Culture shocks can be enjoyable!
Luckily, most culture shocks in Ireland are more enjoyable surprises than a nuisance.
Green, rain, and beer were the three keywords that describe the notion of Ireland that I had before coming here from Vietnam. Since then, I have discovered and experienced an abundant more aspects of the Irish culture that don’t get talked about enough. This blog post aims to spread the word about Irish traits that international students should familiarise themselves with to ensure a smooth transition into their new life abroad - or they could learn from experience and be delightfully surprised the way I did.
I. Stranger chatter
“If you make eye contact with strangers, be prepared for a conversation”, I was warned. It sounded like a joke until I smiled at a puppy the other day then ended up hearing all about her near-death experience and explaining my country’s independence progress to her owner.
Random people would say good morning to me on the street and ask me how I am, which - make no mistake - is not so much a question as a greeting. In the pubs, people may come up to my friends and start chatting away as if they were all attending a networking event.
While this can be overwhelming to those who are more reserved, it is important to understand that the practice stems from a welcoming culture and not from ill intentions. In fact, if this were to happen in Vietnam or some other European countries, I had better hold on to my belongings and get ready to run. Here, I can relax and enjoy the amicable friendliness and their genuine interest in the conversations.
The Irish friendliness can also help to combat your homesickness. It’s a strange country, but you don’t have to be estranged.
Top tips:
- It’s common to smile or greet strangers on the street. A smiley “hello” can’t hurt.
- The appropriate response to “How are you” should not be longer than “I’m grand, thank you, and you”.
- Don't hesitate to ask for help and you will always receive it.
- If you don’t know how to small talk, just mention the weather.
Which brings me to my next point...
2. Weather trouble
Once you arrive, you will understand why weather occupies a considerable proportion of conversations here.
Within the span of 15 minutes, you can experience cool drizzle, blinding sun, and whipping wind. Within a week’s time, you can go from a lovely summer vibe to miserable winter gloom.
If you don’t look at the forecast before putting on clothes to go out, you’ll be in trouble. If you don’t look at the forecast before planning your next trip, you’ll regret it. You can take it from me, who has come from deleting the weather app due to non-use to putting the weather widget on my lock screen.
The silver lining? You learn to become a foresightful planner.
Top tips:
- A waterproof outer layer can be handy as you won’t have to pull out and put away the umbrella every 5 minutes.
- However, it’s a good idea to keep an umbrella on you so that your shoes and bag can stay dry.
- Use hand-warmer packs and body-warmer patches for a full day out in the cold.
- If you like to dress light, keep a pocketable coat on you since the temperature can drop quickly.
- Don’t organise trips on heavily rainy days – it will just be too bleak to appreciate the charm of Ireland.
3. Flatter? Never!
Contrary to the outgoing, breezy stereotype of Irish people, modesty is a big pillar of their culture, which is why they often brush off flattery with humility, and simply receiving a compliment can be perceived as arrogant.
Directness and frankness can also be considered rude, thus it is a good idea to be mindful and considerate in social exchanges.
However, this does not mean you should always tiptoe on eggshells around your Irish friends. To me, this is an intriguing cultural difference to observe and it makes great conversation materials.
Top tips: How to respond to compliments in an Irish manner:
- “Ahhh, stop it would ya? You’re too kind.”
- “Anyone could have done that.”
- “I couldn’t have done it without...”
- “It’s alright/It’s not the worst.”
- “Nice? This old thing? Nahhhh.”
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Moving to a new country can be challenging, especially in the first few months. Most culture shocks will subside to make space for adjustment and enjoyment. Don’t forget to utilise the range of support you have at MIC to speed up the process and avoid escalation, such as counselling, MISU, the International Office, tips from other students or the International Student Society. I believe the Irish charm will grow on us all eventually.
-Mai Nguyen, Vietnam
