I have heard that people that don't get culture shock when they enter a country will most often have some pretty bad "reverse culture shock." I would say that this is the truth. Before I went to Japan I had heard the term thrown around quite a bit but didn't realize how intense the experience would be! As weird as it sounds, for me reverse culture shock almost feels like a break-up! I find myself reminiscing about all of the good times that I had in Japan. But every time I think of my experiences I get an odd mixture of happy and sad. Since Japan is so far west jet-lag was also a big issue when I returned back to the States. This of course didn't help the reverse culture shock much either. Not being able to sleep well tends to make people grumpy! It is an odd feeling when your home country seems strange to you. Almost stranger than the country you returned from. It is a shock when you go from this. . .
To this. . .
I've been back in the US for a little under four weeks and I am starting to acclimate. I am surprised at how much culture shock I experienced when I reentered. Everything seems new; It is an interesting experience. It is cool getting to see your own country in a new light. I am noticing things in the US that I have either never noticed or took for granted before. Since I have studied abroad I have found that I am more interested in traveling in the United States and around the world. I want to go to places that I haven't seen before. I would also say that studying abroad has changed me for the better. It's given me confidence and a drive to pursue my dream of teaching English in Japan even harder.I can't wait to go back to Japan and have a new set of experiences!
Isaac Morgan
