Cultural shock vs. Reverse cultural shock

As you travel to different destinations you find yourself in challenging situations, facing language barrier, cultural diversities and I am very sure that for almost every traveler a culture shock is very real. In a nutshell, culture shock is the roller coaster of emotions people experience while adjusting to a new culture entirely different from their own. But let me tell you something, I don’t see it as a negative thing. Ok, there is no warning about it (nothing like: Ladies and gentlemen, we're experiencing some cultural shock. Please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts.), but I usually don’t sweat about it. I always see a bright side of everything, so I really think that cultural shock changes your perspective, makes you more unbiased and accepting. And the more you travel, the less “cultural shocking” it is.

I traveled to China for the first time in 2001, because I got a scholarship in Chengdu ( FYI: I am a proper nerd, although I prefer to call myself an intellectual bad ass). Back in time, China was a whole different story than it is today. I landed into the world of unknown weirdness. To me only, of course, because it’s something I didn’t expect, haven’t seen or experienced. I was not afraid of a change, I was actually looking forward to it.

Quite a challenge for the first solo travel huh? All alone, all the way to China. Transfers and layovers in Europe were done with my eyes shut, but once I arrived at Beijing airport, troubles started. I had to buy a plane ticket to Chengdu on my own. Finding Sichuan airlines was not a problem, but buying a ticket was. The nice lady didn't speak any English. But heeeeey, I speak Chinese. Confidence kicked in, because, let me tell you, I could recite every sentence from the book by heart. Guess what? She didn't understand a word I said, I repeated myself at least four times and I was about to cry my eyes out. I wrote my request down on a piece of paper in Chinese, she read it, smiled and issued the ticket. So much for speaking Chinese after two years of studying.

Another shock came later that evening, when they assigned me the room in the dorms. There was no mattress, the bed was a hard board with a thin cover over it. Don't let me even start with the bathroom and the squat toilet. Oh, lets not forget the blue tinted windows with the metal bars on it. Seeing all this I was wondering how I will manage. And I did. Took it as a part of culture. It didn't mean I understood every custom and quirk of China, but I accepted I don't need to in order to feel at home. And China was my home for over 15 years. ( I lived in Chengdu for the past 12 years.)

I also believe I was hit by a REVERSE cultural shock. It was not a Cupid love arrow, welcome back to Europe, kinda hit. It was way more intense, stressful and emotional. Crocodile tears were shed when landing back home, everything felt strange, nothing seemed right, even language sounded weird. Readjustment to my own culture. I have to admit that I find this more surprising and difficult to deal with than the original culture shock.

Getting there, step by step. Positive vibes only!

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