Ups and Downs of Culture Shock... or Back to the Graph

I woke up today after my weekend ready to go back to work compared to the last few weeks. Having two days off makes such a huge difference! I felt renewed and refreshed and ready to get back to it.

I talked to my sister and Mom this morning. My conversations with my sister usually end with us comparing what food we have had recently. It's pretty funny.

I talked a little bit with my Mom today that I am definitely at the point in the culture shock graph where I am questioning and at times, frustrated that things here are not like my own country's. Why isn't there any recycling?... It would be so much easier if I could just drink out of the tap... Why do I have to wait forever in lines at the store to buy a few items or to make a payment at the bank?... What's up with the gross spitting so close to me?...

I realize that this is just a stage. I'm not miserable, though, so please don't take this questioning phase of this journey like that. I'm still really grateful to have a job I really, really enjoy and the opportunity to live in one of the most International cities in thew world and work with and become friends with people from all over the globe. It's an incredible gift I have going for me and I am trying to take advantage of it as much as possible.

I've been raised by my family and taught by many of my good teachers that just because we don't live the way another culture or group of people lives doesn't make the "other" bad or us bad. It's just different. I'm definitely being tested on this belief right now, sometimes catching myself thinking, "That's so wrong."

However, I've been thinking a lot about how much my life and the lives of many of the people I love have changed so much in the last year. The "new" school year has always been a big reflective time for me. So many of my good friends have started families and/or have made such positive changes in their lives in the past year. I remember having a talk with a very pregnant Crystal this time last year when I was going through a huge transitional phase where I had just moved for the first time in two years and had been rejected from so, so many numerous job applications. She had told me that this was my opportunity to chill and start thinking about how I wanted my life to change. Very close to the same wise words my Mom had told me.

Anyway... so what I am trying to say... is even though I am feeling a bit lower on the culture shock graph right now, at least I am on it. The universe had been telling me I needed change for a long time. It's just another phase of the gift.