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Geographic structure plays a significant role in the formation of cultural difference. On Thursday, I reminded of perfect evidence—difference between my Nepalese roommate and me. Nepal is the neighboring country of China. Before I met her in International Student Orientation, I thought we should have similar countenances and similar culture. After we met, I found that in spite of being “neighbors”, we are totally different, especially in culture. The languages, architectures and food are distinguished. The similarities between Nepal and China are not that obvious as those between Japan and China, even though Japan and Nepal are both Asian countries nearby China.

The essential cause is Himalaya Mountains. In ancient Nepal and China, the Himalayas were the barrier for Nepalese and Chinese to intermarry, result in the divergent genes and lifestyles of the two neighboring countries. As the civilization started, these highest mountains in the world were the obstruction for Chinese and Nepalese to communicate. Then the two countries with few communications gradually developed different language and architecture style. The gap between two countries enlarged because of the undeveloped transportation and the lack of emphases on learning a foreign culture in the ancient era. In contrast, the connection between Japan and China has never been disrupted during the history of human civilization.

Based on the “geographic cause” argument, in the cosmopolitan age when the transportations are developed and intercultural communications are frequent, will the initially diverse cultures become convergent? I cannot figure it out. Human beings actually never control the tendency of natural and cultural development. Thus, only time will tell.