Reverse culture shock never gets easy. At age 5 we went to Germany for three years and when I returned my brother and I didn't know how to flush to toilet, was amazed at the numerous TV channels and cartoons, and kept speaking to the shops in German. By the time we were getting use to the idea of USA again, we were back in Germany. It felt like we were home again and comfortable. Another three years then back to USA, etc. etc. We did this until I was 19 and I never did feel at home back "home". I was use to the freedoms of Europe and traveling, even after 17 years there I just couldn't get the feel of home, I just existed.
Moving to Australia was a shock, but it is a better adjustment than going to the States. There is still some of the European feel to the people, and I am more comfortable and happy than the whole 17 years in USA.
I'm a little nervous about having to return "home" to see my parents and again feeling foreign there.
Ha, yep; culture shock can be brutal. Back in 2002, after studying in Madrid for 9 months I flew straight to Kenya and lived there for another 5 months. So after being away from the US for an uninterrupted stretch of over a year, I landed in Philadelphia on my way back to SF. I had just been working with a bunch of African kids and I landed smack in the middle of fast food madness and was all of a sudden, surrounded by white people and obesity. It was nuts.
When I got home to SF, I didn't really know what to do with myself. I had seen and experienced things in Africa that seemed so far from what my friends had been doing, that even telling the stories seemed kind of pointless.
I think the best ways to get settled into home, are:
1) Hang with as many old friends as you can.
2) Spend some quality time with the fam.
3) Hit up all your favorite home-town eateries.
4) Take a stroll/hike through a local national park or pristine swath of outdoors
5) Write about your travels, and about home (I'm sure you're already doing plenty of this, Tim!)
...that even telling the stories seemed kind of pointless.
I think that's the hardest thing--while you're there, you think "No one's going to believe this! I can't wait to tell them!" but when you get back and people ask "How was it?" you find yourself dumbfounded. How do you turn a 1- or 2- or 5- or 24-month excursion into dinnertable conversation? I just ended up feeling like my experiences actually isolated me from the world.
Mindless, primetime TV generally snaps me back. No muting or skipping over the commercials.
Good thoughts guys - Ross, I like your 5 step program, and OB - yeah - it's all about pizza, beer and sports on the tube. Yesterday I settled down to watch the Masters - aside from the pain of watching gentle Georgia spring while an April blizzard swept down on northern Vermont, it was balm for my road-weary soul.
"I'm Phil Mickelson, and I'm proud to work with Exxon-Mobil."
For me it is the "first page of the photo album" syndrome. My parents are happy to pour over the images and ask the right questions but my friends will look at nothing beyond the first page unless it involves a drunken night out and someone I may have hooked up with.
Everyone believes that time spent abroad, regardless of what you are doing, as a holiday. Working, studying, volunteering...all extended holidays.
I never feel more foreign and out of place than at Houston and Hethrow airports. I don't what it is, but I just want to get out as soon as I am there. Unfortunately these are my gateways back to London.
Don't get me started on my home city!
I did many of the things suggested. When I returned from half a year in Africa I knew going back to Las Vegas would probably blow my mind, so I segued back into American culture via a week with family in rural North Carolina ( my aunt's Southern cooking is to die for), caught a college football game, and hung with friends in Nashville, going to see some great live music (Robert Earl Keene to be specific) Eased me in enough to make the flight back to Sin City without too much anxiety. Besides... I missed my dog!
For me it is the "first page of the photo album" syndrome. My parents are happy to pour over the images and ask the right questions but my friends will look at nothing beyond the first page unless it involves a drunken night out and someone I may have hooked up with.
Couldn't agree more.
Still, in my case, i never really suffered a cultural shock. 99% of my head was too worried about getting a job and start working again. I would have suffered just the same if i had to work in the culture i had just left.
Joined: 02-05-07
I've just returned home after 5 months in South America. So far, I still feel like I'm traveling, and it's great to see my parents and settle down in front of the fireplace.
Last year, though, when I returned home after over 2 years in Asia, I found reverse culture shock far more difficult and depressing than normal culture shock, so I'm a bit wary of how the next few months will go.
How do you deal with reverse culture shock?
We published an article by Anna Brones on BNT a while back that has some good tips:
http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2007/09/26/6-simple-ways-to-beat-the-post-travel-blues/
I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts -