I grew up and went to school in a small town in a small country called Lithuania. Lithuania is a country next to Poland and Estonia in Europe. I moved to America almost five years ago. I had a chance to face the laws of Lithuania and America and I see a big differences and similarities between these two country’s. Let’s give more freedom and excitement for teenagers. That was the first of my thoughts when I came to America. In Lithuania teenagers don’t have curfews, they can stay outside as long as they want. Well, actually they can stay out as long as their parents let them to stay. While in America, if you are not seventeen, you have a curfew. On weekdays you can stay till 11 p.m. and on weekends till 12 p.m. I think this is a strange thing. The government should not take away teenagers freedom especially if the parents don’t mind if their kids stay out late. Another thing that is different in Lithuania is that you have to be only eighteen years of age to be able to go into the nightclubs and drink alcoholic beverages. In America you are supposed to be twenty-one. In America you are old enough to drive a car but not old enough to drink. Driving a car is big responsibility, so is the drinking. In my opinion if you get drivers licenses that means you are an adult and you are responsible for your choices and your actions. So why won’t the government change the law and let the teenagers drink alcoholic beverages when they turn eighteen not twenty-one. Another big difference is that in Lithuania is very hard for teenagers to find a job. You have to finish the high school and college before you can start working somewhere. While in America, you are able to work even when you are still going to school. This is a big plus for America. In that way teenagers can start saving or being independent. This is what I was doing for the past four years. I don’t have to go to my parents and ask for money to go to the movies or to the restaurant. I am able to pay for my bills and my entertainment.
Similarly both Lithuania and America has big super markets and shopping malls. If you choose to shop in Lithuania you will spend a whole day just trying to get the right clothes you want, the malls are huge and you have a big variety to choose from. Same thing is in America. For example, I never had a chance to go through all the stores in oak Brook shopping mall in one day. It would take me at least three days to go through all the stores in Oak Brook mall and I am not talking about trying on the clothes. Two countries that have many differences and just couple similarities: Lithuania and America. I had a chance to live in Lithuania and in America. I know the laws in both countries and I can tell that teenagers have more freedom in Lithuania than America. They have a bigger variety things to do on their free time, while in America where is not so many things that you can do on your own time. Overall, I liked living in Lithuania and I like being in America too.