Expressing Latinidad While Abroad

I had always been curious, and maybe a little worried about what it would look like to express my Latinidad during my semester abroad in Dublin, Ireland. Up until the last decade or so Ireland was pretty homogeneous, but has since welcomed various groups of people into the country’s makeup. When I first arrived in Dublin I was really surprised by the diversity on the streets, I was expecting an all-white, and all-Irish white society. And while that was definitely not the case, I still haven’t pinpointed a latino community in the city and this can feel pretty isolating. In my program, among my roommates, even when looking at my other friends studying abroad there is a severe lack of latinidad. How do you settle into a place with so few role models strengthening your own experience? Especially in the beginning of the semester—when everything was so new and scary—I wish there had been a community of students of color, of latino students to ensure everyone was settling in okay. But because those communities don’t always exist or aren’t always accessible, I had to come up with ways to express and nurture my Latinidad on my own. I wanted to share the things that helped me feel more comfortable in my new city (that is really quite white) and of course these things can apply to everyone!

Something I have really enjoyed is connecting the material I learn about Ireland to my own culture, life, and Latina community back home. Not only is it really engaging and valuable to research how Irish history overlaps with Mexican and Mexican-American history, but it also makes me feel like part of the fabric of Dublin’s society. Even if I’m just a really really small part. This connection between cultures has also increased my interest in my classes and has made it easier to understand the Irish experience and the country’s history. 

Food is also a really big key to feeling comfortable and having a sense of belonging. A couple weeks ago I spent the weekend in Portugal with my roommates and we grabbed Mexican food for dinner. I didn’t realize how intensely I had been missing expressions of my culture until that moment. When you’re at home, in the community you’ve lived around for years, you take certain things for granted, especially cultural practices and customs, which includes food. I was so happy to be eating authentic chicken tacos in that restaurant. Seeking out cultural items or markers of identity can bring a lot more ease, confidence, and relaxation into your day-to-day life. Since that trip to Portugal, I’ve started cooking more latin-inspired dishes (to the best of my amateur ability) and searching for more Latin food spots in the city.  By placing more emphasis on the food I eat and cook I have been able to express a large part of my Latina identity while also learning more about Dublin!

Now even though the Latino community in Dublin isn’t the largest there are still various events and gatherings to be a part of. The coolest thing I’ve participated in was the Irish Spanish Latin American (ISLA) Writing Festival presented by the Cervantes Institute. Through this festival I was able to attend a panel, about poetry and what it means to be an artist, through the lens of Irish, Spanish, and Latin American voices. The panel was in both English and Spanish and introduced me to some stellar poets, ideas, and current questions the Dublin community is thinking through. It was a really special event to go to and I have since remained in touch with the Cervantes Institute and the events they put on in the city. 

All of this to say, studying abroad is simultaneously awesome and isolating. And sticking out in the city’s makeup can only make things more isolating for students. There are all sorts of people, foods, cultures, stories in every city around the world, push yourself to find them because you deserve to fully express who you are!