I went to school in Canada with approximately 49 other exchange students. That's a big diversity of nationalities in one place. A conversation would often start by asking where the person is from. As soon as I recognized the country I would link it to the few facts I had. That's when I realized how ignorant most of us are. I would ask the Mexican about drugs and crime, the Italian about pizza and poor work conditions, a Thai about prostitution and tropical beaches and a Chinese about eating dogs. These are stereotypical statements, "imprinted" by the main focus in media. I ended up entereing a conversation with theories, and leaving with more truthful facts.
I'm not saying that books and the media are wrong, but there's so much more to the world than what we think we know. For instance, I had never thought of Mexico as a suitable and peaceful vacation destination. Of course I assumed that there are nice beaches and climate because of its location. Still, the never ending news articles about drug conflicts and killing threw a shadow over the beauty. My perception did not match with the real experience, which I got through my Mexican friends and 2 weeks stay in Playa Del Carmen. I didn't have any problems with crime at the tourist place I lived. Yet, It could have been another story if I went somewhere else in the country. However, no matter rate, crime, poverty et cetera exits everywhere (it's all relative).
Becoming friends and interacting with so many different cultures gave me a bigger understanding of the world. It has also made me more critical and open minded. By critical, I mean that even though there are one certain situation happening in one country, it shouldn't be representing the whole reputation of it. Most facts are bias, either by media or individuals. We are people with unique backgrounds. What I taught my friends about Norway is probably not the same as what the 12 other I travelled with told their friends.
In addition, I discovered that regardless of differences among cultures and nations, we are all the same.