IMMIGRANTS: INTEGRATION OR REFUSAL AND SEGREGATION

IMMIGRANTS: INTEGRATION OR REFUSAL AND SEGREGATION

Nowadays it is quite common for people to move to other countries either for work or

for study. When they move, some of them decide to follow the customs of the new

country, while others prefer to keep their own customs. If I were forced to choose

one of the two positions, my choice would be the former.

To illustrate my point, let us first take a look on why some people dislike the idea

of following the new customs. First, people who have a strong religious background

that are different from that of the new country tend to stick to their own religious

beliefs. Second, older people are usually accustomed to their own life styles, and

it is very hard for them to change their ways of life and accept new ideas and

cultures. Thirdly, some values and phenomena in western countries contradict eastern

values, such as the use of drugs, alcohol and certain behaviours of young people. So

when people move from a traditional eastern country to a western one, they find it

very hard to accept the new customs.

Although I must admit that it is not always necessary to change our own customs, I

believe that the advantages of adapting to a new culture are apparent. In the first

place, by following the customs of the new country, we can learn more about the

country and understand its people more quickly, and can become a real member of the

country. To share the same custom means that having more things in common with local

people, and it can pull people together. Furthermore, we have to adapt to customs of

the new country, if they are written into the law.

In addition, people who stick to their way of life may sometimes feel lonely and

isolated. They tend to complain about the life in the new country and most of them

eventually return to their home countries.

In conclusion, I believe that the advantages of following the customs of the new

country are obvious because you can easily learn about the new country and quickly

adjust to the new life. What is more, you can live more comfortably and avoid

troubles and misunderstandings in a foreign country if you think and behave the way

other people do.