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A language is not a universal culture. I am only just beginning to realise this. I speak English and so do the people in the United States. We should be able to understand each other, or so I thought.
People have asked me what the biggest difference between the US and South Africa is. I can never answer them. I think this might be because it's not so much the big differences that I notice but the small ones. I was prepared for the big things like driving on the other side of the road and using a different currency. What I wasn't prepared for was the small things.
The drive home from the airport was my first experience of this. I was sitting in the passenger seat - which took me awhile to find because I forgot that the driver was on the other side! - remarking on the pretty scenery. Emily, who was driving, was agreeing with me until I started talking about the robots and how they looked slightly different. There was silence next to me and when I looked over at Emily I could see that she looked puzzled. After a moment I realized that Emily was picturing a robotic man while I was talking about a traffic light! That was only the beginning. It has taken me a while to get used to the differences in language (in truth I'm still adjusting) and am still finding it hard to remember to call a pram a stroller or a nappy a diaper.
But in amongst all these bewildering changes I have found a refuge: my room. It has wooden floors which feel cool on your bare feet and a fan which is always on because of the heat. There is a computer and a very big, comfy office chair. I have a TV and DVD player. I'm not used to having these and I'm not sure yet if I'm really going to use them. I have massive cupboard - perfect for any girl! There is a large picture on my wall, painted in an impressionistic style, which made it feel like home the minute I walked in. Lastly, and best of all, there is my bed. It is a double bed and it's one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept on - it rivals my bed at home.
It is nice to have a place that is totally my own, where I can be me. A place where I can close the door and let the peace and quiet surround me. It is my place of safety and familiarity at the end of a stressful day. I love my room.
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