| Author |
Message |
Ellen Tavenier
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 22, 2002 - 11:01 pm: | |
How to prepare returning home from the field? |
Barney Mayhew
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 23, 2002 - 05:34 pm: | |
Hello Ellen,
"Reverse culture shock" - i.e. the culture shock of returning to your home culture having been away from it for a while - is often thought to be more difficult to cope with than the shock of going away from home.
Interhealth (www.interhealth.org.uk) have produced a paper which describes reverse culture shock very well - but I don't know if they have made it public. I will try and find out.
One of the effects of reverse culture shock that the paper describes is that a returning aid worker wants to tell people about all the things they have done and the experiences they have had - but their friends and family can often lose interest after the first ten minutes. I remember feeling just like this when returning from two years away.
What experiences or tips do other people have on returning home?
|
Karri Goeldner
| | Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 11:41 pm: | |
My most memorable reverse culture shock experience was going into a grocery store in the US after two years in a small Bosnian village. The sheer volume of products (who really needs 17 kinds of ketchup?) was so overwhelming I couldn't stay in the store for more than 15 minutes at a time. And if it was crowded when I walked in, I would leave and come back later, or seek out a small corner store. |
jamie lee fister
Member
Username: Jamie_f
Post Number: 2
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 07, 2003 - 10:35 pm: | |
I know just what you mean. I lived and am returning to Kenya for a long time and returned for a time to the US. I went into a Kinko's to use a comp and was made literally dizzy by how fast everyone was running around. On top of that, I felt a sense of not belonging because it did not seem like real life to me. I realized that i could not stay in the US and have left. Doubt i will be back anytime soon. |
Lise-Anne
Guest
| | Posted on Monday, March 29, 2004 - 11:07 pm: | |
You may find some interesting information at the following site
http://www.careerswithoutborders.com/frnt/career/abroad_e.asp |
Natascha Barrymore
Guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 03:09 pm: | |
I know just how you feel! On my way back from Banda Aceh I thought a two night stop over in Singapore would relax me and prepare me for reliving my experiences. I stayed in my hotel room most of the time as I also literally became dizzy at the bustle and meaningless of it all. Only to return home and find out that life had continued as normal here and people were not very interested. As a result I will be returning to Banda Aceh in a couple of weeks for a long term posting. |
Living in the Field