21–30 of 187 posts
Walmart went from "Who?" to "OMG this place has everything!"
Finally got to eat Pop Tarts again.
Yup. I'm a "trailing spouse" for an American diplomat, and this is so true. One thing that always, always, always happens to Americans when we repatriate is the "grocery store freakout". At some point, you will go to a grocery store, and freeze. "Man..." you'll keep saying, "Americans really love breakfast cereal..."
In this scene, the character has just returned from a tour in Iraq defusing IEDs. The movie portrays him as a total pro in the battlefield, but stunned and anxious as he returns to civilian life. Great movie not just about war, but about the psychology of war and purpose.
Edit: here's a better dissection – http://www.cinemablography.org/supermarket-scene.html
It is difficult to live in a new place, you don't really feel integrated even though you have friends, speak the language, go to events, pay your taxes, and get the jokes, you will always be the dane and a foreigner.
A thing I noticed when I was away is how stupid and mundane Danish everyday local politics look, and the same with the news cycle. I think it is refreshing and healthy perspective, and I would encourage everyone to go to another country just to get out of their bubble. And also to get some ammunition against people that keep spouting "If I moved to another country, I would assimilate".
When I returned I had adjusted to British service levels, and how fast it is. I was used to get a coffee within minutes of ordering, and when I went to a store and looked a little out of place, I would instantly get help. I got to observe my fellow Danes as a tourist, and oh boy, I now understand why they all seem to think we are rude, and don't really care at all!
But the most odd thing about being back home is that I don't really feel at home, my thoughts and language is some sort of strange danish/british amalgamation, and I feel like a foreigner, even though I bike the streets of my childhood, say hi to people I went to school with, and walk the forests and beaches I was going on adventures in as a child.
Even just visiting Japan (I'm originally from Japan) causes this for me. Short stay is fine, but I feel really foreign, maybe more so than "foreigners" as people in there can detect disconnect of my appearance and mindset by my subtle deviation from expectations of how I act in there.
Even just visiting Japan (I'm originally from Japan) causes this for me. Short stay is fine, but I feel really foreign, maybe more so than "foreigners" as people in there can detect disconnect of my appearance and mindset by my subtle deviation from expectations of how I act in there.
It's not a statement about the quality of a place, but really having to go through an adjustment to get used to your new home and then having to readjust back to where you came from (only you keep telling yourself you shouldn't have to since it's your home) and then constant comparisons between places, which you already did as part of your learning of a new place, but now you start to see all the bad stuff about where you're from, but you were used to doing the reverse instead.
It takes a while for all the differences to average out in your mind.
I don't think I've ever had to too bad, but I've definitely spent a few weeks angry at how terrible Americans drive after coming back from Germany, or how bad service is when coming back from Korea.
But I've also had kind of the opposite feeling. After one long stay in Germany, and feeling very foreign, I remember coming home and it not really registering that it happened until I got in the taxi and the driver was playing some R&B. I'm not even an R&B fan but the Americaness of it, after hearing weeks of Europop, hit me like a stick and I suddenly felt very very home.
I've lived in other countries a handful of times for fairly brief periods (no longer than 6 months), and it is really true. I've know some people who've spent years abroad, come back to the U.S. and nope right back out as fast as they can find employment back where they came from. It's not a statement about the quality of a place, but really having to go through an adjustment to get used to your new home and then hav…
Yup. I'm a "trailing spouse" for an American diplomat, and this is so true. One thing that always, always, always happens to Americans when we repatriate is the "grocery store freakout". At some point, you will go to a grocery store, and freeze. "Man..." you'll keep saying, "Americans really love breakfast cereal..."
"Man..." you'll keep saying, "Americans really love breakfast cereal..." Though it's true to some degree, I wouldn't go that far. My sense is that the higher the margin on a product or product-line, the more money the manufacturer and distributors have to purchase shelf space. Cereal, Chips, Crackers, Ice Cream, Mayonnaise. The last time I was at the store I counted 21 separate varieties of Triscuit, 10-12 flavors ov…
Yup. I'm a "trailing spouse" for an American diplomat, and this is so true. One thing that always, always, always happens to Americans when we repatriate is the "grocery store freakout". At some point, you will go to a grocery store, and freeze. "Man..." you'll keep saying, "Americans really love breakfast cereal..."
One night while I was asleep, there was a clap-clap-clap next to my window at 3 AM in the morning. I just assumed it was some old guy exercising early in the morning by clapping and walking backwards...not a weird thing in Beijing. I ran outside ready to confront whoever it was, and it was just...water drops hitting a leaf.