Dialectical differences

As I've highlighted in previous posts, there are some word choice differences here in Ireland. Some words are also pronounced differently. Lately, I find myself using more American phrases and word choices instead of the Irish ones. While this isn't a conscious decision, I find myself wanting to cling to some of the familiar ways of saying things. I am surprised by this because I've been in the country about 10 months. It seems like I should be thinking in the Irish dialect, not the American one. Maybe it is related to stress levels.

In addition to the speech sound production differences, there are word choice differences. For example, I call a "bin" a trash can or garbage can. Recently, I gave materials to someone and she brought them back because I certainly couldn't have intended them for her because the vocabulary items weren't words that she would use. They were American made sheets. It seems to me that 1) they can cross out the American term and put in the Irish one, 2) the children can't read yet so it isn't crucial what is written above the picture to match and 3) they can modify the activity to fit their needs.

However, these word choices have caused me to ponder assimilation and the acculturation process. There is a part of me that doesn't want to assimilate to the Irish ways. Some American phrases and ways are more comfortable to me, some I like better. There are also some Irish ways that I like better. Why can't I keep the best of both? Besides, why do I have to do all the adapting? My head says because I moved to the foreign country. However, it seems like people should be able to have a little flexibility and learn multiple vocabulary words for the same item. I did when I lived in the States. I do now. Why can't others? Why can't the process be more cultural sharing instead of the emigrants fully assimilating into the new culture and leaving the old culture behind? I know this is the same issue as in the States.

I do think that here in Ireland, the country is going through more growing pains than back home. The Irish seem to be surprised that people would move TO the country instead of away from it. That is because of the long history of economic struggles. I also think that there is a more cohesive national identity here. People have an idea of what it means to "be Irish." There are more shared experiences here. For example, a majority of the country is Catholic. They are culturally Catholic if not by faith/practicing religion. With being culturally Catholic, there are certain shared experiences like first communion, confirmation, etc. Because I have not shared these experiences, I actually feel more isolated lately than I did earlier in the year. This is because the topics of conversation relate to the Catholic or Irish cultures. Since I didn't grow up in either one, I don't understand or relate to the conversation.

Some people are very curious about the culture and things about where I came from, others joke about my dialect, and others just continue on their conversations that functionally exclude me because I don't share the background. Now, I don't think that they are intending to exclude me. I think that the national culture here is just so strong that they forget that I don't share it. That isn't a bad thing. In a lot of ways, I am in awe of it since the U.S. doesn't seem to have that. Maybe that is because we have more immigration and acculturation, less full assimilation...