Just a little detoxification
There’s this thing that will happen at the end of my internship when I return to the States. My friends and I have started referring to it as Detox.
It started as an innocent mistake. Nobody can remember the word ‘deputation’, and most people don’t have a clue what it means. It’s a one month period when I still work for CRWRC (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee) but it’s all in the States. It’s a time to reflect on what I’ve done and learned and to talk to churches, I think. I’m still not quite up to snuff on what it actually involves. Anyway, about the same time as I was trying to describe it to a few brothers and friends in Michigan and my oldest brother immediately responded with, “Ah, I get it . . . it’s like missionary rehabilitation – a halfway house for missionaries,” my sister was talking to my brother-in-law in New Hampshire and couldn’t remember the word, “. . . it’s starts with a ‘D’” “Detox?” my brother-in-law innocently asked. And the name has stuck.
Missionary Detox. It’s pretty true. One month of rehabilitation, becoming reacclimated to supposedly normal Northern American life. I hear it’s a painful process and I’m not looking forward to the withdrawal symptoms. There’s this thing called reverse culture shock and I know that I’m incredibly susceptible to a nasty case of it. It basically means that you walk into Wal-Mart and freak out, going into babbling fits and running for cover, thinking that materialism in the form of a giant yellow smiley face is out to kill you in a rather torturous way. It also involves constant thoughts of your former state of being (every sentence starting with, “When I lived in Romania . . . ” and ending with, “. . . it was like heaven!!!”).
They feed us a steady diet of jello and peanut butter, trying to remind of things from life before [insert foreign country here].
We speak about our experiences in churches telling about life before, during, and after(?) our “other world”ly addiction.
At the end of a month we’re supposed to be better. We’re supposed to continue normal life and know how to function in normal American society again. I don’t know how well this is going to work.
ha!
i wish it were as simple as that, my dear…
unfortunately we’ll be keeping you Quite busy during that month, visiting churches, schools, exciting meetings at the office, talking with donors….basically it’s the chance our supporters get to hear the stories of what CRWRC is doing “first hand.”
so it’s all business, and no i wouldn’t dream of forcefeeding you jello.
I love that your definition is that you walk into Wal-Mart and freak out. Because it is oh so true….
And from what I hear, it takes more than a month (more like 6-12 months, at least) to adapt to living in America. I haven’t had any huge melt-downs yet, but I’m pretty sure I’m still in the honeymoon stage.
I tried to prep with readings and talking with others who’ve ‘been there.’ I just returned from two months and it was good. My hardest part was remembering to drive on the right instead of the left. It can be overwhelming though and it can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
Everyone’s re-entry is different though. I pray your detox is painful enough to challenge you and painless enough to encourage you.
I’ve gone through reverse culture shock after a two month trip and then a four month trip. Both times I’ve had a hard time coming back. I don’t know if it’ll make it easier because I already know somewhat what to expect or harder because I’ll have been gone for more than two years this time…and really don’t want to leave. It might also help that I’ve been back in the States twice for two shorts visits, so it hasn’t been two years solid here. Thanks for the prayers!
[...] came across this post today from a CRWRC person, and got a kick out of her idea of calling it “detox”. But I also [...]
Depu-what?! « The Mission Link said this on 18 July 2008 at 4:28 pm |