The world today is full of many cultures. Each one drastically different from the other and has its own customs and “social norm”. The culture in America is radically different than that in Afghanistan. This fact is evident in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns. This book follows the journeys of two young women living in the harsh world of Afghanistan until their paths cross and they unite to rebel against the widely accepted mistreatment of women in their country. The life these women lead in this book is dramatically opposite to the life women live in America. Daily life in Afghanistan is very strange compared to America. They have to live with drought, poverty and war every day. In 1999, a severe drought occurred in the city of Kabul. It hadn't snowed in the winter and it hadn't rained in the spring. The riverbed that ran through the city was completely dried up (261). With very little scorching heat it must have been extremely difficult to cook or stay cool. With two small children to keep fed and hydrated, water is a necessity. One of the main characters, Mariam, grew up in a mud hut on the outskirts of a mountain village (10). Small houses and very low income were the average life in the countryside. In his city, 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 where the two girls live was a region in constant war. Different ethnicities and religions were constantly in conflict and the government was very unstable. They literally lived in the middle of the battle zone. They could constantly hear gunshots and rockets. Houses along their own street were flattened 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 all of this. Every day hearing the whistle and hoping the rocket wouldn't fall on your house. So losing your parents is unfathomable. Innocent bystanders are killed simply because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Women in their country have very few rights and freedoms.