The Invisible Third Culture Adult

Nora Jia Qiao-Bridges’ home is everywhere and nowhere - from China to New Zealand, and from the UK to the world. Born in China’s cultural centre as a descendant of Confucius, Nora grew up influenced by western culture. She constantly struggles with the inner conflict of embracing the dual cultures from the East and West.

Nora’s campus scandal with her English teacher Tom Norton makes her move to New Zealand to start a new life chapter. Her sexual experience with Jason Mitchell, her lifelong friendship with Eloise Feger, her entangled relationship with Kevin Yew, and her interactions with people from different cultures and backgrounds all lead Nora to discover her multicultural identities, to find a sense of belonging and to fight the battle against racial bias and discrimination.

Everyone has a story to tell. Here is your chance to listen to an ethnic minority’s eleven stories on stereotypes, identity, loneliness, relationship, sexual harassment, race, media manipulation, and the hidden history.

You may resonate with Nora’s life as a global citizen who has experienced cultural similarities and differences between different countries. You may understand international students and new migrants struggles and difficulties living abroad. Most of all, you may develop compassion to people around you and understand each other from different perspectives.

Eloquent, pure and entirely stylistic, here lies a fresh voice in fiction from a Chinese New Zealand writer. The Invisible Third Culture Adult is the perfect read for anyone who feels they are not being seen or heard.

No man is an island in the current world. Everybody is connected. We all have stories to tell. Let’s listen to each other one by one with a curious and open mind.