Culture Shock and Reverse Culture Shock

[Henia 11]

I think everyone at one point and time has been throu culture shock. The different phasing..going from like to dislike of the place. But has anyone been to a shocking culture? Where the culture was not just different but bizarre even abnormal (in your mind)...or has anyone's SO been really shocked coming to the US (I guess for those coming from a more conservative or strict country) I am also curious as anyone been throu reverse culture shock? Where returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produces the same çulture shock effect.

[Ban Hammer 14,291]

I think everyone at one point and time has been throu culture shock. The different phasing..going from like to dislike of the place. But has anyone been to a shocking culture? Where the culture was not just different but bizarre even abnormal (in your mind)...or has anyone's SO been really shocked coming to the US (I guess for those coming from a more conservative or strict country) I am also curious as anyone been throu reverse culture shock? Where returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produces the same çulture shock effect.

i experienced the reverse culture shock when i came back from europe in 2002 after being over there for 8 years. i was so used to speaking german, hearing german, driving like a german..... that i had a difficult time not using using german to converse with someone. also having been gone for so long from the states, i felt like i was in an alien land as none of it was familiar to me. i'm still not used to the concept of shopping at night and on sundays.

[bostonparis 0]

I lived in Italy for a couple of years, and when I came home, I had a hard time ordering bottled water. I couldn't think of how to say "a bottle of water"... all I could think was "senza gas," and a girlfriend of mine had to step in. I think I embarrassed her!

But as far as culture shock, no - Italy, France, they're not so different. Sure, they don't have all night CVS (LOVE that store), or Starbucks on every corner, but when I'm there, I don't want it - I love the differences, and I love being in Paris. Why am I not moving THERE??

[pedroh 21]

mhh na.. i like the 24h grocery-pharmacy stuff.. food, no problemo... my wife in Mexico when we go on vacations doesn't have a problem either, she loves the brekfast-siesta, lunch then siesta, then go to party and go back to sleep vacation schedule we have when we go to Guadalajara.. other than that, she just doesn't like that in spanish we are very loud lol..

i do get a laugh of the old people who of course can't sleep no more and wake up at 6am with the excuse of 'u do more stuff if you wake up at 6am' cuz when i open the store at 9am (we have to be here at 830) there are 2 3 guys already waiting for us.. and im like zomg go back to sleep.. what's the purpose of being retired if you wake up at 530am.. goshh

but in clubs and stuff they've asked my wife if i was gay, because, as a civilized latino , i wear nice shirts when going out, hair gel and parfume.. i don't get a polo shirt and some khakis and thats it...

Edited January 20, 2007 by pedroh

[Henia 11]

I travel alot and have lived in many places. I have experienced culture shock a few times but everytime I come I experience reverse culture shock. Hard to get used to many things again... like the driving rules (most places I go the people drive like maniacs), the food and mostly change back to the fast paced life here in the US.

[pedroh 21]

oh yea another shock for me.. how the fukc are we supposed to eat in 30 min?? that is unlawful and sucks.. even 1 hour lunch is nada... 30 min lunch ftl..

[Ban Hammer 14,291]

oh yea another shock for me.. how the fukc are we supposed to eat in 30 min?? that is unlawful and sucks.. even 1 hour lunch is nada... 30 min lunch ftl..

i can kill off an entire pizza in 30 min, what are you eating?

[pedroh 21]

oh yea another shock for me.. how the fukc are we supposed to eat in 30 min?? that is unlawful and sucks.. even 1 hour lunch is nada... 30 min lunch ftl..

i can kill off an entire pizza in 30 min, what are you eating?

lol eating is a pleasure not a competition.. 2 hours is a decent time to eat

[Henia 11]

oh yea another shock for me.. how the fukc are we supposed to eat in 30 min?? that is unlawful and sucks.. even 1 hour lunch is nada... 30 min lunch ftl..

Yes I hate here. What about the new leisurely breakfast breaks in the AM and the lunch, where people actually go out to eat in a sit down place, eat a full meal...letting it settle and maybe even taking a siesta. I donnot get me wrong I like street foods, but not a daily basis. Sorry but no wonder more obese people here.

[Alanlvsjudy 0]

oh yea another shock for me.. how the fukc are we supposed to eat in 30 min?? that is unlawful and sucks.. even 1 hour lunch is nada... 30 min lunch ftl..

i can kill off an entire pizza in 30 min, what are you eating?

lol eating is a pleasure not a competition.. 2 hours is a decent time to eat

I know a place where they manufacture 3 complete 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes in 2 hours...

[SoL. 0]

I had a culture shock when I moved from Puerto Rico (an island) to US (KCMO - middle of the country) for many reasons:

1)I miss living @ a 5 minute walk from the beach

2) The food, we have a completely different diet, ours is Caribbean/Spanish/Mediterranean

3) Our winters are 85º F

4) The people - more affectionate in there

5) We are LOUD and very expressive when we speak

6) Coffee is way to expensive in here!!

And so on...

Like Pedroh said, when men go out to clubs/bars on latino countries, they dress up with nice clothes, cologne, nice shoes, no tennis shoes or shorts or pajamas LOL... I have seen people out that they seem that they just woke up and went out, (no offense please) but it's still so shocking for me! I saw a lady last week on the Mall with flannel SpongeBob Squarepants bottoms, a huuuuge sweat shirt and Timberland boots...

Edited January 20, 2007 by Sol-de-Verano

[cbd2cai 0]

OK, don't laugh . . . but I worked on a project in Sydney, Australia for 6 months. Doesn't seem like a long enough time to get out of whack on the culture shock scale, but you do get used to doing things differently. I live in Texas and we all drive cars everywhere (and on the right side of the road, lol) . . . down there I used the trains and buses . . . I didn't drive the whole time I was downunder. Grocery shopping . . . different stuff. Coffee was different . . . I drink stronger coffee now than I used to.

Then again, while I was gone, they were doing major highway construction near my house . . . blew up some bridges and it freaked me out because I had to figure out how to drive to work a different way, hehe. and it was a weird feeling to come back to my house after being gone so long . . . I just generally felt all out of sync with my whole stateside life.

Now that I have been traveling more for work and have been to Egypt several times, it seems like I keep encountering some kind of culture shock . . . even in the States, hehe!! Good thing that Starbucks is everywhere!!!

[Robor007 0]

I had a culture shock when I moved from Puerto Rico (an island) to US (KCMO - middle of the country) for many reasons:

1)I miss living @ a 5 minute walk from the beach

2) The food, we have a completely different diet, ours is Caribbean/Spanish/Mediterranean

3) Our winters are 85º F

4) The people - more affectionate in there

5) We are LOUD and very expressive when we speak

6) Coffee is way to expensive in here!!

And so on...

Like Pedroh said, when men go out to clubs/bars on latino countries, they dress up with nice clothes, cologne, nice shoes, no tennis shoes or shorts or pajamas LOL... I have seen people out that they seem that they just woke up and went out, (no offense please) but it's still so shocking for me! I saw a lady last week on the Mall with flannel SpongeBob Squarepants bottoms, a huuuuge sweat shirt and Timberland boots...

What clubs/bars are you going to? Here in my area it's just like you describe... Hair, shirt, slacks, shoes, watch, cologne, etc. Their 'shell' tries to cover what they lack inside.

This is a good one (bolded)... You haven't seen anything yet. Go to a Wal-Mart after hours or worse yet the local 'flea market' anytime!

[SoL. 0]

What clubs/bars are you going to? Here in my area it's just like you describe... Hair, shirt, slacks, shoes, watch, cologne, etc. Their 'shell' tries to cover what they lack inside.

This is a good one (bolded)... You haven't seen anything yet. Go to a Wal-Mart after hours or worse yet the local 'flea market' anytime!

I live on Kansas City MO and have not seen people going out like that, so far I have been in a few pubs and people look pretty casual/comfy, like going to the baseball game y'know. Nothing against that, just a bit different. On PR we get the best of our closet even to go to the Mall lol....

If you go out like that, dressed in pj's on PR, they send the people from the insane asylum crowd after you LOL

[Henia 11]

If you go out like that, dressed in pj's on PR, they send the people from the insane asylum crowd after you LOL

Where I am from too...lol