My First Encounter with a Different Culture
It was a sunny day in Kathmandu, and I was sitting in the garden of a local café, sipping tea. A tall, blonde woman with blue eyes walked in and smiled at me. She introduced herself as Anna, a tourist from Sweden. It was the first time I had met someone from a culture so different from my own.
Anna and I started talking. She told me about her country, where the winters were freezing and the summers were short. She said people ate bread and cheese for breakfast, which sounded very strange to me because I was used to rice and curry. She also told me that in her country, everyone followed strict schedules and valued personal space, which was quite different from Nepal, where we enjoy spending long hours with family and friends.
As we talked, I noticed how she dressed in simple yet stylish clothes. She said in Sweden, people preferred minimalist fashion and avoided bright colors. I thought of our festivals like Dashain and Tihar, where we wear colorful clothes and jewelry. She seemed fascinated by my descriptions of our traditions, especially the tika ceremony and animal sacrifices, which she had never seen before.
What struck me most was when she shared how people in her country don’t often live with their parents after they turn 18. I couldn’t imagine such a life because, in Nepal, we grow up surrounded by our extended families and care for our elders. She listened with wide eyes when I explained how family bonds are at the heart of our lives.
Despite the differences, I felt a connection with Anna. She respected my culture and was curious to learn more. I, too, realized how amazing it is to meet people from different parts of the world. It reminded me that, no matter where we come from, we all share the same human experiences of love, curiosity, and friendship.
Meeting Anna taught me to appreciate both our differences and similarities. It was a simple conversation, but it opened my mind to a whole new world. I’ll always remember that sunny day in the café when two cultures came together over a cup of tea.
