Reverse Culture Shock

[bwpage3]

On 5/14/2020 at 12:48 AM, cmarshall said:

In the last ten years during my occasional visits back to the US I have been shocked by how much physical fear Americans feel.  Train stations didn't used to have constant messages on the loudspeaker to be on the alert for danger of various kinds.  Nor were national guardsnmen in camos with rifles a common sight.  

 

I found the fake American warmth required in some social situations to be quite offensive, such as a waiter introducing himself by name and gushing with forced friendliness.  I never liked that behavior, but I am now no longer acclimatized to it.

 

The risk for long-term expats is that eventually we feel homeless wherever we are.  

The National Guard have to be called out for a specific reason.

 

They are not just hanging around.

 

By the way I haven't seen any in the past 6 years myself.

 

And as far as physical fear?

 

Come on man. Concealed carry. I don't fear anyone. 

 

Perhaps with your fear you should keep you away from the US so you don't poop your pants.

[JohnBarleycorn]

On 5/15/2020 at 6:40 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

I think it's enough to observe many western tourists here (not so many at the moment). Strange creatures with strange behavior. And obviously they think they know everything because they saw some YouTube video or they follow some Instagram-idiot.

There are of course a few exceptions - a few.

I have remarked on this, as well, to friends in the US.

With each passing year, the young tourists and young digital nomads look evermore like true aliens from an unknown country.

No doubt, we look just as foreign to them.

However, if this representative sampling is what American culture has become, then there is no point in returning to the United States and being shocked all over again.

After 41 years in Asia, and as old as I am now, I rather doubt that I will ever set foot on US soil again, as long as I live, which may be another 15 to 20 years, a short time and less than half of the years I have spent in Asia, thus far.

This Post is a very germane topic for this forum where there are many of us who have thought about and experienced culture shock when returning "home".

Culture shock is the reason I will not now return for even a visit. And you really can't go home again.

If, somehow, I were compelled to return to the US, then I would be sure to select someplace where the culture still remains more similar to the American culture I left in 1979. The America of 1979 was a world that I enjoyed, at least I enjoyed it were I lived in the tri-state area of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and NYC. I do occasionally miss my recollection of life there, even though I also realize that the culture has long since radically changed.

Maybe I would live in Maine, in one of the small towns where there is snow. I haven't seen snow since the Nagano Olympics.

Or maybe escape to Martha's Vineyard during winter months when the small island is mostly deserted.

There must be a place for me if I am compelled to return to the US, at least I hope there might be.

[bendejo]

After a few years in SEA did a trip to South America with a stopover in Johannesburg.  At an intersection with a stop sign, just as I was about to cross a car pulled up, so I waited for him to go through.  He remained stopped, gesturing for me to proceed.  I realized he may have thought I was being cheeky, but I truly forgot there was such a thing as pedestrian right-of-way.  And traffic laws.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 5/18/2020 at 11:33 PM, Phulublub said:

What about the 61 million who voted against him?  Were they all wrong then?

 

He and his cronies continue to dismantlethe useful parts of the US Federal system, and convert others into rubber stamping machines.  I honestly do not think the US would survive another four years.  He has openly said that if everyone gets to vote in November he will lose - anyone who actually believes in democracy should be aghast at that, and rightly so.  I fear what might happen if the Democrats can unite a little bit and win by a small margin of votes in the Electoral College.  WillTrump accept defeat and go?

 

PH

Do we really have to drag Trump into every thread on TVF? Boring!

 

How about sticking to the topic?

[kingdong]

On 5/14/2020 at 5:48 AM, cmarshall said:

In the last ten years during my occasional visits back to the US I have been shocked by how much physical fear Americans feel.  Train stations didn't used to have constant messages on the loudspeaker to be on the alert for danger of various kinds.  Nor were national guardsnmen in camos with rifles a common sight.  

 

I found the fake American warmth required in some social situations to be quite offensive, such as a waiter introducing himself by name and gushing with forced friendliness.  I never liked that behavior, but I am now no longer acclimatized to it.

 

The risk for long-term expats is that eventually we feel homeless wherever we are.  

That's one thing I hated about america,the phoney good manners i.e " enjoy your meal" when they,'re probably thinking I hope it chokes you.

[hotandsticky]

8 minutes ago, kingdong said:

That's one thing I hated about america,the phoney good manners i.e " enjoy your meal" when they,'re probably thinking I hope it chokes you.

 

 

The insincerity is deafening - same as being greeted on entry to 7/11's.... blatantly automatic pilot routine.

 

 

When done properly, and the Americans can be the best at it, it actually sounds like the employee/business means it.