The Pyle Inside

Each country has its own culture and every culture is different, but cultures can learn from each other and improve together. Each culture has its shining side and characteristic. I have seen the interplay of cultures in my own family.

I have an uncle named Wang J, who has lived in the U.S. for more than twenty years. He has three children. The eldest boy is in high school, the eldest sister is in middle school, and the youngest girl is in Grade three. They were born in the U.S. and grew up there. I forgot to tell you that Uncle Wang’s wife, Aunt Wang Y, has been here as long as Uncle Wang J has. But they were all born in China and went to college in China. So, the magic chemical reaction has been triggered by two different cultures in this family.

One day my uncle and my aunt invited some Chinese guests to visit their house. Just before the guests arrived, my aunt asked her children to help her host the guests and show them hospitality, but none of them bought her bill. The brother and sister said,” Sorry mum. They are your guests, not ours. We do not want to touch upon your business. In fact, we have no responsibility to treat those guys at all.” Finally, the children just said hello to the guests and then stole into their rooms. My uncle and aunt had to run back and forth. They were very tired and disappointed at these children’s reaction. Finally, Aunt Wang decided to have a family meeting.

One afternoon, they convened a family meeting in their living room. They did not have a fierce argument but frank views exchanging. Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang emphasized the importance of etiquette and the union of the whole family. However, the children admitted it but argued that it was also critical to respect individual rights. Parents should let them know in advance to manage their calendars. All their arguments made sense. They tried their best to take the opposite position to consider this issue. Eventually, the whole family had a better understanding of individual and family in two cultures, American culture and Chinese culture. Actually, the root of the “collision” originated from two cultures against understanding the nature of individual and family. Better communication and better understanding help cultural integration to some extent.

My parents and I visited their house one month ago and we were treated by our relatives very well. Aunt Wang told me she had told the children and sought their cooperation two weeks earlier … I was glad to see the harmonious family and look forward to hearing more stories of the perfect integration of various cultures.

Uncle Wang’s family’s story is fascinating and highlights a situation typical in the U.S.. It reflects one side of cultural differences and the way coexisting cultures can add more color to our lives and this earth village. The world is more exciting because of the diversity of culture.