East Meets Mysterious West

Inscrutable and exotic--so America must have seemed to 22 visiting scholars from China as they got their first glimpses of American life last week. The men and women, ranging in age from 35 to 49, are all enrolled at American University's English Language Institute. After three months of brushing up on their English, they will head for U.S. universities across the country for postgraduate study and research in physics, optical science, molecular biology, chemical engineering and other subjects.

Within a few days of their arrival in Washington as part of an orientation program to learn "survival skills," the students had toured supermarkets, drugstores and department stores and eaten at a fast-food restaurant. Said Institute Director Robert Fox: "They didn't seem terribly wild about the food." The scholars saw a bit of TV. Said Chemical Engineer Hsue Hsien, after seeing his first U.S. commercials: "I enjoy watching them. It is a sign of American culture, isn't it?" The visitors were also introduced to the mysteries of Western pantyhose by Newsweek Correspondent Mary Lord, who, with a thigh, explained her coverage.

The scholars were warmly welcomed wherever they went, but are taking no chances. Just in case they cannot adapt easily to Western ways, they brought along their woks.

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