After Germany....

As one might note from the date, it has been almost 3 months since my return from Germany. The delay in the post may serve as a saddening reminder of just how easy it is to get re-adjusted to your daily routine, even after such a wonderful experience abroad.

While everyone's experience coming home is going to be different and difficult, I must admit that I thought that mine might be harder than most simply due to the fact that I was in Germany for 13 weeks, rather than 6. I was however amazed, grateful, and surprised all at the same time when I found how quickly I re-adapted. I'm not sure what I was expecting in terms of reverse culture shock, but I certainly wasn't expecting to get back into the routine as quickly as I did. I suppose on further investigation it makes sense. Both Germany and the United States are highly developed countries with seemingly identical standards of living. This does not however mean I felt no reverse culture shock. After walking or taking public transportation anywhere and everywhere for 13 weeks, I was very happy to be able to drive everywhere again (although in hindsight a little walking would have been better). When I did start taking public transportation again at the beginning of the school year, I sat down quietly and read a book and was utterly amazed when I heard two strangers say hello to each other let alone see a young man stand up for his female classmate. I'm not implying that the Germans are an unfriendly people (this in fact is a myth I try to debunk every chance I get) but things are just different over there.

I try to incorporate my experience into my everyday life and I can honestly say that I am much more conscious about the amount of energy and water I use daily. I find myself taking shorter showers and actually considering looking into a hybrid car for my next vehicle. I try to expose myself to some German language every day in the form of either music, literature, or news and I succeed on most days. This may be a reason that I still don't feel a huge discrepancy between my summer and what I am doing now.

People that are considering going on a study abroad trip have been asking me how my trip was. I normally can only find enough words for "It was a lot of fun and very worthwhile" types of answers. This upset me the first time it happened because the trip was really much much more than a good time. It just seems difficult to describe what at the time felt perfectly natural. I woke up in Germany, went to class or on excursions, came home, and socialized with the family. The routine was much the same as in America yet distinctly different. I ran into the same problem when people asked me "What is there to do in Berlin?" I could have just repeated what I did in Berlin but the opportunities for experiences in a city like Berlin are so vast that I would end up answering "You'll find out when you get there."

While changes were made once I returned home, the overall lack of culture shock surprised me. While there were changes, it was back to something completely comfortable and natural and the transition was sadly effortless. I don't take this as a sign that I didn't experience Germany or ever really embrace the German culture but rather as a sign that I have to go back there to experience everything again. I know time and money are two things people always wish they had more of, but I can honestly say I am very willing to sacrifice both again for another trip to Deutschland.