Culture is an Elephant

Culture is customary beliefs,social forms,and material traits of a racial,religions or social group. Every country has a different culture which consists of ethnic, regional, and religious. Culture is like an elephant which is big and everyone has a different point of view about the culture.
Before I joined a conference about Cross Culture Understanding in my university that invinted some fellows from the United States, I thought that The United States is a free country and individualistic country. Everyone could do anything that they want to do like using drugs and free sex. I got all information about The United States from movie or social newtwork. My thought was changed when I talk to the fellows.
The first thing that I know is about sex,drugs and rock ‘n roll in The United States. There are five important informations that gotten from the speaker. First, by age 15th, only 13% of teens have ever had sex. Second, 46% of all high school students havent’t had sexual intercourse. Third, by their 19th birthday, 70% of males and females have had sexual intercourse. Fourth, 49,8% of male high school students are more likely than 45% of female high school students to have a sex. Fifth, 24% of all hifh schoolers use alchohol.
The interest thing is about Americans’ custom in the school. First, Americans always attend class on time because they think that “time is money”. Then, Americans like sit in front row and pay attention for lecturer or teacher is more important than talking to their friends. Even though they are individualistic but they still respect someone. Third, Americans like participate a lot during class. If they have a question, they can go to office and asking a question to the lecturer which don’t understand. Fourth, they always take some notes on everything that the teacher says because American value is self-reliance and “be a robo-notetaker”. Self-reliance is having self-respect in your study and work out a plan and keep adjusting it. Fifth, Americans hate cheating so they always do their own work.
All of the informations have changed my perception about Americans. They are individualistic but they still respect others and always be proud to share their knowledge. They like free life but they have some rules to live free. We can’t judge a culture before we learn about it because culture is flexible that can be changed all the time.