Propaganda map of Europe, circa 1900

Damn as late as the 90s?

I'm British (born in UK) but if I go purely by heritage (1-2 generations) I find myself 100% Irish. Lucky me, haha. Makes me feel weird though. I can't technically claim Irish nationality or citizenship. I am UK.

I knew the Irish had persecution in the past but had no idea it was as late as the 90s... I was born in 1987. Crazy! Went to a Catholic school, but no trouble there or in my town at all.

Does mad things to my identity though. I'm mostly Irish by heritage, yet I've never even gone to Ireland proper and I am British by upbringing. It's mad. No point overthinking it though. I identify as British.

But if Irish people were treated badly in the past I still feel a twinge of "... WTF?" I guess and it makes me a bit sad.

The UK has improved massively since then if that was the case. We're a tolerant and open minded country. I like to think so at least. Yes, we've got immigrants up the wazoo but I mean... we depend on immigration over here. EU workers in the NHS, EU workers picking fruit when UK workers won't do it... jobs here need better conditions obviously, but we have EU migrants picking up our slack, and I like that they're here. They're silent heroes to our economy. Once we lose them.. what then?

Working conditions either improve to the point that UK workers want to pick up these jobs... or what?

I was unemployed for a bit and I popped myself along to an agency. Got myself a temp job packing jigsaw puzzles into boxes. Went to the ancient building on a narrow street to find literally all of my co-workers were Polish. They were lovely people who spoke good English. I was literally the only British person in the entire building.

The job itself was doable, but very exhausting and repetitive. We're talking 10 hour shifts for a little less than minimum wage. The building was full of asbestos and there was no break room. There must've been a toilet or I would've had to pee on the street, but I had to eat all my food outside on the street. I quit and roughly 1 year later that building was condemned. Asbestos. I could've easily inhaled some of that shit and I guess we'll find out sooner or later. But the Polish workers I had alongside me? They were brilliant. So kind and nice. Never had a bad experience with a Polish worker.

Now I work in a call centre filled with Poles, Italians, Finns, Swedes, Norwegians, French, Dutch.. you name it, any EU country or EEA country. I'm used to walking along the corridor and hearing people talking in different languages and I am happy with it. I don't want it to change. I don't want to lose that. I love my workplace and I love working alongside so many people from other countries. It's fun.

I am afraid my employer (a US company) may move our office post-Brexit, but not too afraid. We're established, but it's still possible. There would be nothing stopping us from asking us to move to Germany or Romania... personally I would do it. But hopefully it doesn't come to that!

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