Six Problems American TCKs experience upon returning to the USA

If you’ve lived in another country and returned to your home country of America then you know the difficulties that happen when you moved back. From driving to eating, American culture has to be re-learned again.

1. Reverse Culture Shock

Flickr: Benson Kua/Creative Commons

Sometimes when a TCK moves out of the US and lives in a different country for however long, they forget about what is was like living back at home. Therefore “Reverse Culture Shock” occurs. The American is shocked about certain aspects that might have changed while they were gone about the American culture, or they are just shocked that they forgot what it was like to live in the U.S. Ultimately, they are shocked in general of being shocked about their own home culture. Shocking!

2. Forgetting to drive right

Flickr: Francois de Halleux/Creative Commons

In most other countries, driving is opposite. You drive on the left side of the road and your wheel is located on the right. Upon coming back to the U.S. you find yourself almost turning onto the wrong side of the road and following rules that don’t even apply here. Even speed limits are different; you’re either a grandma behind the wheel or a crazy speeding fiend and there is no in-between.

3. Stuffing your face

Flickr: Jamie McCaffrey/Creative Commons

You end up eating way more Taco Bell than you ever have in your life because lets face it, you haven’t had it in months or years and it tastes like heaven. However a few hours later you and your stomach are not too happy with that decision…

4. Grocery Shopping is an hour or longer event

Flickr: Tara Gamby/Creative Commons

You’ve missed every grocery food the store has to offer because the single aisle of imported American cuisine just didn’t do it for you every where else. Your mouth starts watering and you have to go down every aisle because duh.

5. Binge watching

Flickr: Joelle Johnson/Creative Commons

Your favorite shows are more accessible so instead of breaking it up you watch 2 whole seasons in a day to catch up. And since you’re jet lagged anyway, sleep doesn’t matter.

6. Vacation has a totally different meaning

Flickr: Jesse Varner/Creative Commons

Gone are the days that you jump on a plane for an hour and arrive at a tropical island. Now vacations consist of road tripping to Disney land for the weekend and while that’s not all that bad, nothing compares to the places you got to go to overseas.

To learn more about TCKs, visit these websites:

http://www.tckworld.com/tckdefine.html

http://tckid.com/what-is-a-tck.html

http://www.denizenmag.com/third-culture-kid/

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tck

http://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/31-signs-youre-a-third-culture-kid#2kd3mr4