reverse culture shock

So, yes, there is such a thing as reverse culture shock. And I wanted to document the little funny things that have had us a little backwards since we have been back home.

- For the first couple weeks while being back every time I would go into the bathroom I would touch the wall right before going into the bathroom only to find my hand trying to flip a non-existent switch. (The light switches in the UK are on the outside of the room.) In one single morning I think I did it 7 times.

-TVs. (We didn't have one for 2 years. Can you tell?)

-When Elaine picked us up from LAX we all piled into her car and Tim suddenly said out loud, "Ok, everyone buckled up?" Both girls looked up at him blankly as if he were speaking another language. They had no idea what he was talking about. Buckle up? Car seats? Huh?

-The girls are having a hard time adjusting to being strapped into a car seat in the car. Without fail every time we are in the car they both say, "It's choking me!" "I'm avout to have a fro-up!" (Car rides do really actually make them sick and to get out of riding in a car now they blame it on the seat belt.)

-In continuation with the car adjustment the girls always ask us, "Why don't we walk anywhere??"

-The first time we washed our cars you should have seen the faces on the girls! Especially Natalie's! An all new experience for them!

-In America, when crossing the street, we all wait until the white walking man light signals it is safe to walk. Not in London. You go when you can! No time for waiting. Tim said while in LA he was about to keep walking regardless of the light signal when he realized that everyone was waiting on either side. He felt a little frustrated as he decided to stand and wait along with everyone else, even though no cars were coming in either direction as this point. haha

-I was nervous driving for the first time after 2 years. I wouldn't even wear my sunglasses in the car because I wanted to make sure I saw everything correctly. Going 65-ish mph on the highway had me a little tense. To think I used to go 80 mph no question! I'm normal again now.

-I only drove once on the left side in London, yet, one time while driving here my heart skipped a huge beat for one second as I thought I was driving on the wrong side!

-I've been having Marisa work on workbooks during the summer to keep her mind a tad sharp until school starts and she had one page ask, "Circle each picture that shows something from the present. Draw an X on each picture that shows something from the past." Marisa was stumped by one of the pictures.

When I asked her what she thought she replied, "Well, the Queen lives in a castle." I had to explain that the book most likely was referring to the past. But smart girl you are Marisa. The Queen does live in a castle...and a palace.

-When scheduling an appointment over the phone I had to close my eyes and think really hard when giving out our birth dates.
Month, Day, and Year. Not the Day, Month, and Year anymore.
I think I even spoke slowly as I tried to spit out the dates. I was totally laughing once I hung up. I must have sounded so lame.

-The first time we ate out at a restaurant I was seriously so disgusted and completely floored at the amount of food on my plate. I kept saying, "This could feed me for a week!" "I can't believe how much food they gave me!" I was in serious shock people. And the fact that they offered to box my food up to take home!! Don't even get me started! Bleh!


I'm sure they are more little things but these stuck out the most. Pretty funny.