CULTURE CLASH
AMERICAN vs. BRITTAN
The American.
Sean Anderson was snoring contently, fast asleep, until he rolled out of bed. He got up, swore under his breathe, and shuffled over to the bathroom to take a long shower. He stripped naked and looked at himself in the large mirror, he posed and stood up to his full height. He flexed his arms and held another pose. After he finished looking at his forming six-pack, he stepped under the flow of freezing water, he jumped back instantly. He groaned loudly.
"Mom, who used all the hot water?" Sean shouted down.
"Don't worry about that!" she said running up the stairs, "you can not be late for today, it's the exchange today!" she burst into the bathroom with Sean's clothes in her hand.
"MOM!" Sean blushed and tried to cover his body "Can't you knock?"
"Oh, Sean I'm your mom, I have see it all before, and your plane leaves in two hours,"
She said as if it was nothing "now get dressed, and no beanies, you have to look smart, and hurry up, pancakes are getting cold!" she hurried off down stairs to finish packing his case. Sean got dressed quickly and went downstairs, the pancakes were soggy so he skipped them. He was about to sit down and watch TV, when his mom came in and lead him outside to the car waiting to take him to school. It was a Bentley Continental with a chauffer struggling to put the suitcase in the trunk. Sean looked skeptical, so his mom comforted him "Sean, this is going to be an adventure, like when you went with uncle Trevor, you were brave then and that's what I want you to be now, OK?" she said soothingly
"Ok, Mom" he said rolling his eyes, and then they were together in a warm embrace.
They stopped when they heard the trunk clink in to place, and the driver walked up the drive and led Sean to the car, he opened the door for him and closed the door. He opened the driver side and got in. Sean didn't here the engine start, obviously this car was very expensive so his school couldn't afford it, and so his exchange buddy must be very rich. But he did not know anything about him, or her, how old, or anything, except they were British. That he was going to live with them for one year. In Britain.
The Britton
Jack Simcock waited patiently for the car at the school gate with the school principal and Secretary of Cultural Exchange, News reporters were asking for statements, and camera shutters closing were really getting on his nerves, he flicked his head, ever so slightly. Almost instantly, his manservant hurried over with a drink. He was British, so everyone in the school expected him to be intelligent and posh. He was. He wore a pair of smart trousers, with a cotton shirt. What the had not expected, was him to be 13.
"David?" he turned to his manservant "I've just realised something! He's American!" he wailed quietly, a jokingly pained expression seeped his face, David chuckled slightly. Finally, the Bentley pulled up outside of the school. Without bothering to make a speech, shake hands or fake any interest in this nonsense, he walked briskly to the car, told the American to get back in the car, as he had already gotten out to stretch his legs. As he opened the passenger door, a reporter stuck a microphone in front of his face.
"CNN, What are your views on having to go through this?" he questioned
He turned to face the reporter. "If I told you what I honestly thought about this cock-up, you would have to 'bleep' it!" he said impatiently, got in the car, closed the door and told the driver to do his job. In fact it was his temper that got him into this. He may have said some things about America that proved unsuitable. So with the car traveling at 140mph to the his private plane with a police escort, Jack sat in a silent rant, and Sean sat shocked that his exchange buddy was a billionaire!