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Q: Have you ever suffered from serious reverse culture shock?
I find going home to Canada is one thing, and I am always happy to be home so the shock is diluted. Also in my hometown there are almost as many Chinese people as white people.
But here I am on business in Australia, 3 cities in 7 days, in a place I have never been before, and while in the past I have always wanted to come here, I now find myself desperate to get back to China, for many many reasons. This place is whiter than Nebraska.
Have you had a similar experience, whether traveling back home or to another country?
When I went to Tokyo, I kept thinking "Wow, there are so many foreigners here!"
"Wow, cars wait for me at a safe distance until I get to the sidewalk."
"Nobody's staring at me."
"Nobody's spitting?"
"The food has no bones."
"Every building is so brightly lit inside."
A small sample of the effects of living in a small city in China. It was even worse coming back to China after that.
Never been to Nebraska, but there's plenty of diversity in Australia (in my part of it at least). Sorry you don't like it though :(
thedude:
No please, I don't mean I don't like Australia. It's an incredible country and I love the Aussie people...have many friends here. Just that I am here on business, and can't get out much, and I find myself missing some things in China more than I normally would (friends, smoking, cheapness...etc.). Now that I am in a great hotel in Canberra it is getting easier. I am REALLY looking foward to Sydney on Tuesday. It has just been a hard adjustment so far.
MissA:
That's good to know. On the bright side Sydney has Chinatown, (and plenty of migrant descent enclaves outside the CBD).
If you are in Brisbane drop me a line and ill by you a beer
as for the post
every time we turn on the satilight TV or when we go shopping in the Chinese area, or when I get so many Bill's for shit I dont want but have to have.
or when I go online and talk to you guys
Why the F@3k am I still here.? because it better for my Kids in alot of ways
In 10 days I will be heading back to the US for the first time in almost 6 years. I am not sure what to expect.
The last time I went back for just 10 days. By day 3, I was climbing the walls with boredom and couldn't wait to get back to China. On this trip, I will be there for about 3 months. Granted, I will be working during that time, but I have no idea what I will do on my time off.
Unfortunately, I won't be living in the same city as my friends and family. I will be living, in all places, Las Vegas. Since the idea of giving away my paycheck doesn't appeal to me, I am sure I won't even step foot into a casino.
But I am looking forward to many aspects of life there. Like, understanding (almost) anyone who talks to me, ordering food for delivery, not wanting to murder people after a routine visit to a bank, walking under a blue sky, in general, living a boring life. 
Hmmm... Somehow I managed to go off track there. Reverse culture shock? I am sure it will take some time to get used to see so many laowai running around.
Xpat.John:
I know I will have to suppress the instinct to talk Chinese to anyone who looks remotely Asian or is a service worker. :)
After my first trip to China the first thing I noticed was how fat everyone was when I came home. It was like seeing this for the first time. I guess I got so used to seeing fat people that I never paid any attention to it.
The first thing I noticed in China was the sea of nice slim women.
