reverse culture shock

When I went to Uganda for a semester it was the reverse culture shock, not the initial culture shock that surprised me the most. I wouldn't say that is true for my Portland/LA experience, but I do have some thoughts to share regarding some things that surprised me when moving back to Portland. I won't include moments from visits in the last year, although there were some really weird things that happened then! The accordion playing unicylist on the street was the strangest.

Here are some of my recent culture shock moments for me since I've been in Portland:

1. buying wild salmon at Trader Joe’s for $6.50 for two fillets... I cried right there in the aisle
2. my jeans are always wet from the rain
3. people let you cut into their lane during heavy traffic just with a simple notice of your blinker. nice!
4. I can fill up a pitcher of tap water and it tastes just like filtered water. yum!
5. my face is like a giant chapped lip. I’m not sure why
6. sideways rain always surprises me
7. waking up to cold mornings and needing a cup of something warm is something new
8. people are so nice! the people at the grocery store always want to have long conversations.
9. men have really long hair. just something that I’ve noticed. maybe it’s to protect them from the sideways rain
10. the leaves are falling off the trees and one morning I woke up to find my car looking like an elementary art project... it was neatly covered from front to back in tiny leaves held on by the rain water. it made me laugh!