·        Reverse Culture Shock. What is "reverse culture shock"? After returning from Spain, have you experienced any “reverse culture shock”? Explain. What do you miss most about living in Spain? What are you grateful for in your life at home? What events or experiences over the past month have had the biggest impact on you and why?

Reverse culture shock is the discomfort or seemingly newness of your return home from a trip where you have somewhat adapted to the lifestyle, customs, and routine of that country.  I have experienced a little reverse culture shock but in a positive way. After landing in Newark and getting to my train, I felt very familiar as I had taken that train trip many times. I felt a sense of comfort in this but discomfort when I looked out the window. I watched as the dilapidated houses and apartments of new jersey, Delaware, and Maryland passed by my window and experienced such a different scene than I had experienced in Spain. It felt less like home than it once had. When I finally got home and saw my dad, we went out for dinner to a restaurant I frequent. I felt a little reverse culture shock when the staff, waiters, and customers were carrying on with conversation in English. I ordered in English which was different and recognized the newness I felt ordering in English for the first time in a month.  The next day I got up and drove to WV which was another reverse culture shock experience. I hadn’t driven in awhile and everyone on the road seemed to be speeding, much different than in Spain.

When reflecting on what I miss most about Spain, I immediately recognize how convenient it was to be able to walk out my front door, and have stores, school, and restaurants all within 20 minutes of walking.  At home, I drive to an overwhelming majority of my destinations. I drive to the grocery store, restaurants, friends houses, school and more but in Spain I could walk to each place with ease.  I miss being able to have everything I need right down the street.

I am most grateful of my routine and comfort of familiarity I have when at home. When I returned, everything at home was the same and I was grateful that my bed was how I knew it and that my room had AC.  I also could fall back into English speaking and not expending energy to translate, communicate, and understand each person I encountered. I am grateful for the ease and routine of being able to exist in a place I feel very comfortable with.

I think my homestay and living situation had the biggest impact on me while traveling in Spain. I was able to recognize how a typical person lives and walk alongside my host mom for a month as she carried out her daily routine. This homestay allowed me the opportunity to have all Granada had to offer in just short a walking distance and observe differences in culture like the fact that in Spain many people ride mopeds where in America each person has their personal car, or two or three. These small observations about cultural and social differences had the biggest impact on me and my perspective, knowledge, and appreciation for different countries.