Reverse Culture Shock!

I have always had major problems readjusting back to life in the United States. It seems to get a bit easier the more I travel, but still the shock to my senses and the order and cleanliness of everything, combined with intense jetlag, can make me very emotional upon returning.

I spent my last few weeks in India preparing myself to return home. I had long talks with my friends still in India over chai about our fears and vague plans for eventually diving back into the working world. In my head, I went over and over past episodes of reintegration to try and remember what the United States feels like after being away in a developing country for so long.

When I was sixteen, I spent two months in Merida, Mexico, during which time I lived with a Mexican family and slept in a hammock like a local! When I returned home, the first thing I said to my parents upon entering the house was, "Oh wow, you all painted the cabinets!" Our kitchen has always had white cabinets, and they suddenly looked so bright and new to me that I was absolutely convinced that my parents had repainted them bright white.  They hadn't.  I also remember being fixated on the thick, painted lines down every street and wondering how they could be so perfect and why Americans weren't constantly swerving across them.

I had assumed that the same things that shock me every time upon return would be my struggle this time as well. But instead, different things have been difficult. I haven't been disgusted by high prices. Even in India, I remembered that a cafe latte over here costs nearly $4. And yes things are neat and clean and shiny new. But here is what has really thrown me off:

Shoes. Everywhere I go inside I want to slip off my shoes at the entrance and pad around barefoot.

Waste. How do our trash bags fill up so fast? Everything we buy is plastic wrapped and grocers only fill our bags half way before putting them in the cart.

Car time. I forgot about how much time we spend in our cars. It's exhausting and disgusting and unfortunately, in Louisville, unavoidable.  And in general everyone is just so busy all the time!  What happened to just sitting and talking?  Afternoon tea?  A good book?

Grocery stores. Even the local food mart is a palace of wonders. I could marvel forever at the chocolate-covered banana chips and wasabi peas and bottled ginger-infused antioxidant-powered Chinese herbal chilled green tea. The produce section is like a dizzying kaleidoscope, and the search for avocados nearly put me in tears.

Bare legs and tank tops. Today for the first time I am wearing a short jean skirt with no leggings underneath, but just around the house. I feel naked.

Power outage and utter chaos. When the power was out last week, everyone was complaining (among other things) of hot nights. But I say unless you have slept butt-naked upside down on the bed with your head directly under a fan going at turbo speed - and were still sweating, you have not been hot.

Customer service!  It's really an amazing concept.  At a restaurant I ordered sauce on the side and it came that way - no problem!  Everyone behind the counter is so friendly and accommodating.  If I want lemons in my water when I eat out, the waiter smiles and actually brings them, instead of casually pointing to the produce shelves so I can get them myself and not disturb his nap on the floor.

I miss India.  But I'm glad to be home.