Post: #1

Did anyone here lived abroad for an extensive period of time and returned home experiencing severe case of reverse culture shock? What was it that you couldn't get used to when you returned to your homeland?

Post: #2

Yup bigtime. It's different depending on where you're coming back from.

Although I've adjusted back now.

UK after Scandinavia:
-Where are the hot girls who swarm around me just for having an ounce of masculinity? Who took all the hotties away?

UK after USA:
-Traumatized by how understated and judgemental people seem to be. Everything gets a skeptical "hmmm...", whereas in the USA, it's more a "fuck yeah!"

UK after Asia:
-Traumatized by the outward aggression and over-emotionalness of even just people on the street, let alone out at night. It's one big overshare.
-Amused by how hard english girls try so hard to be cool and sassy and have "banter"
-On the flipside, relieved to actually be able to get into it and joke around and be physical and cheeky with them. They "get" flirting, thank goodness. Asians are just so timid in comparison.
-Ultimately happy that my homeland is largely a free society where people genuinely care about each other, about things more than just success and image and their family's status, and will help a stranger on the street, even if the country is a bit rough around the edges.

Post: #3

I'm usually just happy to hear English publicly spoken. There are only a handful of nations were English is the first language so I can't understate how much of a relief it can be to feel you are amongst your own native tongue. It's language difficulties that start to wear me out. As well as not being able to say anything subtle.

That said, my reverse culture shock is encountering crass, outspoken American women. Women in America can really lack a certain "softness" and gentle nature that is easily found abroad.

Post: #4

I lived in areas of extreme poverty in Central America for half a year back in 2007, when I got back to the US one of the first things I did was go to Mall of America right before Christmas when everyone was shopping for tons of expensive, useless shit and over indulging in craptastic mall court food. I still look at most of my fellow Americans and think, "They dont have that shirt in a color you like? You don't even know what hardship is..."

Post: #5

NYC and Chicago after returning from China for extended periods - lowering my center of gravity and jutting my elbows out so that I can box/shove/fight my way into the train.

Then realizing that I don't have to physically fight my way onto a train in the US.

English language skills noticeably deteriorating after only speaking Asian languages for 5-6 months straight.

Post: #6

That happened to me. When I lived in the Netherlands, it took me about a year to adjust, after which it felt like I had always lived there. When I went back to the US to visit, I felt like I was visiting a foreign country.

Post: #7

(06-12-2013 12:17 PM)RichieP Wrote:  UK after Asia:
-Traumatized by the outward aggression and over-emotionalness of even just people on the street, let alone out at night. It's one big overshare.
-Amused by how hard english girls try so hard to be cool and sassy and have "banter"
-On the flipside, relieved to actually be able to get into it and joke around and be physical and cheeky with them. They "get" flirting, thank goodness. Asians are just so timid in comparison.
-Ultimately happy that my homeland is largely a free society where people genuinely care about each other, about things more than just success and image and their family's status, and will help a stranger on the street, even if the country is a bit rough around the edges.

Got this to look forward to at the end of the month when i take a trip home to the UK after living in Asia for the past 10 months. Should a a bit of a headfuck.

Strangely after being in Canada for a year, I got home and felt like I had never left. I guess it was down to how similar the cultures are.

OP you about to head home after an extended trip abroad.

Post: #8

Moving back to the USA from 2 years of Italy, in a few weeks. I'm terrified of what I might see at a Walmart.

Post: #9

(06-13-2013 12:35 AM)chexmix Wrote:  Moving back to the USA from 2 years of Italy, in a few weeks. I'm terrified of what I might see at a Walmart.

Don't go to Walmart.

Post: #10

After returning from 1yr in asia, it seemed that everyone was fatter than I could remember

Post: #11

(06-13-2013 01:22 AM)pobreinvestidor Wrote:  After returning from 1yr in asia, it seemed that everyone was fatter than I could remember

Haha yeah I bet. I have become used and liking being used to super slim women. Don't think I can go back haha.

Post: #12

I reactivated my Facebook account after a 3 year hiatus only to be faced with a continuing stream of same old stupid status messages, posted by same old shitty people. 3 years away and as if nothing happened and I never left. Reading these utterly uninteresting and unoriginal cries for attention from increasingly infantile adults who are living on autopilot only so they could keep up with the herd for reasons they don't even know..... It's like reading messages from brain-hijacked drones. Nothing wises you more about the state of contemporary human condition then realizing how really stupid is as stupid does.

Post: #13

I've been back to an English-speaking country once in the last 7 years. Wasn't a great shock and I did enjoy the sense of familiarity. People are fat and sloppily dressed though.

Post: #14

I just got back to Canada a few days ago after spending seven months in SE Asia, for the first couple of days, I was throwing my shitty toilet paper in the trash bin and reaching for the bum gun. Then, the first night I went out boozing in Edmonton with some RVF boys, we were sitting on a patio and I was smoking, as the waitress brought us our pints, I asked her if she could bring me an ashtray, to which she replied "actually you're not allowed to smoke on the patio." I kept smoking but tried my best to hide it, stupid by-laws.

Then at work today I walked into the bathroom and there was a female janitor in there cleaning, I walked up to the urinal and whipped my cock out and she says, all riled up, "you can't piss in here while I"m cleaning, you can lose your job!". It is actually a rule on job sites, but I was so used to pissing in front of Thai female janitors, I forgot about it.

Post: #15

(06-13-2013 10:15 AM)scotian Wrote:  I just got back to Canada a few days ago after spending seven months in SE Asia, for the first couple of days, I was throwing my shitty toilet paper in the trash bin and reaching for the bum gun. Then, the first night I went out boozing in Edmonton with some RVF boys, we were sitting on a patio and I was smoking, as the waitress brought us our pints, I asked her if she could bring me an ashtray, to which she replied "actually you're not allowed to smoke on the patio." I kept smoking but tried my best to hide it, stupid by-laws.

Then at work today I walked into the bathroom and there was a female janitor in there cleaning, I walked up to the urinal and whipped my cock out and she says, all riled up, "you can't piss in here while I"m cleaning, you can lose your job!". It is actually a rule on job sites, but I was so used to pissing in front of Thai female janitors, I forgot about it.

Everything in this post made me laugh really hard.

Post: #16

So. Many. Fat. Chicks.

The horror... the horror...

Happens every time. Fortunately I have learned to tune them out of my field of vision. If I dont see them, they dont exist.