Reverse culture shock?

I am going home to Dubai early next month for 3-weeks, to be with the family. I haven’t left Europe for about 18 months and am excited, but at the same time a bit anxious and quite pensive.

I know that being home will be great. But I know I have changed, and I know Dubai has changed (probably a lot more than I realize), so I’m not quite sure how I will feel. This will also be the first time home after such a long spell living abroad, it will be the first time I look at my life in Madrid from far away, and re-look at my life as it was 2-years ago in Dubai.

I was speaking to a friend yesterday about the first time he went home to the US after a year in Spain — he said he had “reverse culture shock” (is that a formal term?). Having lived in Dubai over 6 years, culture shock is the last thing I expect, but I really don’t know what I’m going to feel. Dubai and Madrid are as different as gold and omelette, so we’ll just have to see.

Have any of you been in the same position? How did you deal with going back home? How did you feel at home? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Posted by | Comments (8)  | May 13, 2008
Category: Notes from the collective travel mind

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