Culture Shock in Kansas City: A new look at a familiar place

Familiar sights and sounds fill my senses but yet I feel like I am in a foreign place. Having lived in Kansas City for 6 years I know my way around well; and it is not my sense of orientation that is confused but rather my perception of life and culture in Kansas City.

After 2 months in Europe and 3 months in Central America I return to the same familiar city to be struck by astonishment. It is hard to put my finger on it but the rhythm of life is distinctly different to what I have come used to. Here the pace of life is slower yet people always seem to be busy, they are very polite, courteous and overweight, driving their cars everywhere (preferably in a big SUV). It is difficult to ignore the dominance of financial and materialistic topics in people'’s conversations and Kansas City'’s unique style and fashion.

As I sit in the plane back to Germany I ask myself if there such a thing as an objective reality? I am inclined to suggest no. The same city appearing so different to the same person whose perspective has changed. Which is the true Kansas City? The one I see today or the one I saw 5 months ago? If my perspective can differ so much after being absent for only 5 months, how different must be the perception of two different individuals living in the same city, analyzing the same situation?