Sunday Reflection—Culture Shock
Disclaimer: The following is not intended as an indictment on my home culture. More like an admission of reverse culture shock as I see it with new eyes during our visit to Williamsburg, Virginia.
I knew there would be some adjustments to be made…
…driving on the right hand side of the road
…sharing meals due to generous portions
…malls
I just didn’t anticipate the continual mouth-gape-open response to various stimuli.
Excess
The sheer volume of stuff is staggering. Here’s the shopping centre dedicated to Yankee Candle. This one shop would rival any Irish supermarket for floor space. This wall of product represented the fruit section. Additionally there was the flower section, the fresh section, the spice section, the red-white-and-blue section, to name a few. And this shop sold only candles and accessories.
In other parts of the shopping centre were home accessories, toys, a café, calendars, DIY candle dipping, and an area where it was always Christmas—even to the point of ’snowing’ every 15 minutes. The Kiddies loved it. I was overwhelmed.
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The Kiddies have fond memories of Taco Bell and so we did a fast food run. As I steer the children to non-carbonated-non-caffeinated alternatives, I find that the lemonade option is empty, dispensing only water. I turn to the Mr-Nice-Employee-At-The-Till.
‘I know,’ he remarks, ‘the management won’t let us put up an out-of-order sign. They say it looks tacky.’ So the management, with a notion of the financial bottom line, would rather waste drink and cups rather than look tacky.
Celebrations
I’m not sure how warm weather tourist locations can sustain up to 3 different large Christmas ornament shops, but they do. I’ve never been in one, so the Kiddies and I went exploring.
Alongside the snowman section, the Santa section, the beach section, the cowboy section, the retro section, the DIY tool section, the Native American section, among others, we rounded a corner and came upon…
…the Irish section.
Attitude
While on holiday, part of the fun for the Kiddies is to watch television since we do not have one. As I’ve been watching some of the children’s shows with them, I’m amazed all over again at how parents are portrayed as stupid and incompetent and how kids zing one another at lightning speed with shallow and flippant remarks. Like, duh, whatever…
On Balance
It would not be a fair observation if I didn’t include this one. Americans are friendly. Restaurant staff, hotel employees, average guy on the street. Americans are generally a chatty, good-natured bunch.
And a little kindness goes a long way.
Guess, that’s it for now. Being off-line for 3 days means facing 275 unread Bloglines entries from only 41 feeds. Another shock to the system…
Your entry really reminds me of my relationship with food. If I go out to eat, I forget sometimes how excessive the portions are, and so I finish whatever I ordered even though I’ve been full since I was half-way through. It’s got to be interesting to look at American culture kind of from the outside. I always say that our culture is “white bread,” but there’s more to it than things not being exactly “real.” I’ guess I’m starting to ramble. It’s just an interesting subject for me because I condemn the excess, but I’m totally a part of it too.
Anyway, I hope you’re enjoying your visit, and I’m going to try your Starbucks trick next time I go:)
22 Jul 2007 at 4:52 am
oh yes, the land of supersize me whether it be food or “stuff”. it is very challenging to live a simple life when surrounded by excess. especially while raising children. i agree with caroline, i condemn it as well as being part of it. take care and have fun.
22 Jul 2007 at 5:23 am
I heartily recommend to everyone that they go through an international move - just once - so that they can truly SEE how much stuff they have. We’ve just been through the process of remodeling our entire house, so we’ve already culled out most of the redundant / unused junk, but, even so, preparing for an international move really make you realize what you have and do not need whatsoever.
These “culture shock” bits are the really challenging bits, and are the bits which I wonder about, myself.
22 Jul 2007 at 3:57 pm
My only visit to America (thus far) was a long time ago, and I do remember the immense portions, the choice, the general excess, but also, most definitely, the generosity of spirit, the hospitality, and the good nature.
Limiting what we consume is undoubtedly sensible, but being on the receiving end of the general pleasantness we found in the US was certainly heart-warming!
22 Jul 2007 at 8:47 pm
culture shock indeed…I’m getting goosebumps when you write your post on your visit to an American yarn shop…”supersize that skein will ya?”
23 Jul 2007 at 9:06 am
I think I mentioned before about the Wall of Milk that blew Darren’s mind when he moved to Cincinnati. man, I miss my Wall of Milk. I only need half a gallon, but I want to pick it out from 300 others. THAT’S American.
30 Jul 2007 at 6:20 am