When in Rome, do as the Romans do!
The world has become more globalized when compared to many years ago. Due to a major growth in globalization, many people are migrating from their home to different cities or countries to study, work or explore any opportunities that may come in their way. So, if someone spoke about prominence of understanding other cultures or languages back then, people would not be able to perceive the relevancy of them. However, with so much advancement and people moving around being prevalent these days, understanding ways of the place that currently one lives in is very much essential. At the same time, due to vast usage of social media, "traveling the world" is becoming more popular and there are travel influencers and digital nomads who work while traveling. So be it anyone, if you want to travel around or live in a country, it is beneficial to understand their culture, language, and expressions. It is more convenient and helps in socializing when you make efforts to understand how the locals do. It is that effort to try would be appreciated and you would eventually belong to the place.
I am from India, which is a diverse country with many local languages and English is not one among them. However, most of us learn English from schooling and I thought that I have been fluently communicating in English from past 20 years, and I am moving to an English-speaking country, so it should not be a problem and I would understand everything perfectly but that thought of mine changed after I moved to Ireland about 6 months ago. I am currently studying and doing a part-time job at a supermarket. So, communicating with local people and people from different nationalities happens every day in my life. I faced some issues in understanding what my classmates or customers say, so I ask them to repeat it, or I will ask in a way in which both of us could understand. If nothing works, I take help of other folks around me. People are happy to help if you ask them in a polite manner and respect their help by thanking them.
Even though English is one of the most spoken languages worldwide, the accent, and speed at which people speak differs from place to place. Irish people speak fast, at least faster than Indians. So, it is fine to ask people to repeat it or ask in a way so that you can understand it. Irish people use "Please" and "Thank You" very often, which shows their politeness and that is part of their culture. It is a diverse country with people from many nationalities, so you are not the only one in this. And within Ireland, accents and slangs differ from county to county.
Imagine someone who knows the language is facing issues, these are not big issues but to lead a smooth life, you need to understand and learn how to deal with them. This attitude will help you survive wherever you go, just try to sync in and do not compare any culture with each other. Just respect the culture of the place that you are living in and go with the flow. In case you are from a non-English speaking country and you do not know English and move to Ireland, you would face many more issues than me. For instance, if you want emergency medical support and sorting out visa and other documents and something very simple like shopping groceries or essentials. On top of it, you would have come here to study or work, and you might be facing challenges in terms of time and money for not being able to afford joining a full-fledged language course. However, there is nothing to worry about. With a motive to contribute to inclusive cities where everyone feels at home and where diversity is championed, SPEAK Dublin conducts short term sessions that will help you to start leading your life here. They teach local expressions, usages and how to overcome language barriers in your day to day life and it is a good platform to socialize too.
It takes time to settle in, but you can make little efforts. For instance, Irish people pass a smile or say ‘hi’ when you are walking on the road, pass the same gesture back to them, does not matter if you feel like doing it or not. Only when you do it, you will learn and like it eventually. Attend local events, festivals, walking/hiking trips, city tours, watch documentaries, read blogs, news articles etc. Only when you are in constant touch with something and make continuous effort, you will learn it no matter what. Also, use Google translate to translate common phrases such as hello, how are you, please, thank you, see you, please help me etc. Also, if you have any local friends, ask them for tips on common phrases and get your translations validated. There are plenty of resources around you to help you learn local culture and language, all it takes is a little effort and interest.