In a few days, it will be six months since I was back in the States. Crazy to think that it really has been that long. Before I came here, I was informed about some of the stages of culture shock such as honeymoon, rejection, etc. It’s something that is simply expected, daily a challenge in my life. I used to have this idea of things being similar to back in the States, but actually far from it. The little things are what take time to get adjusted to. For example, people standing in the middle of aisles and not moving or the length of travel time on public transport. A couple of days ago I rode with a colleague into a gated community of houses with actual backyards and pools. Almost surreal in a sense, reverse culture shock seeing the yards and open areas.
But through it all I’ve grown accustomed to living here. Believe me there are still things I find very different, but it is life, not better or worse, just different. Like a lot of the Portuguese, I long to have that coffee after a meal. That is something I love is how much I walk now. Just makes me feel so much healthier. It keeps me in shape, and there isn’t a better way than to see the city than on foot. There have been and there will be days when I want nothing but to be back in the States, but for now this is my everyday life.
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