In foreign country, in a dark and hot room, surrounded by people yelling a different language and hopping up and down, spinning in circles, and throwing their limbs in different directions, Eduardo Mendez was experiencing the unwritten American tradition that is prom.

Mendez, from Mexico City, spent two weeks at Lincoln with an exchange program. When he learned he would be in town for prom, he was apprehensive. “I wasn’t sure, because I don’t know too many people here,” he said, “but I also was interested in what prom was really like.” In Mexico, prom is nonexistent because high schools don’t hold school dances. Mendez had to explain the concept to his parents for them to have a vague idea of what it was, though they never truly understood why it was made such a big deal by most Americans.

At the dance, the first surprise to him was the venue. “From television and movies, I had always thought prom was in a gym, which is such a stereotype,” he said. “When we entered the [Wonder Ballroom], I was really surprised that it was an actually a very nice space.”

As the night wore on, Mendez was able to experience prom from a first-hand perspective and left with a positive opinion. “It was fun,” he said. “I liked the music and meeting other Lincoln students.” Mendez returned to Mexico City last weekend, but says he will remember the dance. “Prom,” he said, “gave me insight into American culture and was a great experience.”