{"id":19300,"date":"2017-02-27T18:00:33","date_gmt":"2017-02-27T18:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/?p=19300"},"modified":"2017-03-01T14:04:55","modified_gmt":"2017-03-01T14:04:55","slug":"national-identities-not-the-full-picture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/index.php\/national-identities-not-the-full-picture\/","title":{"rendered":"National Identities Not The Full Picture"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Jonas Ditlevsen<\/h5>\n

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UL really is a wonderful place to be an international student. <\/p>\n

Social activities abound, the community is vibrant, and academic pursuits are readily available. <\/p>\n

Guinness somehow tastes better here than it does at home (I\u2019m not sure what kind of bog magic goes into it, but I like it!)<\/p>\n

Being an international student, the most immediately salient part of your identity is your nationality. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you from?\u201d is one of the first things you ask a new person, and quite often it\u2019s also how you remember them: That French dude. Those Italian girls. The Americans. <\/p>\n

And in most cases, it\u2019s as useful as it is positive. <\/p>\n

When you\u2019re new in a foreign country, there\u2019s something comforting about embracing your nationality that also provides confidence which may, in turn, inspire new friendships across borders.<\/p>\n

A couple of weeks ago during a wet night out at Stables, I was talking with a guy from Berlin, who vividly described his love-making style as “decidedly German: brutal, but efficient.”<\/p>\n

Now, to me, that\u2019s equally brilliant and hilarious. <\/p>\n

And that\u2019s how national stereotypes are usually equipped among Erasmus students: as a way of poking a little fun at yourself and making new friends. <\/p>\n

There may also be, though, some pitfalls to watch out for with regard to national identification while abroad.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, if a part of your identity is reinforced too much and too often, it can seem like it\u2019s taking over your public persona entirely. <\/p>\n

In the midst of having fun, it\u2019s definitely easy to fall back on the stereotypical expectations that you yourself may have gladly invited. <\/p>\n

The risk is that you may get stuck being mostly or only that: A stereotype. <\/p>\n

Which isn\u2019t necessarily a very pleasant or constructive feeling. <\/p>\n

I know I\u2019ve been there before.<\/p>\n

Nationalities will be immensely salient in the first few weeks of an international exchange, which is natural.<\/p>\n

After a while, once you\u2019ve gotten to know your new friends better, nationalities will fade and in their place will be a more genuine reflection of the person you\u2019ve befriended. <\/p>\n

I, for instance, will cease to be \u2018that Danish bastard\u2019 and will become \u2018that bastard Jonas\u2019, which is a step in a nicer, more personal direction. <\/p>\n

It can be anxiety-provoking to step out of a role you\u2019ve taken upon yourself, but there\u2019s a lot of room for personal growth there. <\/p>\n

And the amazing international and Irish students around you will absolutely make room for the part of you that is less a stereotype, and more of a whole character with flaws and wonders.<\/p>\n

That all being said, go befriend a Czech! Hug a Dane! Buy a Canadian a drink! <\/p>\n

And remember that no one’s Erasmus is always grand, but what makes it grand is the wonderful people you meet, each in his or her own right.<\/p>\n

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By Jonas Ditlevsen UL really is a wonderful place to be an international student. Social activities abound, the community is vibrant, and academic pursuits are readily available. Guinness somehow tastes better here than it does at home (I\u2019m not sure what kind of bog magic goes into it, but I like it!) Being an international […]<\/p>\n

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