I wrote a post on Thursday talking about how I was dealing with the dreaded reverse culture shock. I want to share that post with everyone, but not in a traditional fashion. When I went back over what I’d wrote, I realised that quite a lot had changed in my attitude despite the relatively short time between Thursday to Saturday. So instead of just posting my initial post I’m going to do a little reflecting on what I wrote and what has changed.
Let’s start with my opening paragraph.
“It’s only been a week but I can feel it happening already. A trip to the grocery store is a trip too far; Getting outside and exploring my surroundings has lost it’s appeal; Days are fast becoming characterised by pointless web browsing. I’ve only been home for a week but the evidence is plain to see, familiarity breeds complacency”
Familiarity breeds complacency…. That was the catchphrase I’d decided best represented what I’ve been going through. For the best part I still believe the statement to be true, but only if you allow it happen. Somewhere in the last three days I decided that I wasn’t going to let it happen. Admittedly I’m still struggling to recapture the energy I had when travelling, but at least I’m trying to fight complacency. That’s a start.
What about reverse culture shock? What drives it?
“You read a lot about reverse culture shock and it’s fair to say that I’ve been experiencing something along those lines since my return. My biggest problem is the lack of anything new on the horizon. Even though I knew I was returning to Oz for well over a month it wasn’t till my return from Marrakech that reality set it. Specifically the reality that with Marrakech done, I had no new destinations on the horizon. That reality sucks! But it is the only reality I have at the moment”
Well my reality has improved a little bit since Thursday. The secret was very much in my definition of reverse culture shock. If having nothing on the horizon is the cause, then the answer is obviously to get some things on the horizon. So I’ve done some brainstorming and I’ve come up with some things to look forward to and pour my energy into. I’ll be writing about them soon!
Lastly is something a little bit negative, especially for me!
“At the moment I’m in a stasis period, I’m embracing my discontent. I think there is a certain level of healthiness in that approach. Understanding what unsettles you can be a good reminder of what’s important in your life. The obvious danger is dwelling on it for too long, before you know it you’ve developed a habit. Habits are hard to break. So it’s a balancing act then, between appreciating and obsessing”
Luckily my dwelling only lasted another 24 hours as I encountered a stark reminder of the difference we can all make everyday. I’ll go into the details of what that reminder was in my next post but suffice to say with a little bit of inspiration I started feeling a lot more positive about my situation and the possibilities that lie ahead.
It’s quite amazing how one’s attitude can change in the space of three days. I wouldn’t say I’m anywhere near fully adjusted to life back in Oz, but at least I’ve now got some foundations on which to build on. You can’t get anywhere without foundations.
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