Reintegration and Reverse-culture shock

Trip Start Aug 30, 2005

Trip End Aug 29, 2006

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Flag of Canada Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Monday, September 18, 2006

Leaving Korea turned out to be much harder than I first anticipated. You can grow awfully familiar with a country, culture in one year to the point that it feels like a second home or extension of oneself. Getting on the plane, I think my mind had convinced itself it was coming back to Korea. It didn't.

Arriving at home it felt normal but distant, like you might experience in a dream. I guess, surreal, being surrounded by only a few of my closest family members. In some ways I expected my family to be truly excited to see me, they were happy don't get me wrong, yet I anticipated more. So it was a bit of a let down to realize to what extent people can move on without you; no band to play for my arrival. Sleep came easy that night. The next week passed in a fog, the kind you experience with jet lag but also with what was, I believe, reverse-culture shock.

Ah, Edmonton

Its not that I can attribute it to one single mannerism or food or anything in particular; it was just a feeling of being outside one's own culture and looking in. I think I dwelled on a lot of the bad things that I saw for the first time in my culture. There certainly were two factors essential to the trouble of re-adjusting: understanding everything and isolation to constant companionship. You need to understand where I was in Korea: a rural, geographically isolated, non-english speaking community for 5 out of 7 days a week for a full year. By myself. Then suddenly transplanted into a place I could understand everything and be surrounded by people constantly was overwhelming at times. The responsibilities that come with ones native language..

So I mentioned some other factors that I had trouble adjusting to, and some bad things I noticed about my own culture. First, I had big issues with Korean fashion while I resided in Korea, sequins, cowboy boots (same in Alberta, just used oddly) and pink. Arriving here I realized the majority of North Americans weren't decidedly better fashionistos. Of course there was the food difference, going from generally healthy 2 Korean-style meals a day to the North American diet with its ease-of-access to high sugar, high fat and high calorie foods. That said, if you want, you can certainly eat like a North American everyday in Korea if desired - I just didn't

Cous'

. Then there was the flip-side of isolation, the independence allotted to me, that suddenly disappeared upon coming home. The freedom of spending my money where and when I wanted to, to zero income. The not having the constant freedom of travel I did every weekend and not seeing my friends, co-workers every weekend. The individuality, dressing and speaking without consequence; there were bonuses not speaking or understanding the language and culture of Korea. Perhaps the greatest difference were the minute culturalisms: how its impolite blowing ones' nose in public, how its acceptable to spit, how the eldest pays for dinner, how people sit after dinner, how we sit at dinner, how we don't use chopsticks. Little things you do and see everyday and suddenly they are not there anymore, or are completely different. Strange to was, how I was no longer the minority but the majority and the incorrect feeling of entitlement that allows; sometimes the prejudice of a euro-caucasian Alberta. The there was the feeling like there was no one to talk to, despite being surrounded very few people understood or bothered to ask involved questions. Continuing, how little things had changed here despite feeling that I had changed enormously. At times I feel that I am being pulling into my old ways, the rut I had before I left, which I think would be a great loss. I think I've experienced and learned a great deal that I can apply to my life, that change is not to be feared but actually essential to a fulfilling, satisfying life. This thing we call life here, the money, cars, RRSPs, isn't really what life is about. I don't pretend to be a guru, yet my year certainly opened my eyes and I don't want to lose that. Oh, and no Koreans. Not a single one since arriving home.

Now, there certainly are some advantages to being home. Get catered to for the first week was pretty nice, he he

Faceoff

. Cheese, sweet merciful non-processed cheese definitely ranks near the top. Infinitely better, non-variable, non-lager beer. Golf at a reasonable, in a non-right handed orientation. The familiarity of family and friends. Comfort foods: muffins, chili, steak and many others. Proper, ground coffee. Lots of little things that you take for granted in daily life here.

Overall the adjustment hasn't been easy or smooth, strangely similar to my first month in Korea.

So with that comes the end of this travelogue. Its been an amazing experience, and I've been fortunate to have an audience to share it with. Thank you to the Travelpod community and moderators. Until next the next adventure...

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