Living in Two Worlds

Imagine how surprised these Indians were when they first saw men from
Europe. In the Indians’ world, clothes were made of animal skins. Their
tools and weapons were made of wood and stone. But the strangers with
pale skins wore clothes made of cloth. And they had objects made of
metal. To the Indians, they were people from another world!

In time, Indians and Europeans began to use things from each other’s
world. From the Indian world, Europe got pipes, tobacco, corn, and
potatoes. From the European world, the Indians got cloth, metal tools,
and new ideas. Both Indians and Europeans began to live in two worlds.

Today, most of us live in two worlds. One is the world of old familiar
things we’ve always known. The other is the world of new ideas and
inventions, new kinds of food and clothing, things that often come from
other people and other lands. Everywhere, you can see the old and the
new, side by side.