Regional Migration Case Study

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Regional Migration Trends
A good backdrop for this study would be a glimpse into regional migration trends. In a general sense, migration usually denotes migrant workers seeking greener pastures. There are migrants, however, who settle in another country and raise a family either with a spouse from the host country or someone from the passport country.
Indonesia is a major sending country in Asia (ranked at no. 9) with Saudi Arabia and Malaysia being the leading destinations for its migrant workers. Total number of migrant workers reached a peak in 2008 with 748, 825 according to government statistics.Vis-à-vis these migration figures are the numbers of Indonesians who settle permanently in other countries, notably its two immediate neighbors, …show more content…

“He is alienated from his origins but does not fit with his new environment either. His belonging to a place is either disturbed or lost altogether and he is not sure of his identity anymore as a result of this.” (Lehmann, 2012)
On the other hand, TCKs, who are brought by their parents to their host countries, attain their identity by combining aspects of both their passport and host countries/culture.
In this paper, I contend that TCK identity formation is influenced in large part by their own transnational activities involving their passport culture and, at the same time, ongoing negotiation with the culture of their host country.
Transnationalism, according to Vertovec (2009), describes a condition in which, despite great distances and nothwithstanding the presence of international borders (and all kinds of relationships and national narratives they represent), certain kinds of relationships have been globally intensified and now take place paradoxically in a planet-spanning yet common—however virtual—arena of activity.
Lima (2010) amplified this by writing that transnationalism “refers to the regular engagement in activities that span national borders by foreign-born residents as part of their daily routines.” …show more content…

On the other hand, her Thai language skills are fair.
I can speak, read, and write basic Thai, and I find it easy to understand my friends when they converse in Thai. (I. Amurao, personal communication, 10 December 2014)
On the other hand, Paulo claims he is fluent in both English and Filipino but his skills in the Thai language is quite limited to functional purposes only, for instance ordering food.
Isabelle exhibited one of the basic signs of being a TCK, namely, feeling more associated with her fellow TCKs and having many friends from other nationalities. She had been studying at International Pioneers School since 2009, or five years now as of this writing. Aside from Thai students, she has also made friends with Indian students whose parents have recently migrated to Thailand, Thai-Indian students, and Filipino students who, like her, have grown up in Thailand.
I find it easier and more comfortable to be around the friends that I’ve made here in Thailand than those that I’ve made in the Philippines. I think it’s due to the fact that I grew up and spent more time with my friends here. (I. Amurao, personal communication, 10 December

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