Claire Palo
Study Abroad In Northern Ireland
Studying abroad in Northern Ireland, I was immersed in the Northern Irish culture. I studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Queen’s University, Belfast in Northern Ireland. I spent a semester surrounded by Northern Irish students and international students. I made friends from Northern Ireland, England, Belgium, Germany, France, Malaysia, China, and the States. Being immersed in the culture of Northern Ireland, I learned about its politics, such as the conflict between the catholic and protestant religions (past and present), and the issue of Northern Ireland belonging to the United Kingdom but being situated on the island of Ireland. Listening to the opinions of the Northern Irish and asking questions, I learned a lot about the culture of Northern Ireland and the attitude of the people.
Living on a floor filled with Northern Irish students, a Malaysian student, and a Chinese student, the topic of food often came up. I was able to learn about the traditional food of the students and share with them my own culture's food. Topics of culture always came up, and it was fun for us to compare our cultures and the differences that exist in our dialects. With my international friends, it was easy to see how language and culture are connected. I had many opportunities to talk with my friend from Germany about phrases that are common in our respective languages, and through our conversations it was obvious to me that language influences identity.
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While I learned a lot about the culture of Northern Ireland, I learned even more about my own culture. Surrounded by people who didn't share my culture, I was allowed the opportunity to understand my culture: I saw myself more clearly than I had ever seen myself before. I began to grasp how my projections and the habits of mind slow down my understanding of other cultures. I began to identify why understanding other culture is so hard: it is because it is almost impossible to step outside of oneself and one’s culture: culture is a part of everyone and is ingrained. Understanding is not impossible though, it only involves a little curiosity and a willingness to listen to the response.
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I have included journals that I wrote while I was studying abroad: