Change comes easier to the young – or so they say. Young immigrants in Ireland may come from countries where the Irish way of living might not exactly be considered acceptable, but that doesn’t mean that joining in with the Irish style of life is a bad idea.
Trying new things can be good for you. It can broaden your horizons and further your understanding of a culture. And of course, coming to a new country is a lot easier if you try and get involved with that country’s life, while remembering that being accepted by a new culture doesn’t mean giving up your own.
The first step for someone new to a foreign country is to start making friends. Generally the way you make friends is by being socially active. This doesn’t require going out drinking or doing something you feel is wrong. Simply going out to lunch or dinner, or going shopping in town, can help in meeting and getting to know new people.
Cutting yourself off completely from the host society because parts of it are against your religion or simply what you feel is right is such a wrongheaded attitude to have. Ireland has problems like any country, but it also has its good side.
For example, Ireland has a history of producing great music, from traditional groups to our more modern performers like U2 and The Script. We’ve had international success and acclaim for movies like Once and The Commitments. And of course there is Irish literature! From James Joyce and WB Yeats to Derek Landy and Celine Kiernan, Ireland has long produced amazing works that readers still feel lucky to experience.
Partaking in the Irish way of life doesn’t mean you have to go out drinking or clubbing. Just spending a sunny afternoon in St Stephen’s Green counts!
The only way to really change people’s unfavourable attitude towards immigrants is if they get to see them beyond the stereotypes and take part in Irish society, even if they’re just giving it a try. After all, people aren’t going to warm to you if it seems you’re scorning their way of living. And if young immigrants can accept it and see the good of it, then they can show their parents and others that it’s not what they fear.
People can be set in their ways and completely unwilling to compromise. But they might be tempted to change their minds when they see someone they trust getting involved. Just sitting around hoping to be accepted by people – or worse, demanding acceptance – isn’t going to achieve anything. People will continue believing misconceptions unless they are shown how wrong they are.
Elaine Smyth is an intern with Metro Éireann.
