EPISODE · May 29, 2026 · 21 MIN
EP 52: Stranger in My Own Land: Reporting Back from the USA
from Auto Ethnographer with John Stech · host John Stech
Four years ago, I moved abroad. Three weeks ago, I went back for a visit.In Episode 51, I told you I was returning to the United States with a certain degree of hesitation. I had some honest apprehensions about what I would find. And I promised to bring you back a full report.This is that report.After four years of living overseas, returning to your home country is not the simple homecoming you might expect. The country changes while you are away. You change too. And those two movements do not always move in the same direction.Using the W-curve model of intercultural adjustment as our framework, this episode explores what happens when a changed self steps back into a changed place. What your fresh eyes confirm. What surprises you. And what simply stands out.I focused on three areas. The first was scale. The United States is large. But after four years calibrated to life in Bangkok, just how large? From Jazz Fest in New Orleans to the roads of Pennsylvania, the answer became clear very quickly. The second area was social interaction. Am I still the same person in an American social environment? Has four years abroad reshaped how I engage, observe, and respond? The third area was the political and cultural atmosphere. From the news and social media, you would imagine two countries. But what does the ground actually look like?I will not give away what I found in this description – you will have to watch! But I will tell you that some of what I expected was confirmed. And some of what I expected most, was not.This episode is for anyone living abroad, planning to move abroad, or simply curious about what it means to return home after a long time away. Reverse culture shock is real. But so is the clarity that distance gives you.LEARN MOREWebsite: https://auto-ethnographer.comConnect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-auto-ethnographerYOUR TICKET ABROADThinking about making the move overseas? My comprehensive video course, Your Ticket Abroad, was built to answer the questions I wish someone had answered for me. Filmed in Bangkok, Thailand. Available now at: https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/your-ticket-abroad-course
What this episode covers
Four years ago, I moved abroad. Three weeks ago, I went back for a visit. In Episode 51, I told you I was returning to the United States with a certain degree of hesitation. I had some honest apprehensions about what I would find. And I promised to bring you back a full report. This is that report. After four years of living overseas, returning to your home country is not the simple homecoming you might expect. The country changes while you are away. You change too. And those two movements do not always move in the same direction. Using the W-curve model of intercultural adjustment as our framework, this episode explores what happens when a changed self steps back into a changed place. What your fresh eyes confirm. What surprises you. And what simply stands out. I focused on three areas. The first was scale. The United States is large. But after four years calibrated to life in Bangkok, just how large? From Jazz Fest in New Orleans to the roads of Pennsylvania, the answer became clear very quickly. The second area was social interaction. Am I still the same person in an American social environment? Has four years abroad reshaped how I engage, observe, and respond? The third area was the political and cultural atmosphere. From the news and social media, you would imagine two countries. But what does the ground actually look like? I will not give away what I found in this description – you will have to watch! But I will tell you that some of what I expected was confirmed. And some of what I expected most, was not. This episode is for anyone living abroad, planning to move abroad, or simply curious about what it means to return home after a long time away. Reverse culture shock is real. But so is the clarity that distance gives you. LEARN MORE Website: https://auto-ethnographer.com [https://auto-ethnographer.com/] Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-auto-ethnographer YOUR TICKET ABROAD Thinking about making the move overseas? My comprehensive video course, Your Ticket Abroad, was built to answer the questions I wish someone had answered for me. Filmed in Bangkok, Thailand. Available now at: https://www.auto-ethnographer.com/your-ticket-abroad-course
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EP 52: Stranger in My Own Land: Reporting Back from the USA
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