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I've known two people who worked for several decades as military or government contractors overseas and had considerable difficulty when they finally returned to the US. One spent years in Germany and the other was in Italy. It seemed to be a non-specific unsettled feeling...they couldn't really explain but they were mildly unhappy. These people had occasional visits back in the country but only weeks at a time. OP's only been gone two years so expectations would be closer to reality once back in the country.
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers often have some difficulties getting back to the grind of the US when their tours are over. Life has moved on and you are coming back to where you left off. Some people never really readjust. It is hard to get back to the superficial life in the US when you've seen the real world in all its ugliness and beauty.
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.
I lived abroad but never really experienced it. I understand what you're getting at but I don't think it happens too much unless you really want it to.
I did however NOT want to be in the United States whatsoever. Not culture shock, but I was forced to come home due to my main source of income drying up.
After 6 months studying abroad I was shocked how fat Americans were when I came back. Way heavier and less healthy than I remembered. Than I got a meal at the cheesecake factory and understood why.
After 6 months studying abroad I was shocked how fat Americans were when I came back. Way heavier and less healthy than I remembered. Than I got a meal at the cheesecake factory and understood why.
You beat me to it by 1 post!
Seriously, once you go out to the 'burbs (SF urban folk will skew young & fashionable) to a mall or supermarket it will hit you like a punch how obese Americans have gotten lately.
I was going to start a new thread about this very topic, but I wisely searched and saw this one!
I am originally from the US. I lived and worked abroad from the ages of 25 - 36, in a number of countries, with only occasional visits back to the US to visit friends/family. I got married, fathered two kids, and owned property while abroad.
It's kind of funny. We returned to the US almost 7 years ago (I'm nearly 43), and I am just now feeling what I imagine is a kind of culture shock. Perhaps it's the general atmosphere of the country, I'm not sure, but I feel deeply disconnected from the US. My sense is that I spent the first few years back just trying to provide a good living standard and a home for my family, so I never really reflected on or dealt with my deep-seated feelings. (BTW, I have a good job, my kids seem fine, and my wife -- who's non-American -- seems to have adjusted well.) Of course, this all may just be a type of mid-life crisis, who knows?
Anyway, I am interested to know how other people dealt with an immediate or delayed sense of reverse culture shock upon returning to their home country after a lengthy life abroad. Cheers!
My daughter lived in China for 15 months, and then she went to Europe, where I met up with her. We visited Amsterdam, Paris, and London, and then came back to the USA.
She said she kept feeling surprised walking into restrooms in Europe to see that there was hot water and toilet paper.
Even after three weeks away I can be surprised, rather than shocked, by the differences. Having just had three weeks in Vietnam we find our roads orderly, our beaches and waterways clean and our streets and shops relatively empty. Yes and our locals fat!
We come back to USA every once in awhile, biggest culture shocks:
1. Strangers greeting each other on the streets
2. Free water in restaurants, and free refills on sodas
3. Jaywalking is a thing (easy get used to cross a street whereever you want)
4. Beer in 24 and 30 packs
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