interview, confidence also helps to become more resilient. Confident communicators have a strong lead of becoming leaders standing up for what they believe in whether it is on a large or small scale. That being said, TCKs develop valuable career skills from being immersed in a community with people of different backgrounds and cultures they are able to identify intercultural similarities.

The late Audrey Hepburn was an influential third culture kid who grew up across countries. After her career in acting, she became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1989. She spent the rest of her years doing humanitarian work in underdeveloped/developing countries such as Ecuador, Vietnam and Sudan (UNICEF, 2003). Another well known TCK was the late Kobe Bryant who spent his childhood in Italy til he was fourteen years old. Bryant was a proud advocate for mental health, especially in children where he launched a campaign called ‘Don’t Retire, Kid’ that helped fight against anxiety as well as physical inactivity that pushed children away from their favourite sports. Additionally, Bryant was a lead in the podcast ‘The Punies’ targeted for children where he often shared life lessons regarding mental health (Landsverk, 2020). Additionally some other well known TCKs are Gillian Anderson who stands up for reproductive rights and fighting against abuse towards women, as well as Hugo Weaving, who is a passionate advocate of animal rights and ambassador of ‘Voiceless’, an animal rights organisation.

As you can see, with the privilege and exposure to different cultures and backgrounds TCKs are introduced to many global issues and are more passionate for what they stand for. With fortunate access to a good education, I was able to find my love for the environment. I was previously a timid individual where I always kept to myself but as I got older and matured, I have become more confident to speak up for what I believe in.

Why is this idea important to consider now in this time and age? (so you will have to show you are culturally/ socially aware of its relation to current issues)

Mental health is considered a sensitive subject, which may still be a taboo topic in many countries or cultures; specifically in more rural areas. Evidently it is important to break it out of the box and to continue to raise awareness. I believe that the famous quote ‘this too shall pass’ plays a role in this topic as we are able to overcome these hardships and become bigger and stronger as an individual. For TCKs, all they want is connection and a sense of belonging. Feeling powerless with every move these losses are often shut out and ignored. Unresolved grief could be seen as depression but they are two different things. Missing a friend, a neighbourhood, TCKs are told that they can get through things because they’re resilient, adaptable, and oftentimes these children do not know how to express their feelings which can potentially lead to mental health problems. Along with the experience of a third culture kid, comes with a handful of skills that perhaps might take longer for someone to develop without the same experience. Graduates are often expected to possess skills and practical knowledge upon graduating though logically it just isn’t possible to have the same experience of someone who has been working for five years. As TCKs, we are able to make a name out of ourselves as we are more adaptable to change, quick learners and so forth which allows us to stand out amongst others. As previously stated, TCKs have the nature of wanting to speak up for issues and topics they strongly believe in which can be seen in famous TCKs such as Gillian Anderson and Kobe Bryant.

Moreover, in recent years sustainability has become the new ‘trend’ whether you are vegan, a minimalist or only consume ethically made products, sustainable living has become a growing lifestyle. In this time and age I believe that this lifestyle is important as there are numerous benefits in the long run. These benefits do not only help our own well being in terms of health and finances but it also helps us to fight against climate change to a great extent when practiced vastly and consistently. By going vegan alone helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Now not everyone has the ability to switch to a plant based diet but by even going meatless once a week already saves 1608 liters of water equivalent to just one burger patty. Nonetheless, investing in sustainable and ethically made clothing, furniture along with others allows you to help pay a genuine living wage as well as supporting fair trade all while receiving the best quality purchases. Sustainability in graphic design however can easily be started at your very own workspace by simply switching to energy-efficient light bulbs and only having what you truly need on your desk which stimulates a better work area without the distractions of clutter. Additionally with the ability to choose clients, as a sustainable graphic designer you are more likely to know more about the industry and what you can do to help make or keep their business green. The print industry is a vital service to many companies and businesses which are making the effort of complying to eco-friendly practices as much as possible all while managing to balance the cost along with ethics. With advanced technology, we are able to source out the best print services that fit within our needs.

What are the research methods you have applied or are going to apply while doing your research? Why is it an appropriate method?

Conducting interviews and having conversations would be the most appropriate method to research about the effect of mental health on third culture kids. Interviews allow topics and issues to be investigated in depth. A reason for this is because when listening to another individual’s experience it is easier to understand when they are speaking rather than through a written text. I would also be able to recognise the emotions and how the individual feels at a better understanding. Moreover, interviews allow more detailed questions to be asked where a high response rate is higher. If I were to send out a form of some sort, there could possibly be difficulties in understanding the person or not have enough information compared to an interview where I am able to add any additional questions if necessary.

Running a survey may be appropriate once I have collected the information needed after interviews as they are time consuming compared to online surveys and forms. A survey is able to be run on a larger scale and can be sent out at once to a larger group of people. Having said, surveys and forms tend to be less informative in terms of responses; I think that it would act as additional data where it can be converted into qualitative data in the form of charts or graphs where I am able to use it to support previous research. However, for this specific part of my research I assume that I will be depending on the information collected from interviews more predominantly.

Moving towards sustainability, I believe that the best possible research to conduct would be trial and error. Trying out different routines to see which fits my lifestyle. For instance, I am able to look into openly sustainable brands that are available in Malaysia, try out minimalism or cut down my meat intake to start off. I could also take note or journal my journey whether it is daily or weekly. By documenting my journey I would be able to see my progress and how I am able to improve myself. However, in this current period of time due to the pandemic my daily routine is much more different to how it used to be. I would assume that staying at home would be easier to live sustainably as I am not going out to shop and so on though then, I would not be able to experience the difficulties and hardships I may encounter. I don’t suppose that a survey of sorts would be suitable as this is a personal journey and I want to find a practice that works well. I do not know of any friends or acquaintances that firmly practice sustainability so if I were to plan out an interview I would have to reach out to content creators or bloggers that I know of. I believe that with this particular topic, the best research methods would be to watch documentaries, follow along bloggers and content creators that practice and integrate that into my journey.

Word Count: 2,317

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Bibliography

Ellison, K. E. (2015, July 7). A beginner’s guide to sustainable graphic design. Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://99designs.com/blog/tips/a-beginners-guide-to-sustainable-graphic-design/

Landsverk, G. I. (2020, January 30). Kobe Bryant fought the stigma around anxiety by talking about his own insecurities. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from http://static3.businessinsider.com/kobe-bryant-legacy-mental-health-advocacy-dont-retire-kid-2020-1

Parez-Barquero, A. P. B. (2019, February 17). Cartus | Third Culture Kids Develop Valuable Career Skills. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://www.cartus.com/en/blog/third-culture-kids-develop-valuable-career-skills/

Straughan, D. S. (2009, April 5). Famous TCKs: Third-Culture Kids in the News and in History | Countries Beginning with I. Retrieved June 10, 2020, from http://www.beginningwithi.com/2009/04/05/famous-tcks-third-culture-kids-in-the-news-and-in-history/

UNICEF. (2003, June 19). Audrey Hepburn. Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://www.unicef.org/people/people_audrey_hepburn.html