Reverse Culture Shock

At our general information meeting on studying abroad, they made a mention about “reverse culture shock”. It’s basically when you come back to the United States (or your country of origin) and feel out of place there. I never gave a second thought about it because I thought I’d be more than ready to come back home. However, this is definitely what I’m experiencing right now. I can’t even unpack my suitcase because I doing so will make me feel like my trip is definitely over.

I don’t know why I’m having such a difficult time readjusting. I can’t even sleep on a normal schedule. I’ve fallen asleep before or around 10 every night and then I sleep for 10 to 12 hours a day. Part of it is not wanting to feel like I’m so far away from Spain since there is a six hour difference. In my head I keep thinking “It’s 11 AM here so it’s 5 PM there … I wonder what they are doing right now.”

Another reason it may be hard for me to readjust is that we constantly had something to do and I was always around other people my age. When we were doing our excursions, I had almost 50 other people from JMU who were going through what I was experiencing. When I was at home, I had kids my age so I could easily relate to them. I always had friends wherever I was. Now that I’m back home, I feel so alone; I don’t talk to many people from high school anymore and the ones I do talk to aren’t here this summer.

It was easier to adjust to Spain because we are expecting something a little different, but at the same time, there are still a lot of American brands, American movies, American TV … but back in the US, I can’t get a bocadillo, walk around the city, and eat all the delicious Spanish food.

Some days are harder than others. Today is one of them because I keep thinking about how I would love to be hanging out with Pau and his friends since they are done with all their exams today. I just don’t want them to forget about me. I want to be back there in eleven months. I really enjoyed Europe and I just want to go back there. I’ve been in the US for over 20 years now and I want to have new experiences!

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