Living abroad can change a person in many ways. They will likely be more familiar with the culture they’ve assimilated into, maybe even be a fluent speaker of the language that was once foreign to them.
They may also find themselves shocked at the customs of their home country when they return, much like what these American expats went through. They shared their experiences in a recent Reddit thread, revealing how much they no longer recognize their own culture.
Enjoy reading, and feel free to share your reverse culture shock moments in the comments below.
Lived in Japan for 6.5 years, had a kid there, came back to the US in December 2016.
– *Everything* here seems to exist to create profit for someone: your health (or more likely your illness), your poverty, your education, etc.
– There is zero concept of “the greater good” or public welfare here, even when it would make more economic sense to do something collectively.
– In a similar vein, that you put a dollar value on your family’s health. I had just started working when my toddler got really sick, and I had to try to figure out “is he sick enough that I can afford the doctor visit?” “Is he sick enough that I can afford a day off work to take him to the doctor?” “How long can I afford his care if it’s not just the flu?” etc.
– Given all the above, the conclusion (here come the downvotes) that America is a massive machine designed and perfected to completely and utterly f**k poor people.
