Cure for the Common Question: Dealing with reverse culture shock
Sep. 15, 2008The first thing people ask me when I tell them I lived in France for a year is: How was the wine and cheese? While it's true that France is known for its food, my experience of getting to know and love the culture was so much more than eating. In fact, the second most asked question is: Was it weird coming back to the U.S.? This question echoes the reality of what we call reverse culture shock that most international travelers face when re-entering their host culture after an extended period of time. I know I'm not the only one who is coming off the globe-trotter high just in time to start classes again, so I thought it would be helpful to share my personal list of do's and don'ts for re-entry to Athens. Whether you spent the summer in East Asia or Western Europe, these tips should be helpful for the transition back into America, and more specifically, Ohio University.
