Culture shock and being homesick

So I think the honeymoon stage is over, haha. It was nice while it lasted. At first I was mostly concerned with seeing all the famous buildings and landmarks, learning about the history and food, and exploring my neighbourhood and the random things in the apartment. Each night after work we tried to get out and see something different. I like being finally adjusted to the culture though. There are still some things that surprise me each time, even though they shouldn’t. The lack of information up until just before something begins, the chronic lateness and disorganization, frequent change of schedules, or continual arrival of new interns to our small apartment are examples of this. I like being to a point where it’s okay to just sit and watch a movie, or hanging out in the flat with everyone drinking beer. Before, beer had to be drunk wondering around a park somewhere, just because you could. When you look at culture, the things you see and learn about right away are the tip of the iceburg. The rest is when you actually live in a culture for a significant amount of time and get to know the rest of the culture, the part of the iceburg under water that you can’t see. It’s very seldom that I get to experience this part of a place I visit. I think it’s the most interesting part by far, maybe because it’s rare, or maybe because you can’t read about these aspects or see them in pictures.

I’m not sure if I ever had culture shock, or was just shocked by a lot of the culture. Maybe I am not staying here long enough to experience the full onslaught and all the stages. I still think I will have a bit of reverse culture shock when I get home though. I’m already thinking about how it will be weird to understand people at a store or on the street, overhearing conversations in English and being able to help myself without an interpreter. I’m starting to miss home. I could stay here longer, maybe with a visit from a couple VIPs, or if I had have known I was going to stay longer I would have been prepared. But now, in the final week(s), I’m ready to get back to Canada. I knew I’d miss people, like Lisa, my family, and friends. There’s lots of other things I’ve started to miss though. Hopefully I can get them all in during the month I’m home. I miss:

Living at 5215 Green. It’s the same situation here with tons of interns living in the flat, but not the same people. I can’t recreate living room dance parties or kitchen sing-alongs. I miss breakfasts on the weekends after parties with everyone, hosting big parties, predrinks, and random outings with all the room mates.

Halifax. I was so ready to leave the city, and after five years there it was really ready to move on to other experiences. Now, I would kill to go to the split crow, stop at Tim Hortons, the farmers market, or visit the waterfront. There is also way too many concerts happening in the city while I’m gone too.

Western culture. It sucks, because it’s lame, but I miss western music, crappy pop music on tv, and watching reruns of the old sitcoms. I need a fix of channel surfing and going to bad movies.

Being independent. I can’t wait to order things myself, read signs, knowing exactly there I’m going, being able to ask for help or directions, etc.

Food. Poutine, donairs, schawarma, pizza, mayonnaise and butter, things with flavours, spaghetti sauce, cheese, milk, tap water, BBQs and Moosehead.

Restaurants. Mostly all of the restaurants we go to here are Russian style stolovas, which is basically a cafeteria where you get a tray and choose all the food yourself and then go pay and eat. I never really liked going out to restaurants, I’d rather have take out and eat at home, but I’m excited to now. I especially want to go to
Chow Family for Chinese food, Talay Thai for Thai food, Hamachi house for sushi, and maybe Uncle Bucks or Jesse’s.

People who speak English as a first language. No offense to anyone here or who is ESL, but I miss fast conversations, sarcasm, inside jokes, slang, and people understanding me the first time I say something.

Comedy. I will be nice to be back to a place where people know Bon Qui Qui and Dick in a Box. I can’t wait to be able to quote other things again and laugh with people about it. No one here knows SNL or understands me when I compare life to a Seinfeld episode, or the Office.

I miss learning about things in advance and planning things in advance, or more than one day beforehand.

Being home alone and having personal space.

Driving in a car.

Randomly seeing Joel Plaskett places.

Being on the beach and being able to get in the water to go swimming.