Reverse Culture Shock -- The United Statesian is in the US!


Dear Citizens of the World!

The United States has landed and it has been a bizarre few weeks. Reverse Culture shock, after seventeen years away from the homeland, has hit hard.

Culture shock is normal when you are going to a foreign country and it is expected. Reverse culture shock affects people differently. Basically, an expat who has been away for a long period of time is shocked because they do not "fit in" with their home culture.

My personal experience has been that I find myself staring at people and I feel awed by the most mundane aspects of being back. My fellow United Statesians hear my accent and ask me, "where are you from." I in turn look at them and wonder why MY country is so different from me on so many levels.

The shock does lessen, and there are many aspects of the local culture that I do like, but I think that my experiences abroad would always make me feel like a foreigner in my own country --even if my first nationality will always be...

United Statesian

PS. A parting shot of a detail that made me think...not something I would remember seeing outside of the US...

A huge "Blind Pedestrian Crossing" sign in a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, PA.

Popular posts from this blog

The Creatine "Cell-Rinse/Flush + Methylation" Theory

Image
  The Creatine "Cell-Rinse/Flush + Methylation " Theory (Made with OpenArt AI, June 23rd, 2024, D. Troy Roach) The Cell-Rinse/Flush + Methylation Theory in four stages:  The cell is sickly and dehydrated has trouble cleaning out the "rubbish". Creatine supplementation increases the hydration, thus the internal to the external pressure gradient while also watering down or "rinsing" the cell.  "Rubbish" is pushed out of the cell into the interstitial tissues for elimination by the lymphatic system, which also works better with increased levels of H2O since it does not have it's own pump to regulate pressure. Overall methylation is improved by the supplementation of creatine which is especially helpful for people with existing methylation issues. Why I am interested in creatine now... I am at that stage in recovery that I can have a mostly normal life... as long as there is not too much stress and I avoid too much low-level (zone 2) exercise or ...
Read more

Neck exercises for Long Covid-- Part Deux

Image
  Image created with Midjourney by D. Troy Roach (Feb 18th, 2023) Neck Exercises for Long Covid-- Part Deux This is my 8-month update from the neck exercises (TMJ exercises, Throat exercises, Posture, etc).  January 2024 update : See the " Mewing " section below for a new "Tongue Circle" exercise which I think will be a game changer. Ma rch 2024 update : I have now added tongue circles. The tongue is a huge muscle that can help strengthen the neck as a whole. https://youtu.be/B3dF5TDkgiY?si=ZInmhrtoLbYW4VpA May 2024 update: I tried to stop my tine dose (10 mg) of amitriptyline. One month taper down to 5 mg...then off it for a few weeks. Bad idea to stop. My sleep got worse and neck tension came back. So I am now back on 5mg. The stop was because my head was feeling "too loose and bobbly", so a half dose of 5mg seems to be a good half-way point. Amitriptyline didn't start working until after nicotine patches... so I wonder what will happen when I take...
Read more

Pacing 101 - Brain Training as a Tool to Pace Better

Image
Brain Training -- Another Pacing Tool TLDR:  Brain training is one of many tools to help pace better by reducing wasted mental and emotional energy. The brain is small, but it is an energy hog that can eat through spoons faster than a sprint up the stairs. The science behind most "brain training" is sound. Most brain training programs oversell what they offer. You do not need an expensive program to learn this science. Outside of the "tools" that brain training programs teach you, which you can learn for free, the main benefit is accountability and the support of a coach. Some people might benefit from hiring a coach whom they can afford and feel a connection with. Brain training is not the boogeyman. It is just another tool to add to your healing toolbelt. Don't expect miracles. Stay away from programs that promise quick results and learn what you need for free. Like every other "cure" out there... people like to show off the big success stories becau...
Read more