Comments on: Minneapolis culture shock

By: sleeper78

sleeper78 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:46:03 +0000

How about having to listen to Americans (from Colorado in my case) STANDING 10 feet from your seat IN THE PLANE talking loudly for half an hour on the flight back while you look for an righteous air marshal with a bad hangover.

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:31:11 +0000

What about the fact that all those free refills come in a LARGE glass that is full of ice?

By: leif

leif — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:37:34 +0000

I can’t believe I forgot this one:

“Let me get this straight � there’s free refills on soda/coffee/water?

No!

Really?

No.

Really?

No�”

By: leif

leif — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:36:13 +0000

Maryn/Emily � Oh yeah, Europe, Asia, it doesn’t matter. Whenever I come home I feel like bloody Brad Pitt with my smokin’ leanness. Best ego boost ever.

Bree � It doesn’t matter what airport I arrive in or how far the food court is from the jetway, every time I come back to the US, I’m instantly overwhelming with the smell of French fry grease.

SPG � I hear you. I still get the shakes at 46th and Hiawatha and I’ve j-walked in Rome.

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:17:42 +0000

A nice side effect of the reverse culture shock is that I always feel VERY thin and physically fit whenever I return from an overseas trip due to all those morbidly obese Midwesterners running around.

By: St. Paul Girl

St. Paul Girl — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:41:05 +0000

Welcome back! And if it’s any comfort, crossing Hiawatha (when not readjusting to life) is always scary.

By: Bree

Bree — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:17:34 +0000

One of my friends (Kristi Kremers if you want to look up her work) writes about reverse culture shock for students returning from studying abroad. No doubt your experiences are shared by others.

My reverse culture shock is limited and actually pleasant – upon returning from my one and only godforsaken trip abroad, I was greeted, in the jetway, by the delicious smell of bacon. And not bizarre British bacon, either. The smell of American bacon to welcome me back to America – my patriotism has never been so strong.

By: maryn

maryn — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:56:07 +0000

@Leif: “� Not staring at the shocking overabundance of morbidly obese people.”

Oh yeah. Especially coming back from SE Asia, but also most of the EU. It’s so jarring. And it’s not like I am so skinny myself, but you just don’t.see.it. (And when you do, locals know: It’s an American. That, and the marshmallows they wear on their feet.)