Standing outside the new Temple University Japan Campus building, I realized my third culture journey had quietly come full circle, bringing me back to the very neighborhood where my cross-cultural education first began more than three decades ago.

Photo by the author, 2026, CC BY-NC-SA

An inspirational poster that once hung on my bedroom wall during my high school days in Indiana read, “If you are not riding the wave of change, you will find yourself beneath it.” 

Image created via DALL-E, 2025, CC BY-NC-SA

Taking a moment to enjoy Japanese life and the nostalgic pleasures I once took for granted as a kid

Image taken by Casey Bales, CC BY-NC-ND

Sharing initial thoughts and experiences upon returning to Japan as an adult TCK

Image taken by Casey Bales, CC BY-NC-ND