For compatriots in foreign countries, mutual help and convenience are important reasons for them to live together. Of course, there are also religious aspects to this. In many countries there are colonies of foreigners, far from their own country, living the life of immigrants, and settling down in that country.
Berlin, Germany: Turkish Immigrants with High
Unemployment Turkish immigrants make up 10 percent of the population of a community living in the Neuer Cologne area south of Berlin. On the streets of this community, there are many shops and supermarkets specializing in Turkish food. Women wear headscarves to buy food in the supermarket. They talk to the shop assistants in Turkish. In the neighborhood of the community, there are also 7 Islamic churches.
The settlement of Turks in Germany began in the second half of the 1950s. At that time, the West German economy was developing rapidly, but the government and enterprises were suffering from labor shortage, so cheap Turkish labor came to Germany continuously. Although it was initially stipulated that companies would only sign short-term contracts of two years with Turkish employees and that they would not be allowed to stay for a long time, this regulation eventually became a formality as companies wanted to ensure that they had a sufficient and stable workforce. Since 1973, Germany has stopped importing labor from Turkey, but relatives of Turks who have established roots in Germany continue to enter Germany and join them. By 2005, the number of Turks in Germany was about 1.76 million. If the Turks who have obtained German citizenship were added, the number was about 2.18 million, accounting for about 2.6% of the total German population.
In Berlin, there are also streets with the majority of the Turkish population, which are formed by the settlement of Turks who have taken refuge with relatives. However, because they only use Turkish, their next two generations have been completely unable to integrate with Germany’s modern and developed society, which has become a headache for the German government. While the average unemployment rate in Germany is 9.5%, in Turkmenistan the unemployment rate is as high as 42%.
”Nearly half of the young people here have no formal education,” said Dechman, the son-in-law of a Turk and head of the “Berlin Turkey Union” vocational training center, which trains young Turks for employment. In contrast, they are losing their goals. Although the vocational center retrains them in German, it cannot fundamentally improve their enthusiasm for work.”
Kagurazaka, Japan: “French Street”
in Japan, Shinjuku Ward It is the area with the most French residents in Tokyo. Why is this? The reason is because of the existence of Kagurazaka. The Kagurazaka area, where geishas often appear, has many intricate alleys and many slopes. Everywhere is reminiscent of the streets of Paris, so it will firmly capture the hearts of the French.
According to a zoning brochure issued by Shinjuku Ward, the number of French people living in the district is second only to South Koreans, North Koreans and Chinese. Walking quietly on the streets of Kagurazaka, the most striking are the Japanese-style taverns, stone-paved steps and elegant cafes. Here you can still feel the traces of Hualiu Alley and the strong urban atmosphere that permeates the entire Kagurazaka. On weekends, some people come here for vacation with their families.
With so many attractions in Kagurazaka, it’s no wonder the romantic French love it. According to the statistics of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, from July to August 2009, there were 5,832 French people registered in Tokyo, among which Shinjuku District had the most registered French people with 1,216 people, followed by Minato District with 1,010 people and Shibuya District with 571 people. people. In areas outside Tokyo, the largest French resident population is Yokohama, with 351 people. Judging from this data, the number of French people living in Shinjuku can be said to be the largest area in Japan.
Why does Shinjuku attract so many French people to live there? In addition to the above reasons, another important reason is that there are two famous schools here. Located in Tanifune Kawaramachi, Shinjuku Ward, “Tokyo Nippon Law School” is an academy equipped with both a French school and other cultural facilities. French people living in Shinjuku often come here with their families to watch French movies and parties. In addition, in Fujimi City, Chiyoda Ward, on the other side of Waiho, there is also a Fujimi branch of “Nihonfa Academy Tokyo”, which is adjacent to Shinjuku City. It only takes a few minutes to walk to Kagurazaka from these two schools.
And, if you ask the French people who work and live around Kagurazaka, you can literally feel that they love this exotic place. Dora Torsanne, a French essayist living in Shinjuku, said: “There are old shops that make kimonos and restaurants, as well as trendy and romantic cafes and bars. Kagurazaka is a street that combines tradition and fashion. .” The cafes in the alleys around Kagurazaka Street have the same atmosphere as the cafes in the alleys of Paris.
Dora said that while living in the Setagaya and Shibuya districts is also good, the area around Kagurazaka is the best for her. She said: “Talking to the owner of an old shop is like talking to your family. Because in Europe, many streets will make people feel the depth of history, but in Kagurazaka, people can experience lightness in tradition, and people will not think about it. .”
Rachel Bertrand, who runs a French-style cafe in Kagurazaka, said that Kagurazaka gave him the impression of “old buildings, stone paving and small alleys…” Indeed, walking in a French-style coffee shop is decorated with gods. The small alley next to Leban Street makes people feel like they are in the streets and alleys of Paris.
The residents of Kagurazaka are not surprised by the large number of French. They believe that “it’s often seen [French people] walking on the road”, “it’s good for us to be here as tourists”, etc. Residents of Kagurazaka neither approve nor disapprove of being called the “French Street”, and they seem to naturally accept the French who live here.
Seiichiro Fukui (60), president of the Kagurazaka Street Store Association who has been with Rachel for more than ten years, welcomed the French who “love Kagurazaka”, saying: “It feels like welcoming them with family. Together.” Because Kagurazaka not only has the basic conditions necessary for life such as workplaces and educational institutions, but also the atmosphere emanating from the streets here makes French people in foreign countries always have a sense of “home”.
London, United Kingdom: Immigrants have a long history.
As long as you walk the streets of the Whitechapel area east of London, you can smell the aroma of curry in the air. Along the wide sidewalk, there are shops and stalls selling vegetables, daily necessities and ethnic clothing, and the young man keeps shouting with CDs in his hands. For a time, people have a feeling of coming to the streets of which country in Asia.
Many foreigners live in London, the capital of the country with a long history of immigration. Chinatown, Edward Street in the Midwest where Middle Eastern-British people live, and South Princeton, where African-British people live, are too many to count. Pakistanis living around Edward Street account for nearly half of all Pakistanis living in London, and in some parts of the area, Pakistanis account for more than a third.
In recent years, a small street here has attracted the most attention from the world, that is, the alley called “Brick Lane”. In this alley, dozens of curry restaurants are closely connected, and at present, it has become a famous curry street in London. Young artists have come here to communicate and exchange information. The once slums have completely changed in the past ten years.
It has become a Pakistani settlement since the 1960s. At that time, most of the immigrants here were Protestants who immigrated from France and Jews who immigrated from the Eastside. Although the present Islamic mosque was once a former Christian church and synagogue, this speaks to the unique history of the street.
Hussain Azmal (55), who started the restaurant 8 years ago, said expectantly: “This is a place to express our culture and ideology, and I hope more people will come to contact and understand it.”
United States: Denied Civilized Christians
In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the tools of civilization, such as electricity and automobiles, were rejected because of the peaceful “Mennonite” (strict) Christians who lived on the farm for a living. Their ancestors came from Europe in pursuit of their faith and freedom. Men wore long beards and straw hats, while women wore plain dresses and white lace hats. Their transportation was a horse-drawn carriage.
In Bartonsville and Germantown, Maryland, about two hours’ drive from Lancaster, three days a week, merchants bring in vegetables, meat, cheese and bread and other food, which has become a makeshift market. And the shopping street full of strange culture is only “appeared” from Monday to Friday. Still, many residents who shop here from Washington rate the food highly as “fresh and cheap.”
However, they use cars to transport food, and they also use refrigerators and cash registers in the store, which raises the question of “don’t they use cars and electrical equipment?” However, Al Olgaya, the 39-year-old head of marketing, denies: “We obviously don’t use cars for transportation.” He explained: “The people we work with usually drive cars, and we drive through them. to transport food.”
Explaining the use of lighting in stores, “It’s business, it’s only here. We have to trade for things that are necessary for living and farming.” In Bartonsville, about 60 people from Lanka The “Mennonites” of Stuttgart have partnered with about 25 farmers in Dang, to run 15 shops and small restaurants.
Olgaya said that although Mennonites live a closed life separated from society, “communicating with the locals and fully understanding each other is the most important thing.”
