When I first arrived in San Francisco, I had a difficult time understanding certain aspects of the American way of doing things. Once I went to visit an American friend. After a splendid evening, I finished my cocoa and got ready to leave. As soon as we said goodbye, my friend went back to his room closing the door behind him. It made me feel that I was not really welcome. Jin Li

I've always been outgoing but since an embarrassing experience in a New York restaurant I've been much more cautious. I was enjoying my dessert and talking to my American friend Janice at the table when I noticed people staring at us. I asked Janice what was wrong and she told me that I was talking to loudly. She said that to some American people, it sounded like I was shouting. I whispered for the rest of the evening.. Wang Lei

What did I learn about Chinese customs from my exciting exchange to China? Well, the Chinese are extremely welcoming. One evening, I was invited to a Chinese family dinner, I had a good appetite and the food was yummy.