mackinnon

A lot of you may have read this article on the BE homepage:

http://britishexpats.com/articles/mo...culture-shock/

I can vouch for that!

I was only away from Glasgow for 1 year when I went backpacking round OZ in 2002/2003, so I never thought there would be a problem "settling" when I returned. I was wrong.

I hated everything about the place for ages, & thanks to that article I can now put a label to it; Reverse Culture Shock.

I fully expect when we return to Scotland this time that it will rear it's head, but this time I'll be prepared for it. It's weird but you really do need a couple of months to "re-settle".

Just highlighting this article again so any of you who are returning soon can bear it in mind.

TraceyW

Cheers for that

In my case though, it might not be so bad as it is here 'cos I actually like the place I'm returning to!

northernbird

It is absolutely true. I spent almost 5 years away and didn't settle back at all.

megansmummy

Cant see it happening to me if i go back hopefully!!!

When i went back at xmas for 3 weeks its like id never been away & i didnt want to get back on the plane!

mackinnon

I liked (still do) the place I was returning to as well!

When you off home? Probably before me (you lucky git)

fishfinger

Thanks, I should imagine I will suffer a bit from reverse culture shock even though I have visited England numerous times since I moved out to Canada.

I'm hoping it will pass and I won't get itchy feet again!

northernbird

it is quite a normal thing to go through and doesn't mean that you have done the wrong thing by moving home. I would hazard a guess and say everyone goes through it to some extent depending on how long you have been away. Things change, you change and it takes a while to settle back into your comfort zone.

Hutch

Hit me big-time twice. First time after I got back from a year back-packing round Europe - second time when I returned from a year in the states. First two weeks were great, seeing everything again, meeting up with people - but it took a good two to three months to settle properly and feel that I actually belonged. Very odd sensation, feeling like an alien in the town you spent 20 years growing up in.

birdynumnum

Yep.
I didnt go back to where I'd lived b4 but having been away a couple of years exactly that happened to me. Most bizarre feeling when everything is really familiar yet strange at the same time.

Hutch

In a weird way though, I actually really liked that too. It was like you noticed things that you either hadn't spotted before or that had become so familiar to you that they were invisible.

birdynumnum

True.
I used to very get excited by things like dry stone walls, my friends didnt know what I was on about oohing and ahhing.

Ps. You live near Kangaroo Valley dont you (nice spot, loved kayaking there)

Jerseygirl

I feel the same way and I've been away for 11 yrs.

Hutch

Yea, dry stone walls, little lanes, high hedgerows, decorative detail on buildings.

Yea, we're about 30km from there. 'tis fun kayaking on that stretch of river, though the noise that bridge makes when a lorry goes over it, scares the living shit out of me.

birdynumnum

Yes, remember that.
Last time I was there the swimming hole had suddenly got very busy and popular though. Loved the wombats at the campsite down river too.

thomas and sarahjayne

Where about in Glasgow you off home too Mackinnon you lucky thing?

sj




[QUOTE=mackinnon;4848729]I liked (still do) the place I was returning to as well!