Near the end of their stay, I realized that there were so many little differences between our two cultures. For example, we wouldn’t think that baking cookies is unusual.

The exchange students found some of our food, such as American cheese and seafood soup, unusual. They also thought that seeing so many boys wearing shorts in cold weather was strange.

Favorite and least favorite foods varied among them like they do with us, but many of their favorite foods included steak and brownies, and some of their least favorite foods were bacon and sushi.

The exchange students also had habits that other host families, including my own, found different from American habits. Some of the students microwaved drinks such as apple juice and sometimes cereal with milk. They always made sure that their shoes were clean and occasionally cleaned them with a special brush.

Although there are many differences, big and small, between American and Chinese culture, members of both cultures love learning. Learning about the Chinese culture taught me that Americans and the Chinese can benefit from sharing cultures and ideas.

The other host families also enjoyed having a Chinese exchange student. They loved playing games, cooking with their exchange student and learning from them. I, for one, at least doubled my knowledge about Chinese culture.

I think that this exchange was very successful. When I asked the eight Chinese exchange participants if they would stay here for another month if they could, seven out of eight of them said they would.

I really hope that this exchange continues to be a success in the following years, and if future exchanges go half as well as this one went, then they will be sucesses. Although I won’t be going, I hope that when our Wayland High School exchange students and teachers go to China, they will have an equally positive experience!