Culture shock is what you make it

Grennan paints a picture of himself as an outsider in Nepal. It is not only the instances he describes how he physically stands out from the native population, it is part of every decision he makes. Sometimes, these are described as very funny; sometimes, they are a source of real conflict.

The different worlds collide repeatedly throughout the book, resulting in a culture shock that Grennan never really adjusts to. Grennan comes from a world of relative luxury. The kids were one step away from poverty. Many of the people they visit in the villages, such as the families of the children, were living in poverty. A world where poverty was the status quo was a lot different than a world where the people who live in poverty were mostly invisible.

It took Grennan a great deal of time to adjust to...