First welcome, although I am guessing that your stay may be short.

Secondly, I'm not an American, but here in Canada and according to Wikipedia, most of the US the legal smoking age is 18 if not 19.

Now, as for how to get into smoking Cigars, you have two excellent resources at your disposal, in the two guys you know that smoke. Talk to them, ask them your questions. Also read everything that you can here and other forums or cigar sites, after you've read all that you can, then come back and ask specific questions.