People of one culture who find themselves living among another seem to approach the situation with some trepidation. This was the case in all three movies I viewed. Curiosity and excitement also played a big role in the initial transition of all those involved. After the initial shock wore off, all of these people found that they had to adapt to their surroundings. This paper discusses their experiences.
God Grew Tired of Us covered many of the discussions that were held in class. The Lost Boys of Sudan were both excited and nervous about coming to America. They found themselves in a landscape that was drastically different than the arid land from which they had come. Paved roads, an abundance of motor cars, huge buildings, etc. These were all marvels to the travelers.
The Lost Boys made many observations about their surroundings. Some of these observations revealed how they obviously see the world differently than we, the average American citizen, do. While watching one of their group struggle in an attempt to ice skate, someone made the comment that he looked like a wounded soldier. Most Americans do not have that point of reference and therefore do not come to that conclusion while watching people participating in simple, fun activities. While watching them observe the Fourth of July firework display, I could not help but wonder whether or not they made the same kind of connection. Did they look at the fireworks and think of war torn times?
Cultural behaviors were apparent as well. The Lost Boys were nervous about approaching strangers in a strange land but felt it rude not to. In Sudan, one would not simply ignore a passerby without so much as a greeting. They also felt as though they had an obligation to help anyone in need that they came across. They come from a culture that feels that man must help one another in order to survive peacefully. They