reverse culture shock, part 2!!

Things that have pleased me since returning to the United States:

• When I got to the airport in Los Angeles, I independently grabbed my two suitcases and wheeled them out to the curb where I proceeded to wait for my Super Shuttle for about half an hour. In that half an hour, not one person approached or hassled me, offering their services (for a fee or a gift, of course). I was peacefully left to my own devices, with no one calling out, "My sister! Let me help you! Do you want a taxi? Good price! My sister!"

• Healthy eating options. Especially in my college dining hall. (I never thought I would appreciate college dining!) If I want a salad, I can make a salad. If I want a sandwich, I can make a sandwich. If I want peanut butter, or spaghetti, or cereal, or ice cold milk, or plentiful fruit (that does not need to be washed before eating!!!), it is all there, and I can take as much or as little as I want. No one is forcing me to eat beef/sheep chunks, and no one is telling me "You didn't eat! Eat more! You must still be hungry! You did not eat enough! Keep eating! The best part of it is, I can take as many green vegetables as I want, and no one thinks I am weird!!!!!!

• Today in my first class of the semester, the professor handed out a neatly-printed syllabus with an outline of his expectations for us, and a list of readings and topics we were going to cover over the semester. Then he posted his office hours (where he will be held accountable to show up), and the best part of all? He spoke English for the entire class!!!!!

Surprising things that I miss about Senegal:

• A conversation where ten minutes go by and all that you have discussed were repetitions and reiterations of "How are you doing? How is your family? How is your work? Everything is good, thanks to Allah." I didn't realize how much I enjoyed those formalities, and how it represented a care and concern for your fellow man that just doesn't seem to exist here.
  

• Public transportation. Somehow, a traffic jam in Dakar is much more manageable and tolerable when you are crammed on a car rapide with 30 other commuters. What I have realized here is that being alone in your car in a traffic jam on the freeway is one of the loneliest feelings about being back.

Not-so-surprising things that I miss about Senegal:

• Insanely cheap prices. Paying 10 cents for a cup of coffee. Paying 50 cents for a baguette with butter on it. Paying 5 dollars for a pair of patchwork pants. Paying 30 cents for public transportation (what? Taking the T in Boston costs 2 dollars per ride?!?!?!). Two dollars for a hearty plate of ceeb-u-jen at the school cafeteria.
• The baby sheep at my house.
• Maman.
• Khady.
• Baby Khady Seck.
• AMADEME.

In more official news, I have been doing some research online in regards to reverse-culture-shock, just to remind myself that my emotions are completely normal and expected of someone returning to their home country. Here are the typical stages of reverse culture shock:

1. Disengagement
2. Initial euphoria
3. Irritability and hostility
4. Readjustment and adaptation

Currently, it's pretty obvious that I am in the middle of stage-3. What this means, according to an Abroad Handbook that I found online, is that:

"You may experience feelings of frustration, anger, alienation, loneliness, disorientation, and helplessness and not understand exactly why. You might quickly become irritated or critical of others and of U.S. culture. Depression, feeling like a stranger at home, and the longing to go back abroad are also not uncommon reactions. You may also feel less independent than you were while abroad."

Yup, this sounds about par for the course. However, the good news is that:

"Most people are then able to move onto Stage 4, which is a gradual readjustment to life at home. Things will start to seem a little more normal again, and you will probably fall back into some old routines, but things won't be exactly the same as how you left them. You have most likely developed new attitudes, beliefs, habits, as well as personal and professional goals, and you will see things differently now. The important thing is to try to incorporate the positive aspects of your international experience while abroad with the positive aspects of your life at home in the United States."

All I can say, is that I hope stage-4 comes along sometime soon, because stage-3 is an uncomfortable limbo to be in...