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Dealing with reverse culture shock
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Yanklonigan



Joined: 23 Jan 2017
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are many types of culture shocks we have to deal with in life and "reversed culture shock" is one of these types that many ESl/EFL Teachers had to contend to when we've returned. We eventually overcome it" some quicker than others.

I would like to suggest to my teaching colleagues overseas not to built it up too much in their man. You don't ant to become a man or woman without a country. Your homeland will have plenty of negatives but I think Canada, the U.K. New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the USA have more positives than negatives in the long run.

I doubt any of you are in picture-perfect paradises as it is. We English teachers have proven we're tough and resourceful, so reverse culture shock is no biggie.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I must be slow on the uptake. What does this MEAN ?

the whole text but specially this chunk -

"not to built it up too much in their man"


Last edited by scot47 on Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:47 am; edited 2 times in total
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Mikalina



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 140
Location: Home (said in a Joe90 voice)

PostPosted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I went on this course once where we were all given a massive letter 't'.

We then had to put it in a wastepaper basket to show that:

can't minus the t = can (actually it means can' but this fact was not appreciated when I pointed it out).

I got the same 'wooh wooh' feeling when reading this post.....
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think another problem is that the more you travel, you learn more about the world, but you have to deal with ignorance which can lead to alienation.
I have worked in Africa, Europe, Russia and Asia.
So going back and dealing with narrow minded people could lead to some alienation, but this happens in Japan too.
Dealing with ethnocentrism gets tiring.
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voyagerksa



Joined: 29 Apr 2015
Posts: 140

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 5:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mikalina wrote:
I went on this course once where we were all given a massive letter 't'.

We then had to put it in a wastepaper basket to show that:

can't minus the t = can (actually it means can' but this fact was not appreciated when I pointed it out).

I got the same 'wooh wooh' feeling when reading this post.....
superficial, silly, and shallow ideas and speaking are the key to the hearts of people in underdeveloped countries. The conceives of that will make it far in the world of ESL.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

People in "underdeveloped countries" are no different from people in the amazingly advanced West. MOD EDIT: A repeat would be a serious error in judgment.
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Mikalina



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 140
Location: Home (said in a Joe90 voice)

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, did something get lost in translation!!

I apologise for my 'trying to be witty and clever' post.

There was absolutely no inference intended about different cultures, and certainly no idea of a 'developed' or 'not developed' hierarchy (whatever those terms mean).

The 'T' episode was typically of British (English?) training courses in the nineties where "saying it, makes it". Actually there has been a case this week in England where very senior budget controllers in the NHS were made to chant "we can do it".

My point was that I felt that the positivism of the poster was of the variety which ignored reality and its effects and so became superficial.

Part of culture shock for me was realising that I wasn't the perfect white western product that I had been led to believe and that if I claimed to be English then I would have to consider owning up to the destruction and devastation caused by my country around the world.
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Yanklonigan



Joined: 23 Jan 2017
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry for my confusing post. I shouldn't try to compose messages at 6.30 am in the morning. Rereading what I wrote, it makes doesn't make any sense to me. I think I was trying to say:

1) Don't over-estimate "culture shock"... we've all dealt with it before.

2) Don't over-estimate the countries you're living in at the current moment...every country has its' flaws.

3) Don't under-estimate your native land...the U.K, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA are very flawed places but generally they're still great places to love...focus upon their positives, not their negatives.

4) Based upon my personal observations, it appeared that many English teachers were men/women without countries...folks who appeared to be miserable in their foreign land of choice and angry with their home countries...and that is a sad place to be living in when you approach old age.
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papuadn



Joined: 19 Sep 2016
Posts: 131

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yanklonigan wrote:
Sorry for my confusing post. I shouldn't try to compose messages at 6.30 am in the morning. Rereading what I wrote, it makes doesn't make any sense to me. I think I was trying to say:

1) Don't over-estimate "culture shock"... we've all dealt with it before.

2) Don't over-estimate the countries you're living in at the current moment...every country has its' flaws.

3) Don't under-estimate your native land...the U.K, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA are very flawed places but generally they're still great places to love...focus upon their positives, not their negatives.

4) Based upon my personal observations, it appeared that many English teachers were men/women without countries...folks who appeared to be miserable in their foreign land of choice and angry with their home countries...and that is a sad place to be living in when you approach old age.
Wow!

Can we re-start the thread from here? Somebody alert JohnSlat!

pssst...don't write its', it's not standard English, just drop the apostrophe Wink
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ryanlogic



Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 102
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:03 am    Post subject: Our Experiences Reply with quote

I have not repatriated yet, but after more than 2 years in Southern Turkey, just visiting the US was kind of strange for us... And now that we are in Jordan, we are experiencing something similar.

1.) In both cases, we were almost disturbed by how easy some things were in terms of dealing with customer service personnel, cashiers, etc... we had become so accustomed to the fake, cold, and snobby treatment that we get as foreigners in Turkey. It seems like in Turkey "the piddly customer is always wrong." particularly in more upscale establishments or when conducting any kind of official business. Whereas in Jordan (and of course the US), there is an established mantra of "the customer is always right." We have been very surprised about how well received we are in Jordan... the people are markedly more welcoming and hospitable.

2.) In both the US, and now in Jordan we find that we have become very sensitive to the cost of things "compared to Turkey." We find ourselves not buying basic things like milk and eggs due to the higher prices... and being appalled by the prices of things we can't do without such as trash bags, and cleaning products.

3.) In the US, yes it was frustrating that people simply didn't have the ability to understand our experiences. We did find that people lost interest as we tried to explain things in Turkey, and we found ourselves uninterested in discussions surrounding things that used to interest us like TV shows, and popular culture. I think we drove everyone crazy comparing everything to Turkey.

4.) In Jordan, it's frustrating to tell local people that we previously lived in Turkey, because many of them think Turkey is some kind of paradise for Muslims, and they aren't fully aware of the problems the country is going through. People ask us "why did you come to Jordan if you are American and living in Turkey? I would prefer to live in Turkey or America than the best neighborhood in Amman!" They assume that as in Jordan, Americans should have lots of opportunities and find their dealings with the government and locals very easy in Turkey. The problems we experienced simply can't be fathomed.

5.) We miss the delicious and ridiculously affordable food in Turkey, particularly grilled meats, and pastries.


6.) We miss the European style neighborhoods with little shops, markets, sweet shops, restaurants, butchers, and cafes under all the apartment buildings and on every corner... all ready to deliver things to your apartment with scooters for free. We are no longer accustomed to buying groceries for the week, because we are used to just going downstairs and getting what you need to cook for the day.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ryanlogic wrote:
In the US, yes it was frustrating that people simply didn't have the ability to understand our experiences. We did find that people lost interest as we tried to explain things in Turkey, and we found ourselves uninterested in discussions surrounding things that used to interest us like TV shows, and popular culture. I think we drove everyone crazy comparing everything to Turkey.

I think the more "foreign" a place seems, the harder it is for others to grasp or imagine based on their assumptions or what they've seen on television. For example, your listeners in the US probably would have been more interested in your anecdotes if your overseas experiences had been about France, the UK, Mexico... countries that others feel are "relatable." It's even more challenging for listeners to wrap their heads around the experience of working in a refugee camp or country torn by continuous violence/civil war.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I soon learned not to regale friends. colleagues and neighbours with stories of what life is like in the Orient. Most stay-at-homes are not interested.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2018 3:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can you relate to any of these stages of reverse culture shock?

Stage 1: Disengagement
    This stage can start even before you board the plane. Repatriating can feel bittersweet – it’s hard to leave behind the friends and experiences of your host country. You may have mixed feelings or doubts about returning.

Stage 2: Euphoria
    You feel a rush of excitement about being home again and seeing old friends and family. It can be thrilling to revisit favourite places and to know instinctively how certain things are done.

Stage 3: Irritability and hostility
    You notice things are not the way you left them or expected. You feel out of touch with your home life and all you want is to go back to the life you’ve just left. In this stage, people often become bored or frustrated, tired and uncommunicative. While it’s easy to feel stuck here, perseverance is key.

Stage 4: Re-adjustment and adaption
    By using effective coping strategies and giving yourself time, you can start to feel okay again. Though things are not the same, acceptance comes and you adapt to a new way of being. You have managed to overcome reverse culture shock!

As with culture shock, these stages are not necessarily linear and you may cycle between them, even returning to a stage for a while.

Source: https://expatshaarlem.nl/back-home-with-culture-shock/
.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2018 4:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The problem with being a long-term expat
BBC | 24 October 2016
Source: http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20161024-the-problem-with-being-a-long-term-expat

After 15 years, and a life on the road that took her to Japan, Singapore and Australia, Helen Maffini felt it was time to return home to Canada. But, it took just a fraction of that time for her to realise she had made a mistake.

“We moved [back] to Canada in 2013 because we thought we wanted to settle down,” she says. “We realised after a year, we did not! Me, especially. I found it hard to fit in again, I felt very different and things had changed a lot. We found the long winter very hard and it was pretty quiet compared to where we have lived before.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, Maffini, 46, an education consultant, this month, moved to Cambodia, where her husband, an Italian chef, is taking up a new position.

The expat demographic has shifted over the past 20 years. Traditionally, an expat posting involved a professional being transferred to an international office by their company for what would typically be a one-off three-year deployment. A lucrative package of incentives would often sweeten the deal.

Expats are now as likely to be Asian, as Western European or North American. And expats are taking a string of shorter, back-to-back assignments or agreeing to longer-term deployments. People are also finding their own jobs abroad. Whether by choice or design, many find themselves living away from home for a decade or more.

But there are downsides. Such long absences can play havoc with a person’s sense of identity, a feeling that is intensified by the length of time away and how often they visit home,

(End of excerpt)
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nimadecaomei



Joined: 22 Sep 2016
Posts: 605

PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2018 7:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have not returned home for almost a decade. I really do not want to. I really do not feel I could fit in with US culture and my family has either left or is planning to leave. Not much motivation to jump into that situation.
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