I’ve lived outside the US for about 30 of my seventy-some years, for non-political reasons. Now I’m living in England. Though I didn’t have to learn a new language, cultural norms are still different enough that there are can be occasional surprises and potential misunderstandings. On the plus side, it’s a culture that values conversation and storytelling, and I enjoy that. And, compared to the US, there is a much greater tolerance for non-conformity and individuality (something I didn’t realize until I’d been here a while).
What I learned when I left the US the first time is that it’s equally disorienting when you return to the US. Reverse culture shock is a thing. I noticed a lot of things about my native culture that I’d previously assumed were universal. They’re not. And some of them are quite dysfunctional.
Besides England, I also lived for several years in a society that is massively different from the US, and where in my daily life, I’d seldom hear English spoken. Being a visible foreigner in such a place is an experience I strongly recommend. It teaches resiliency and humility.
I’ve lived outside the US for about 30 of my seventy-some years, for non-political reasons. Now I’m living in England. Though I didn’t have to learn a new language, cultural norms are still different enough that there are can be occasional surprises and potential misunderstandings. On the plus side, it’s a culture that values conversation and storytelling, and I enjoy that. And, compared to the US, there is a much greater tolerance for non-conformity and individuality (something I didn’t realize until I’d been here a while).
What I learned when I left the US the first time is that it’s equally disorienting when you return to the US. Reverse culture shock is a thing. I noticed a lot of things about my native culture that I’d previously assumed were universal. They’re not. And some of them are quite dysfunctional.
Besides England, I also lived for several years in a society that is massively different from the US, and where in my daily life, I’d seldom hear English spoken. Being a visible foreigner in such a place is an experience I strongly recommend. It teaches resiliency and humility.