Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonTakeshi
My cousin is living there (been 17 years) and she said that it was really hard for her to integrate. She lives in Zaandam. I was there for 3 weeks and could feel the smell of racism in the air.
"We don't want you here."
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Edit: I'm so sorry! I didn't realise that you were on about Holland, I had to google the name "Zaandam"! What you said fits totally in with what I've heard actually, but I never really realised it was that bad. - I've left my post up anyway, just because in the past there has been the assumption that the UK is racist, so it's not addressed at you personally, just those people in general, lol.
I think it depends
where in the UK you are, in regards to racism. People forget it's probably just as diverse as America, with just as many accents, races, nationalities etc., despite the fact we're a tiny island . . .
I can't speak for everywhere but in my hometown we have a huge multi-cultural commuinity and a whole suburb is dedicated to Indian and Pakistan nationalities. Our largest street is filled to the brim with people from these cultures residing there and starting businesses there. My local school was probably 1/4 foriegn students or 'ethnic minorities'. I can count the times I've experienced racism on one hand, one finger even!
There are some times when it can feel racist . . . if my friend and I walk into a shop and ask for help the shop-assistants naturaly address me rather than her, even though she speaks at a native-level, and at her house I've been assumed to be a computer repairman and a childminder, no one assumed 'friend of the family', but it's never been malicious. I've yet to hear any racist terms regularly, or hear about any violent racist attacks, or anything like that. The racism here seems to be just naive assumptions, rather than anything malevolent or cruel.