Comments on: Culture Shock in the United States http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/04/27/culture-shock-in-the-united-states/ creating a simple, handmade home Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Liz http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/04/27/culture-shock-in-the-united-states/comment-page-1/#comment-15282 Liz Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:23:20 +0000 http://www.makingthishome.com/?p=2744#comment-15282 I am an American teacher (from CO too!) in Germany and your list makes me laugh because it is my same list too! The one thing I am ALWAYS willing to fill my suitcase with are cans of green chilis. Mexican food in Europe is just wrong. I also LOVE heading straight to Target. I always equate life in a foreign country to playing a game where you don't know the rules. Every day there are more things I find out that I don't know about life in Germany but things are never boring! Thank you for sharing your experience! I am an American teacher (from CO too!) in Germany and your list makes me laugh because it is my same list too! The one thing I am ALWAYS willing to fill my suitcase with are cans of green chilis. Mexican food in Europe is just wrong. I also LOVE heading straight to Target. I always equate life in a foreign country to playing a game where you don’t know the rules. Every day there are more things I find out that I don’t know about life in Germany but things are never boring! Thank you for sharing your experience!

]]> By: SALLY http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/04/27/culture-shock-in-the-united-states/comment-page-1/#comment-9324 SALLY Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:18:38 +0000 http://www.makingthishome.com/?p=2744#comment-9324 I'M STATIONED IN GERMANY NOW & I LOVE IT, THE HARDEST PART OF GOING BACK TO THE STATES WAS STOPPING ON A YELLOW STREET LIGHT, SINCE THE LIGHTS GO FROM GREEN,YELLOW,RED & BACK CUZ IF YA DON'T YOU'LL GET FINED FOR GOING THROUGH A RED, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PUNCH 90 THROUGH A YELLOW YA WONT MAKE IT! DO LOVE THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS TOO :) OH & ALL THEIR EURO COINS $2,$1,50,20,10,5,2, & EVEN A 1 CENT. MY GOSH MY WALLET WAS JAM PACKED. THANX A BUNCH I’M STATIONED IN GERMANY NOW & I LOVE IT, THE HARDEST PART OF GOING BACK TO THE STATES WAS STOPPING ON A YELLOW STREET LIGHT, SINCE THE LIGHTS GO FROM GREEN,YELLOW,RED & BACK CUZ IF YA DON’T YOU’LL GET FINED FOR GOING THROUGH A RED, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PUNCH 90 THROUGH A YELLOW YA WONT MAKE IT!
DO LOVE THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS TOO :) OH & ALL THEIR EURO COINS $2,$1,50,20,10,5,2, & EVEN A 1 CENT. MY GOSH MY WALLET WAS JAM PACKED.
THANX A BUNCH

]]> By: Lisa http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/04/27/culture-shock-in-the-united-states/comment-page-1/#comment-9264 Lisa Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:28:30 +0000 http://www.makingthishome.com/?p=2744#comment-9264 Oh so true - I have culture shock every time I visit the US. Thankfully I don't get back there but every 3 years for a week at a time. And that is enough! Oh so true – I have culture shock every time I visit the US. Thankfully I don’t get back there but every 3 years for a week at a time. And that is enough!

]]> By: Mama Bird http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/04/27/culture-shock-in-the-united-states/comment-page-1/#comment-4587 Mama Bird Thu, 28 May 2009 17:11:27 +0000 http://www.makingthishome.com/?p=2744#comment-4587 Hi! I just found your site...I love it. I'm going through it and have found so much I can relate to. When we moved back to the states, I was in reverse culture shock for nearly two years. I was so annoyed by so many things. It's funny how you can so easily get used to something that you didn't grow up with and then get frustrated with things you did grow up with after now doing it that way for so long. There are some things that still annoy me, but I'm used to it again now after being 'home' for nearly 7 years. I do at least get my fix every year when we travel of what I think is much more normal for some things. :) Again, great blog...I'm going to add you to my RSS. Hi! I just found your site…I love it. I’m going through it and have found so much I can relate to. When we moved back to the states, I was in reverse culture shock for nearly two years. I was so annoyed by so many things. It’s funny how you can so easily get used to something that you didn’t grow up with and then get frustrated with things you did grow up with after now doing it that way for so long.

There are some things that still annoy me, but I’m used to it again now after being ‘home’ for nearly 7 years. I do at least get my fix every year when we travel of what I think is much more normal for some things. :)

Again, great blog…I’m going to add you to my RSS.

]]> By: Christina http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/04/27/culture-shock-in-the-united-states/comment-page-1/#comment-4465 Christina Sat, 16 May 2009 16:44:23 +0000 http://www.makingthishome.com/?p=2744#comment-4465 Great post! I think I would do very well in Germany. Except for the small house part. ;) Great post! I think I would do very well in Germany. Except for the small house part. ;)

]]> By: decor8 Holly http://www.makingthishome.com/2009/04/27/culture-shock-in-the-united-states/comment-page-1/#comment-4439 decor8 Holly Thu, 14 May 2009 23:26:11 +0000 http://www.makingthishome.com/?p=2744#comment-4439 Hello Katie and Martin! Have you moved back to America? Or are you on vacation? I am confused! Anyway, I read all of your points above and was shaking me head "yes yes yes!" the whole time. Especially the loud people, the noise factor, replying to airline employees in German, not liking M&Ms anymore, sprawl, massive grocery stores... We have so many things in common I never knew until now reading your blog. I also dislike the whole Sunday thing here in America - I love having Sundays off in Germany -- it's SO refreshing and relaxing. Another culture shock for me here is all of the conversations, people pouring out their problems, when you don't even know them. I was in Stop & Shop the other night and the cashier started telling me about her family problems. HELLO? I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW!!! I like the German way better sometimes, I really can't handle all this "dumping on" that I experience here so often. It's stressful. I like my silence now and then, I can think more and as a result I feel more in touch with my creativity and spirituality. YES and everything is SO cheap in America but wow, most of it -- you are right -- is made elsewhere. Mostly China. So I guess the price is being paid just not in money, right? I wonder, you didn't mention it here, but when you're in Berlin did you start to feel more in tune with what's going on in the WORLD vs. only American news and pop culture? TV here really overwhelms me now. The news is horrible, I have to watch the BBC to find out what's happening outside of the states. It's frustrating. xo Holly Hello Katie and Martin!

Have you moved back to America? Or are you on vacation? I am confused!

Anyway, I read all of your points above and was shaking me head “yes yes yes!” the whole time. Especially the loud people, the noise factor, replying to airline employees in German, not liking M&Ms anymore, sprawl, massive grocery stores… We have so many things in common I never knew until now reading your blog. I also dislike the whole Sunday thing here in America – I love having Sundays off in Germany — it’s SO refreshing and relaxing.

Another culture shock for me here is all of the conversations, people pouring out their problems, when you don’t even know them. I was in Stop & Shop the other night and the cashier started telling me about her family problems. HELLO? I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW!!! I like the German way better sometimes, I really can’t handle all this “dumping on” that I experience here so often. It’s stressful. I like my silence now and then, I can think more and as a result I feel more in touch with my creativity and spirituality.

YES and everything is SO cheap in America but wow, most of it — you are right — is made elsewhere. Mostly China. So I guess the price is being paid just not in money, right?

I wonder, you didn’t mention it here, but when you’re in Berlin did you start to feel more in tune with what’s going on in the WORLD vs. only American news and pop culture? TV here really overwhelms me now. The news is horrible, I have to watch the BBC to find out what’s happening outside of the states. It’s frustrating.

xo
Holly

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