I come from a Muslim background and going to bars is forbidden. We have bars in Syria; they’re mostly located in Christian areas. Here in the UK, drinking is a big part of socialising, and after work drinks are normal; it’s how British people break down barriers.

But if you don’t drink, you’re not part of the gang, and you can feel awkward being around people who are laughing about things that don’t make you laugh. I’m not that comfortable drinking for the sake of it.

Language is a barrier here. English words have many nuances. In Arabic, I’m very expressive. Our language is emotional and intimate, and there’s a word or phrase for every situation. I’m not able to express myself freely in English. I speak the language well but still don’t know what to say in certain circumstances. We also use Allah as a general expression. It can mean different things to different people, whether religious or not. It’s hard to translate this use into a secular community, as it’s not understood and can be awkward.

In Syria, there is no personal space, your life is open, and anybody can ask you anything. Here, you shouldn’t ask about certain issues. With gender, you have to be very careful using pronouns. If I had been exposed to this kind of sensitivity before, it would have spared me a lot of confusion and some difficult moments.

At a social event, it would be great to be asked to tell a story or joke from our culture. People are sometimes afraid of offending us, so they don’t ask, but it would break the ice. When there are social quizzes, add in a few questions about other cultures, so it is not only British. I’ve learned a lot about Britain through quizzes, but at the same time, I don’t have the same cultural points of reference.

I would like people to know more about where we come from. Syria is more than what the media shows. Many people think it is a desert, and we don’t have cars or anything. We come from a very good country, are well educated, and try to live our best lives. Being a refugee doesn’t mean that we don’t know civilisation. It would be lovely if people learned more about us, including how to say our names, so we could have a conversation.

Companies need to be very clear about welcoming diversity and dealing with bullying, racism, and micro-aggressions swiftly and providing workshops to support cross-cultural understanding. It needs a top-down approach to change negative perceptions of refugees, whether from the government or the workplace. I am living here; I am a refugee and I’m very proud of being a refugee.