My Identity as a Military Brat: Where Are You From? (Part 1)

Описание: Military childhood often means feeling “from everywhere and nowhere.” In Part 1 of our 3-part series on identity and belonging, we unpack what it’s like to be a military brat raised overseas—born in Germany, Filipino by heritage, moving through hotels and temp housing, living out of a rice cooker, and learning to build a self when your address keeps changing.

We talk about third-culture identity, nostalgia for places you’re “not sure you’re allowed to claim,” and how parents’ culture (Filipino) can anchor you while host nations (Germany) still feel like home. If you’ve ever stumbled when someone asks “Where are you from?”, this episode gives language, validation, and practical ways to answer.

What you’ll learn
What “third-culture kid” identity looks like in military families
Belonging vs. imposter syndrome when a host country feels like home
How family culture (food, rituals, language) becomes an anchor
Practical ways to build identity during frequent PCS moves
Why nostalgia is a clue to belonging—and how to honor it

Chapters
0:00 Identity and belonging as a military child
1:31 “Where are you from?”—the answer that always shifts
2:56 Born in Germany, Filipino heritage, not speaking German
4:24 Nostalgia markers: markets, St. Nicholas, cobblestones, castles
6:12 Leaving Germany: grief, temp housing, hotel life, rice cooker meals
8:29 Claiming culture without over-claiming a nationality
9:56 Everyday rhythms abroad vs. the U.S. (food, pace, routines)

Series infoThis is Part 1 of a 3-part series on identity and belonging in military life. Subscribe so you don’t miss Parts 2 and 3.