reverse psychology

"Lost in translation" (2003) by Sofia Coppola  

     Having seen the film, I now like Japan and the time I spent there more than before. I must admit it is weird how mind deals with images that are brought up from your own recent past but.. a past that seems more as an epic fantasy than something that really happened with yourself. Finding myself smiling at all those little details in the film that give it's realness away, I had to think about what happened to me while being in Japan.
     Of course, OF COURSE you do expect some culture shock when going all over to the world's other end into an obviously different culture. What you don't know, nevertheless, is what actually a culture shock means and feels like. (Well, for the concept's defense, I'll mention the very moment of my first time in Georgia. When exiting the airport, old guy [culture] shock did hit me quite good.) I mean.. it's produced by diverse and variable components, which shall somehow hit the spot of your previous (un)experience. You can't tell beforehand what it is going to be, but you do expect it to happen.
     Now, this is where reverse psychology comes in. A proud smartass as I am, I was so upset to miss out on these expectations of culture shock ("c'mon, c'mon, life, give me something more exciting, I want moooore!") that I failed to notice it was all around me. O.k., this time it didn't strike me as a club. On the opposite, it crept in, swelled up and made me crazy. I guess the ugly part of the process is that you actually come to revalue and rethink your own culture and essentially yourself. With all that's so annoying on that other side and how much new you are for the situation you are in. That's quite a meeting, indeed.
     So, what's the point? Don't let reverse psychology work on you. Or, rather, notice, when it happens. Otherwise, all you expect and are looking for might never be achieved just because.. you don't let it happen. Don't program yourself for defeat. It's all far more possible than you assume.