To my surprise, this article was really an epiphany for me. I came back to the U.S. after several years overseas. I was not in the military or in the Peace Corps, but I lived in small rural communities probably similar to a Peace Corps experience. In addition to hard work, there was lots of time for just spending time with people, just t…
To my surprise, this article was really an epiphany for me. I came back to the U.S. after several years overseas. I was not in the military or in the Peace Corps, but I lived in small rural communities probably similar to a Peace Corps experience. In addition to hard work, there was lots of time for just spending time with people, just talking or doing small things.
Returning to the U.S. was literally the hardest thing I ever did after living abroad. Everyone was just whooshing around, there was never any time for anything, people seemed disconnected even from those they called friends as they just ran, ran ran. I was really rattled and had a very difficult time adjusting. I couldn't connect with old friends, and I thought maybe I wasn't suited for life here. I almost left the country, never to return. I finally settled in a small community, developed a network of friends, and slowly adjusted. I've mentioned this difficult period to many people throughout the course of my life.
Years later, moving to a more urban environment (nothing like a NYC, but still...), I experienced some of the same adjustment, but this time I was better prepared for the shock.
Sebastian's observation that the PTSD wasn't in country but rather upon return, and his adding that 25% of Peace Corps workers suffer something similar, completely resonated and helped me better understand this difficult transition. It also gave me a broader perspective about what's going on in our society generally. His comment about not owning a smart phone was spot on. At the very least, there should be a "leave your phone in a box" day to remind people that those strange creatures all around them are their fellow human beings.
To my surprise, this article was really an epiphany for me. I came back to the U.S. after several years overseas. I was not in the military or in the Peace Corps, but I lived in small rural communities probably similar to a Peace Corps experience. In addition to hard work, there was lots of time for just spending time with people, just talking or doing small things.
Returning to the U.S. was literally the hardest thing I ever did after living abroad. Everyone was just whooshing around, there was never any time for anything, people seemed disconnected even from those they called friends as they just ran, ran ran. I was really rattled and had a very difficult time adjusting. I couldn't connect with old friends, and I thought maybe I wasn't suited for life here. I almost left the country, never to return. I finally settled in a small community, developed a network of friends, and slowly adjusted. I've mentioned this difficult period to many people throughout the course of my life.
Years later, moving to a more urban environment (nothing like a NYC, but still...), I experienced some of the same adjustment, but this time I was better prepared for the shock.
Sebastian's observation that the PTSD wasn't in country but rather upon return, and his adding that 25% of Peace Corps workers suffer something similar, completely resonated and helped me better understand this difficult transition. It also gave me a broader perspective about what's going on in our society generally. His comment about not owning a smart phone was spot on. At the very least, there should be a "leave your phone in a box" day to remind people that those strange creatures all around them are their fellow human beings.