As a minority, where should I avoid travel?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a dark brown minority and recently a fellow minority at work commented that he would not travel to certain places because of his skin color and how he would be treated. When I pressed him for places that he would avoid he said Hungary, Russia, Romania, maybe Greece and turkey. Is their anything valid to this? I haven't done extensive travelling and most of the places we have went was England, Italy and they were fine.

I have been told firsthand about very bad experiences that Black people had in Russia and Turkey. A lot of ethnocentrists and racists, who are extremely bold and will openly ridicule you in you in public- even children. It's even worse for dark Africans.

[Anonymous]

As a Southerner I would say most of the South is just fine for you (as in most of the South has significant or majority african-american population.) I've actually met more outwardly racist people in the DC metro.

BUT--the lily white mountainous parts of the South are the exception. Probably would be fine as a tourist, for a short period of time, although you may not have as good of an experience as a white person. Thinking the Nantahala areas of Georgia / NC and more rural areas of Appalachia in particular...when we went to visit, I thought...there is something missing. Not a single person of color. Anywhere.

Historically more of these areas had "sundown towns" see this article in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/20/AR2006022001590_2.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a Southerner I would say most of the South is just fine for you (as in most of the South has significant or majority african-american population.) I've actually met more outwardly racist people in the DC metro.

BUT--the lily white mountainous parts of the South are the exception. Probably would be fine as a tourist, for a short period of time, although you may not have as good of an experience as a white person. Thinking the Nantahala areas of Georgia / NC and more rural areas of Appalachia in particular...when we went to visit, I thought...there is something missing. Not a single person of color. Anywhere.

Historically more of these areas had "sundown towns" see this article in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/20/AR2006022001590_2.html

I'm a minority, but not African American, and I grew up in the south. I experienced just as much racism from AAs as from white people. I wouldn't assume a place would be less racist just because it has non-white people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a really sad thread. I'm white but have lived all over the world and have thought a lot about this:

- Russia and likely former Soviet States
- In some parts of Central and South America, you will be totally fine, although you might encounter some weak prejudice (that's an oxymoronic sentence, I know, but this is all relative). El Salvador really didn't "have" black people for a long time and there is huge prejudice... at one point in recent, AAs couldn't get visas. But probably safe to travel there for sure.
- Germany- lots of staring.
- Parts of w. Africa: Know they will not consider you "really" American... but in some of the more well-developed places there is a real infrastructure of tourism around AAs visiting
- Middle East- I'd do research about this. My guess is that it's terrible. I know for instance- and this of course was years ago- but during the Iran hostage crisis the CIA station chief (I think that's who it was- anyway, someone in a position of real authority) was black but they couldn't believe a black person would have such high standing and let him go.

Ugh. That was depressing. But I think it's smart to check it out before you go anywhere. The good news is that most of the prejudice while offensive is likely to be more offensive than unsafe in most of these places.

East Africa is weird too. They'll expect you to stay in the driver's quarters of hotels, etc. In a way, you'll have a much more interesting experience, but in a way, it will be a total hassle. Not dangerous, just awkward.
Some parts of the middle east (Oman, UAE, Egypt) are pretty comfortable with a wide spectrum of skin colors.

Huh? As a Black American? Where in East Africa? I've had no problems in Uganda and Kenya.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who cautioned against traveling to Germany. She is dark skinned from India and said people there called her the german equivalent of a "Paki" and were very rude. Suppose it might have been just her experience.

East Asian here. When I was living in Southern Germany (Bayern, to be exact), people would call me "chink" on the street, from passing cars, etc.
A kid at the airport sang "ching, chang, chong" non-stop for 5 minutes and the parents just looked on. This was 10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who cautioned against traveling to Germany. She is dark skinned from India and said people there called her the german equivalent of a "Paki" and were very rude. Suppose it might have been just her experience.

East Asian here. When I was living in Southern Germany (Bayern, to be exact), people would call me "chink" on the street, from passing cars, etc.
A kid at the airport sang "ching, chang, chong" non-stop for 5 minutes and the parents just looked on. This was 10 years ago.

That's terrible! I'm East Asian and DH is of German descent. Guess we will not be taking any trips to his mother land.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is always race but the way you dress and carry yourself.

I'm Asian. Depending on what I am wearing, I am treated differently. This is in America, Europe and Asia. I like to dress comfortably and often wear sweats. I got treated the worst in China. I got zero service in a department store in Shanghai because I was walking around in sweatpants and sneakers.

I recently got mistaken for a nail salon employee while I was a customer. I was greatly offended in my own back yard. DH once also got mistaken for a nail salon owner/employee. We thought it was so racist but we are Asian.

DH and I earn about $1 million per year and well educated. This is what we get for liking to dress in casual attire. I don't think white people get treated the same way when they wear casual attire to a nail salon.

[Anonymous]

When we took the kids on field trips, the people were fascinated with the little AA kids. They wanted to get close to them.

Yes, this is what I want on a vacation.

I've been told Russia and Ukraine are not good if you're black/brown. My specific experience in eastern Europe was definitely as an oddity to be stared at like an alien (mostly kids). I guess they didn't have cable.

[Anonymous]

Why would you not travel somewhere simply because people might make you feel uncomfortable? If violence is an issue, that's one thing. But it seems as though everyone is relaying "sad" stories about people being stared at or yelled at in a foreign language. Who cares? Sticking out like a sore thumb is sometimes part of the experience.

[Anonymous]

North Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Why would you not travel somewhere simply because people might make you feel uncomfortable? If violence is an issue, that's one thing. But it seems as though everyone is relaying "sad" stories about people being stared at or yelled at in a foreign language. Who cares? Sticking out like a sore thumb is sometimes part of the experience.

It can become tiresome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a friend who cautioned against traveling to Germany. She is dark skinned from India and said people there called her the german equivalent of a "Paki" and were very rude. Suppose it might have been just her experience.

I wouldn't set foot in Germany, any part! They need to rebuild a wall around themselves really.

Paris and parts of Spain are bad as well. Speaking as a light skinned Indian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you not travel somewhere simply because people might make you feel uncomfortable? If violence is an issue, that's one thing. But it seems as though everyone is relaying "sad" stories about people being stared at or yelled at in a foreign language. Who cares? Sticking out like a sore thumb is sometimes part of the experience.

Let me guess: you're white? You really have no idea what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a Southerner I would say most of the South is just fine for you (as in most of the South has significant or majority african-american population.) I've actually met more outwardly racist people in the DC metro.

BUT--the lily white mountainous parts of the South are the exception. Probably would be fine as a tourist, for a short period of time, although you may not have as good of an experience as a white person. Thinking the Nantahala areas of Georgia / NC and more rural areas of Appalachia in particular...when we went to visit, I thought...there is something missing. Not a single person of color. Anywhere.

Historically more of these areas had "sundown towns" see this article in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/20/AR2006022001590_2.html

I'm a minority, but not African American, and I grew up in the south. I experienced just as much racism from AAs as from white people. I wouldn't assume a place would be less racist just because it has non-white people.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a dark brown minority and recently a fellow minority at work commented that he would not travel to certain places because of his skin color and how he would be treated. When I pressed him for places that he would avoid he said Hungary, Russia, Romania, maybe Greece and turkey. Is their anything valid to this? I haven't done extensive travelling and most of the places we have went was England, Italy and they were fine.

You can go wherever the hell you want in this world because truth be told as long as you're clinging to that 2nd class citizen mindset and are paranoid about how others perceive you because of your skin you really won't be going anywhere.

Oh please. Are you truly that ignorant?

Yeah I'm that ignorant, just like Rosa Parks was when she discarded her 2nd class citizen mindset and determinedly didn't move from the front of a segregated bus for fear of how she would be treated.