A Culture Shock Journey From The Southern To The Northern Hemisphere

by Heather Markel | Feb 6, 2020 | Africa, Culture Lessons, Epiphanies, Insights, Long Term Travel Advice, Peru, Portugal, Travel Tips | 14 comments

Culture Shock, Or Rather, Hemisphere Shock

Heather Markel, Writer, Speaker, Photographer, Traveler, Business Strategist

So much I didn’t know about the world.

After 10 months in South America and Africa, I’ve just returned to the Northern Hemisphere. It’s the place I’ve spent most of my life, and yet, it feels completely foreign. I find myself in Lisbon, rushing to be home by dark, and then realizing I no longer have to watch my back, and yet, bizarrely, I miss doing so. I doubt my own safety for some time, despite knowing it’s no longer necessary, and realize I’ve taken this part of life for granted for almost a year.

A street in Lisbon.

My ride to the north from Johannesburg is turbulent. Less because of the air and more because I wasn’t ready to leave. Air France has changed its seat layout since last time I flew with them and even though I’m short, the leg space is unbearable especially for a 12 hour flight. When the person in front of me lowers their seat they end up in my lap like in a bus which makes me miss all my bus rides around South America. All the way from Africa I am sad to be leaving this continent and the southern hemisphere, with which I have viscerally connected.

Even more, I miss the clicking of the Xhosa language and the pleasantness of people I met from Zimbabwe and Malawi, Zanzibar and the Cape. I realize that having to be alert all the time made me be even more in tune with my intuition. Walking around Lisbon it feels so safe that I don’t trust the safety. My intuition feels unnecessary, and it feels like a loss.

“Culture shock is part of the journey.”

After adjusting to the color of my skin making me stick out like a sore thumb, I miss that, too. I keep hoping to meet Africans everywhere I go so I can maybe speak some Xhosa or Shona and rejoice in the connection. On my flight from Paris to Lisbon I meet a lovely man from Angola traveling with his adorable children. They, too, have made a long flight from Africa to come to Europe.

One of my favorite memories – a visit to the Himba tribe in Africa.

I’ve seen the power of the universe showing up so many times during my journey that I shouldn’t be surprised anymore. Perhaps my surprise is becoming gratitude, which I realize on my train ride from Lisbon to Faro. I bought an assigned seat, and the universe gifted me a neighbor who is Portuguese but lived in South Africa for 30 years! We speak at length about life there and I feel like I’ve received a gift, someone that understands how I feel broken-hearted to be gone from Africa.

Walking around small towns and a deserted island in the Algarve I realize this is the first time in months I can end up all alone in the middle of nowhere and not have to worry about it. In so many places in South America and Africa, it seemed a bad idea to venture alone into the wilderness. Here, once again, it’s perfectly safe.

I come to realize how much easier it is to feel lonely in the Northern Hemisphere. In South America and Africa, though many of the people that approached me were vendors, they wanted to talk to me, to know my name, and where I’m from, and speak about life. It was sometimes impossible to be alone. Up North, people are so involved in their phones or their own thoughts, that I can walk along public streets and wonder if I might be invisible. I don’t miss this about where I come from.

Near Cusco, a reminder of stolen wealth. There used to be a golden snake that decorated this rock.

Another question that plagued me during my travels is why the Northern Hemisphere, in particular North America and Europe, have so much more wealth than the Southern Hemisphere. As I ventured from country to country and from one continent to another, I learn the thing all these countries have in common is having their wealth stolen by people from the north. A Moai statue taken from Easter Island, gold taken from Peru, people from Africa….I wonder if the world would be different and the distribution of wealth different, had these thefts not occured.

And yet, despite the evident different distribution of wealth in the South, seen in materials for housing, less expensive clothing and lack of ostentatious jewelry, I am overjoyed at how much happiness exists. Family connection and friends are valued much more, something some of us have perhaps lost with our focus on material things and work.

I think the most shocking, for me, is that though I realize I’ve taken many things about “home” for granted, there is perhaps more that I haven’t fully lived or experienced because of the wealth-focused life I left behind. Our life in the North may be more materially wealthy, but the South has, for me, felt more wealthy in connection, intuition and beauty. I look forward to my return there.

14 Comments

Wendy Lee on February 7, 2020 at 17:27

Very interesting article. I’ve been to Africa twice, so I do understand what you’re talking about. I think this sums up why travel is so important, especially to places that take us way out of our comfort zone.
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Laureen on February 8, 2020 at 02:29

Thoughtfully presented. I have so many of the same questions. Thanks for a great post.
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- Karen on February 9, 2020 at 00:11
  
  What a beautifully reflective piece much of which I can relate to having just landed in Morocco. I’m sure the deeper south you in Africa, the divisions widen. athank you for your thought-provoking piece. kx
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  - Heather Markel on February 9, 2020 at 00:48
    
    Thanks for the lovely comment! Yes it’s rather fascinating how different each African country is. I think there are many where the roads are so unpaved you might have trouble driving them too!
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Maria on February 8, 2020 at 12:52

Hi Heather! I understand how you must feel coming from the South. I often feel it too – how disconnected we have become. After returning from Nepal, where family connections are much stronger than here, in Europe. It’s our mentality, I guess, and the high standard of living, that allows us to exist independently from our families from a young age. Not a great thing, but a sad fact of life. Most people are fine with it though.
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- Heather Markel on February 8, 2020 at 13:04
  
  So unfortunate how wealth which “supposedly” makes us happier in fact seems to lead to more isolation. Oh Nepal is on my possible list for this year!
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Emma on February 8, 2020 at 12:57

I love reading articles like this, it’s always interesting to read someone else’s experiences. I’ve had a few big culture shock moments while traveling, and I honestly think they’re good for us
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- Heather Markel on February 8, 2020 at 13:04
  
  I agree! They are essential for us to understand this big world.
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Tiffany on February 8, 2020 at 16:15

Very interesting perspective. I know many travelers experience culture shock after returning home. Why do you felt you needed to watch your back in Africa. I do agree that many things have been stolen hence the rich get rich and the poorer get poorer
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- Heather Markel on February 8, 2020 at 16:21
  
  Thanks for your comments Tiffany! In South Africa the LOCALS kept telling me how dangerous Cape Town is, that I shouldn’t walk alone and many other things. Because of all the warnings I got it made me feel I should watch my back. Contrary to their warnings, apart from a couple aggressive beggars I found my experience there beautiful and plan to return. People are amazing and the continent of Africa that I’ve seen so far is one of my favorites. (Check out my recent posts on Africa to see what I mean.)
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Alma on February 9, 2020 at 03:45

Oh, dear! I see you have a huge problem, Heather!! Africa has crept under your skin, the dust has settled in your pores (I can’t vouch for America). It has sunk its claws into your heart and be warned: it won’t easily let go. I love how you’ve written this and whilst I agree with a lot of what you say, being a resident here is very different to passing through. I wish I could have spent time with you but hopefully we get to meet one day. My comment may seem negative and I apologize for that but because you’ve read my blogs you know I love my country and continent but it has its issues.
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- Heather Markel on February 9, 2020 at 10:34
  
  What a perfect description of what happened yes! You are not the first person to tell me that living there is different than visiting. I’m sad that disparity exists. ☹️ But yes I’m hooked!
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Cherene Saradar on February 9, 2020 at 09:07

Really lovely read! I spent a few month in Southern Africa and also fell in love with it. I’m longing to be back. It is very special and such a privilege for us outsiders to be able to spend time and connect with people there. I had a hilarious bit of culture shock when I returned from 3 months in Southeast Asia to Washington DC and was out a massive fancy grocery store looking for a simple plain yogurt…I literally was in tears having a melt down in the yogurt aisle over too many choices. LOL
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- Heather Markel on February 9, 2020 at 10:36
  
  Thanks for your comment! Oh I relate to the Asia shock! I was relieved not to have to walk up 500 steps to see monuments though. 🤣 I do miss real Asian food. So many ingredients we can’t get here in the US or at least not fresh. Hi to DC ! I went to GWU. 😁
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