Hey guys.

I will like to know if you had some bad experience with discrimination in this country, I'm a latina living and working in NYC, specifically in the Upper East Side and if you are not familiar with NYC this is one of the richest areas of Manhattan.. The population is mostly white and jewish and honestly there are just a few latinos living there so if they see a latina they assume that we are cleaning people or nannies. I'm not against those jobs and the people that perform those activities is just that upsets me the fact that they get surprised when I tell them that I went to school (Peru) and had a very decent life. They think that 'cause we are latinos we are all here ilegally, NO!!!! I COULD BE LIVING IN MY COUNTRY BUT I FELT IN LOVE WITH A WONDERFUL MAN AND HE'S THE REASON WHY I'M HERE.

Vi

You dont have to be a latino for people to think you came from a country that does not have what america has to offer.

Agreed.... I have been told I should go back to Scotland and stop taking good jobs from American people.... I was also asked how long it took me to learn English after I arrived!!!!!!

Kez

There are just so many ignorant and close-minded people out there....

When my family moved to the United States, we have suffered from a lot of racism. The Europeans (those who lived here for generations, avoiding the collective term white) perceive us as cheap, thugs, grass eaters, dog eaters, and they also love to vandalize our property. Over the years, the occurrence of these incidents decreased. However, there are still remnants and residuals of these racism surviving in the streets.

Keep a low profile of yourself. That is just a recommendation. Try to blend it with the Americans. For example, when talking to someone use English instead of your native tongue. I always do that. Even when I speak to someone fluent in my tongue, I always use English as much as possible so that I wouldn't make onlookers (those who walk by) thinks I'm saying negative things about people.

OMG, some people just amaze me with their ignorance. I recently was asked if Germany isn't that country in Africa right next to Egypt and why I was white then?!?!

Right after my husband arrived from Egypt, he snagged a job at a movie theater near our home. He requested they put "Moh" on his name tag because he was afraid of people seeing "Mohammed". Well, they printed "Mohammed" on his name tag anyway and one night, as he was taking tickets, a teenaged girl and her boyfriend walked to him with their tickets. The girl read his tag, "Mohammed? Oh my god! Are you going to blow up the theater?" Then she just squealed with laughter thinking it was the wittiest thing she'd ever said.

My husband has also had many Mexicans here confuse him for Mexican. He was in line at the grocery store and two Mexican men started talking to him in their native tongue. Mohammed told them "I'm sorry. I don't understand you." One of the guys became very irrate and accused him in English of being ashamed of his native tongue and being less of a man, and blah blah blah. Mohammed told him "Dude! I'm Egyptian!"

Never and end to it I guess.

There's a good chance that it was.

No way. Seriously!?

Its a shame that more Americans dont get out to other countries....they really are missing so much.

Yep - but don't let a few bad (ignorant) apples spoil the lot.

Yet here...in the neighbouring city that is the closest major source of employment most of the jobs require their applicants to be bi-lingual. Gainesville GA., also known as poultry capital of the world, employs thousands of latinos and latinas. Who cannot speak english. Which is why everyone else has to learn spanish. Which knocks many well qualified applicants out of a job if they are NOT bi-lingual. How fair is that?

Isn't that a form of discrimination?

Really! I didn't know if I should laugh out loud or be all shocked, well, mean as I am I started to laugh. It was just the most absurd thing ever. Anyway, I've seen really ignorant people on German TV as well (those shows when they show reaallllyyyy ignorant people and everybody just laughes about the bs they say). I guess they are just everywhere!!!

Discrimination does exist in some people's mind. Some people treat others differently as soon as they find out that their English accent is not American. But most of the American are good.

I got 20 questions at Amscot when they wouldn't give my husband a money order b/c he hasn't gotten his SSN yet (greencard has not yet arrived) about what the money was for.

Yeah, that's not their policy and it's none of their business where 800 dollars is going. It wasn't even that much money, and as much as we generally don't blame it on race, this time I'm pretty convinced it was because my husband is brown.

Idiots.

OMG, I can't believe how people can be so rude and ignorant! That teenage girl has no manners. And as for those Mexicans, they could've just asked your husband first before they made any conclusions. duh

Mistaking someone for another nationality is not really racist tho...happens to me all the time when I'm in Miami. People will ALWAYS come up to me speaking Spanish...I can muddy thru, but I'm hardly fully fluent. They'll ask what part of Cuba/Mexico/Spain/Brazil/Colombia/etc I'm from (yes, I've heard them all) I'll be all 'My family's Italian I'm American'...yet they don't believe me.

I get it, I look Latin. I don't think that constitutes racism.

The other things in this thread...now most of THOSE are racist!

Honestly, I'm not too surprised a teenager said this. After all, since when have teenagers been the societal model of tact and open-mindedness? Most teens that I've met (now and when I was a teenager) are stuck in their own little world and can't see beyond that.

LMAO i was once asked where in Mexico Spain was

I will be honest - I can't tell if a person is Hispanic, Arab, Philipino or Native American. I also can't tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese or Vietnamese. Shame on me, I know. But I wouldn't call mistaking one nationality for another discrimination - it's just that for some people it is really hard to tell. Trust me

It is very typical of people to stereotype, there's nothing new about it. You wouldn't believe what stereotypes an average American has about the country I grew up in, especially an average American who remembers the Cold War I actually find it funny that people can be so stupid, and I have learned not to get offended by anything. Frankly, I believe it is entirely up to us, educated and successful expatriates, to be an example of how wrong stereotypes may be.

LOL, paranoid much?

So, the "Europeans" hate Asians? News to this "European."



It's a shame that it's so expensive for some Americans to travel to Europe, Asia, Africa, etc. that most of them never go or save their entire lifetimes for that one single trip. Sh!tty exchange rates don't help much. The fact that non-Americans persistently delight in telling us what ignorant idiots we are probably doesn't help either. We can get harassed at home for free.

I've lost track of the number of times Polish people in York have strolled up to me and let forth a long, fluent stream of Polish with a hopeful gleam in their eyes. I disappoint them by telling them (in Polish) that I don't speak Polish (well enough to help them, anyway). One of my grandmothers was Polish; I guess there's a Polish 'look' to me. I never thought it was racist. They're sort of right.

Speak for yourself not having experience things. Show some respect.

Are you honestly trying to tell me that I've never experienced discrimination or xenophobia? I'm a WOMAN and an IMMIGRANT. How about you showing some respect?

I didn't think she was being disrespectful.

neither did I. If we're doling out respect, how bout we not generalize so much, eh? Isn't that a bit racist?

Good point. Consolemaster seems to be lumping Americans into one big pot. According to him they all are paranoid and think he's talking about them, that they all hate his race, that they all give him a hard time and so on...that seems a bit racist to me, but from the opposite direction.

It works both ways.

Well...how long?

Algermany?

heh

1/2 a point for that one

How about Nigermany?

Ah....I get it now. They meant Jordan, of course.

Awwww I was teasin ya! it was v funny.

Algermany was better. in fact I should have given you 3 points

I hope you are not insinuating that I called americans ignorant idiots. I was just saying that they miss a lot by not visiting Europe.

I do agree about the exchange rate though, I think another reason is the limited time off from work you are entitled to. Hardly seems worthwhile to leave the country.

What are they missing? What does Europe have that America doesn't?

No, but as an American living in the UK I hear it every single day without fail. If I don't hear it from the lovely citizens of the United Kingdom, I hear it from the distinguished, unbiased BBC.



I disagree. It doesn't take even half a day to fly to Europe from the west coast, I don't see that as being a reason at all. Growing up in the USA affords me a perspective that Europeans don't have...it's mostly about cost. People will take extra time off to take a vacation, and the vacation explanation doesn't explain why retirees may not decide to visit Europe.

I think it's too expensive, plus we know when we're not wanted.



Yeah, I'm sort of with you on that. Even tho I live overseas, I hate to travel. We've only gone across the channel once since I moved here six years ago. Europe's on my doorstep, and I don't care. I haven't visited it and I don't feel I've missed out. I visited Europe more frequently when I lived in the USA.

Not even gonna respond, it wont matter to you anyway.

Good Luck in your life when you get back to the GOOD OLE US OF A!!!!!!!!!!!




Thousands of years of history, and culture

There's really nothing you can say; I don't think you're right, you don't think I am, nobody's going to change anyone's mind.



Ugh. UGH. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I HATE it when Europeans say this. Do they not realize that people with their own history and their own culture have been living in north and south America for tens of thousands of years? It's so ARROGANT of them to think that history did not start in the Americas until after THEY arrived.

Go tell a Native American that they don't have thousands of years of history and culture...see what they tell you. I dare you. Please film it.

I have to agree with everyone on this one...it's a wonderful eye-opener to travel Europe and I'm glad to have done it.

I've seen things many Americans haven't...century old buildings, famous little towns, art - hell, I've seen a piece of art painted during the renaissance from an artist who's supposedly one of my ancestors! Anyways, i suppose for me, it was a wonderful and awe inspiring experience, one which I am so thankful I had.

At the same time, I've heard that 'Americans need to travel more' ironically from people who have never been to America! Pot, Kettle!

I suppose it all boils down to the individual...clearly HA and MW feel there's nowt in Europe that can't be had here....although, I relate quite a bit to HA in the respect that we're both very proud Americans who live/lived in the UK...and please don't underestimate how VASTLY different everything is, ahhahaah. But in York, I'm shocked that things living around things like the City walls, the shambles, York Minster, isn't a mindblowing experience for her! It soooooooo was for me...and not just for the initial part of my stay.

I do feel my expereinces there have changed me for the better. It's good to get out of the fishbowl every now and again.

I know many of you here posting are not rascists (including the Europeans). But, I know many around my neighborhood are. There is a difference between collective total, and collective partial. I made these two terms up to imply something that is obvious. However, I'm sure all of you understand the point. If not, then there is no other way I may explain.

I know myself that even my group (Cambodians) also discriminate too. I just want peace in my neighborhood. All this rascism crimes, and etc...are caused by nothing more but a few kids who has nothing better to do. It spreads to their parents, etc...and sometimes vice versa.

There is no definition to explain who is rascist or who is not. The only way to know is to experience it.

Nobody said that Native Americans don't have thousands of years of history and culture, of course they do, and very interesting it is too. I am sure that lots of Europeans that visit the US take away some very interesting facts and cultural information regarding early American civilization.

I love America and its where I want to live, but I don't find it to be the end all/be all of culture. I think where Americans could benefit from European travel is to see life beyond our shores, and get a sense of how other people live their day to day lives. I don't give a toss if they 'don't like' me. I'm not going to deprive myself of traveling somewhere I might find interesting or enjoy because the locals may not like me (boo hoo hoo).

Conversely, I'm not going to break my neck to go to a place I have no interest in - whether that's in Europe or any other part of the world.

By the same token, I think Europeans could benefit in the same way by traveling to America, and getting a different sense of us as well.

hmmm, my life would have been a lot greyer if I never travelled, but not just to Europe.



I travelled throughout the Middle East and was worried about people not liking me - I have never been treated more warmly anywhere.

Mostly, people here are nice and by the way very interested and curious.
In their boring life our love story generally is very exciting and touching, some even cry (probably soap operas lovers) , so they always want to know some more details and ask questions, because, probably they never traveled outside their city.
And if they don't know where is Latvia, I just say that I am between Sweden, Russia, Poland, so mostly they get some clue, but some of then wont have it anyway.
The most amazing situation I had when I was in bank and I gave my Latvian drivers license, bank stuff was looking at it and asked, Where is this state - Latvia? I did not knew they write day and month different and issue different drivers licenses?
What you can do? Have some ironic thought and get going with your things. To suggest each dummy to look in 6grade geography book is impossible.
Some people just watch news (i wouldn't call their journalists the way I understand what is journalism about) and the world is terrible and nothing ever good happens. When they talk in news about something they don't even name country, or even, or give any clue, seems the main idea is dead people number and shocking pictures, information is not important. So whatever i hear people all the time use expressions - out there. Out there, somewhere in bad world, outside USA. And when I say, no we are not allowed to have guns in peace time, and things what you are used here, like school shootings, never! ever! ever! happen there, they just don't believe me and say - your press is not free, they just don't say it. So this is their little illusion secured world, and they don't even want to know anything out there. LOL.

a). Is anyone REALLY surprised that discrimination exists? I mean, come on now, we're all adults here. Be honest.

. If Europe was so great, the Europeans would be convincing the Americans to immigrate there instead of them coming here. Sure, some of them do, no doubt. However, based on what I have seen on this board, the overwhelming majority do not. Not real surprising since this board is about coming to the US (: Nevertheless - I am willing to bet serious cash that more Europeans are coming to America than vice-versa.

c). There are plenty of measures that indicate that in Europe (at least some nations of Europe) one can have a "higher quality of life" (as measured by criteria that may not be reasonable for a given individual). Sure. But nevertheless, people are coming here. Despite the totalitarian regime currently in power (sigh), there still seems to be a broad appeal that draws an awful lot of people, relative to other places. Yes, yes, there are lots of reasons for this - but the facts still remain.

For what it's worth, once my (Russian) wife and I finish graduate school, we plan to move out of the U.S. somewhere - anywhere. Australia and Ireland are top picks, but UAE and Peru are other destinations at the top of the list. (:

Cheers!
AKDiver

Especially Texans.

Cheers!
AKDiver

Is moving out of the US going to solve your discrimination issues?

I've only been out of the country to Jamaica so I can't speak for every other country. I do know I felt I was discriminated against in Jamaica.

I also have friends from Canada who I love to death;but sometimes I feel some of their comments are discriminatory.

Not sure discrimination is something you can actually run and hide from. It's everywhere.

Well, I don't see how, since I have no discrimination issues, and my desire to move out of the US has nothing to do with discrimination.

I think you are confusing having an opinion or attitude about something with discrimination.

Not sure I ever said I had this goal.

Cheers!
AKDiver

Since I did not quote exactly what my friends said, you have no basis for this comment.

And, what some people call opinion or attitude could be considered discriminatory no matter how they meant it.


Sorry that I assumed you were moving because of discrimination issues. You did, however, mention moving in the discrimination thread. It was a leap I took.