I've had many opportunities to experience living in a foreign culture. But my first experience came in an 1 place-my own country. When I was 20, I got an internship (实习职位) in New York City. It was my first time to2 outside of my home state of Texas.
With my move north came culture 3 . I grew up in a big city in Texas. But it was no comparison to the tightly 4 New York with their 8 million citizens. I was used to life at a 5 pace; New York moved fast. The saying is truc- this city never 6 . I had to adjust.
My first reaction was fear. Fear I would 7 at my new internship in the 54 -storey office building. Fear of getting lost on the subway. Fear that the locals wouldn't have 8 for my frequent moments of confusion. My fear ranged from reasonable to silly. But I 9 my fears and kept trying.
I learned quickly never to 10 a New Yorker always speaks English. New York is home to people of all walks of life, from all corners of the world. At weekends, I would spend hours 11 along Canal Street in Chinatown-the closest I'd ever been to an Asian country.
By the end of my internship, I was a little older, a little wiser and 12 of big city life. I hated the skyscrapers, tourists and the high price I had to pay for a cheeseburger and fries. But I had 13 , too. I was quicker, smarter and more independent. I knew I would 14 that feeling of having the world right at my doorstep. It was good 15 for the life of travel I'd soon begin.
