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In this very personal Tidings, Tom Scovel and I swap stories about our boarding school days in India and what growing up as Third Culture Kids meant to each of us: for Tom born and raised in China (which he’s captured in his terrific book) and for me, Pakistan was home. Special thanks to Pat and Scrib Sheafor who made our lovely and meaningful class reunion possible. (Broadcast on WPKN on July 13, 2016 and produced by Tony Ernst.)
Born to German Jewish refugee physicians in Lahore (now Pakistan, then British India) Hazel has lived, studied and worked in many places–India, England, Australia, Israel and the United States. She makes her home in the woods of the eastern end of Long Island, New York where she produces the art of leafages, the radio sounds of Tidings and writes about growing up Jewish in Lahore. Read more about Hazel…
Leafages by Hazel Kahan are made from real leaves, vines and tendrils interwoven with calligraphy, decorative pen and ink flourishes and imaginary Latin botanical names. Leafages contain a philosophical or inspirational thought, quotation or verse from sages, poets or religious texts. Some leafages are specially created for an individual, a couple or a family with words or leaves reflecting their personal narrative. They are available on the Leafages shop on Etsy although the supply is low right now, all my energies having been absorbed by the book I’ve been writing. Do come back soon when the shop will be full of new leafage abundance or contact me.
10 Responses
This was a wonderful piece- well edited and wide-ranging and yet still well-focused thanks to your apt questions and comments. You have a lovely speaking voice and a confident radio presence. Shabash! Tom
How fun to hear you, Tom and the fascinating and insightful interview you provided with Hazel. I am sorry I missed the reunion at Pat’s this past Spring–would have loved to have been there and relived our days at Good Ole “Company Iskool”. We are now happily settled in a lovely Retirement Community in the delightful Amish rural setting of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I plan to journey back to India this Fall with a friend and am excited to see Woodstock again among other settings which mark my upbringing.
That was a great interview. t was good to hear both of your voices. What experiences
you have had. Nothing much like mine,but I still think the TCK explains a lot of who I am. Thank you both.
It’s so great to see your comments. Others–we’d all love to hear from you too.
Hazel
Hi, Tom. This is Charles Lewis. I am reading some of our friend’s Doctoral thesis this a.m. and read of the incident where your dad escaped an untimely death. There is a picture of the hospital staff in the courtyard where he was gunned down. On another page is a picture of you strolling down a path at age 3 or 4. Dr. & Mrs. Ralph Lewis with me and my sister, Wendy were given an Exit Permit in August of 1952. We returned to Spokane,WA, where Harry and Cecile attended Whitworth College.
Could you post any of these photos? If it won’t work for you, I could try.
Hazel
Our family, with my older sister, Cecile, returned to Beijing (on recommendation by Dr. Henke, who hastily left the city) arrival, October 1, 1949. Within a few months Dad was denied permission to work with Chinese in the hospital. Thus, he immediately began the weekly process of asking for an Exit Permit.
Shabash indeed!!! What a wonderful way to spend part of a rainy afternoon! Thanks to you both! There is, as Tom says in this interview, such a sense of ‘being known’ when we TCK’s with our Woodstock heritage, get together – even when it is wonderfully listening to you both taklking and sharing your lives.
Thank you!
Pat
We couldn’t have done it without you, Pat bheinji!
What an exhilirating 30 minutes to hear the two of you exchange memories and opinions about growing up as TCK in a completely different part of the world than your parents’ – and what it has meant to you!