Katrin Schmidt was blown away by her experiences in multicultural Ireland
Before I came to Ireland earlier this year for a semester as an exchange student, I wasn’t sure what the country was really about. I had visions of many red-headed people, famous writers and bad weather. Whenever I mentioned my plans, people told me I should bring warm clothes because it would “rain cats and dogs” over there.
Now that I’ve been here for a few months, I know they were right about the weather! But my other expectations were quickly disproved, as far from the red-headed, freckle-faced stereotype, Ireland is actually a very cosmopolitan place, just like the rest of Europe.
That’s not to say that Ireland has nothing to distinguish itself – it is the sheer variety of culture on display, not just the indigenous variety, that make this place one in a million.
I had my best experience of this cultural melting pot in Dublin on St Patrick’s Day – a national celebration of all things Irish that brings together people from all over the world. All colours and creeds, locals and tourists, were joining in the fun – watching the colourful parade or enjoying the age-old drinking songs in pubs around the city. I even wore shamrock earrings to make my own contribution to the lively green atmosphere.
But there were many other occasions where I could see the multicultural face of Ireland, and it was amazing to learn the stories of immigrants who came here to start a new life.
One time I went with friends to the market in Blackrock where we met a former businessman from Germany who had changed his life completely, swapping the financial world for an authentic German sausage stand that has been doing brisk business.
What impressed me most was that he said he was even happier now, even living with less income, because he said he was fulfilled by his work. He enjoys the intercultural exchange of the market, and is always happy when German visitors come to his stand and enjoy his food while having a welcome chat in the mother tongue.
Another highlight for me has been my internship at Metro Éireann. Working at a multicultural newspaper such as this, every day I meet lots of people from different cultural backgrounds, giving me different points of view about life. It gives me a great impression that cultural diversity is enriching Ireland’s character.
That’s why it makes me feel sad to see how many people associate the economic downturn with Ireland’s new cultural diversity. It’s upsetting to see so many people blame immigrants for taking away their jobs, when they should know that Ireland was dependent on inward migration to give life to the Celtic Tiger which resulted in the country’s economic boom. Even though times have changed, they should still appreciate migrants’ contribution to the nation and treat them with the respect they deserve as residents or citizens.
But getting back to Ireland’s character, two of its strongest features are its great literary and performance traditions. I made sure to go to the theatre to see a production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, and Lord of the Dance was a fabulous display of traditional Irish dance.
And I wasn’t going to waste any opportunity to find out more about Ireland’s famous writers. I’ve especially admired the works of James Joyce, which is why I bought his story collection Dubliners, with tales set in and around the city, often in locations that are still around today, such as The International Bar.
Speaking of pubs, it was also interesting for me to see first-hand the Irish pub culture. After joining in myself, and enjoying some Guinness and Bulmers cider, I can understand why pubs are such an important part of Irish life – they bring people of all ages together in a comfortable atmosphere, in order to have good conversations about all aspects of life. Once at The International Bar I even chatted with an 88-year-old man in the middle of a young crowd, enjoying the atmosphere and sharing his insights on life.
All in all, I enjoyed my time living in a city and a country with such a multi-faceted culture that was truly fascinating to me – and I’m sure this won’t be my last visit.
