18. If you go to a different country, you may get to know a different way of life. Here are stories of three young people when they first went to the US.
John:I still remember when I first went to the US three years ago, everything was new to me. When I met my host (主人) mum at the airport, she asked, "Do you want to go to the bathroom?" I was not sure what she was asking. I thought bathroom meant shower room, so I answered, "No, I forgot to take the soap (肥皂)!" Later I knew "bathroom" meant "toilet".
Eric: Before I went to the US, I thought that everything in the US was large:tall people, big meals and large clothes. When I first got to my school, I was surprised by the size of the school:there was only one building with three floors. And there were fewer than 500 students in the school. Then I went into the dormitory (学生宿舍) and met my little 13-year-old roommate Jason. The room was also very small. However, in the small dormitory, in the small school, I made good friends with my roommate and my classmates.
Linda: Every country has different cultures. I, a girl from Thailand, didn't know much about American culture. All I knew was from books and movies. so when I first went to the US, I was surprised by something. For example, when I first met my host family, they hugged me. People in my country only hug when they know each other very well.