Adventures in liquid culture shock

My government warned me about the feelings I was experiencing. It was an overwhelming mixture of excitement, anxiety, fear and adrenaline. Someone at the Department of Foreign Affairs had compiled a nice list on their website of the emotional stages commonly experienced when visiting or living in a far away land: the honeymoon phase, culture shock and the adjustment phase. I was just visiting, but as I readied myself for immersion into this foreign culture, I couldn’t help but think I should have read the website over a couple more times.

Where I was going wasn’t somewhere you can read up on. I was about to venture to a place where the language isn’t one you can study and its inhabitants aren’t of the humankind. I was standing on the edge, ready, gear on my back and really sacred.
As I dived in, I experienced immediate culture shock. I wasn’t sure what this underworld would hold. Sharks, sting rays and eels were all potential enemies. The unease my government’s website warned me about was an understatement. The temperature of the water was inviting, but the waves were not. To escape them, we made a quick descent. This being my first time diving, my senses were overwhelmed and I struggled to remember my preparation.

When we levelled out and started to explore, my initial feeling of panic to subside. The discomfort of the gear soon became a distant memory. Within minutes I had moved to the adjustment phase and by my second dive I was comfortable enough to glide away from my group. I was rewarded with a face-to-face meeting with one of this world’s oldest citizens – a sea turtle. Since calling out isn’t an option underwater, I get my group’s attention with sound and everyone comes to see my new friend.

My chance meeting with the sea turtle thrusts me into the honeymoon phase. According to the helpful website, this was supposed to be the first stop on my emotional ride but for me it is the last. I am besieged with feelings that are hard to subscribe and retire to bed yearning to get back in the water. The next couple of days are just as eventful as my first. I meet wrasses, clownfish, and angelfish. I am surprised by a sting ray that jets off the ocean bottom where it was camouflaged by the sand. I explore caves and sightsee at reefs. I even venture out at night into the deep and very dark sea. Each time I immerse myself in this culture I feel more comfortable.

Like any travel experience, my trip to the Great Barrier Reef opened my eyes and my mind. It changed my normal. I am now a passionate diver and my travels always include a dip under the water. I am now an advocate of the ocean and its inhabitants. My government’s website didn’t warn me about the feelings I would have when I was forced back to land - reverse culture shock.