Reverse Culture Shock

I think I'm finally over it. The reverse culture shock after getting back from Taiwan was so surprising, so unknown, I couldn't put my finger on why I felt so strange. I was in a weird mood, skittish around all the non-Asian English-speaking folks, mesmerized by how different things were from Taiwan. I mean, I'd heard about how people usually got culture shock when returning to the States after a trip like that, but I'd never had it before, or at least it was so subtle as to not be noticable. I've read lots about RCS, but no one seemed able to pin down the feelings I was having. The closest I could come to describing it was calling it a feeling of intimidation by almost everything Western. And folks, there's a lot of Western stuff in the West!

Anyway, progress went slowly, and I was sad that I had planned to move so soon after getting back. That's not to say I'm not diggin' Montreal, because I am, possibly more than any other city I've lived in. It's only that I uprooted myself again, before I'd had time to readjust from the last big uprooting.

So, I'm starting to feel like myself again. Whole, able to speak with folks (even non-Asian folks!), and more assured of my place in this big place we call the West. And hey, it only took 2 months! It took me 8 months in Taiwan to get over the culture shock!

Now, if only I could get a handle on the Metro system!