As I prepared for my long journey home from Barcelona in seat 32A, I reminisced about my three months of travels abroad and thought, “Where did all the time go?”
I couldn’t even process exactly what I did this fall. It all felt like a fever dream. As I considered the beginning of my journey, my dream was interrupted by the abrupt remembrance of a rough start. Navigating culture shock was more difficult than picking the city I wanted to intern in. It was all so much to take in at once!
“Para llevar o para aqui?!” burst into my eardrums after ordering my coffee and pastry. Ummmm….aqui? This was one of the few words I understood then, which means ‘for here.’ I went to grab my coffee, and to my surprise, it was in a glass jar. I realized what the woman at the counter had asked me. Alright, I would enjoy my coffee at the cafe and be late to work, if that’s what adjusting to culture shock meant.
“Hola, me llama Sonya. Encantado,” my coworker introduced herself in our office. Hey, I thought to myself, I know what this means! Sonya leaned in for a hug. I thought this was a bit informal for a professional work setting, but I reminded myself that I was in Barcelona, and people here are more expressive than Americans. I also leaned in…and found myself face to face with this woman, on the verge of locking lips. Oh. My. God.
I immediately realized I had messed up by forgetting how to greet people in Spain: kissing each cheek once. This definitely ranks among the most humiliating moments in all of humanity. Putting my pride aside, I took this as an opportunity to learn more about the community around me.
After endless embarrassing interactions with locals in my community, I decided to speak to as many locals as possible at coffee shops or restaurants. I regularly asked about their day, flavored with a botched Spanish accent. Surprisingly, they appreciated my efforts. I found that it’s uncommon for Spaniards to be impolite when you make the effort to speak their language.
After basking in Spanish culture and finally adjusting my way of life, it was time to go home. It took me THIS long to get here, only to return home and do it all over again? The notion didn’t register that there would be a new normal, again…and again…and again. Despite humans being adaptable, you’re bound to grow frustrated with yourself and the community around you after encountering so much change quickly. Nothing and no one can prepare you for the reverse culture shock upon returning home.
I won’t brain-dump tactics to find your new normal because I don’t believe there’s a secret, one-size-fits-all solution. However, I found that after returning home from what felt like a fairy-tale fever dream, the best thing you can do for yourself is give yourself grace. You conquered a whole different country (or several) in a short time!
Open up about your experiences to your friends and family, including the initial shock of arriving abroad and being back home. Talking through these issues has been a game-changer for me while adjusting to my new normal again. And, most importantly, do something for yourself at least once a day, whether that’s taking a walk, grabbing coffee from a local coffee shop, or revisiting your favorite restaurants that you missed while abroad.
Embarking on an international journey is captivating, but there’s always the matter of navigating cultural shock and reverse culture shock. Embrace it all. This journey is exclusively yours, an entirely unique experience shaped by moments no one else will experience in the same way as you.
Laura Constantinescu is a student at Western Washington University and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is interning with ISA in Barcelona, Spain.