当然，我们的婚姻一开始就出现了明显的文化差异。我最看不惯的就是陈芳乱丢垃圾的毛病——随地乱扔垃圾。对此我难以接受，好在不久她就坦然接受了我的意见。而婚前我们遇到的最重要的一次文化差异的例子堪称经典。我们和最初为我俩牵线搭桥的朋友以及她的小儿子一起吃饭。因为当时我们已经正式交往，所以我想当然地以为是“我们俩”共同请这个朋友吃饭。所以当陈芳看过账单准备掏钱付账时，我也慷慨解囊，坚持要和她分摊——在我看来，这是合情合理的西方民主。在该小插曲以前，晚餐进行的非常愉快。可交过钱之后，气氛急转直下。陈芳再也没搭理我，而她那个朋友却一直笑个不停。笑得太多了点吧？我一头雾水……

    Chen Fang didn't exactly make it easy to figure out. It took me an hour of cajoling and wheedling (pathetically) before she explained that sharing the bill implied that neither of us could afford it. Paying everything would have been fine, paying nothing would have been OK, too - but splitting it? Oh no!

    陈芳也不给我解释 ......