Because you have had the extraordinary opportunity to experience other parts of the world firsthand, you will sometimes find that those around you may have a very narrow worldview.  You must remember; this does not make that person uninformed or ignorant.  It just means they have not had the opportunity to experience an outside perspective.  While it may seem like a good idea to inform them of how someone from outside their experience may see or think about a situation it may not always be readily accepted. 

Starting your new life in a new country means you are going to have to meet all kinds of new people and make new friends.  To begin with, you may find that you have little in common with those around you.  They will have experiences that you cannot relate to and vice versa.  Their lifestyle and the things that seem important to them may sometimes seem shallow and frivolous to you.  Going out to eat may have been a luxury on your field, while going out to eat is second nature to those in the US.  It may seem to you that Americans are very wasteful compared to how those on your field live.  All this may be true, but condemning or chastising those around you for such things will alienate you from those around you.  Yes, you can have those opinions and feelings.  Before expressing yourself, take the time to get to know others and their experience.  If someone feels you value him or her, they are more likely to hear your opinion.

Don’t be afraid to share your past and experience.   You may have had the opportunity to travel to some exotic places (you may think that you haven’t been anywhere exotic, but trust me, a lot of Americans think that anywhere outside the 48 contiguous states is exotic) and have some cool stories about the time you camped out with your family in the jungle, rain forest, mountains, etc.  While this may help you to start conversations with others, be sure to take the time to listen and learn from the experiences they share. 

Depending upon what you are planning to do when you return to the States, you may find it easy to find other MKs or a community of TCKs either at your college or in your church or town.  This can be a great support system (see the Emotional Transitions section) and you will find that no matter where these other people have spent time, you will easily make connections with them.  It also important to continue to pursue friendships with those outside of the TCK world as becoming insular can sometimes lead to becoming cynical of the new culture around you.  You have to remember that you are the new person in the culture and, while you will meet people who are willing to help you, it is your job to learn the new culture.  Making new friendships takes time. Be willing to take the time to allow relationships to develop and evolve.