Job Discussion Forums

gonzarelli · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 5:57 am Post subject:

Well, reverse culture shock comes and goes and so does this thread. Razz

Just another update.

I'm now full speed ahead with reverse culture shock. Yep, the honeymoon with Canada is way long gone. I'm now at the stage where I hate everything about Canada and I think of Japan as being a sort of utopia where life is easier and so much better. I've been entertaining the thought of moving back next year Shocked

Moving back home is so much more difficult than moving away. There's no doubt in my mind.

Hoser · Joined: 19 Mar 2005 Posts: 694 Location: Toronto, Canada

Don't do it. You'll get over it in time.

geekpie · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 31

Ok, I'm not a teacher yet (after trawling through here for some time I've decided on studying for a degree rather than constantly scraping by in the future), but having come back to the uk after nearly six years abroad, I was expecting the reverse culture shock to put me into a major downer. This hasn't happened though, which is quite surprising considering I've gone from an apartment on the beach to a rented room that's hardly big enough to fit a single bed (I kid you not) in a litter strewn part of town.

When you're in a foreign country, you tend to see the beauty in everything that you take for granted at home. Things like clouds, trees and all that good stuff. At the end of the day, if you've got some sort of plan to focus on when you return you'll be fine. You can run across a swimming pool filled with custard, but if you stop you'll sink up to your neck.

I found it interesting at first when I got back that I could listen in to conversations again, although it's questionable if you really miss that much anyway!

I tend not to raise the subject of cultural differences and my travels unless asked really. I'll mention things in passing and I'm happy to talk at length with people who are interested. Some people just aren't interested though, which is a bit dissapointing. Whilst you've been through this amazing experience, I find that I do have to keep myself in check otherwise I'm sure I'd end up boring people to death! But you always have the benefit of the experience inside you and all that.

Oh, and after a year of lurking on here I finally make myfirst post. Hooray for me!!

jademonkey · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 180

In February this year, I moved back to Melbourne, Australia after about 4 years in Tokyo. My impressions:

* I was shocked that in a lot of ways, Melbourne was actually more expensive than Tokyo.

* Bad customer service, but at least you don't get the whole panic attack scenario. (like the socially 'interesting' guy in Akihabara who almost cried when I asked him if he had English software, true story)

* The trains. Oh my god. Melbourne's trains are famously bad and I really miss the punctuality and non-fascistic approach to service.

* A lot of people are amazingly rude and assume the world 'owes' them something.

* The sky tends to be blue, though, and one can usually see clouds, not domes of grey smog.

* Not a lot of crowding.

alexrocks · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 75 Location: Kyoto, Japan

I moved from the U.S. to Japan almost five years ago and have not had the chance to even leave the country in that time. (A trip home has been thus far prevented by the dominance of certain priorities over others, not a personal lack of desire to go back and visit.) So, when I think about going home, even to visit, I wonder what reverse culture shock would be like. I'd be happy to hear about anybody else's experiences with this, so if anyone has any, please post. Thank you!

Eva Pilot · Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 12:35 pm Post subject:

I'm leaving to return to Australia in just over a month.

I'll keep you posted on how everything goes.

gonzarelli · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:24 am Post subject:

It's hard to tell if you're ready to finally leave Japan. I still had a few things I wanted to do but a family illness took me home in a hurry. Now I'm feeling unprepared for what I'm going through.

I'm getting married to my Japanese sweetie in Hawaii in January so that of course is something to look forward to. I'm also visiting Japan again next month for about two and a half weeks. It will be great to see my girl again. I think not being with her now really adds to the shock.

I had plans of what I would do once in Canada. Unfortunately they didn't work out as well as I had hoped. It's important to have back up plans too.

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

Congrats big guy! Hope all goes well too, in your battle to resist moving back to where I live Laughing

! Then again, you have to live somewhere Cool

.

gaijin4life · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:01 pm Post subject:

jademonkey · Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 180

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

Hmm, usually found it to be the opposite. The polite Japanese person in public is not quite a myth, but it's getting there. When was the last time you have had someone __________ without apologizing

step on your foot/feet

crash into as they made no effort to avoid you

block the elevator while using a cellphone

block the stairs entrance/exit while talking, etc.

try to cut the queue when people are obviously waiting for the train

The answer for me, every day at least one of them or more (unless I don't go out, naturally Rolling Eyes

)

gonzarelli · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:25 am Post subject:

g4l,

I found the Japanese to be overly polite actually. Whenever someone bumped into me or stepped on my foot, he or she would apologize right away. I really didn't find too many rude people in Japan. Mind you, I wasn't looking for them. Wink

My Japan doesn't seem to be the same as your Japan Smile

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

I don't actively look for them Shocked

. I call it the 'inaka' syndrome in Tokyo. In other words, you have lot of people who live in the city (some 70%) but they haven't made the transition to city living. I'll give you another example. People come flying out of buildings, often not even looking at the other people's progress they are interrupting. I have seen this happen once in London versus uncountable times in Tokyo.

Maybe you were here with your eyes wide shut Rolling Eyes

? My wife, who is Japanese, said thast recently there is a plague of these unaware of others, me-first types running around the city.

alexrocks · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 75 Location: Kyoto, Japan

Well, I'm glad I don't live in Tokyo...if that really is the general state of things there. In almost five years in Kansai I have rarely come across such rude behavior. I will admit though, I have yet to trek up to Tokyo even for a visit.

Noelle · Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 361 Location: USA

This is such an interesting thread

I experienced reverse culture shock moving back to the states after only one year in Korea in 2006. I actually resented American culture, politics, and everything else American for about one month. Absolutely everything annoyed me. That said, I felt the same way after spending 3 years in Australia... not entirely different from my own home.

I had to surround myself with people who had traveled and lived abroad. About eight months later, I convinced myself that I loved my country again and just kept forcing myself to look at the good things about it. After one year, I warmed up to living in the U.S. and I think this was because I knew I'd be leaving again soon to return to Korea.

I'm back in Korea now and even though I miss my family, friends, job, car, and general life back home, I'm elated to be back in Asia. I get excited over the smallest things like familiar Korean snacks, songs, underground shopping centers... all of it.