Moving back

Welcome on expat blog copenhagenista!

Do you feel any reverse culture shock?

All the best,

Julien

copenhagenista wrote:

I wonder whether this is a common syndrome?

It looks like it is unfortunately if you spend several years abroad...

Hi Copenhagenista and welcome back!
I too have recently moved back to Cph. after living two years back in my original home country (US). My impression is that Copenhagen has changed in the sense that there is more activity, more money and more graffiti then before, but I do not feel that they people have changed. There are still many lovely, caring people who want to do "good." Having lived in New York City, Philadelphia, Miami, Malaga, ES, Helsingborg Sweden and some other places along the way, I've decided that my heart belongs to Copenhagen. She is not the doll-house village she was, perhaps, but I still find that the Danes are one of the few peoples of the world where fairness, compassion, warmth and fun are so high on their personal agendas. There is such a need to care about other people and care about the rest of the world here that I found living in Philadelphia, where the homeless were the most prominent part of the urban fabric, or Helsingborg, where people wag your finger at you if you jay-walk, were not places I could stay very long.

Moving back to the US, I read a booked by Bill Bryson called "I'm a Stranger Here Myself." He does a great job of explaining how frustrating it can be to move back to one's native land (in this case the US) after being away for an extended period. All the faults are seen in stark relief, because you have seen that it doesn't need to be that way. Plus, prior to the web, it was difficult to keep up with pop culture so there were all kinds of references that he missed during the years he was away. Perhaps this, or a similar book, would be good for you? It certainly helped me to be prepared to be disappointed.
Sorry for going on so long, but I am passionate about this subject...
Bill