In this day and age, one school of thought holds that citizens going abroad should abide by the customs and traditions when they settle down in a new state. While I accept that this perception is somewhat justifiable, I assert that they should not lose their national identity.
On the one hand, it is understandable that adopting the traditions and customs in the host country is significant to some extent. First and foremost, it will enable immigrants to blend into their new environment easily. This is because local inhabitants will accept newcomers who do this, which might lead them to more integrating and making friends easily. Therefore, they can take part in community life and not make the locals angry with whatever they do. Furthermore, by conforming to the norms of social behaviors in a new nationality, settlers would avoid taking illegal actions. For example, in Singapore, the governing bodies pay heavy fines for smoking and even impose prison sentences on those scattering rubbish in the wrong place. Consequently, if individuals know the rules of their new nation, they can prevent themselves from being punished unworthily.
On the other hand, there are a host of reasons as to why I am convinced that foreigners need to preserve national values. One rationale is that these traditions are considerably valuable in various aspects. Summarized by their ancestors thousands of years ago, they represent the whole nation, which citizens feel so proud that they will introduce to their friends all over the world. As a result, this could help them to integrate but not dissolve and to stand out from the crowd. Another justification is that if people obey their local customs, they might have special ideas. For instance, when they start a restaurant, cooking traditional foods and selling specialities, they will pique the client’s curiosity and have a reputation, thereby being successful in their field.
In conclusion, while it is essential for new residents to follow the traditions and habits of locals in the host community, I would contend that they had better maintain traditional customs and indigenous practices.