Lady’s Reverse Culture Shock

It’s a big day today! I’m celebrating 12 years of living in London. It’s great to have established a life in the UK, but one thing that’s come out of it is that I now experience reverse culture shock when going home to California. I was just there, and 12 things that once seemed normal caught me by surprise. Read on to find out what they are.

Reverse Culture Shock

If you’ve never experienced reverse culture shock, it’s an odd feeling. Looking at things that were once familiar and suddenly finding them strange or unique can be funny, disturbing, or just weird.

I started feeling this way a few years ago, and the sensation has increased since then. I even wrote about it last year when I celebrated 11 years of living in London.

Whatever the exact feeling, reverse culture shock offers a new take and fresh insight on the everyday, which is always a good thing.

1. Everything is Big

The US has long had a reputation for things being big, but it’s only recently that I’ve felt like they’re enormous.

Beds are big. Mattresses are so big I need a ladder to get into bed. Food is big. Portions are big. Roads are big. Cars are big. Freeways are huge. Pretty much everything is enormous compared to what I’m now used to in the UK.

2. Everyone is Friendly

Another thing I’ve experienced reverse culture shock with is that everyone is friendly. I’ve always liked that Californians will strike up conversations with strangers, but I feel like it’s been even more of a thing in recent years.

I think I’m just so used to Londoners never speaking to people they don’t know that it makes people back home seem even more outgoing.

3. There Are Funny Animals

Being back in California also reminded me that the US has some pretty funny animals.

Pelicans, for example. They’re really strange looking. I used to see them all the time in Santa Cruz when I was a kid, and never thought anything of it. Now they take me by surprise every time.

The same goes for raccoons. Growing up in Portola Valley, I watched them outside my bedroom window every night and they seemed pretty normal. Now they’re a bit crazy looking when I think about it.

And it’s been pointed out to me several times that nobody but locals expects to find hummingbirds in California. I’ve noticed them a lot more since.

4. Halloween is Huge

The biggest surprise on my recent visit was that I forgot how big Halloween is in the US. Nearly every house I passed had decorations up, and some people had even converted their front yards into cemeteries.

I always knew Halloween was an important American holiday, but I forgot just how much of a thing it was. Given London doesn’t do Halloween on a large scale, it’s slipped my mind over the years.

5. People Talk about Thanksgiving a Lot

Maybe it’s because Thanksgiving is coming up next month, but people seem to talk about it a lot.

We make cultural references to it more than I realized, and there’s a lot of discussion about everything from how to cook a perfect turkey to which in-laws to spend the holiday with.

6. People Eat Crazy Amounts of Turkey

Speaking of turkey, one of my reverse culture shock moments was in realizing Americans eat a lot of it. I don’t think I’ve seen turkey on a menu since I moved to London. Even sandwich shops rarely have turkey options.

But back in California, it’s everywhere. I can’t remember a time I didn’t see a turkey option at a deli, and turkey was a staple part of my diet growing up.

Now the thought of eating it on a day that’s not Thanksgiving seems really strange to me.

7. Supermarkets Have Tons of Choice

Supermarkets have more choice than I ever realized. Every aisle has a million options for everything from peanut butter to toothpaste. There’s even a dedicated tortilla section in most grocery stores in California.

It’s a far cry from what I’ve become used to in London, where even huge supermarkets often only stock a few brands for each type of product.

8. Brussels Sprouts are the New Kale

A few years ago I couldn’t open a menu in the US without there being eight different kale options on it. Now it seems like Brussels sprouts have become the trendy green.

I spotted them on pretty much every menu I looked at in California, and the farmers’ markets were bursting with them. I wonder when the trend will hit London.

9. Everyone Drinks Wine at Bars

Everyone drinks wine at bars in California. And we have bars, not pubs. Given the state produces a lot of wine, I guess it makes sense.

It’s still a funny reverse culture shock experience to walk into an actual bar and see people drinking wine after being in London for so long. I’m used to pubs and British drinks now, and it’s weird to see something different.

10. Clothes are Always on Sale

Clothes have always been significantly less expensive in the US than they are in the UK, but recently there have been so many sales I can hardly keep track of them all.

Every time I walk into a shop in San Francisco, someone comes up to tell me that everything in the store is 30% off.

Then when I go to buy something, a further 20% discount is applied for no apparent reason. Given nothing in London ever seems to be on sale, it’s amazing to me.

11. Double Dipping is a Serious Offense

Double dipping has always been frowned upon in the US, but I feel like I see it being discouraged more than ever now.

I remember being shocked when I moved to London and everyone double dipped, but I’ve become so used to watching people dunk their chips into the dip six times before finishing them that I’ve forgotten how taboo it is in the States.

12. Drinking Fountains are Everywhere

Drinking fountains are all over the place in California. I don’t think I’ve seen a single one since moving to the UK, so going back makes me feel like they’re on every corner.

I kind of forgot about them, but it’s nice to have them around on hot days (and given how many more hot days there are in California than London, that could be why there are so many more back home).

Expat Reverse Culture Shock

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my experience with reverse culture shock. It’s a strange phenomenon, but one that allows me to see the culture I come from with a fresh perspective.

As odd as it sometimes feels, it’s nice to have a new take on familiar things.

Find this post helpful? Buy me a coffee!

New here? Join thousands of others and subscribe to the A Lady in London blog via email.

Pin it!