Life in UK: Immigrant Problems
Wednesday, August 05, 2015Being an immigrant is quite a unique experience with its own set of problems. I made a short list that any immigrants might relate to:
- You don’t know where home is anymore
having lived in UK 7 years now, most like when I say home, I do mean UK. That does surprise a lot of people, but that's a fact. I've spent most of my adult life here and I do feel it's my home now.
- It’s almost impossible to find your favourite comfort food easily:
Whilst I can find a few Lithuanian products in my local Eastern European (cringe) food shop, the selection is so limited. I miss kastinis, black bread, cheese, sweet cream cheese sticks covered with chocolate, the cakes, the biscuits, the list goes on...
- You have trouble speaking your own language
I use English most of the time and I sometimes struggle to recall particular Lithuanian words or I directly translate from English when talking in Lithuanian which quite often doesn't make any sense whatsoever. It is a struggle. I can't understand much of Lithuanian slang either as it has changed since I have left and I don't really speak to many Lithuanians that still live in the country. When I talk to a person who speaks both languages, I constantly code-switch.
- Time difference
You have to work out the time difference before calling friends and family, just to make sure that you’re not going to wake them up. But people often forget to do the same. I had calls just after 5 am that made me think something awful must have happened.
- You get more patriotic
You feel emotional whenever you see your home country’s flag, even though you never cared before you left.
- You’ve given up on trying to get locals to say your name right
Whilst the majority people know have learnt to say my name pretty close how it is meant to sound, it still not right and many people read it wrong but I do not pay attention any more and stopped correcting people.
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