From Third-Culture Kid to Global Citizen

Trey is an American-Bulgarian HKU student who was born in Los Angeles and grew up travelling around the world – starting with an early move to Oklahoma, followed by a sojourn in Costa Rica, and then to the Czech Republic and Romania. “I’ve grown up being a third-culture kid. I’ve never really fitted in with one group. But because of that, I was able to fit in with anybody and just learnt how to adapt to different places,” he recalls. However, at his final stop, Bulgaria, he felt he had arrived home. Trey spent 14 years there, embracing the rich culture, learning the language, and becoming deeply connected to his Bulgarian roots.

Trey’s passion for exploring new horizons and experiencing the world then led him to Hong Kong, in the entirely unfamiliar territory of East Asia. “I wanted to come to Asia because it seems like it has a really good future. I wanted to come see it for myself, to see if this is what I believe to be true about Asia in terms of the direction it’s moving in and the values, the people, etc” he says. While the decision may have seemed daunting to many, Trey saw it as an opportunity to further deepen his international exposure, solidifying his identity as a citizen of the world.

He enrolled in the International Business and Global Management programme at HKU with a slight sense of apprehension. “I was the only person from my high school to ever go to Asia for university. I had never even visited East Asia before moving here,” he says, admitting that the transition was not always easy, and being a minority in a different culture sometimes posed its own set of challenges. “But I live by the mantra that the best things in life are found outside your comfort zone. The challenges in adapting to a new place and culture have greatly enriched me as a person,” he adds.

He believes that the world needs individuals who can understand and bridge the gaps between different cultures. “I think, at least, I feel qualified to say that I’ve lived all over the world now that I’ve lived in Asia,” Trey says, noting, “I think it’s really allowed me to see a lot, get a lot of very diverse perspectives from a lot of different people.” It’s not just about cultural differences; it’s about the human connection. Trey wants to bring people closer, eliminate loneliness, and create a sense of community in increasingly globalised yet disconnected societies everywhere.

Trey’s time at HKU has been instrumental in this mission, and in five years, he sees himself still based in Asia, fostering connections between cultures and individuals. As the world continues to evolve, individuals like Trey are essential in building bridges of understanding, one connection at a time.