Jet lag, ahhh, jet lag. I've travelled the world, yet I've never experienced true jet lag. I was beginning to think that jet lag was like Big Foot or Ol' Nessie of Lochness Monster fame: I believe that other people believe it exists, but do I? Could I? I was not a believer.
Yes, I used to fall asleep a mere hour earlier upon returning to Grinnell, and yes, I was a bit sleepy after my two weeks in Israel and my six months in Europe. But those weren't enough for me to believe jet lag exists. It was not until I returned from China and experienced the eye socket wrenching drowsiness, almost coma-like exhaustion at all hours of the night and day, that I began to suspect jet lag is a very real and very dangerous beast.
I kept a small diary of the jet lag/culture shock woes. Here are my unabridged and rambling thoughts that ran through my head the first week (or so) I was home:
6.16 6:08 pm - Bottled water is expensive!
6.16 6:10 pm - Chocolate and peanut butter were made for each other!
6.16 12:42 am - American beds feel like they're stuffed with fluffy bunnies compared to the cement blocks on which Chinese people sleep!
6.17 7:15 am - Macaroni and cheese can be eaten at any time, and it's always delicious!
6.17 7:56 am - I don't have to turn on my VPN as soon as I turn on my computer!
6.17 11:30 am - I LOVE driving!
6.17 11:45 am - Water comes complimentary at restaurants. Nice!
6.17 12:45 pm - Tipping is customary. My brother saved me from walking out the door without leaving a tip...
6.17 1:40 pm - Jet lag is real!?!?!?! THE HORROR!!!
6.17 1:42 pm - My bed actually feels like a magical cotton cloud!
6.17 2:45 pm - Snooze button, I'd tap that.
6.17 3:55 pm - "Briel, didn't you say you were only going to take an hour long nap? You won't be able to sleep tonight!" -my mom
6.17 6:45 pm - My mom is the best cook ever. I forgot about feta, mozarella, fresh basil, and steak!
6.17 8:45 pm - Laundry can be dried with a magical, clothes drying machine that makes your clothes feel like warm puffs of air!
6.17 9:03 pm - Soooo sleepyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
6.17 9:16 pm - Being force fed iced coffee to stay awake
6.17 11:20 pm - SO AWAKE. SO JITTERY. MAN OH MAN!
7.17 11:55 pm - GO TO BED, BODY!
7.18 12:40 am - SERIOUSLY, GO TO BED
7.18 1:03 am - FALL ASLEEP... NOW! OK, that didn't work. Count sheep? Listen to the sounds of waves? Yoga? WHAT WILL SOOTHE YOU, SAVAGE JET LAG?
6.18 6:03 am - Go back to bed
6.18 7:56 am - Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
6.18 8:45 am - The air outside is so clean and lovely! I don't feel like I'm inhaling black smoke as I go for my (semi-not-at-all-daily) run!
6.18 6:03 am - Go back to bed
6.18 7:56 am - Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
6.18 8:45 am - The air outside is so clean and lovely! I don't feel like I'm inhaling black smoke as I go for my (semi-not-at-all-daily) run!
6.18 9:03 am - BUNNIES! SQUIRRELS! BIRDS!
6.18 12:05 pm - What is this ATM machine, and what does it want from me?
6.18 12:06 pm - The card... came out immediately before I took out my money? I don't need to stand around and wait for the ATM to spit out my card? What?
6.18 12:06 pm - My money came out in $20 bills, not $100 bills? (Chinese Yuan comes out in hundreds...)
6.18 12:06 pm - WHERE IS MY CARD?! Oh wait, it already came out... (this may seem inconsequntial, but there were two cards lost because of this confusion...)
6.19 6:05 pm - My sister: "Why aren't you bringing your license out to dinner?" me: "I'm not driving anywhere?" "Aren't you... going out for drinks afterward?" Alcohol requires ID. Oh yea. That sounds familiar. 6.20 5:39 am - Seriously, it's been five days. Why am I still waking up at 5 am?
Notice all the exclamation points. I felt like a newborn baby experiencing things for the first time. Or rather, I felt like someone who had been away for a long time who had returned home to all these wonderful and familiar things. Oh wait...
I've definitely experienced "reverse culture shock" since I've been home, but it's not a long drawn out thing. It's more like little moments of me remembering how things are different here, being reminded of how things are in China, but then reverting back to my American mindset. I almost say 谢谢 instead of thank you. I almost cross the street in the middle of oncoming traffic instead of obeying the pedestrian laws. Stuff like that.
After three weeks of being home, I am settling into my routines. And no, I'm not jet lagged anymore. But as for the existence of Big Foot and the Lochness Monster, maybe it's time for China Doll to reconsider?
6.18 12:06 pm - The card... came out immediately before I took out my money? I don't need to stand around and wait for the ATM to spit out my card? What?
6.18 12:06 pm - My money came out in $20 bills, not $100 bills? (Chinese Yuan comes out in hundreds...)
6.18 12:06 pm - WHERE IS MY CARD?! Oh wait, it already came out... (this may seem inconsequntial, but there were two cards lost because of this confusion...)
6.19 6:05 pm - My sister: "Why aren't you bringing your license out to dinner?" me: "I'm not driving anywhere?" "Aren't you... going out for drinks afterward?" Alcohol requires ID. Oh yea. That sounds familiar. 6.20 5:39 am - Seriously, it's been five days. Why am I still waking up at 5 am?
Notice all the exclamation points. I felt like a newborn baby experiencing things for the first time. Or rather, I felt like someone who had been away for a long time who had returned home to all these wonderful and familiar things. Oh wait...
I've definitely experienced "reverse culture shock" since I've been home, but it's not a long drawn out thing. It's more like little moments of me remembering how things are different here, being reminded of how things are in China, but then reverting back to my American mindset. I almost say 谢谢 instead of thank you. I almost cross the street in the middle of oncoming traffic instead of obeying the pedestrian laws. Stuff like that.
After three weeks of being home, I am settling into my routines. And no, I'm not jet lagged anymore. But as for the existence of Big Foot and the Lochness Monster, maybe it's time for China Doll to reconsider?
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