It’s been about a month and a half since I’ve been back, with a week spent volunteering at Camp Casey, a nonprofit camp for children with disabilities. While the initial fatigue of returning has subsided, what I hadn’t anticipated was the difficulty of readjusting to American culture, especially here in the Pacific Northwest. Accoring to Marquette University, reverse culture shock is is an emotional and psychological stage of re-adjustment, similar to ones initial adjustment to living abroad.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve been experiencing has been the drastic time zone difference. This shift has impacted my social life in a few unexpected ways:

1. Time Zone Disconnect: The people I used to socialize with abroad, and even my friends in the States, now live in a completely different rhythm. While abroad, I could keep up with both groups—friends in the U.S. were waking up just as my day was winding down, giving me a full window to socialize across time zones. But now, it’s harder to connect. My friends here have adjusted to my absence, and their lives have moved forward. And now, by the time I wake up, many of my European friends are settling down, leaving a smaller window to catch up and stay involved in their lives.
2. Shifting Social Dynamics: Since I’ve been gone, my friends in the U.S. have either moved away, and/or progressed in their careers, relationships, and social circles. I’m stepping back into a entirely new dynamic than the one I left behind. It feels like reintegrating into this new rhythm requires more effort, and I know the same thing will happen on the other side once I return to my travels; meaning it will continue to be an ongoing cycle of adjustment.
3. Challenges of Meeting New People: It hasn’t been as easy to meet new people here as it was abroad. I say that very loosely as each culture differed significantly in the ways people approached. With Scotland and Dublin being my last locations, I had gotten used to their level of freedom and openness. In the Pacific Northwest, people seem superficially friendly, but meaningful connections are often made through existing social circles. I often notice that people are more reluctant to foster new connections, or if so it takes a significant amount of time and effort.
4. Superficial Communication: Another challenge is how people communicate. Conversations often feel superficial, and I find it difficult to engage in meaningful small talk without necessarily hearing about the other person‘s response. This isn’t entirely new—I experienced similar dynamics in places like Germany, where people were colder and more reserved, or in Italy and Spain. But the struggle feels more pronounced now. I’m not sure why it’s harder to find the energy to create new connections as it did when I was abroad.
5. Perceived Safety: Strangely, I feel both more and less safe since returning. There’s a sense of comfort being back with familiar people and places, but at the same time, the unpredictable nature of safety in the U.S. is unnerving. In many ways, I felt more secure abroad, even though certain environments felt riskier. Gun laws and public safety issues here heighten my awareness, but it’s a different kind of vulnerability. While I feel physically safer in some ways, the emotional and psychological safety I experienced abroad feels absent.
6. Lack of Mental Health Support: Another surprising shift is the realization of how little mental health support exists here compared to abroad. During my travels, I encountered a greater focus on mental well-being in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Scotland. Returning to the U.S., I feel less comfortable around others, and the lack of support systems for individuals facing mental health challenges is stark. Having done this type of work with the unhoused community since I was 14 or 15, I used to feel a sense of comfort regardless of the situation. Now, I find myself more aware of the dangers and less equipped to manage them.
7. Lack of Affordable Healthcare and Food: The type of travel insurance I recieved meant I had to pay intially, showing the significant cost disparaity in the afforabilotoy of treatmement. Checkups in the netherlands were 60, while x rays in germany 40-60. Compared to the bills I have recieved in the states for no more than a twenty minute visit constitiuted above $200.
8. Transportation Woes: One of the most tangible differences is transportation. While traveling, I could rely on accessible and dependable public transportation, often available late into the night. Being back without a car is a stark contrast. Getting around means relying on Uber, which costs as much as a meal, or walking, which isn’t always the safest option. It’s a far cry from the efficient commutes I experienced while abroad.