Today's world is full of many cultures. Each radically different from the others and with its own customs and “social norms”. American culture is radically different from that of Afghanistan. This fact is evident in A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. This book follows the journeys of two young women living in the harsh world of Afghanistan until their paths cross and they band together to rebel against the mistreatment of women that is widely accepted in their country . The lives these women lead in this book are radically opposed to those of American women. Daily life in Afghanistan is very strange compared to that in the United States. They have to live daily with drought, poverty and war. In 1999, the city of Kabul experienced a severe drought. It hadn't snowed in the winter and there hadn't been any rain in the spring. The riverbed that ran through the city was completely dry (261). With very little scorching heat, it must have been extremely difficult to cook or stay cool. With two young children, keeping water nourished and hydrated is a necessity. One of the main characters, Mariam, grew up in a mud cabin on the outskirts of a mountain village (10). Small houses and very little income were the average life in the countryside. In his town, a two-story house was practically a mansion, and in America this is considered normal. The standard of living is much lower in Afghanistan. The region in which the two girls live was at constant war. Different ethnicities and religions were constantly fighting and the government was very unstable. They literally lived in the middle of the combat zone. They constantly heard gunshots and rockets. Houses along their own street were destroyed by bombs. Laila even lost her parents when her own house was bombed (174). It's impossible to imagine what it would be like to live with that. Every day I hear the whistle and hope the rocket doesn't hit your house. Then losing your parents is inconceivable. Innocent bystanders have been shot dead simply because they were at the wrong time and place. In their country, women have very few rights and freedoms..