Have you ever had the once familiar feel totally strange or new? It’s my third visit back and with each trip I find that I see things in a different light and am thrown for a loop in the most ordinary situations. When visiting from London I remember thinking that the American (and more specifically, LA) accent sounded so loud and informal compared to the English tones I’d become accustomed to. I mixed words like “lift” for elevator, and stumbled to find the American versions before I got the inevitable perplexed look from locals (still kinda do). Most memorable was feeling severely irritated by servers at restaurants who brought the bill before it was asked for and just like that, dinner was over – all 45 minutes of it. Can’t the people just hang???
Now I come by way of Malaysia where I’m learning to live with an entirely new set of norms. One of the first things I noticed upon arriving at LAX was that women were showing cleavage. Cleavage was everywhere. It’s no big deal, they were wearing regular t-shirts and tanks tops but with Malaysia being a fairly modest country I really don’t see that very much any more. I felt like a total boob gawker but it was a very obvious first impression/difference. At my hair salon I went to use the bathroom and in my effort to turn the lights on via the switches outside the room, I gave the rest of the place an impromptu light show…”oh, that’s right, the light switches are on the inside of the restrooms here…silly me!”. Then there’s getting behind the wheel. My right leg cramped up yesterday from the tilt and push action of driving and when the time came to buy gas (or petrol) I felt like I was tampering with an explosive device. I used to do all of this stuff in my sleep, upside down, and with my hands tied for crying out loud!
Of course everything else is familiar, like favorite places and favorite people, but it’s the little things that are proving to be quite comedic, humbling, or flat out fascinating in comparison. Have you ever experienced anything like this?
I have lived in Switzerland for a little over a year now (I’m from the US) and the first time I went back to visit, i totally forgot how to drive. That was the craziest feeling i have ever had! I just went back again last week and was really surprised i had no problem with driving.
But I also was extremely happy to be able to talk how i am used to talking. I didn’t have to be careful to say words clearly or use words that are easily understood by every foreigner. I could use slang, “big words”, talk extremely fast, etc. It was awesome hahah.
yes! totally forgot about the talking part, too! it’s the little things…
hope Switzerland is great!
hihi..welcome to malaysia!
Oh yes. Strange right!? Your perspective has expanded and you get funny bone moments of lost in translation. Globe trotter. You’re a pro now!
many years to go to reach your pro status but I’m enjoying my fumbles!
Know this feeling all too well! I’m American but grew up in Japan and Singapore and then returned to the US as an adult. I was shocked by how large Americans were and had to concentrate on not bowing when saying thank you! Now I run a program that helps teens with reverse-culture shock, called Sea Change Mentoring.
Thanks for sharing this!
that’s wonderful Ellen. i can only imagine how tough it is for teens! the bowing thing hasn’t happened to me much yet but I do have the urge to give and receive things with both hands.
Everytime I go back home!
For me it is more the cultural differences. Punch lines, dry humour, “inside” jokes (as in inside the country), and just general ideas about what is cute, acceptable, fun, rude, too much etc. I really struggle with this when I go back. It sometimes make me sentimental or sad, I feel like I’ve been missing out or that my closest friends have changed. But it’s probably mostly me…
I recently moved back to the USA after being in Asia for 9 years. We lived in Indonesia for the last three, so I too noticed the cleavage…..I really find myself, wondering is it necessary…to be honest.
My leg cramped up driving as well.
And the U. S. “r”s are pronounced so HARD….no matter what part of the US you are from. It hurts my ears, even to hear sophisticated U. S. newsanchors…their “r”s are so hard.