Seeing your culture from the outside is quite the different experience. I've been told many times how friendly canadians are, and I always knew that to be true. But I didnt quite realize the extent of our friendlieness. Compared to what I was used to over in europe it was quite the shock to come home to. Now im not saying that Europeans are not friendly but canadians take it to a whole different level.
Over the five months I was away, Ive talked to many people from all over the world, and during that time ive come to see my own culture through their eyes. Generally everyone always says how friendly canadians are, not that I didnt beleive them but it was a strange expereince to see it from the outside. Even going through customs in the airport the people drilling you will questions are being friendly. Its almost like you get bombared with their friendlyness, its incredible. Like I mentioned in my last post I got my luggage searched once I arrived back in Canada and the women searching my things was even being friendly and making small talk. If that were to happen to me in Europe the people probably wouldnt even try to engage you at all with any sort of conversastion. Im not saying that people in Europe are rude or unfriendly but the extreme friendlyness of canadians is on a whole other level.
Honestly its something you need to experience to understand the full magnitude of, its hard to articulate the feeling of seeing ones culture from an outsiders perspective. I have enjoyed being able to see it as an outsider, it has given me a better prespetive on my own culture and the way I come across to people I dont know. Local people in each country we visited we very friendly but being in public places such as airports, public transport, and retial settings is completely different then in Canada. They are generally to the point and could seem very standoffish if you were not adjsuted to it. I didnt realize it was something I adjusted to until I came home. A few times when ive been out a coffee shops I almost feel as though im being bombared with their kindness, its like a forigen concept to me now.
I thought I was going to have reverse culture shock but I didnt think it would be quite as noticible as it has been. Anytime I go out I get caught of gaurd by the shop workers speaking english. I swear the first time it happend it took me a minute to realize what was happening and that I could converse with them no problem. I went to a movie the other night and while I was standing in line, bascially observing the people around me, it shocked me that everyone around me was speaking english. I have come so accustomed to no one speaking english around me that I was a little overwhelmed by it. It was almost a case of sensory overload, I just didnt quite know what to do. The first time I ordered something at a coffee shop and it was so simple I was like thinking to myself that I forgot how easy it is to do normal every day things such as ordering a coffee when you speak the language. Its something that you didnt know you took for grantued until it was taken away. The learning curve of adjusting to being the minority in a country was quite the adventure. I enjoyed learning about myself in many different ways when I was put into this situation. I now understand what its like to go to a country and not speak the language but still need to do everyday things.
My thoughts on driving after five months of not driving at all? It was actually a little stressful, I didnt expect it to be. I mean driving is pretty simple, its not something you forget how to do but obsevering the crazy drivers in europe and then getting behind a wheel is a little intimidating. I was sort of expecting everyone around to be driving the way they do in Europe, which put me on edge. After driving a few times though I realized that people here dont drive like lunatics!
Coming back to the real world was quite the adjustment, one in which Im still trying to get used to. I think it will be ongoing for the next little while of my life. As I sit here and look through my photos from my trip it almost feels like a dream. I cant beleive that was my life for the last five months. Being home was not something I was looking foward to, dont get me wrong I loved seeing all of my family and friends again but I do not enjoy being back. Not because I need to get a job and join the "real" world but because I became so accoustme to the lifestlye of the Europeans that I dont want to go back to the way I was before I left. I know that on this trip I have changed dramtically from when I left, But as I see my photos its feels like that trip almost didnt happen. its surreal to be reminising about such a big part of my life. I know that after a while I will get used to being back, but as of right now every time I go out I feel as though I dont belong. Experiencing reverse culture shock is not something I thought I would ever get the chance to experience, and what and experience it is turing out to be.
As things keep changing I will continue to update my blog.
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