Reverse Culture Shock

Yesterday I stopped by the local hardware store here in Indiana to pick up a few things.  Every time I walk into a hardware store, I remember a classic language event from my time in the Czech Republic.  I was walking with a Czech pastor friend to the hardware store to pick up a few things.  We were having a deep, intelligent, theological discussion.  Continuing the conversation, we walked into the local hardware store without a break in conversation.  While we were still talking, the salesman asked what he could do for me.  I turned to him and confidently spoke up, "I am hanging some pictures on a concrete wall so I need some...(awkward pause as I realize I don't know the word for "anchors" in Czech) those little plastic things that go into the wall...then the screws go into it".  "Hmozdinky?", he said.  "Yes!", I said.  It was such a remarkable contrast between my aptitude in specialized work language and my hardware store language and I have told that story many times as an example of how long it takes to get to a "fluent" level of language even after you sound very professional to some people.

So fast forward 5 years to yesterday.  I was happy to go to a hardware store in a country where I was born and grew up.  Although I have never been known as a handyman, I can get some minor things done around the house.  When the salesman asked what I was looking for I confidently spoke up and said, "I need some 25x16x1 inch air filters for my (awkward pause as I realize I can only think of the Czech word "kotel" for furnace) you know, heater...gas run...with air ducts that heats my house." "Furnace?", he said.  "Yes!", I said. feeling quite inadequate and embarrassed.  I know the word "furnace".  It just didn't come as quickly as the Czech word and I think I got flustered because that's not supposed to happen in my "born and bred" home country.

A lot of things like this have tripped me up after living in the Czech Republic for 16 years and trying to adjust to life in the USA and I am sure there are still more to come...