A real American town

There are many small towns in America. Most Americans like to live in small towns. They are the majority of American voters, and their children constitute the main body of the American army. Every small town often has its own culture passed down from generation to generation. These cultures are not new york culture, Chicago culture or Los Angeles culture, but American culture. This culture is not a narrow competition, an abyss of knowledge, or an endless ambition, but a kind of generosity, contentment and complacency, plus the romance of some villagers in Shan Ye.

In fact, most ordinary Americans who don't go to TV or newspapers live like this. American small-town culture represents American culture, at least, it represents a large part of American culture. Next, I will introduce American small-town culture. The town I want to talk about is called "Shuiwharf Town". This is the town where I live. It has a profound history and unique rural culture. The politics, culture and education of this small town constitute a completely different style from the big cities in the United States. This small town is one of countless small towns in America. People and events in this small town are stories of ordinary Americans. It can be considered as local customs, and it can also be considered as human history. I think understanding American culture should start with understanding these ordinary Americans. Because I know them, I have some ideas about our own culture. The inch is long and the foot is short. The experience of living in these small town cultures is actually very interesting. If there are conflicts between different cultures here, the conflicts are moderate, although they are often profound.

By studying American small-town culture, we can see some similarities and differences between human beings rooted in different cultures.

1. "Parents" of the water pier

Waterford is a small town in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania, not far from Lake Erie. Lake Erie is the most dishonest of the Great Lakes. It can produce heavy snow and freezing for half a year. The coast of Lake Erie is called the "snow belt". The water pier is a small lock on the "ice belt" drawn by Lake Erie. When it snowed heavily, the "small lock" disappeared. This "small lock" is so small that only one traffic light stands alone in the heavy snow. For a while, it opened its red eyes, and for a while, it opened its green eyes and looked bored at the only short street in town.

However, if anyone wants to ignore this "water town" from American territory, I am afraid that the history of the United States today will not be like this. Water pier is the starting point of a period of history. After more than 300 years, it has maintained the original appearance of that starting point. People in the waterfront don't like change or innovation. People at the waterfront cherish what they once had and keep a long history.

Members of the Waterfront Council resolutely disapprove of opening McDonald's fast food restaurants or any supermarkets on their only short street, even Seven 1 1. Over the years, the proposal to open a fast food restaurant has been rejected again and again. There is a solid and humble red brick restaurant at the water pier, called "Eagle Hotel". The Eagle Hotel is square and sells three excellent fish and cheese desserts. It closes every Monday. The people at the water pier treat you, and the wedding banquet goes to the Eagle Hotel. The Eagle Hotel is enough. Letting Eagle Hotel compete with McDonald's is a betrayal of traditional culture in the eyes of waterfront people.

On the right of Eagle Hotel are antique shops, pawn shops and pharmacies. On the left is the essence of the whole town: a green sign and a statue of Washington. The green sign says:

"In February, George Washington came here with a notice from the Governor of Virginia (Britain) to the French soldiers, informing them that they were stepping into British territory. According to records, Washington completed his first public mission. "

The water pier is the first step for Washington to go to the public. Although 1753 did not represent the United States, the United States was still a British colony. He came to the dock to represent Britain in dealing with the French stationed nearby at that time. But he is already Washington. It is said that he had dinner at the Eagle Hotel.

Every year, the people at the waterfront clean the first "step" in Washington to prevent the dust of the times from polluting history. Every spring, after the snow melts, the "parents" of Shuiwharf Town will order a soil cannon to be carried out and stand across the street from the Eagle Hotel, so that men can walk around and patrol the short streets in the same way as in Washington. The children followed, clutching their stomachs, lifting their legs and waving their arms, imitating their father. When they grow up, they will do the same thing. Although there are probably no more than three people who come to the water terminal to recall this history every year. But people in the waterfront live in their own history, not the history for people to see. They are confident and stubborn. It doesn't matter to them whether outsiders come or not.

There is a big lake at the water pier, which is still called Loeb Lake in French. The lake is beautiful, like a quiet girl. In winter, the "big girl" becomes an "ice beauty", and countless gray Canadian geese stop on the silver coat of the ice beauty for the winter. There is a beautiful "nepotism" floating around the waist of "Ice Beauty", that is "French Stream", and many residents of the water terminal live by the stream. When it is warm, the French stream is like a romantic wicker, blown by the spring breeze. Green water becomes wider, brighter and more charming under people's eyes. At this time, the hearts of people at the water terminal will turn green with the spring water, jumping like dragonflies that can't stop on the water, and want to run around. So Shuiwharf Town held its first annual hearing at this time. The person presiding over the hearing is a member of Shuiwharf Town Council. They are the "parents" of the water pier residents.