WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED to the USA! (REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK)

In August 2022, we took an emergency trip to the United States to help Amelia's family. After spending a month in Texas and several days in Kansas, we now understand what reverse culture shock means.

We left the United States 5 years ago to start a new life abroad in Ecuador. The last time we went back to the USA was over 3 years ago before the pandemic

Lots of things have changed since the pandemic, but even the things that stayed the same seem very weird to us now.

In this video, we'll talk about the 22 things that were very shocking to us as Americans after being gone for so long.

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[gregbuser]

I've lived in Mexico for 30 years and the most shocking thing when I return to the states, is the soulless corporate homogenization of every aspect of life there.

[becmiberserker]

As a Brit who was a teenager in the 80s and envious of the American lifestyle, I only travelled to the States for the first time just before Covid. What cut straight through my rose-tinted glasses was just how cheap everything looked. But the real culture shocker was when talking with friends and associates, and how they talk about monetisation of as much activity as possible. I couldn’t even talk about hobbies without someone saying “you could charge for that!” Or “that would be a great business idea.” The intrusion of having to constantly think about making money must be exhausting. I know it’s important to get by, but this was complete obsession with the dollar.

[LeeFKoch]

I'm an American ex-pat who has been living overseas for 35 years. I try to fly to the States at least every other year (with the exception of the Corona-lockdown years), and I always get the reverse culture shock. I think what shocks me most is the huge increase in homelessness and drug addiction, as well as the political polarization. Back in the 80s, you could discuss politics with others, even if you didn't agree, and in the end you stayed friends.

[mlmontalvo]

We have boiled America down to maximizing profits over quality of life. The shocking part is how well we have gradually adapted to this downgraded lifestyle.

[jimjohnston]

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED to the USA? Believe me - there's a LOT of us (still) here that are asking the same question.

[matt-qfhq]

My wife and I moved back to the U.S. after 5 years in Northern Italy just 1 month ago. I feel like a stranger in a strange land. America is not feeling like home anymore at all.

[lezleysuleiman]

I came back to Ecuador just over a month ago after having been in the US for two and a half years. I almost kissed the ground! I’ve been living here off and on for 13 years and won’t even pretend i’m going to return to the US for more than extended visits. There is a dark cloud hovering above what was once a healthy and vibrant country up there.

[monolabmusicstudio]

I returned to the US for 6 weeks in Sept-Oct and it was just as you have described. Although I was delighted to visit with my friends, I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. The strain and energy drain, physically, mentally, spiritually, and monetarily is too much to take anymore.

[Aiko--]

I am an American who has lived in Asia (Japan) for decades. We return to the US every few years for a few months and know all about reverse culture shock so this was interesting. Of course our experiences are different from yours because the country where we live is so different from Ecuador. The thing that stands out the most to us is the danger/fear levels in the US are off the charts. Living in a low-crime country where we are in one of the biggest cities in the world yet hardly think about danger to us or our children we are shocked in the US about the "lock the doors", "learn to defend yourself", "never let your children out of your sight", mentality. Fear all the time.

[shaunsteele]

I'm only 42, but I've seen such drastic changes in this country in just the last 20 years. It's not the same country I grew up in

[paigemichelesargent]

As an American still living in the US, this was a very depressing video for me!

[soundsambient]

I have lived in Japan for over 9 years now... I went back to visit the US last summer... I can't believe how bad things have gotten.

[BlackCoffeeee]

In reverse, I live in Europe and I have noticed that the US visitors here are getting more and more edgy and aggressive. The older ones are still okay but the younger ones have an aggressive air about them, like they're always switched on 100%, super defensive and can't relax. It's such a huge contrast to our culture where people are more relaxed. For example, I was waiting in line to order at a beach bar and a 30 something American woman was in the queue ahead of me. I gently reached to one side of her to take a tray and she threw out her arm to seemingly stop me from jumping the queue. Like, what? Relax! This permanent on edge vibe will send them all to an early grave. It's very sad to see.

[diyentomologist]

After living in Germany in the early 2000s going home to America was a start of a huge depression.

[whatworkedforme]

Hi from the UK! I admire your honest/realistic video.. you both have a great buzz between yourselves! It can be difficult to be critical of your own culture; whoever you are or where you live. I guess it would be similar for us here. No wonder that they say travel broadens the mind. We really need a perspective other than our own. Well done both of you. A great atmosphere you created.

[ldyikik]

I left the United States in 2013 and came back in 2022 and I can hardly recognize that it’s the same country in such ways that everything is more expensive, salaries haven’t increased, businesses are collapsing on both sides of the street, the country is both more stupid and more divided and yet at the same time everyone’s more convinced that they’re right. So that’s why I left the country again. 1:16 I grew up in Texas and 104 temperature is pretty typical even 20 years ago. 7:34 agreed on the monoculture because we drove many times between Florida and Pennsylvania and all the corporate stores and restaurants are exactly the same… And the food is tasteless. 10:56 Totally and completely agreed about the tastelessness of American food

[thomaskenny]

I left Denver in 2006, now in Ireland. When I went back for vacation I experienced most of what you mentioned. The commercials for prescription drugs are so pervasive I can't watch U.S. TV anymore. And I resent being expected to tip for take out food. But the worst is the constant concern for physical safety. I cannot see any return to the U.S. the way things are going.

[juliacatlin]

We went back to the mainland, my boyfriend a veteran was mistreated by several American airline staff even though he offered papers on his disability. But how he saw people treating each other dwarfed that. A man in a wheelchair spilled a milkshake and no one helped clean it up. An elderly woman slipped hard and there was blood on the floor and everyone treated her like a giant inconvenience. He went to a hotel in New Jersey where the concierge was openly arguing loudly with a guest over his polite request. People just seem to have gotten alot meaner. Only southwest airlines treated our situation with any compassion.

[Riu-bwbl]

As a American growing up and seeing all this slowly get worse and effect your life and
everyone you know is truly heartbreaking. I see people getting meaner and more stressed and culture become more fast pace and commercialized. Makes me feel alittle helpless on how to stop things from going this way but I can’t even pin down a time when it started to get this bad.

[kenweiss]

I did like this video. I currently live in Alaska and we plan on retiring within two years and even I am shocked at what the USA is turning into. It is not the country I grew up in or even raised my kids in, it has changed for the worse! You’re talking about Ecuador, Paraguay, Spain and Portugal is really intriguing. My Spanish is atrocious, but I hear if you live in the culture you pick it up more quickly. I am really enjoying your videos.