Culture Shock - Differences That You May Notice

I'm often amazed at how different life can be within virtually the same place.

On a recent drive between Upstate New York and Manhattan, there were many things I noticed that stood out as "different", that I imagine would cause one to have some degree of culture shock if trying to move from, say, Manhattan, to Upstate New York. Though within the same state, I think anyone moving overseas would notice similar adjustments.

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Trailer parks. Trailer parks are essentially trailers that have been made into homes. They are usually rectangular in shape, and contain a sleeping room, a washroom, and a common room. These are not things you see in Manhattan, but are more common in certain places outside The City. These homes are much less expensive than a house, and are normally arranged in clusters.

Trees. Manhattan is full of apartments and office buildings as far as the eye can see, with a dash of trees in Central Park. When you leave the city, the trees are as abundant as skyscrapers and tall buildings are. It adds a layer of serenity and beauty and nature that can either feel relaxing or make you stir crazy because it can seem that there is nothing but grass and trees any way you look.

Noise. New York is noisy. With a few exceptions, no matter where you go, you can't escape car honking, loud-talking, police car and fire truck sirens, and the garbage being picked up in the wee hours of the morning. In the countryside, you'll go to sleep to complete silence. Sometimes, the silence is deafening if you're used to New York noise! The silence has kept me awake on a few occasions, especially because the utter silence means that the tiniest noise can become exaggerated to your ears.

Children playing. In Manhattan, you see toddlers on leashes, or being run after by a concerned parent who wants to make sure they don't cross into the street. Older children and teenagers normally socialize in cafes, movie theaters, or Central Park in The City. Once you get to the suburbs and the countryside, you're more likely to find kids riding their bikes or throwing a ball in the street. This can take you by surprise if you're used to protecting your kids, or, vice versa, if you're used to letting them roam freely and feel like you always know where they are, and then end up in a big city.

Transportation. In Manhattan, I have never owned a car, nor would I consider it. You simply don't need one with all the different types of transportation that exist. Not to mention that parking garage fees are almost as expensive as a second rent! However, outside of New York, especially way Upstate, cars are the only transportation! Well, it can seem that way because if you call for a taxi, you may have to wait a long time for them to arrive at your house. Apart from that, you will have to either rely on a car, or walk for miles before finding some sort of civilization.

Restaurants. In New York, you can find everything - from gourmet to garbage - when your stomach starts growling. Once in a less-populated area, your choices go down. If there is a more gourmet type restaurant, it may be the only one of it's kind and impossible to get a seat. Other choices may feel more like casual or fast food fare.

Wildlife. In Manhattan, I see dogs every day (and recently, a woman walking her CAT on a leash in Central Park - his name was Goldie and he was quite affectionate!) and pigeons. Once into nature, I have seen deer, all sorts of birds, raccoons (ok, there is one who dwells in Central Park as of late!), and other more exotic-seeming animals. Some people have bears in their backyard at times, and hear the howls of coyote in the distance. This is another big difference between city-life and more rural or suburban life.

Culture Shock - Differences That You May Notice

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