Reverse Culture Shock (tipping, locations, summer, person)

[dmlandis]

Will traveling back to USA from China after two years working/teaching. We'll only be there for 1 1/2 months before next overseas assignment. I'm curious as to the culture shock that will take place when I arrive? What reverse culture shock have others experienced? We'll be returning to Sf Bay Area - I think that biggest shock will being able to communicate with everyone and being able to read signs with Roman letters! And paying $3+ dollars for a beer instead of .50 for a Tsingtao, and Tipping which is unheard of in China.

[Zeurich]

I lived all over the world with my work as well studies. But I have no idea what you are saying as reverse culture shock. Why do you think that 2 years is a big time to forget everything? If you know the roman letters you know it right nothing to learn new. Yes I understand you worked with Chinese language in China but come on...

[StealthRabbit]

If you were already from the USA... No problem. For your kids born and raised elsewhere.... They will have an adjustment, all be it a pleasant one. ( no more peeing in the street, or they will be listed in USA for life as a sexual predator.)

Been living and working overseas for 30 yrs, but I am USA based (until I find a permanent international Healthcare solution).

You have changed, but your friends an family have not. Just like a 50th high school reunion.... Many people are still in the same clic and reliving HS, as they have for 50 yrs. you made a different choice +/-. Each to his own.

[Chava61]

If you are only planning to be back in the USA for a month and half, then you should feel like a visitor and not really experience real reverse culture shock (and I am speaking from personal experience).

[Ghengis]

you may find yourself here during a bizarre presidential election in which the choices are between a crazy rich guy, an elderly spinster and the wife of a former president.

[No Happy]

Reverse culture shock CAN be real, but it isn't always.
It isn't in forgetting your culture, or language, or anything like that, but things can be a tad overwhelming for some. I don't know how adept you are at Mandarin (or Cantonese, depending on where you were), but if you weren't able to understand conversations of people in public places in China, than returning to the USA and understanding every word that everyone is speaking can, at first, be overstimulating. I lived in eastern Africa for a bit and I do not know bantu languages, so hearing people talk but not understanding became normal. Return home and boom! I can understand everything, and my brain kept trying to take in every word. Very tiring for the first couple days. I lived in an extremely impoverished area as well, so returning home to see Americans complain over luxuries and petty things also created some unexpected anger in me. I also returned to home and was surrounded by people who couldn't relate to the experience that I had just had, so not being to talk about it in a meaningful (for lack of a better term) way was often frustrating.

People respond differently. Reverse culture shock isn't as...shocking...as "regular" culture shock, but it certainly does exist.

[Ottawa2011]

I have heard of it happening to people who'd been away working in developing countries for many years... they come back to live in a Western country, after having been accustomed to another culture plus extreme poverty for a long while, and the difference is jarring. Not sure if you'd experience full-blown culture shock after two years away -- but you'd certainly see everyday life in a new light.

[MPRetired]

Only $3 for a beer in the bay area? Try $6-7, especially if it is something drinkable.

[dmlandis]

yes, another reason to stay overseas! you can earn good money in china and depending on your tastes, save lots of money! When I went back for a quick visit last summer, I couldnt' believe how expensive Northern California was (difficult to eat out for anything less than $20 a person) ?

[StealthRabbit]

Earn even more money working in foreign war zones. My tenant has logged 10 yrs in middle east @ $200k/ yr. tax free, he gets paid travel to VERY nice locations every 8 weeks.

Reverse culture shock may kill him!