lost boys of sudan

This week in class we watched a documentary called the Lost Boys of Sudan. This movie followed a couple boys through their journey of moving from Sudan to America. They had to adjust to a whole new culture and lifestyle here in America that is very different than what they were used to. I find it incredible that two cultures can be so different from each other and have no idea about what life is like outside their own culture. These boys did not know how electricity worked, what a shower was or even know the concept of time. All these things were new to the boys as they traveled across the world to essentially start a new life. As the boys started to adapt to life in America they found that everything revolves around time and that time is money. I found it sad that once the boys all got jobs and were going to school they didn't have as much time to spend with each other. I think that is a flaw in our culture because I wish I had all the time in the world for my family and friends. It was also so interesting to me how unselfish these boys were. As soon as they were able to support themselves they pretty much spent all their money on others. Whether it was sending money back home to their people, trying to support their families, funding organizations or building schools in Sudan it was all to help everyone but themselves. They did not completely understand why they were the ones chosen to have this incredible opportunity and they felt they needed to share their wealth with their families and friends. Lastly, it really is amazing how much a culture can change you as a person. By the end of the film, many of the boys' english was much better and they were finally understanding and getting used to our culture here. One of the most interesting lines at the end of the documentary was when one of the boys referred to a pond back home as "5 to 10 minutes away" from his house. Living in America has changed how he thinks about things. If he was still living in Sudan, he probably would have referred to the pond as very close, or not far. But living in America has made him think about things based off of time and minutes. Overall, I really enjoyed this film. It really makes you understand how different cultures are from each other and how much I really don't know about other cultures besides my own. Other people in different culture's worlds are so different from mine and I hope I get the chance to experience some one day.