To be honest with you, I'm somewhat afraid to be going home. Culture shock is a very real thing that happens going both ways. I've heard it's actually worse going back to your own culture. I think most of this has to do with the fact that I don't know what to expect. I'd like to think that it will all feel natural being that I have spent far more of my life in the states than I have in Bangladesh but wonder if things will just feel awkward or off at times. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Less than two weeks from now to be exact.
A list of things I'm afraid I'll mess up:
-Driving of the wrong side of the road.
-Spitting in an inappropriate setting.
-Asking a question that it isn't culturally appropriate to ask.
-Messing up personal space distances.
-Responding "heh" instead of "yeah" on accident.
On the other hand, I'm extremely excited because I like meeting face to face with people. I'll get to do a whole lot of that while I'm in the states. I'm also really excited about who those faces will be. All you wonderful people make it worth the cultural issues.
1 comment:
Hey Phil... Goof up and forget where you are all you want... We love you just the same! & for who you are... even though I'm sure you've changed w/your experiences there.
It will be so great to see you and hear a little more about where you've been and how life has been for you.
Feel free to share some of those cultural differences with us too... maybe we could pick up a few :) Mark and I love to adopt a few new things when they can be applied appropriately.
Since our visit to Canada last summer a bit of our language has changed... we spent a week and a half with my friends family and found ourselves speaking & thinking like them before we left. We still catch ourselves sometimes saying something their way without meaning to and get a little laugh out of it. Sometimes we do it on purpose... we had such a good time there that we like to remember it & that's a fun way to bring back the memories.
Looking forward to seeing you :) Hope you have safe travels!
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