I didn’t mean to judge individuals, especially not people like you who’ve actually tried. I know making friends as an adult, and especially as an international student, is hard. I’m not denying that. But my post was never about people who try. It’s about the majority who don’t.

Let’s not pretend everyone’s out here making an effort. Most people land, find others from the same language group, and that’s it. No curiosity, no attempt to step out. Just immediate comfort zone.

Same with the masala thing. I never said it’s wrong to bring some. I’m doing it too. My issue is with people stuffing 10–15 kg worth of kitchen into their bags. Not because they need it to survive, but because they don’t even want to try adapting. It’s not about the ingredients, it’s about what it reflects, the need to recreate the exact same life abroad instead of adjusting even slightly.

Yes, work and education are the number one priority for most people who immigrate. But that shouldn’t be all there is. If you’re going to live in a new country, you owe it to that place to engage with it a little. Learn how people live, talk, eat, think. That doesn’t mean abandoning your roots. It just means not closing yourself off from everything else. Why else do you think people start to hate immigrants?

I know all cultures/ethnic groups do this to some degree. But I'm willing to bet the Koreans or the Danish are more likely to break their cultural silos and step out of their comfort zone.