Reverse Culture Shock: Coming back to the U.S.

When I first arrived to Korea I wrote a blog post about “culture shock,” and everything that was different than what I was used to. The process of returning back is referred to as “reverse culture shock” or, the feeling (of surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc.) experienced when people return to their home country and find they do not fit in as they used to. This is my list:

• Everyone loves air fryers and they are everywhere now (at least to me). Best Buy has a huge stack of them as soon as you walk in
• People being able to overhear your conversations. In Korea it’s like you’re in a little bubble with your friends wherever you are
• Not knowing where anything is in the supermarkets
• Being able to see people in cars next to you. In Korea all car windows are tinted to an extent that would be considered illegal here
• Saying “bless you” when someone sneezes. In Korea they don’t say anything, so I have to remind myself to say it.
• Gas stations with convenient stores. In Korea you can only get gas.
• Store employees speaking to you. I was at old navy and a girl came up to me asking me if everything was okay, if I needed and help, do I want to sign up for the Old Navy card, it’s free and I can get a discount when I checkout. That does not happen in Korea
• Sales tax. It doesn’t exist in Korea
• Having hot water when you want it. In Korea you have to turn it on and wait
• The food. Everything is too salty, greasy or sugary. On another note, having options and choices is amazing! So far, I’ve cooked a vegetarian chili, jack fruit pulled “pork” sandwiches and a slow cooker enchilada orzo, all of which is not possible in Korea because they don’t have the ingredients.
• People wearing shoes inside the house. 3.5 weeks here and it’s still weird. I feel like I’m violating the floor.
• Seeing Tesla’s. In Korea I saw maybe 2 in 3.5 years, but also just seeing cars that aren’t Hyundai’s or Kia’s. Also, Pickup trucks and suburban-like cars seem way bigger than any vehicle should be
• Cars letting you cross the street. In Korea, pedestrians do not have the right of way
• Going from having a full apartment with two rooms, a living room and kitchen for all my things to just my bedroom in my parents house
• Not having my dog Pal around. He died a year ago, but because I wasn’t home I wasn’t able to fully experience his lost until I came back.
• The lack of mountains. Korea is 70% mountains so your eyes are automatically drawn upward and around. Here, it feels like something is missing.
• Politics. In Korea, I’d read about what was going on and then maybe touch upon it with my friends on the weekends, but here it’s talked about constantly. It dominates life.
• The effect of COVID on daily life. In Korea, it didn’t really affect what I did. I always wore a mask when I was out of my apartment, but there were no cases where I lived, so catching it wasn’t a thought.
• Diversity! Seeing people of different races, hearing Spanish and other languages is so refreshing.

Check out my post on culture shock!