Młodzi ludzie i ich tożsamość - Young People and their Identity

Adapting to new conditions is a real problem which one must face if he wants to live in a foreign country. The question is whether one should adjust oneself to foreign customs if one lives abroad. A foreigner going to live abroad should be aware of his national conscience and nationality. Then in this case the integration is not easy, or sometimes entirely impossible for those who want to keep their identity, roots, culture and language. Moreover, one has to accept all values, along with the law and the social system of a country he or she lives in. People have different ideas and that is why it is difficult to set up a society, the society of people of several nations, of different religions that would co-operate in a daily life. It is undoubtedly very hard.

National minorities live in almost every country and they have their identity, their points of view on life, and their own language. In Poland, there are Hungarian gypsies, Russians, Jews and other nations. Is their life easy? Not at all. Taking into account that Poland is far from being a country of tolerance, the integration can be hardly possible at all. Stereotypes may make us feel a kind of disgust towards others. A stereotype of gypsy society may serve as the best example. They are regarded as thieves, and I do not think that will change. Poland - a country striving for an access to the European Union is not quite well prepared to face other nations. This is what I hate about my country. On the one hand we are too open to the invasion of western capital, but on the other hand we do not want to have anything in common with people who are worse or poorer than we are.

Foreigners - people of a different culture, identity, and lifestyle have to face the problem of integration every day. As far as I am concerned I do not intend to integrate myself with British or American society. It is very hard for a Poles to integrate with these societies because there are enormous differences between Poland and these two countries. However, I can imagine being integrated with French society. After having been two times in France, I know it would be possible because the French and the Polish think similar terms; the differences are not that sharp. The main difference in everyday life is, for example, a phrase used by the French rather very often - Ca va bien? That would be regarded as something strange in Poland.

In conclusion I would like to say that the integration is a very important issue and it is all the more so when one lives abroad. Each of us wants to belong to some group, to feel at ease with one's peers speak with people and to be understood by them. What is the conclusion? Maybe not to be a national?