“Indian!” “Indian!” the kids shouted at him in Hindi as he stood in frustration trying to understand why this was happening. As a young kid, Pico grew up with many challenges, and as a third culture kid he lived in a place that was not similar to the way that he looked. The short film “The Road Home” is bringing to life the journey of a child and his understanding of his own acceptance and identity.
The journey of a Third Culture Kid can start from any young age. Moving from place to place growing up shapes an identity and teaches that person all parts of one’s self, with help from the people that are met along the way. When all your life you are told one thing about whom you are and where you are from and suddenly your identity gets questioned going to a new place, that person starts to question their life as well as allowing it to shape them as a person. Pico, who is originally English and from London was going to school in India. Having the same features as his peers in India raised the question of how he was going to make it known that he was different.
Through the short film ‘The Road Home,” the audience sees the journey of a child who is trying to understand his identity. Meeting new people and identifying with them in commonalities was a way of integrating and seeing different views and clarifying his understanding of the world. These strangers that Pico met were teaching him to accept himself first and to not let others define him based on his outer appearance. The challenges faced at a young age for Pico were pertinent to his life and understanding the world as a TCK.
“The Road Home” is a truly inspirational film that gives an outlook on those in the TCK community. Through this story we were able to see how the individuals associated with this community’s identities are created. The short film urges all viewers to take each other as individuals. This concept can be transported and shared throughout the world. Not having the identity that blends in with the people in the new community as well as not having a place to call home is unique. However, these people need to realize they may be different, but they are not alone.
