Third Culture Kids – The Journey
2021
EXT. A STREET IN METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES – DAY
MEDIUM SHOT. JAVIER GENATO, 13, a Filipino teenager dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, is facing the camera. He briskly walks away from the camera. Billboards and buildings are in the background. The chaotic sounds of Jeepneys, a mode of transport in the Philippines, and trishaws zooming past him can be heard.
JAVIER (V.O)
3 years in the Philippines…
MATCH CUT TO:
EXT. SAIGON RIVERBANK IN HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – MORNING
JAVIER continues facing the camera, in the same outfit, and walking away from it. Motorcycles dart past him. The area is covered in fog. The water ripples due to the basket boats.
JAVIER (V.O)
…and 3 years in Vietnam
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. ORCHARD MRT, SINGAPORE – DAY
JAVIER faces the camera and then walks away. The beeps of the MRT doors can be heard, as well as the footsteps of commuters. He walks along the train doors and prepares to board the train.
JAVIER (V.O)
…and 6 years here in Singapore
FADE TO BLACK:
INT. BLACK SCREEN (FULL SCREEN)
TITLE: “Third Culture Kids” In smaller text: “The Journey”. It appears over a black screen.
RAPID CAMERA ZOOMS OUT:
INT. THE GENATO’S DINING ROOM – EVENING
MEDIUM STILL SHOT. TICK! TICK! TICK! The sounds of a clock reverberate through the room. There are vases of lilies on the console behind the dining table. There are lit candles next to the vase. Javier walks from O.S. He sits across from his parents, whose backs are facing the camera. Javier fiddles often with his hands. He avoids looking directly at the camera.
JAVIER
I can’t really remember how they broke the news…
INT. THE GENATO’S DINING ROOM – EVENING (FLASHBACK)
WIDE SHOT. Javier’s parents, MAIDA (43, Filipino and JAVIER’s Mother) and VICENTE GENATO (44, Filipino and JAVIER’s
Father), are now facing the camera. They are both in muted coloured shirts. Their faces are unclear.
JAVIER (V.O.)
I think my parents sat us down and talked to us…
The squeak of luggage wheels and the cacophony of footsteps and flight announcements can be heard.
J-CUT:
INT. BOARDING GATE OF AIRPORT – MORNING
WIDE SHOT. Light filters into the area from outside through the massive windows. The tarmac and taxiing planes can be seen. The Genatos are briskly walking with their baggage, towards their gate.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Passengers of flight SQ2230A, boarding will be closing shortly. Please make your way to…
JAVIER (V.O.)
I would ask them to show me places from the country.
CAMERA PANS LEFT. The family rushes forward with their luggage in tow.
INT. PLANE – MORNING
SIDE PROFILE SHOT. JAVIER is staring out the window of the plane. Flight attendants can be heard giving the flight
safety briefing. The lighting is patchy, with some bright spots in the mainly dark space.
JAVIER (V.O.)
In Vietnam, there weren’t many attractions, so it was exciting to know that in Singapore we would have a Universal Studios and Legoland nearby. That really helped me get excited.
The scenery in the window changes as the plane takes off. The buildings and foliage that can be seen outside have a soft natural glow cast over them by the light. THE CAMERA ZOOMS INTO THE WINDOW VIEW.
FADE TO BLACK:
INT. THE GENATO’S DINING ROOM
SIDE PROFILE SHOT. JAVIER and his parents can be seen. The entire scene is dimly lit, with only the light fixture above the table and the faint glow of the candle lighting up the space.
JAVIER (V.O.)
They told us that at this point it would be better in our lives,
in that season…
L-CUT:
PANS LEFT.
JAVIER (V.O.)
…to be in a different place.
The camera shows the Genato’s current home. Family photos are hung on the wall. Stray pieces of bubble wrap and packing materials are left below the oak table. Varying knick knacks from different countries decorate the otherwise bare shelves.
JAVIER (V.O.)
What is home to me? Home is a place where I feel comfortable…
INT. MONTAGE OF 3 DIFFERENT DINING ROOMS
MATCH CUTS: All the previous dining rooms of the Genatos are shown. The dark oak table changes to a glass-top table in a room with large windows.
JAVIER (V.O)
It’s a place where family and friends are.
The scene is replaced with a formal dining room. A taupe table runner runs across the table. Then, the scene shifts to show a round 4-seater table in a tiny room. The Genato’s are all sitting around the dining table in each shot.
JAVIER (V.O)
It’s where the people I care about are.
INT. THE GENATO’S DINING ROOM – EVENING
CLOSE UP SHOT OF JAVIER’S FACE.
JAVIER (V.O.)
My name is Javier Genato. I am a Third Culture Kid and I’ve lived in the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore.
FADE TO:
INT. CORRIDOR AT SAINT JOSEPH INSTITUTION INTERNATIONAL (SJII) – NOON
TRACKING SHOT. JAVIER is walking along the busy corridor, with the camera behind him. Excited chatter of students reverberate off of the beige walls. Peers call out their hellos as JAVIER walks by. Javier waves back and nods politely.
JAVIER (V.O)
Being a Third Culture Kid means being someone who has come from different places and has a wider perspective and knowledge of the world. As well as being someone who can understand more people. My mom explained it to me as…
INT. MAIDA’S STUDY – MORNING
MEDIUM SHOT. The camera is across from MAIDA. She sits in front of her desk. A bulletin board covered in post-its and photos is behind her.
MAIDA
Third Culture Kids are those who spend a significant part of their lives outside of their home country… For these kids, they don’t really have that culture embedded in them. So, when you ask them where their home is, it will be harder to answer.
OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT. MAIDA is sitting behind her desk with her laptop open.
MAIDA (V.O)
The number one factor we considered was making sure that the company moving us was taking care of our family.
SUPERIMPOSED OVER MAIDA’S SURROUNDINGS: Screenshots o articles with headlines like; ‘Best places to raise children’,’ Safest places in the world’,’Where to get the best education for kids’, ‘Are international schools beneficial for your child’s development’
MAIDA (V.O)
A big thing was making sure there were good schools we could get our kids into. Normally, for expat families…
L-CUT:
- EXT. OUTSIDE THE SJII BUILDING – MORNING
EXTREME WIDE SHOT OF SJII CAMPUS.
MAIDA (V.O.)
…international schooling is included in the package, which made everything easier. We also considered the safety of the country we lived in.
Students can be seen rushing in and out of the building.
EXT. BASKETBALL COURT – MORNING – ANIMATION
A 2D animated JAVIER is seen laughing with friends who are of different ethnicities. They are all chatting next to the basketball court. The entire scene is drawn in a cartoonish manner.
JAVIER (V.O.)
The constant transition has shaped who I am today because I understand how it is to be someone who doesn’t feel the most comfortable, it’s easier for me to have empathy for them.
JAVIER walks across the frame.
FADE TO BLACK:
INT. CLASSROOM AT SJII – NOON
STILL WIDE SHOT.
A Chinese class is taking place. Students actively participate and raise their hands while their teacher talks. JAVIER sits in the outskirts of the classroom.
JAVIER (V.O.)
It’s helped me be more receptive of change.
A Chinese worksheet is on his desk. JAVIER looks blankly at the worksheet, whereas his classmates are all writing. The lesson continues.
JAVIER (V.O.)
It’s hard in the start when you or your friends move away… especially when it’s far away… especially when we were there for a while and we built strong connections to people there.
RIIING! Ruckus ensues as students begin to leave their seats.
JAVIER (IN BROKEN CHINESE):
等⼀下 (wait a bit)…
A handful of his classmates pause and turn around to face him. They stare at JAVIER in confusion, as if waiting for him to repeat himself.
JAVIER (IN BROKEN CHINESE):
这个。。。你要吗？(this, do you want?)
His classmates look even more confused, and awkwardly exchange glances. They slowly turn away from JAVIER.
JAVIER (V.O.)
It’s harder to stay in contact with them and talk on a normal basis. To not have someone to talk to in those first few weeks or months was definitely hard. It was hard to find people who I could get along with and relate to.
The students leave him and stampede out. The class goes silent. JAVIER tries to understand the worksheet, but fails.
JAVIER (V.O.)
But still, in these new places, I was different in the way that I only spoke English… I can’t speak Tagalog.
JAVIER gets up and walks toward the door.
CUT ON ACTION (WALKING):
INT. CANTEEN AT SJII – NOON
MEDIUM STILL SHOT. A student walks in front of JAVIER. JAVIER stares into space as he sits in the canteen. The harsh lighting from the fluorescent lights are like a spotlight over him. His classmates all arrive at his table with identical red trays. These trays all carry the same items; an apple, a carton of milk, a brownie and a sandwich.
JAVIER (V.O.)
I didn’t have a culture I truly belonged to because I didn’t entirely grow up in a traditional ‘Filipino’ way. I didn’t feel like I was very ‘Westernised’ either.
JAVIER looks over at his classmates’ meals. Then, he studies his own meal with a look of confusion on his face. He has a packed lunch of Chicken Adobo, which is braised chicken legs in a sauce of vinegar, soy sauce and garlic, and rice.
JAVIER (V.O.)
I belong in between the two as I have mannerisms from both sides.
JAVIER gets up and walks towards the camera. His frame fills the screen entirely.
INT. MAP – ANIMATION
STOP MOTION SHOTS of a tiny plane moves from the Philippines to Vietnam then to Singapore on the map. Childhood photos are pinned to this bulletin board map. String links these photos together.
EXT. HOUSE – DAY – ANIMATION MONTAGE
Javier is seen on screen, in front of a large door.
Everything is coloured in dull tones. JAVIER walks forward towards the boxes of his belongings.
TRACKING SHOT. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS BEHIND HIM.
JAVIER (V.O)
The entire moving process at first was very different but exciting, to not know where we were going next…
A big moving truck with a silvery sheen can be seen. The words ‘ Tiger Moving Company’ are written in bright orange on its side.
INT. ANIMATION OF HOUSE (FULL SCREEN) – DAY
The colours of the scene grows darker. Faceless people
gradually take the boxes away. JAVIER sits on one of the boxes left.
JAVIER (V.O)
When we moved for the first time, we were so tiny that the three of us could all fit inside this box…There were boxes all over the place, I really had to savour my moments there…
FADE TO BLACK:
INT. ANIMATION BEN TAHNH MARKET, SAIGON(TAKES UP FULL SCREEN)
– MONTAGE
JAVIER walks around the stalls. His eyes dart around, taking in the aromas of fresh produce and sweet scents of flowers.
JAVIER (V.O)
It’s very overwhelming to have all the new things coming in again like new food, new culture, new way of life.
The animations gradually become more vibrant in colour as the animated Javier observes everything happening around him.
CUT AWAY:
INT. THE GENATO’S HOME IN VIETNAM
WIDE SHOT. GRAIN FILTER. Family and friends surround JAVIER. They give him tokens and cards, and take turns embracing him.
JAVIER (V.O)
I was sad knowing that I would have to say goodbye to what I was used to.
The scene freezes. CLICK! (camera shutter)
MONTAGE ENDS. FADES TO:
INT. JAVIER’S BEDROOM – AFTERNOON
MEDIUM SHOT. JAVIER is siting on his bed. He is facing a 45 degree angle with the camera in front of them. His guitar is propped on his lap. He strums occasionally.
JAVIER
It didn’t take much to find that community too, it was just a matter of being with loved ones and feeling safe. As long as I had both those things, I felt ok.
JAVIER pulls out his computer and plugs in a thumb drive. CAMERA ZOOMS IN ON HIS SCREEN. JAVIER clicks on a folder labelled VHS tapes.
INT. SUPER. OLD CAMCORDER TAPES (FULL SCREEN)
The video quality decreases. A slight grain is on the following footage: JAVIER is doing karaoke with his grandfather and mother. They are all singing to a Frank Sinatra song in the centre of the frame. Relatives cheer them on from the sides and sway to the music.
JAVIER(V.O.)
In the Philippines, well, all my family is there and I really miss
them. But here in Singapore is where all my friends are, I feel safer…
INT. GENATO’S DINING ROOM – EVENING
CAMERA PANS RIGHT FROM BLANK WALL TO REVEAL THE GENATO’S
DINING ROOM. WIDE SHOT. The dining table is surrounded by family friends of different races. Laughter echoes throughout the room. Food is laid out on the table in a Kamayan style, which is a communal Filipino feast eaten without utensils.
Brightly coloured mangoes and whole fishes are spread across the table. Local Singaporean dishes can also be seen.
MEDIUM SHOT. JAVIER sits at the dining table.
JAVIER (V.O.)
When we first got to Singapore, I would say I was from Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. But now, I say I’m Filipino. I changed this because the Philippines is where I feel the most at home in.
CUT AWAY TO:
MAIDA is gesturing at the photos displayed and the amassed collection of decor from around the globe.
MAIDA (V.O)
It has been a beautiful adventure for our family.
CAMERA ZOOMS INTO A PHOTO OF THE FAMILY IN THE AIRPORT.
JAVIER (V.O.)
I would like to thank my parents for making the transition smooth, and making me feel comforted. And for their choice to move us.
FADES TO BLACK:
INT. AN EMPTY ROOM
EXTREME WIDE SHOT. There is only a single light in the centre of the room. It shines over JAVIER, who is facing the camera, illuminating his frame.
JAVIER (V.O)
The choice to move, even if I questioned it, is something I’m grateful for. I was excited, nervous and scared. And, at the time, the cons outweighed the pros.
TRACKING SHOT. Natural light leaks into the room from the windows. JAVIER walks towards the window.
JAVIER (V.O.)
But now the pros outweigh the cons. This was all for the best.
JAVIER’S silhouette is seen in front of the sunrise view in the window. THE SCENE BLURS.
ANNOUNCEMENT (V.O.)
Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for choosing to fly with us. On behalf of the crew, we hope you have a great journey.