Our ESC Volunteer Betul Unal wrote a blog about "Advantages of Living in a Multicultural Society.
First, there are more opportunities to learn about and comprehend different cultures when one lives in a multicultural setting. The flood of immigrants that settle in one city from all over the world further enriches the culture. When people live in a city with many cultures, they may learn about distinctions in customs, cuisine, physical characteristics, and personal habits. For example, in American discourse, one can constructively disagree with the opponent's position while still having a productive conversation. Nonetheless, individuals are less inclined to voice their opinions in Asian countries. Meeting individuals from different cultures give the chance to become more aware of these subtleties and to appreciate the uniqueness in other people. One can use this information to their advantage when traveling the world in the future. One might adjust to their home nations more readily if they have regular encounters with people from different cultures and develop a cultural awareness via such connections. Being aware of these cultural quirks help people avoid situations when they may accidentally offend someone with a thoughtless phrase or action. Furthermore, coexisting with people from other countries fosters tolerance in individuals. Every nation and culture has both good and bad aspects, as well as areas for improvement. People get an awareness of different cultures through common experiences such as attending the same school or college, taking public transportation, dining at the same restaurants, and engaging in other activities as members of the same society. Differences can occasionally lead to issues and miscommunications, but they can also be resolved with regular daily communication. Undoubtedly, improving oneself will take a lot of fortitude and resiliency, but in a multicultural city, it is simpler to do so than in a monocultural one. Living in an ethnically diverse city allows people to acquire many languages. Immersion in the culture one is attempting to learn is the best and most efficient approach to acquire a language. Of course, it would be ideal to travel to the native nation of the language being studied, but this isn't always feasible and may be expensive. It is far less expensive to become fluent in a foreign language if you live in a city where there may be a large population of native speakers. An additional benefit of living in a multicultural city is that it might lead to the creation of new friendships and acquaintances through language acquisition. Some experts claim that Los Angeles is one of the world's most multicultural cities, home to people who speak 86 different languages and come from about 140 different countries. There is now a very vibrant cultural scene in Los Angeles. It is teeming with ethnic districts including Thai-town, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, and Koreatown. For instance, Chinatown is the name of the section of a city where a large Chinese population resides and where you can find a lot of Chinese eateries and stores. Travelers travel there to learn more about the customs, cuisine, traditions, and other quirks of the Chinese people. People can pretend to visit many other nations and become familiar with their customs while residing in the same place because to the diversity of cultures. It is inexpensive, entertaining, and very handy. People who live in multicultural cities have more opportunity to grow as individuals. In the multicultural setting, kids will come into contact with more individuals who are not like them. It helps expand their perspectives by exposing them to diverse cultures and unconventional methods of doing things. People's perceptions of the world vary due to language and culture, which provides a platform for exchanging and contrasting points of view. For instance, there are many points of agreement and disagreement when it comes to the ideas of friendship and family. It is thought that a person's worldview is wider the more viewpoints they are able to comprehend and accept. A person who is informed of diverse cultures is more understanding of other people. Raised in multicultural cities, individuals are more equipped to connect with representatives of various cultures and may thus become excellent diplomats. While residing in a city may not automatically improve one's diplomatic skills, it can foster tolerance and cross-cultural understanding. People who often engage with discussions and agreements at the international level, such as diplomats and ambassadors, might gain from such a multicultural background.
All things considered, people may learn languages and other cultures, overcome gaps in comprehension, improve themselves, and widen their perspectives by living in a multicultural metropolis as opposed to a monocultural one. It's also an inexpensive and simple method to experience a different culture without really traveling abroad. In a multicultural metropolis, one has the chance to converse with representatives of many nations, but in a monocultural one, the only resources for learning about other cultures are literature, news, and the internet. This fosters intercultural dialogue, increases tolerance, and makes it easier for different nationalities to understand one another inside cities.
ESC Volunteer Betul UNAL