These bizarre questions keep popping into my head as I get ready to be super socially awkward when I go home. Keeping in mind that I haven't lived in the USA since the Bush Administration, aka my entire adult life, these are the kind of things I wonder about three days before I come home. In some ways, I'm like a foreigner, understanding current American culture through the lens of what I read on my Facebook feed and in the news.
What on earth does "twerk" mean? Do I want to know?
I'm still not clear on who Kim Kardashian is or why she's famous.
I honestly don't know if the heavy electronic sound of pop music got popular in 2010 everywhere, or if it was popular in Europe first, or if it was popular everywhere except for in Taiwan where people are content with their sweet, light Mandopop.
When exactly did smartphones sweep the country, and will I be automatically labeled as an insufferably pretentious minimalist hipster if I don't get one?
Speaking of which, why did the hipster subculture I grew up around in Columbia suddenly become mainstream, and get twisted into something that everyone HATES?
And on a related note, is this weird trend of being late everywhere and cancelling all plans at the last minute a Turkish thing, or does it happen in the U.S. too?
Has texting really replaced dating as the form of getting to know someone you'd like to pursue a relationship with? Do people still go on dates?
And are there even single Christians my age who haven't been relegated to "cat lady" status? It seems everyone I know is married and making babies already. Will I have people to hang out with?
Is the red/blue state divide really as polarized as global media makes it out to be?
How weird is it that I haven't seen a Superbowl commercial, or any TV commercial for that matter, in six years? Do people still reference those in conversation?
Will not liking Starbucks make me really awkward to invite out for an afternoon coffee/chat?
What length are skirts these days? Do people wear skirts on a regular basis? What about scarves? Do Americans wear scarves? I've become obsessed with both in the last few years.
How long will it take before I sink back into a world of Dr. Who and So You Think You Can Dance, and completely give up on having conversations about literature or international affairs? That's annoying, right? Nobody likes that, right?
Do people still read books? Or is it just in Turkey that reading doesn't exist?
I didn't even think about the fact that college sports existed for several years. Missouri is now in the SEC? What? Umm....erm.....what do people even talk about?
Oh geez, how am I going to make friends?
Hey Heidi! Hope your transition back to the states has been smooth! I just wanted to note that even though I am married, I would love to hang out with you! (I wish I could, but I am far away on the East Coast now!)
ReplyDeleteSeveral of those things you mentioned I wish weren't true! Starbucks is good, but I love the local shop; I have a smartphone, but sometimes I wish I didn't because I spend too much time playing games on it; and that's my two cents. (:
Are you back for good or just a few weeks/months? Welcome back!