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The Culture of a Place Essay

Decent Essays

The Culture of a Place The culture of a place is an integral part of its society whether that place is a remote Indian village in Sri Lanka or a highly industrialized city in Western Europe. I am an international student from Taiwan. Life in the States is very different from my home country. The culture of America fascinates me because, at first glance, it seems so different. Everything that characterizes the America---racial heterogeneity, vast territory, and an ethic of individualism--- is absent in Taiwan. In Taiwan, I find an ancient and homogeneous society, an ethic that emphasizes the importance of groups, …show more content…

They didn't bother to speak to me, and I didn't know how to start a conversation with them. I kept silent and felt very much isolated. Due to cultural differences and lack of common language with the students, I withdrew to myself and concentrated on my studies.

One obvious difference is the people. Taiwan is a homogenous society of one nationality. Almost every Taiwanese has the same culture background as mine, so it is easy to understand the way they think. In contrast, although the United States is a country with originally European roots, it is a heterogeneous society of many ethnicities---Europeans, Africans, and Latinos. Therefore it is difficult for me to understand the way the Americans think, even American born Chinese.

Another difference is the vast territory. The nation where I came from is much smaller than United States. When I first stepped onto American's soil, I noticed that everything is so far apart. I need to drive in order to get to the 7-Elven; this really surprised me. The transportation in United States mainly depends on cars. Later I realized that without car in United States, it is difficult to do things. Before I bought a car, I had to walk 25minutes to get to the nearest bus stop. It took me almost 90minutes to get to school, even though the school is just four to five miles away. I lived in Taipei before I came to United States.

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