Monday, January 5, 2015

Life back in the USA & Reverse Culture Shocks

Reverse Culture Shocks

   Wow, since being back in the States, we have had a number of things to adapt to. Probably the hardest one has been all the customer service that is available here!  I am SO used to the feeling that I am bothering people when I come into their stores in Hungary.  Then when I enter a store here in the states, we are nearly accosted by someone welcoming us and asking if they can help.  Sometimes I just start looking for a grumpy clerk to feel ‘more at home’ with!

   Another thing that is so surprising - but yet it’s wonderful - is that I can have a complete load of laundry done in one day, and it’s DRY! Wow! How cool is that??  I am used to getting a load from the Hungarian washing machine (an American ¼ =1/2  load) done in the washer,  then hanging it up to dry. A day or two later it is dry enough so I can take it down and put it away.  I shouted with glee the other day getting three complete loads taken care of at my mom’s house!

   Physical homelessness has really hit both of us as we came back to the States.  We have no actual home here in the States anymore, and no actual house/apartment to go back to in Hungary, yet, since we moved out of where we were because we don’t know when we will be back.

   Spiritual homelessness has not really been an issue – we celebrate each day with God, no matter where we are.

   It has taken some getting used to driving over here in the States again – people take the driving thing WAY too personal!  We are used to people passing us either because they are in a hurry or they need to turn off, no biggie.


   I was expecting stores to completely overwhelm me with the choices, but that has rarely been an issue. What has overwhelmed me was how Much of each choice there is, and why it may be necessary to have that many.  I am starting to understand my husband’s more pared down approach to choices that he has always had, though.

All in all, it feels like we are adjusting fairly well. Isten jo, mindenkor! (God is good, all the time!)