After living overseas for a period of time, most people return home. For the expat going home, there may be some normal things that happen that may or may not be expected. Here are a few.
1. You will miss the friends you left behind more than you may have thought you would.
2. Not much will have changed in the place you left but you will have changed a lot.
3. You will want to talk more about your experiences than people will want to hear. They are more interested in their own lives. They will tune you out, change the subject or avoid you if you talk too much.
4. The people at home will not be able to relate to your experiences and insights very well. They just can't understand at times. This can be frustrating.
5. People at home will bring you up to date on what has gone on while you were away so you can take your place again. But you can't. In most cases, the spot you left behind has been filled. You are not quite the same so it will never be the same.
6. It will be easiest to relate to others who have lived overseas than it will be to relate to most people who have never left their homeland.
7. Some people will envy you, openly or silently.
8. Some people will seek you out specifically because you have lived overseas and it is also their dream. It will probably be people you didn't have much to do with before leaving.
9. Your circle of friends may change because you no longer share the same interests.
10. Your tastes in food, clothing, music and more will most likely be more of a reflection of the places you lived overseas than in your hometown.
11. When you come across people from the country where you lived who are now in your home, you will usually connect more easily with that person. You understand each other in ways people in your hometown who have never been to their country do not.
12. Reentering the work force in America may be jarring. You got used to doing things other ways and it can take some readjusting.
13. In some countries, you may have been treated like a novelty or a celebrity because you were different. In your homeland, you are just another person, like anybody else, nothing special. If you had lots of friends and knew everyone before you left, this will not be a pronounced as if you did not.
14. You may have adopted some of the customs of the foreign country where you lived. This could cause some difficulty, depending on the behavior, and it may take some work to unlearn them to fit in.
15. You have gained a broader perspective on the world and can see that there are other ways of doing things and other ways of living. Homebodies will not understand. If you love a good debate, here's your chance.
16. You will most likely want to travel again. People who live overseas either love it and want to do it more or they hate it and come home as quickly as possible. Most love it.
17. You will usually gain a better understanding of your own country if you live overseas very long. We tend to take a lot for granted about our home and our lives until we see them from another perspective.
18. You will have picked up some of the language of the country where you lived even if you did not study it. If you did learn the language, your brain and understanding of the culture will be all the better for it. Learning another language is good for your brain health according to science. In addition, cultures have personalities and perspectives which are expressed through their language. Understanding another language means thinking the way they do when you are using it. You will have something like two personalities.
19. You will have irreplaceable memories that will last a lifetime.
20. You will usually have made friends with people from many countries who are doing what you are doing, working as an expat.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Things I Will Miss About China
I wrote this while still in China.
Teaching in China is a temporary adventure. They do not like foreigners to stay too long or to work when they are too old. Too old, in China, is often defined as 55 or 60. We are temporary, working guests of the People's Republic of China.
Here are a few of the things I will miss about Huanggang and the surrounding area.
1. I will miss the buses that come every 10 minutes and cost about 16 cents USD per ride.
2. I will miss the cards that you touch to a machine to gain entrance to places like subways, buses and more.
3. I will miss the large, peachy orange, Asian persimmons in the fall. They are soft and sweet, mellow like pudding.
4. I will miss the ease of getting cabs to go anywhere. They do not charge much so it is quite convenient.
5. I will miss all different kinds of mushrooms that are sold here. One of my favorites is the King's Trumpet, a large mushroom that looks a bit like a fat stick. Another one I like is called black fungus (or wood ear) and another is called hen's feathers. They are all very good.
6. I will miss Hot Pot. Hot pot is a bit like a fondue but with boiling broth, sometimes spicy. You drop meats and vegetables of your choice in the boiling broth, then fish them out when they are done.
7. I will miss the high speed trains, especially the one from here to the city of Wuhan. It costs about $3.50 USD to ride the train one way. The ride is comfortable and takes less than half an hour usually. Once we get to Wuhan, I like the subway system for getting around. With a Metro card, loaded with some cash, we just have to touch the entrance area and go through.
8. I will miss the sweetened packets of Nescafe instant coffee. They never caught on in the USA.
9. I will miss the light work week, with 16-18 45 minute classes a week.
10. I will miss the college students, full of bright hope for the future.
11. I will miss the call of the birds outside my window, especially in the morning. They call, somewhat like a dove, but with a slightly different voice.
12. I will miss the automatic friendship we have with other foreign English teachers, although sometimes, the only thing we have in common is that we are not Chinese, so the Chinese culture is foreign to us.
13. I will miss the crazy translations that make me laugh.
14. I will miss the peace and quiet of living here and withdrawing to our apartment.
15. I will miss roasted chestnuts in the fall, fresh water chestnuts in the spring, lotus root, fresh pineapple on a stick in spring, roasted sweet potatoes in the fall, and fresh produce in season.
16. I will miss the culture of tea, where tea is the preferred beverage and is available everywhere.
17. I will miss the boiled water that is available for free everywhere, at school, in the train stations and anywhere people gather.
18. I will miss the sweet babies and the grandmas who are so proud to show them off.
19. I will miss the variety of fresh oranges in the fall and winter, especially the tiny, sweet oranges in the winter time. Possibly they are called Mandarin oranges.
20. I will miss my Chinese friends who are teachers.
21. I will miss getting to spend time with other English teachers from all over the world.
Things I will not miss about China
1. I will not miss the air pollution which looks like a haze in the sky every day.
2. I will not miss having smokers around me, not matter where I go, causing me lung irritation and coughing spells.
3. I will not miss power and water outages in our apartment.
4. I will not miss the crazy drivers everywhere.
5. I will not miss the hocking up of loogies, and spitting and blowing one's nose on the sidewalks.
6. I will not miss having to step around little piles on the sidewalk where diaperless babies and dogs pooed.
7. I will not miss the dirt that seems to be everywhere, a product of dirty air and water.
8. I will not miss the unheated buildings, classrooms and public places during the cold winter.
9.
Teaching in China is a temporary adventure. They do not like foreigners to stay too long or to work when they are too old. Too old, in China, is often defined as 55 or 60. We are temporary, working guests of the People's Republic of China.
Here are a few of the things I will miss about Huanggang and the surrounding area.
1. I will miss the buses that come every 10 minutes and cost about 16 cents USD per ride.
2. I will miss the cards that you touch to a machine to gain entrance to places like subways, buses and more.
3. I will miss the large, peachy orange, Asian persimmons in the fall. They are soft and sweet, mellow like pudding.
4. I will miss the ease of getting cabs to go anywhere. They do not charge much so it is quite convenient.
5. I will miss all different kinds of mushrooms that are sold here. One of my favorites is the King's Trumpet, a large mushroom that looks a bit like a fat stick. Another one I like is called black fungus (or wood ear) and another is called hen's feathers. They are all very good.
6. I will miss Hot Pot. Hot pot is a bit like a fondue but with boiling broth, sometimes spicy. You drop meats and vegetables of your choice in the boiling broth, then fish them out when they are done.
7. I will miss the high speed trains, especially the one from here to the city of Wuhan. It costs about $3.50 USD to ride the train one way. The ride is comfortable and takes less than half an hour usually. Once we get to Wuhan, I like the subway system for getting around. With a Metro card, loaded with some cash, we just have to touch the entrance area and go through.
8. I will miss the sweetened packets of Nescafe instant coffee. They never caught on in the USA.
9. I will miss the light work week, with 16-18 45 minute classes a week.
10. I will miss the college students, full of bright hope for the future.
11. I will miss the call of the birds outside my window, especially in the morning. They call, somewhat like a dove, but with a slightly different voice.
12. I will miss the automatic friendship we have with other foreign English teachers, although sometimes, the only thing we have in common is that we are not Chinese, so the Chinese culture is foreign to us.
13. I will miss the crazy translations that make me laugh.
14. I will miss the peace and quiet of living here and withdrawing to our apartment.
15. I will miss roasted chestnuts in the fall, fresh water chestnuts in the spring, lotus root, fresh pineapple on a stick in spring, roasted sweet potatoes in the fall, and fresh produce in season.
16. I will miss the culture of tea, where tea is the preferred beverage and is available everywhere.
17. I will miss the boiled water that is available for free everywhere, at school, in the train stations and anywhere people gather.
18. I will miss the sweet babies and the grandmas who are so proud to show them off.
19. I will miss the variety of fresh oranges in the fall and winter, especially the tiny, sweet oranges in the winter time. Possibly they are called Mandarin oranges.
20. I will miss my Chinese friends who are teachers.
21. I will miss getting to spend time with other English teachers from all over the world.
Things I will not miss about China
1. I will not miss the air pollution which looks like a haze in the sky every day.
2. I will not miss having smokers around me, not matter where I go, causing me lung irritation and coughing spells.
3. I will not miss power and water outages in our apartment.
4. I will not miss the crazy drivers everywhere.
5. I will not miss the hocking up of loogies, and spitting and blowing one's nose on the sidewalks.
6. I will not miss having to step around little piles on the sidewalk where diaperless babies and dogs pooed.
7. I will not miss the dirt that seems to be everywhere, a product of dirty air and water.
8. I will not miss the unheated buildings, classrooms and public places during the cold winter.
9.
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