Have you ever had your illusions shattered?

Before I was an exchange student, I had illusions about the U.S. I thought the U.S was a symbol of freedom and there were a lot of opportunities. However, when I arrived there, I realized that America is a mixed bag and there are various kinds of people. Sometimes this kind of diversity makes the world better but might cause many problems between people. Also, I thought public transportation and facilities or buildings were not as fancy and comfortable as my country. I felt uncomfortable especially with the public transportation system.