Culture shock when you get back home

[Liebkuchen]

Me again

What's it like coming back home (I'm in the UK) after say 10 months or longer studying in China?

How much of a culture shock is it?

What aspects of Chinese life do you miss when you return?

What aspects of your Western life are you glad to have back?

[woliveri]

It depends on the individual I think. After I arrived in China I had culture shock in China after about 2, 3 months there. Then after 2 years there I didn't have so much culture shock but lack of friends who had the same interest that I had. After nearly 5 years I still have the DTs on going back. Next year I hope to go back.

[xianhua]

How much of a culture shock is it?

It can be a tough adjustment, it must be said. One minute you're the centre of attention, the next, you're pretty much nobody again. That may not necessarily be a negative thing in the long run though.

Oddly enough, I still remember thinking how low the ceilings were in British houses having lived in China for a year.

[Hofmann]

Hmmm? I thought the ceilings in Taiwanese houses were pretty low. It was the first instance where I actually thought I might hit my head on the ceiling if I jumped.

[adrianlondon]

After 6 months in Beijing and returning to London ... I missed the buzz of a city which seemed to be constantly changing, and I missed the friends I'd made whilst studying there. However, on returning I loved the press/internet freedom, the fact people had opinions on everything, and the blue skies (yes, London). I like visiting China, but the paranoia of the government, and pollution and lack of food safety prevents me from missing it enough to want to live there again. For the time being, anyway.

Due to the price rises in Beijing (and the devaluation of sterling) plus the influx of mainland Chinese to the UK I can actually get excellent Chinese food in London for similar prices to Beijing. This is quite shocking, really. I miss the little baozi huts though, even though I'm sure I was eating a mix of waste meat and shredded cardboard wrapped in flour. Everything tastes nice when dipped in soy sauce and chilli.

[kdavid]

It seems to me that reverse culture shock would only really affect people who had a relatively longer stint abroad. In my experience, people who find many aspects of Chinese life difficult embrace their native culture upon return.

On the other hand, people who assimilate quite easily into Chinese culture, and even take on certain aspects of being "Chinese", do face reverse culture shock when they return home, or even when they interact with fellow foreigners here in China.

An issue I grapple about routinely is eating with my compatriots. Eating in western culture, tends to be a very "every man for himself" ordeal, while the Chinese want to ensure everyone gets enough to eat. I find when I eat with other westerners, they're more concerned with ensuring they eat enough than they are that their colleagues are. As I tend to think more like a Chinese, I often end up hungry at the end of the meal while others are quite satiated.

[woliveri]

On the other hand, people who assimilate quite easily into Chinese culture, and even take on certain aspects of being "Chinese", do face reverse culture shock when they return home, or even when they interact with fellow foreigners here in China.

I can attest to this. In China I had absolutely no "laowai" friends. I had my apartment in a Chinese area. All my neighbors were Chinese. I spent my time in the park with my teacher and pretty much got into all things Chinese. Rode my bike, took the subway, walked, or took the bus. I very, very rarely took a taxi.

When I got back to the states I had no friends with my interest in Chinese and Chinese culture so I felt rather alone and thus reverse culture shock.

[gato]

I find when I eat with other westerners, they're more concerned with ensuring they eat enough than they are that their colleagues are. As I tend to think more like a Chinese, I often end up hungry at the end of the meal while others are quite satiated.

The secret to avoiding diarrhea?

Everything tastes nice when dipped in soy sauce and chilli.

Or curry.

[kdavid]

The secret to avoiding diarrhea?

Haha. Perhaps I should eat with my wife and Chinese friends less often....

[jasoninchina]

Whenever I go back to the States I usually make the same observations every time:

1. It sure is quiet

2. I'm a little lonely

3. There's no poop on the street

4. There's nobody staring at me

5. Nobody has urinated on me in a while

6. Nobody asks if I've eaten

7. Nobody honks their horns on the road here, so why am I?

8. Nobody makes a third lane on the road where there should only be two, so I better knock it off

9. Nobody is shouting "hello" at me from a distance, then snickering and running away.

10. There are so many foreigners here...oh wait, where am I?

11. I haven't experienced diarrhea in a while...

12. Why am I in the mood for Chinese food?

13. Why am I speaking so slowly and over articulating my words

14. I haven't seen anyone treat a waitress like a dog in a while

15. I haven't been treated like a dog by a waitress in a while

16. Where'd all the smokers go?

17. I can see the sky

18. wow, i've gained 10 pounds in a week

19. I don't want to go back to China

20. I kinda want to go back to China

[PanShiBo]

What aspects of your Western life are you glad to have back?

Crossing street on green light.

[trevelyan]

Not sure if it's shock, but I'll reflexively use mandarin on occasion where it doesn't make any sense. Last time it was buying pizza. The cashier stopped dumbfounded and I did too....

[Meng Lelan]

How was your pizza?

[roddy]

I'm not sure if it's due to the fact that for several years when I go back I'm going back from either central Beijing or Hong Kong, or that you just get more used to the transition, but I think I basically slip between there and here pretty easily. I can remember in the past being amazed I could eavesdrop easily, surprised at how pale and fat everyone was, etc. Now . . . not so much.

[trevelyan]

It was pretty good.

Beijing needs better pizza.

[Aaron MH]

I didn't really get culture shock coming to China, but I did get reverse culture shock going back to Australia. One example I often give was when I saw an Australian in one of the main streets spit on the ground. It was all very fine for me to see Chinese people spit in China - but I always thought in my mind that 'Australians would never do that'. Just a simple thing like this really gave me a bit of a jolt.

[xianhua]

It was all very fine for me to see Chinese people spit in China - but I always thought in my mind that 'Australians would never do that'

I've also noticed that spitting appears to be on the increase on the streets of Britain. I think the time has come for our Olympic committee to start educating the masses against such loathsome habits in preparation for the games next year.

[PanShiBo]

What aspects of Chinese life do you miss when you return?

Public parks activities: dancing, karaoke and playing jianzi. Back home (Canada) sad to see crowds of aged people congregating in food-courts killing their time pretending being busy.

[jbradfor]

An issue I grapple about routinely is eating with my compatriots. Eating in western culture, tends to be a very "every man for himself" ordeal, while the Chinese want to ensure everyone gets enough to eat.

You don't need to have spent any serious time in China to experience that. All you need is a Chinese spouse and many Chinese friends....

[roddy]

Tell you what's strange - carpets. And stairs inside a home. Carpeted stairs at that. And porches.