The Shock of Moving Back to the U.S.

SUMMARY

An American expat, back in the U.S. after 15 years abroad in Europe, the Middle East, Japan, and the UK, shares his reverse culture shock experiences over 18 months, highlighting healthcare confusion, poor food quality, political polarization, relentless ads, high living costs, and identity struggles in California.

STATEMENTS

The U.S. healthcare system is confusing and burdensome, with high premiums deducted from paychecks yet still requiring out-of-pocket payments even for teachers with good benefits, unlike the straightforward systems abroad in places like the UK, Austria, Japan, and Jordan.
Food in the U.S. contains excessive preservatives, as evidenced by bread lasting weeks without molding, contrasting sharply with faster spoilage observed in Europe, the Middle East, and Japan over the past 15 years.
Political division in America treats affiliations like sports teams, leading to judgment and unwillingness to collaborate, which feels abnormal compared to less identity-driven politics in the UK.
Advertisements permeate every aspect of American life, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 exposures daily, including during football games where even plays are sponsored, making everything feel commodified and psychologically overwhelming.
The cost of living in the U.S., particularly in California, creates constant financial stress despite solid teaching salaries, exacerbated by expenses like housing, insurance, car payments, and food, mirroring global rises but hitting harder here.
Living abroad for 14-15 years fundamentally alters one's worldview through exposure to diverse cultures, resulting in a "third culture" identity where the returnee feels neither fully American nor foreign, complicating readjustment.
Reverse culture shock upon returning to the U.S. after decades away is more challenging than anticipated, with unanticipated hurdles in daily life overshadowing positives like California's sunshine.
Despite challenges, life in California offers undeniable benefits, such as mild weather, but the overall adjustment requires time and patience beyond naive expectations of seamless reintegration.

IDEAS

Returning to the U.S. after long-term expat life reveals healthcare as a "health coupon" rather than true insurance, where deductions provide only partial discounts amid bureaucratic nightmares.
Everyday U.S. foods like bread endure unnaturally long shelf lives without spoilage, raising alarms about hidden chemicals absent in fresher international counterparts.
American politics has evolved into tribal sports-like rivalries, where party loyalty overrides cooperation and sparks interpersonal judgments unseen abroad.
The sheer volume of U.S. advertisements—up to 3,000 daily—turns public spaces, media, and events into sales pitches, heightening consumerist sensitivity post-expat life.
High living costs in places like California strain even well-paid professionals monthly, blending universal economic pressures with uniquely American expenses like healthcare and housing.
Extended time abroad fosters a hybrid "third culture" mindset, blending global perspectives and leaving returnees culturally adrift in their homeland.
Reverse culture shock hits harder for expats than initial moves abroad, as idealized memories clash with evolved realities like intensified polarization.
Nomadic expat experiences build resilience but also a sense of non-belonging, prompting constant questions about relocating again amid domestic frustrations.
California's appeal—sunshine and lifestyle—clashes with its economic downsides, illustrating how location amplifies national challenges for returnees.
Expat returns highlight overlooked U.S. strengths, like weather advantages over snowy regions, but underscore the psychological toll of readjustment.

INSIGHTS

True insurance abroad simplifies access to care, exposing how U.S. systems prioritize profits over people, eroding trust in basic human needs.
Preservative-laden foods reflect broader industrial priorities, potentially compromising long-term health for convenience in a convenience-obsessed society.
Tribal politics fragments community, mirroring sports fandom but with real-world consequences, hindering progress in an already divided nation.
Advertisement saturation subtly shapes desires and behaviors, fostering a culture of perpetual consumption that abroad-dwellers notice as manipulative.
Financial precarity persists across borders, but U.S. variants like opaque healthcare amplify stress, revealing systemic inequities in opportunity.
Global exposure creates empathetic worldviews yet isolates returnees in monocultural settings, emphasizing the value of diverse networks for personal growth.

QUOTES

"It's not health insurance, it's a health coupon. So when you go to the doctor, you're not actually, you know, insured. you just get a nice little 50% off coupon that you hand over to the doctor."
"We treat our politics honestly as if they're football teams and you know, yo, I'm team Republican or I'm team Democrat and people not wanting to work together and um people like literally judging each other based off of your political affiliation and that's crazy."
"Everything in this country is for sale. Everything. And that's shocking to me."
"I had read a report that we're advertised in this country at least. We see on average 2 to 3,000 advertisements a day and I believe it everything."
"I've heard it termed third third culture. Um, to where you don't quite fit in anywhere."

HABITS

Maintaining a teaching career abroad for 15 years, focusing on psychology and politics, to build professional stability while immersing in new cultures.
Regularly comparing daily experiences abroad to U.S. norms, such as food spoilage and healthcare access, to stay mindful of systemic differences.
Watching American football with friends as a way to reconnect culturally, despite noticing ad interruptions as a reminder of commercial excess.
Budgeting monthly with awareness of unforeseen costs like insurance and car payments, adapting to financial stress by evaluating spending priorities.
Reflecting on nomadic lifestyle through vlogging, sharing observations to process reverse culture shock and connect with similar expats.

FACTS

An American can encounter 2,000 to 3,000 advertisements daily in the U.S., far exceeding typical exposures abroad.
Bread and other U.S. foods remain unmolded for at least two weeks due to chemical preservatives, unlike rapid spoilage in Europe, the Middle East, or Japan.
The UK's National Health Service provides straightforward coverage without significant out-of-pocket costs for most services.
Japan's healthcare system is subsidized, requiring only about $30 out-of-pocket for visits.
California ranks among the highest in U.S. cost of living, particularly for housing, intensifying financial pressures even for well-paid educators.

REFERENCES

Places lived: Europe, Middle East (Jordan), Japan, UK (wife's origin), Austria.
Report on daily advertisements: 2,000 to 3,000 exposures in the U.S.
Third culture concept: Term for individuals who don't fully fit into any single culture after extended international living.
American football: Watched for leisure, but noted for heavy commercialization like sponsored plays and pylons.
Expat destinations: UK political system as less identity-driven; Jordan's straightforward healthcare.

HOW TO APPLY

Assess healthcare needs before returning by researching employer benefits and potential out-of-pocket costs to avoid surprises like partial coverage deductions.
Inspect food labels routinely for preservatives, opting for fresher alternatives or baking at home to mimic abroad quality and reduce chemical intake.
Engage in neutral political discussions with friends, focusing on shared values rather than affiliations to counteract tribal judgments and foster collaboration.
Limit media consumption by using ad blockers or choosing ad-free content during activities like sports viewing to lessen psychological bombardment from constant sales pitches.
Track monthly expenses meticulously, prioritizing essentials like housing and insurance while cutting non-essentials, especially in high-cost areas like California, to manage financial stress.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Returning to the U.S. after years abroad unveils profound reverse culture shock, blending systemic flaws with personal identity shifts.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Embrace a "third culture" mindset by seeking expat communities online to ease feelings of non-belonging and share adjustment strategies.
Prioritize international travel or virtual cultural exchanges to maintain global perspectives and mitigate political polarization's insularity.
Advocate for healthcare reforms personally, such as joining teacher unions pushing for better benefits, to address systemic confusions.
Experiment with minimalist living to counter advertisement overload, focusing on experiences over possessions for psychological relief.
Consider relocating within the U.S. to lower-cost states if finances strain, balancing lifestyle perks like California's sun with affordability.

MEMO

After 15 years weaving through the vibrant tapestry of Europe, the Middle East, Japan, and the UK—places where his British wife anchored their nomadic life—Jason returned to America in 2023. Now 18 months into his California reintegration, the once-familiar homeland feels like alien terrain. As a psychology and politics teacher, he anticipated a smooth handover from expat adventures to domestic routine. Instead, reverse culture shock has upended his expectations, revealing a nation both beloved and bewildering.

Healthcare stands as the starkest jolt. Abroad, systems in Austria or Jordan operated with crystalline logic: pay premiums or tap national insurance, receive care without labyrinthine bills. Japan's subsidized model demanded a mere $30 co-pay. Back home, even robust teacher benefits siphon hundreds from paychecks, only to leave Jason footing extras for routine visits. His wife's quip—"it's not health insurance, it's a health coupon"—captures the absurdity: a 50% discount masquerading as coverage. This opacity, he notes, preys on the unprepared returnee, turning wellness into a financial gamble.

Food, too, betrays a subtler unease. A loaf of bread lingers in the cupboard for weeks, pristine and mold-free, a resilience born of preservatives absent in the quick-spoiling wares of Tokyo or Amman. "What on earth are we eating?" Jason wonders, his expat palate attuned to fresher norms. This chemical longevity extends to myriad groceries, prompting reflections on America's industrial food chain—efficient, yet evocative of hidden costs to health and authenticity.

Political fervor amplifies the disorientation. In the UK, affiliations rarely defined identities; here, they ignite like rival football squads. Republicans and Democrats eye each other with suspicion, collaboration a casualty of tribal loyalty. Jason, who left as a younger man indifferent to such divides, now views this as pathological. Layered atop relentless advertisements—2,000 to 3,000 daily, from stadium pylons to halftime plugs—these elements paint a hyper-commercial, fractured society. Even beloved pastimes like watching American football drown in salesmanship.

Yet amid strains like California's exorbitant housing and groceries—eclipsing even UK friends' woes—Jason savors silver linings. Sunshine bathes his daily walks, a hoodie-clad respite from national blizzards. His "third culture" limbo, neither fully American nor expatriate, fosters empathy but isolation. Adjustment, he concedes, demands time. For fellow returnees pondering the pull abroad, his vlog invites solidarity: a community of in-between souls navigating the shock of home.