Blog - Reverse culture shock
When moving abroad, especially far abroad, a culture shock is often unavoidable: I e.g. just couldn't get used to Muscovites' apathy, or to the Czech language (sorry :P). But now that, after having lived abroad for a while, we've moved back home, I'm starting to somewhat feel the effects of a reverse culture shock.
The overall feeling I get now that we're living in the Netherlands again is one of a strange familiarity. I obviously speak the language, know how "the system" works, but it feels different than before. There're things I love, like:
The overall feeling I get now that we're living in the Netherlands again is one of a strange familiarity. I obviously speak the language, know how "the system" works, but it feels different than before. There're things I love, like:
- Direct debit: no more transfering money every month, or worse: going somewhere to pay;
- No ATM fees anywhere, worldwide: the Dutch have no idea how good their banking system really is;
- The food! Oh, the food! Especially around Sinterklaas I really have to hold back… Dutch pastry, bread and cookies are the best in the world!
- Being closer to our Dutch friends and family :)
- People speaking Dutch. When abroad, hearing someone speak Dutch would immediately attract my attention. It took me a week or two to get rid of that here :)
- Paying for parking: it took about half an hour to get my first parking fine…
- Peoples' and companies' inflexibility:
- Meeting up with friends or family is planned weeks if not months in advance;
- TV or internet connections may take a month to be connected, instead of days;
- UPC for whatever reason has a monopoly in Rotterdam on cable internet;
- "What do you mean, you're only open until 14:00?", "What do you mean, you're open Tuesday-Thursday only?"
- Commuting by train: the Dutch railways (NS) have a thing for running late or canceling trains, which to boost are stuffed during rush hour;
- People suddenly live so far away: when everyone you know lives in the capital, you'll hardly ever spend more than an hour getting anywhere, if that. And the Netherlands may be small, but going for a visit can easily mean a 2+ hour drive.