Tabitha - Life as a Travelling Third Culture Kid

Welcome to "Stories from the Culture" (#SFTC), a blog series where we profile everyday people from around the globe to tell us how their culture enriches their human experience. These stories follow an interview format and except for spelling and some grammatical adjustments, none of their responses are edited in any way.

Today's Feature: Tabitha (Taby) Mwihaki

Ethnicity: Kenyan 🇰🇪

What's your cultural background and which country are you currently based?

My name is Dorcas Mwihaki but you can call me Taby or Tabitha. I was born in Kenya where I lived until around 10 years old . Later on, due to my dad’s work we had to move to Gabon for 3 years then Cambodia for four years and I am currently studying in Business administration in France. 

Your IG Bio says #ThirdCultureKid. For our audience who might not be familiar with that expression, can you elaborate on that? What do you mean when you say that?

The term Third culture kid describes the fact that my own culture is a mix of so many others because of the fact that I travelled a lot during my childhood and teenage years. These experiences explains my very broad view of the world . It also affected the variety of foods that I eat , I was able to learn how to cook meals from so many different cultures. 

When expressing ourselves in the world, some people use art, others cooking, fashion, makeup, design, academics, humor etc. What's your main way of expressing yourself in the world?

I express my self mostly through writing, painting and dance.

How much (if at all), does your cultural background impact how you express yourself in the world?

My paintings are mostly an expression of African culture which I love dearly. And In order to share some stories and experiences I would love to write a Christ-centred travelling Childrens’ book in the near future (it is under preparation).

What’s one song you can listen to no matter what mood you’re in or what’s going on in life? 

Milk & Honey by Claudia Isaki.

How would you describe your personal fashion style?

In terms of fashion I would describe my style as simple and chic because what I mostly look for is comfort and uniqueness.

What's your favourite clothing item that you own?

My favourite clothing item is a Massai neckless that my cousin gifted me when I went back to Kenya and my black elephant pants.

What does it mean to you, to be culture rich?

To me, it means to have a sense of diversity and originality in ones culture., 

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Thanks to Taby for providing these honest and enlightening responses.

At Culture Rich World (CRW), we aim to be more than just a luxury clothing company. We are committed to telling human stories, amplifying the voices of those in the diaspora and ultimately, promoting the sharing of culture across people groups.

To be featured in our "Stories from the Culture" #SFTC series, click here!