Culture Shock in the UK
I recently went back to my home country – the UK – for the first time in a quite a while and was fascinated by how the UK appeared to me after being away for a while.
There was a lot that I found strange, unusual, and interesting that I wasn’t really aware of while I was still living in England.
In this episode, I discuss some of my feelings and culture shock experiences, and perhaps some of you can relate to these experiences when you visit the UK for the first time.
Things That Shocked Me
Culture Shock = The feeling of shock (surprised) when seeing a new and different culture for the first time
Reverse Culture shock = The same experience, but going back to your home culture
Weather & Landscape
I felt nostalgic for the cool summers and freedom to explore in the British countryside.
Roads, Cycling, & Transport
I felt disorientated with the frustration on the road when cycling and disappointment at the trains.
People
I felt a strange identity crisis when talking to people. I noticed fewer smiles but a stronger desire to have small talk.
Safety
Sadly, I felt alienated due to being unsafe in certain areas, especially at night.
Language & Norms
I appreciated the familiarity I had with English and chatting in my native language, and also understanding cultural norms that are hard to learn in new countries.
Cost
Reintegration into the UK would be challenging because everything was so expensive compared to what I become accustomed to.
If you left your country for a while, what do you think would shock you?
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Thank you for sharing your experiences I really enjoyed specially the fire story made me laugh a lot ,I guess they imagine that they are in camping.
And I think I have answer for the sweating in Uk, because the humidity in Thailand more than Uk so the sweat in your body most of it not from your skin. I experienced that before 😌
Really good idea about the humidity! You might be right. Thanks for listening to my rambling, Najd