Reverse Culture Shock

Culture shock is a term that a lot of people are familiar with, but there is also a less familiar phenomenon, known as reverse culture shock. Most know that when we travel abroad, we need to be prepared to see and do things that may be considered strange in our home country. However, what may not think about is how staying abroad for long periods of time can affect our view of our home country.

 What is Reverse Culture Shock?

Reverse culture shock is a term used to describe the feeling of disorientation that one experiences upon returning to their home country after months, or even years, abroad. It’s something I’ve experienced, and it’s definitely strange. I’ve lived in France for the past three years and coming home has been quite an interesting experience. There are so many little things that I’d never thought of as weird or different, but now I do. It’s like seeing the world again through a brand-new set of eyes, it’s a feeling that almost can’t be described – it has to be experienced.

The way I’m talking about it makes it seem like a bad thing, but it’s not at all. It’s just different. One of the major differences for me was, of course, the language since I didn’t go to an anglophone country. After speaking exclusively French for the past few years, I had to readjust to speaking my native language. Even though I’ve been back for a few weeks, I still draw a blank every now and then. However, the longer I stay here, the easier it will get.

Another adjustment was the way of life. In France, it seems much calmer, whereas in the United States, I’m under the impression that I’m constantly running around trying to do ten things at once. The two countries have a very different pace as well as a different outlook on life and readjusting to it has been a challenge. Neither one is good nor bad, they are just two very distinct cultures.

The last change that I’ve noticed are the changes to my daily routine. I had started to adapt to the French lifestyle while I was over there and coming back and so trying to fall back into my old routine after returning has been a struggle, in fact.

 How Do You Deal with it?

It is possible to reduce the effects of reverse culture shock upon returning to your home country. The more you communicate with people back home, the more of a connection you have to that culture and the less likely you are to be disoriented when you return. Additionally, if you frequently travel between both countries and adapt to both cultures, the differences will ultimately become less shocking over time.

Just remember that reverse culture shock is an adjustment, neither good nor bad, and you just need to take the time to fall back into your old routine.

Overcoming Culture Shock - Adjusting to a New Country

Moving to a new country can be exciting. In the beginning stage of the move, everything is new. There are new places to see, new foods to try, and new things to do. However, there are other stages of living in a new country that are not so pleasant. The purpose of this blog post is to help prepare you for your move. It might also help you if you have already moved and are experiencing sadness from being away from home.

If you know that there are different phases of culture shock, this might help you know that this feeling is normal. After a time, things will get better.

1. Excitement - You have moved because of new work opportunities or for a better life. There are a lot of reasons why people move. When you first arrive, you may be so busy unpacking and getting your new home or apartment set up, that you are too busy to think about anything else. You want to learn about this new place that you will be calling "home" for a while.

2. Frustration - You may be using a new language and simple tasks such as going to the store or going out to eat provide new challenges. You might understand parts of conversations at work, but you don't have enough language skills to be able to add anything to the conversation quickly. Then you realize every day is going to be like this for a while. You might wonder why you ever moved to begin with. You might feel that you should have stayed in your home country. You might start to feel some sadness and even deep sadness for a long time (depression).

3. Adjustment - You start to have a routine of things you do every day or every week to keep you busy. You start to see familiar faces and maybe even make a few new friends. Your navigation of places to go and your routines become easier. You don't compare your home country to your new country as often. If you work, you start understanding more vocabulary and start learning common expressions and short sentences that are used often.

4. Acceptance - Even though there is no place like home, you feel comfortable in your new country. You may not understand why people do what they do in this new place, but you accept that this is what locals do. If it's time to go back home, you might even feel sad about leaving because you now actually like your current home and have made some friends.

Tips for overcoming culture shock:

1. If you live in the United States where there isn't much public transportation, get a driver's license. This will enable you to find new places to go and more things to do in your free time.

2. Take English classes. Learn everyday English sentences or take a business English class. This will help make your everyday life easier. This is also a good way to get to know other people who are new to the United States.

3. Be patient. Learning a new language is a lot of work. You may not learn as fast as you want to, but don't quit.

4. Try to find things to do every day or every week that you can look forward to.

5. Get plenty of sleep. Everyone feels better when they have enough rest. It is easier to have a good attitude anywhere in the world if you get at least seven hours of sleep.

6. Eat healthy food. If you get sick, being away from home will be more difficult. Try to stay healthy to avoid getting sick.

7. Talk with friends and family using e-mail, Skype, Line, or WhatsApp. These days, it is much easier to stay in contact with people you know than ever before.