We focus on three survivors as they attempt to acclimate to Western culture, which generates a number of mild chuckles as early as the plane flight over, when they mistake blocks of butter and packets of salad dressing for full courses in their in-flight meals. Light switches and toilets have to be explained to them, and there's even a scene where one by one, they all stumble at the base of an escalator. I believe I saw the exact same scene in Crocodile Dundee.
The film touches on some of the more dramatic aspects of their transition—particularly the threat of culture loss and complete assimilation—but often these plot threads are introduced only to be left dangling. When Nicole Kidman's narration mentions that one of the friends of the featured survivors disappeared for two days only to turn up in a psych ward because he couldn't handle the cultural transition, we expect the cameras to be turned in his direction, but they aren't.
The most fascinating scene involves a reunion between one of the survivors and his mother, from whom he was separated as a child. After speaking at length about the importance of maintaining his Sudanese culture despite having lived for four years in America, he goes to the airport. When his mother sees him, she collapses to the ground and emits a series of traditional high-pitched yelps. What's intriguing is that for a moment there, the son appears a little embarrassed by the display. The implications of that are worth reflecting on. It's a shame the filmmakers don't agree.