OM DETTA AVSNITT
I recently sat down with Sharon Thompson and Dr. Sharon Reid on the Speak Harmony Podcast to talk about something most of us carry quietly — the self we translate away just to feel acceptable in a new place.
We got into what "lost in translation" actually means. It is not the word that gets lost. It is the self. The version of you that was shaped by a particular soil, a particular faith, a particular way of understanding respect, time, and belonging — and what happens when you land somewhere that runs on entirely different, unspoken rules.
From there, the conversation moved through third culture kids and the tension they carry between two households that live in two different cultures at once, the unwritten American workplace rule that humility will not get you promoted the way self-advocacy will, and the quiet financial anxiety so many of us hold — sending money home while still trying to build something here. We also talked about setting healthy boundaries with family and cultural expectation, and why that is one of the hardest, least discussed emotional challenges immigrants face.
This episode is for anyone who has felt the edit happening in real time — the softening, the shrinking, the code-switching before you walk into a room. It is for first-gen professionals, third culture people, and anyone building a life across two worlds who has ever wondered which version of themselves is allowed to show up.
My book, Decoding America & Coming Home to Yourself: The Immigrant Experience, goes deeper into everything we touched on here — reading the cultural environment, bridging divides, and reclaiming identity without losing what makes you, you. It's available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-America-Coming-Home-Yourself/dp/B0DMWQ1GLR/
#DecodingAmerica #ThriveAbroad #LostInTranslation #ImmigrantExperience #ThirdCultureKids #CulturalIdentity
New to the U.S.? Start here: Newcomer
Already established, and the financial piece resonated? Start with the free Black Tax Boundary Kit [https://thebridgeconcepts.org/black-tax-boundary-kit.html], then apply for a Chemistry Call: Apply for a Chemistry Call [https://form.jotform.com/261967575607068]
And for the ongoing conversation every week, subscribe to The Thrive Abroad Brief on Substack: https://thriveabroad.substack.com
The Immigrant Experience in America
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The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS.
Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.
