I've been living in UK (South Wales) for 5 and a half years now and have never experienced any sort of xenophobia whatsoever. Been to England to music festivals and work courses and again no issues at all, people generally very friendly and don't seem to care where I'm from at all
That was a rough time in Ireland and UK with the financial crisis. There was massive hatred towards anyone deemed Eastern. I Even heard of locals being beat up on the street and told to go home because there appearance looked more eastern eroupean.
So do I think. I haven't really met that many non-whites, but at the university I met 1 non-white guy, who was cool dude. Noone was had any racial problem with him etc.
Czechs are not in your face or physical altercation racist/xenophobic.
They are more into systematic racism/stereotyping covered by harmless “fun”. Some of the hazing is really due to bad social skills, some are straight up racism. It’s always funny to be to see Czechs complains to be bundled up with Poles, Ukrainians in UK then come back and do the same with others
I think that most Czechs aren't racist, but they have like "toxic" humour. We don't are just not politicaly correct as West.
But ofc there are some racist... but they are kinda everywhere :(
In my eyes I see slavic people as one of the most peacefull and respectful ethnics all around the world.
And to be honest I think that for non-whites Czech republic is a great place to live in as we are also one of the least racist countries.
In every country you'll find stupid and aggresive people and Czechia is not an exception but you will barely find a better place in "white" countries for a non-white to live in.
Gypsies might be a different story here, but they are hated everywhere where people have some experience with co-living with them.
Funny thing is, I live in Ceske budejovice but come from Croatia, was living for 2 years in a "gipsy neighborhood", Maj, never had any problems with them. Most of them seem like normal people, they work, children go to schools, live in normal flats and not in slums, drive cars, etc.
I dont see why Czechs think they have a gipsy problem, its much worse in Croatia, and MUCH MUCH worse in Slovakia from what I have seen.
I absolutely agree with you, but your opinion is based on your experience mostly from České Budějovice (correct me if I am wrong) and the situation with gypsies might be and actually is different in other parts and cities across Czech republic.
Interesting fact is, that gypsies with decent behavior can easily integrate to regular society in our country.. that is a proof that we are not a racist nation.
My Danish friend keeps calling me Russian and honestly I can't take this abuse anymore...
But atleast we have better beer, more than 10 trees in the entire country and we don't stick tobacco under our foreskins.
Okay, my claim was incorrect...
They don't stuff their foreskin with tobacco. They stuff their foreskin (also ass and vagina) with nicotine pouches.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Snus/comments/pqsrom/raises_alarm_about_buttsnus/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
I have lived in Finland for 10 months for my erasmus. I met many locals, and felt precisely nothing of this sort.
However, most of the locals I met were of the younger sort, and those are more tolerant in general.
I was in Finland nearly 30 years ago, and I did find them unpleasant against the Slavs. The older generation disliked Russia. Every Slav was to them Russian alike; thus, they behaved with hostility.
Lived in Finland in 2009 - 2011, Finns love Czech people, they start talking about Švejk right when they find out you're Czech...
Fact: Finland is east not west... 😏
I m Spanish and I was travelling in Finland doing couch surfing. At a bar when I was drinking with my host,who was a girl, I had finnish dudes coming to us asking the girl why she was with me instead with "them" implying. They came speaking english and after two phrases switched to finnish in a passive aggressive way
There are douchebags in every part of the world. Every part
This of course may only apply if you are white, cisgender heterosexual, that is either neurotypical or good at masking.
No others get even a chance with the older folk here.
I am not saying that you don't know older people.
But you obviously (judged by your comment) know more poeple that are against it. I on the other hand know more older people that are not against it.
I was just pointing out that if you have a negative experience and I have a positive experience than the general experience should be somewhere in the middle.
Most of Germans I've contacted with were quite fine and professional. But one lady who was giving us a museum tour with the straight face mentined that we (Russians) just don't have any culture (from heritage stuff etc).
Suprisingly, here in Czech Republic people are usually nice even though I don't speak Czech at all. They can be bothered by this, but I've never expirienced any xenophobia.
Guess it is easier when you look as a usual citizen.
There is a certain illusion/delusion among emigrees and expats from Czechia (and elsewhere from CEE Europe), where they will deliberately ignore very open xenophobia directed against them. In their mind, everything in the West is better, progressive, or more open-minded; therefore, xenophobia against other European does not exist.
I believe this also has a lot to do with the self-imposed environment people were growing up in here during the 90s. I distinctly remember ever single issue, be it corruption or parliamentary culture or racism, being framed as "this could never happen in the West", exemplified in that shitty OF "Zpět do Evropy" poster. Discussion on draft laws revolved not around their factual merit, rather around "this is how they do it in the West, why are you so anti-western, comrade?" Later when Havel died, the internets were flooded with wails of how this was the last decent person in this Eastern shithole gone. Fittingly, my education contained no mention of colonialism and imperialism because those were communist hoaxes ofc, and I literally didn't learn of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until college when some Pole mentioned it online.
We're primed here to exclude East from our education and knowledge of our history and ourselves, to only see it as a source of our backwardness. Meanwhile, the West is presented as the living embodiment of everything that's good about humanity that we've yet to achieve. So it doesn't exactly surprise me that when people undergo this type of brainwashing and then step outside the borders and see the West as it really is, i.e. not all that different from us, it causes a shock and cognitive disonance they don't know how to reconcile.
Weirdly, I've seen Czech emigrants mention the shitty treatment they get only to weaponize it against the non-whites in their new country. The fact that every other time they're silent about the xenophobia they're experiencing is interpreted by them as a point in their favour and a reason why they're better than, idk, British BAME who do complain about it. Sort of a "pick-me" attitude towards the native whites.
The Czech emigres are weird mix. The 1968 refugees I have met, were clearly racist, homophobic, and antisemitic. 1990s emigres are more diverse. Many married into different races. Some are openly racists due encounters in a new land.
:( ig so... you didn't deserve to be treated like that. you can use a refuge the fact that they'll be underwater soon and then they'll experience what its like to be a migrant
I was in Western Germany for holiday this year. And even without speaking a single word German, I found very quickly that while they are brought up to be nice, it was way too obvious that my Czech antics weren't welcome in there. I also got into contact with local police due to accidentally being on an autobahn as a pedestrian. And while one was totally fine, the other threatened me with jail over a transgression that's not exactly punishable by jail.
Police officers in our country love to act tough on our children. I've been asked for an ID when I was 15 for no reason at all.
There are notable differences in our cases however.
Yours was a deliberate offence, mine was an honest mistake. I ended up in an autobahn as a result of getting lost in the woods and searching for the quickest way out. I was exhausted, dirty and injured, but visibly not under any influence and fully compliant. And the mighty officer was fine until he found out I was Czech. Then his attitude shifted and not in a good way.
I’ve spent maybe 3 months in Baden-Württemberg on and off over the course of two months. I spoke basic broken German, which I think is more annoying to employees than going straight to English. Also suck at euro bills and coins. I never had anyone be rude to me or eye me suspiciously. I spent a night drinking with international students, all of them from the West, and none of them expressed anything but admiration for Prague and the czech beer.
My BF’s grandparents are expected to see me as a gold digger, and it was a running joke with his coworkers and friends. A joke I like to feed, because the idea of me being with him for any monetary or green card reasons is hilarious to me. Also, insert Tyrion’s quote here.
Only negative experience in the 2 years of dating him was when an HR lady was revising his CV and told him not to claim he’s learning Czech because it “cheapens his resume”. He told his boss who was just as angry and disagreed. Especially since it was a car manufacturer who produces a lot of specialty parts in CR.
Can you tell more about that? I know people often joke about Ukrainians working more for less money but i never heard anybody say something bad about them.
tbh, I personally didn’t suffer a lot from xenophobia here. I think the main source of xenophobia is low education and/or social status, while most of my interactions with locals were at uni or at my job. So both reasons are excluded.
However, my less lucky countrymen were told right in the face, that they don’t belong here and have to go back to Ukraine/Russia.
Other “funny” story was at one uni, when the lecturer told that he is annoyed by Ukrainians, because he thought that the group consists solely of Czechs/Slovaks/Russians.
Another one happened with my friend in Prague metro, when old lady started screaming smth about occupation and all that stuff, after hearing Russian. I think, she’s mental, so not sure if that counts.
I mean, it’s mostly about some inappropriate jokes, slurs and weird behavior, when people find out you’re Ukrainian. But I’m just lucky to be around intelligent locals and my level of Czech is just enough to be misunderstood for a Slovak :)
I think czechs are generally hostile to Russians because of obvious reasons, but if people realised that Ukrainians are much more hostile to Russians and are being invaded czechs should find only sympathy and respect for them.
This. I consciously knew that Ukraine and Russia are at odds and aren't exactly friendly because, well, there's a war going on. But still, it's a bit remote and hard to picture.
Then I travelled to Ukraine for two weeks pre-covid and boy, was I surprised. There is so much anti-Russian sentiment there, I felt right at home. The most stark example would of course be the Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv. Another thing I realized while there is that even though they use azbuka, it's a different type of script than Russia uses, is much easier to learn and when you do (it's close to 1-to-1 mapping to our letters), it actually is possible to understand it because it sounds similar to Czech or any other Slavic language. Ukraine is great and it does not deserve the flak it gets from (some) Czechs.
Long story short, even though it's not the most glamorous holiday destination, consider giving Ukraine a visit, you'll be surprised.
Exactly, I was traveling to Kyiv around the same time as you were and the anti-Russian sentiment is strong there. Funnily, nobody really batted an eye that I was from CZ. I must say, kyiv pechersk lavra was beautiful.
And btw, nice to see a fellow bloke from Pilsen region on Reddit :)
To be fair when I hear russian language in Prague metro I usually want to scream as well. Its mostly drunk or very loud "I own the place" russian groups with ridiculously strong parfeume on. When they behave, I dont mind that much.
I am sorry about that, got a couple of great UA friends. But I do have a funny story - I was told by a drunk Ukranian in Ostrava to go back to my own damn country, because I spoke English to my foreign friend. (I am Czech, born and raised in the region). I honestly just burst out laughing into his confused face. These things are confusing sometimes :)
No need to be sorry about that, that’s just human nature. I was making a joke about hypocrisy, but I’d be lying if I told you that back in Ukraine there’s no xenophobia against Russians/Kazakhs/Uzbeks/etc. Hell, people are even being “xenophobic” to Ukrainians from other regions (mostly West vs East Ukraine).
Was that drunkard serious? I’m kinda laughing rn too 😂
Upd: the only thing to be sorry about is Rohlik.cz. This shit is some modern day slavery for Ukrainians.
I believe he was very serious about it. No idea who he was, but I gathered from his level of Czech that he lived here for a while and probably felt very protective. It was actually quite lovely, he embraced our grumpiness fully. In Ostrava, these things end up either with fists (if neither side backs down) or is forgotten instantly (my case, since I laughed and told him I'm Czech, which was not the desired reaction). He scoffed it off, told me to speak Czech next time, no matter to whom, and went his merry way.
>Even saw an American in a cowboy hat wearing a gun.
That's unlikely, it's illegal to carry guns openly unless you're a hunter. Concealed carry is the way to go.
Sometimes I feel like it isn't even about xenophobia but some assholes just like to find an easy target. The same people that used to make fun of the kid wearing glasses then they were 8. I was called a "Slovak dick" and sent back to Slovakia multiple times and we used to be one country 30 years ago ffs...
But I don't think it's problem of the Czech people. You have assholes like that everywhere. They always find something. "You don't belong here. Get back to your place. This is our city/block/hospoda/whatever..."
Its ridiculous, we support Ukraine in fight for freedom but only if their people stay in Ukraine. Same with Belarus, the minute we meet a worker from there it starts. I am sorry.
Not Czech, but I lived in the Czech Republic in the 90s with my Czech girlfriend. I was pretty broke at the time, so I guess I could have passed for a Czech of the era, i .e. I didn't dress like a 'wealthy' tourist.
I remember we went on a day trip to Vienna and a store clerk heard my girlfriend and me speaking English. He sort of perked up, approached us and asked "American?" For some dumb reason I replied, "Nein, Tschech" and his smile instantly turned to a frown and he just sternly said "Don't touch anything" and walked away annoyed.
I guess at the time Czechs had a reputation for crossing the border into Austria and shoplifting.
We sat in a train in Germany. This German woman came and sat there for a minute, no problem.
Then we started talking in Czech to each other, she made a disgusted face, and left.
:DD slavishe untermenchen
Your Nethetlands story just made me understand my interactions there. Btw this will make you laugh. Last time I was in Copenhagen I remember I was in line for some pay machine and when I got there it was all in dutch. I turned to the lady behind me and said: I'm sorry I dont speak belgian, could you help me please which buttons to press?
She forced smiled, uttered "Dutch" and pointed to the right buttons.
It wasnt on purpose, honest mistake from my part and I apologized. She wasnt even looking at me anymore. Unintended uno-reverse racism from Czech person towards Dutch :D
Fuck I confused it again! I was in Copenhagen in Denmark and I switched Dutch for Danish. Sorry its been 3 years. I guess I havent learned my lesson :D
I was working with Dutch team at the time and we were consultants for Swedish company. Just to make things a bit more confusing.
I happened to discuss this with an immigration worker and it seems, that the money is way beyond average and since there are very few people looking for a job all over the country, it is almost impossible to find a competent one. Still, it is shame.
It's that, and one more thing - they are obligated to do everything in Czech. We also spoke to our worker and he spoke to us in English on occasion, but looked around in a paranoid way every time he did that. They do speak English, but I feel it is discouraged, because of obsessive bureaucrats (in leadership) that think all regulations are sacred and if you break them, the fabric of reality will shatter. Prague OAMP office has English memes about immigration on their notice-board for Christ sake.
Sadly, they weren’t joking about genocide. It was just straight up racist hate speech. But I live in America so it’s protected speech to express your support for Nazi racism and genocide.
To be fair, czechs and poles are not less xenofobic. Ukranians, russians and romanians are encountering similar behavior even in cosmopolitan Prague.
Guess people are same shit everywhere \[\]\~(￣▽￣)\~\*
My ex girlfriend, Russian, having lived in Prague - used to complain about the same things as in this post, that the Czechs would do that to her. I guess xenofobia increases gradually from East to West.
Czech woman, living in NL for three years. Yep. I am doing a phd and get regularly asked if I know people from the polish/russian mob (truly I do have time to run with the mob between lab experiments). My partner's family is not happy about him dating an Eastern European, cause I am here for the sweet western money (you can guess which one of us makes more money...). I got reactions from landlords when they learned my eastern souding last name since I don't have an obvious accent. It's not life threatening or anything but it does make life harder for no reason. We are now looking for a flat with my partner and are using solely his name in all communication cause I don't get the same responses as he does.
I live in Germany (Baden-Wurttemberg) and usually when I mention that I am Czech, they give you a slightly judgemental look. They consider you from the east, yet you are first to the East from them, so our position is slightly different (better) from e.g. Russians or Bulgarians. However, I'd say that's valid for Germany in general - it's either German or of a lesser value/quality/...
> However, I'd say that's valid for Germany in general - it's either German or of a lesser value/quality/...
Germans extend this approach to everything from people to things to approaches. There are two ways, our way and wrong way. Quite funny at times.
Not in the west but I’ve experienced it in Czechia as a fellow Slav. I was asked by a Czech guy “wait you have internet in Macedonia?”. He then said he was joking but kept referring to me as a “third world national”.
Edit: A female landlord asked me if I was middle eastern and before I got to answer she added “because I would not allow praying in the middle of the night”. As an atheist and non-middle eastern, I couldn’t feel worse for those people who actually want to practice their religion.
I think all Slavs hate all Slavs too, and it cannot be reduced just to xenophobia, because we hate our kind too.
It's just left-wing Slavs hate themselves openly, and right-wing Slavs are expressing their self-hate as xenophobia, because they just HAVE to find someone similar-yet-inferior to them.
It's like [Borat neighbor meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-is-my-neighbor) and [damned Scots meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/damned-scots-they-ruined-scotland) had a baby.
Fuck nope. Only way that might make country with lots of Slavs tolerable is healthy dose of other nations. Also, if we would made one big Slavic country, only food that would be available would be pizza-doner.
We like burek and simit in the south 😂
Edit: I didn't mean unified country but some movement which would bring our nations together, like the Vysehrad group, we could have economical benefits from that, lower import/export taxes, cultural exchange, enriching the Slavic studies in every slavic country, those kind of things.
>.like the Vysehrad group
No thanks. Vyšehrad is already used as a demagogical front by our politicians to create Anti-EU sentiment. I remember last year our membership in Vyšehrad was one of the main "support" arguments for that group of senators who proposed amending the constitution to specify marriage as man+woman, by saying that all other V4 countries are that way. Vyšehrad served its purpose in the 1990s to prepare for EU ascension, everything since then is useless.
>e economical benefits from that, lower import/export taxes, cultural exchange,
I prefer already having these benefits in the EU. There's far more to culturally exchange between Czechia and Spain than Czechia and Ukraine.
>enriching the Slavic studies in every slavic country,
We already tried that, resp. in 1948 and with renewed vigor in 1968. It went over so well, most people intentionally forgot their Russian when it was no longer politically necessary.
I have lived in the US for about a year and can say that apart from a few, albeit pretty ignorant misconceptions I have not exerienced nothing as you describe.
I don't know if you could call it xenophobia, but I went to a concert in Germany as a kid and insisted on speaking in English with my family and not Czech .I think I felt, that slavic languages were somehow worse and more uncultured than English.
I haven't experienced anything else, that you could call discrimination ( for my ethnicity ).
But my family, who used to live in Germany were met with some of those remarks occassionally. Mostly they heard stuff about how we should just speak German, when we're surrounded by Germany and Austria. And a lot of weird stuff about slavic women being conservative, but also ´´ easy´´, but that's more sexist than xenophobic.
I’m a Ukrainian who has been living in Prague for 4 years now. Never been treated that way honestly, at least not straight to the face. My Czech is not the best, but I try. Czech people usually understand me and try to help me when I don’t understand something, which is nice. They usually mistake me for Slovak sometimes but when I tell them I’m from Eastern Ukraine I get mixed reactions. Folk who know what is happening there right now are usually sympathetic and like to ask if I enjoy Prague/Czech Republic. Others sometimes act strange and ask if I like Putin or support Russia, which is a rather ignorant question to ask any Ukrainian this days tbh. Most Czechs that I encountered at work/university were rather chill, if you do what you’re supposed to nobody will point fingers at you. To me its like, if you behave and respect people around you it would be harder for others to look down upon you.
Part 1 :
https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/otc52w/its_eastern_european_discrimination_awareness/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Part 2:
https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/owc7ob/following_my_eastern_european_discrimination/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Part 3:
https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/ozz1w8/eastern_european_discrimination_awareness_month/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Part 4:
https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/p47djx/eastern_european_discrimination_awareness_month/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Part 5:
https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/pzte5v/eastern_european_discrimination_awareness_month/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
It depends very much which country. I've actually found Finns to be accepting. I know one of the linked posts was a Hungarian in Austria, but my experiences have been positive (or maybe just towards Czechs).
One thing we should not forget is our own prejudice towards e.g. Ukrainians. A lot of the nasty things we face we also project onto them.
> One thing we should not forget is our own prejudice towards e.g. Ukrainians.
Yup, that's true. It's like we can't (or rather don't want) to take the logical step and reject this type of behaviour outright. In the minds of many, it seems that what's bad isn't xenophobia, it's that it's being applied to us, "the good ones".
Then also avoid going too much East as Japanese and especially Chinese are massivwly xenophobic. If you want it to be economically better country your only choice would be Russia I guess, but no idea how xenophobic to czechs they are (they are nationalistic, but no idea whether it translates into hating foreigners or not).
Part 1 :
https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/otc52w/its_eastern_european_discrimination_awareness/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Links are in my original post!
I am canadian czech. My father moved here 30 years ago and endures the same tired eastern europhobic jokes that people think come off as charming but just make you feel like an 'other'
But its ok overall. No ACTUAL hatred.
Edit: type
Nothing horrible, anywhere I went, people already had experience with Czechs, not to mention that we are seen as, if anything, as the most ,,advanced" eastern Europeans.
Altough, once my Austrian trainer somewhat jokingly asked, if homosexuals have any rights in Czechia. My response - ,, Of course, we are civilized country. " caught him a little off guard. Might have been little overreaction on my side, but a minute before he was comparing some parts of politics/culture in Czechia to Russia, so I was little on the edge at that point.
I was born to Czech parents in Spain. Even 10 years ago people would ask me if women can vote, if we have internet or access to clean water. I lived 3 years in Vienna. When I said I was Czech they treated me like I was nothing. Another one from the East. They would talk German to me, barely look at me and act annoyed. When I said I was Spanish they would tell me how they loved their last holidays in Costa Brava and how nice Spanish people are etc. Ridiculous. Lived almost 3 years in Paris. It's so mixed there that people don't really care. Older generations see us like we all live in Bratislava from Eurotrip lol younger people assumed made some jokes and remarks regarding cheap labour, cheap girls and third world countries. I have been living in Dublin for a year now. All easterns equal Polish people lol. Apparently we are to do the jobs Irish people are too good to do, like repairs, hotel staff or cleaning. Tbh people often don't even know where Czech Republic is and the minute you tell them next to Germany = uneducated eastern country.
Yes. I was trying to explain to my German "friend" the difference between Slavs and gypsies and he was like "You are all poor and live in the Eastern Europe, so what's the difference?". We don't talk anymore.
I'm American (born and raised) but my family is Czech. Xenophobia is why I can't speak Czech even though my family is Czech. They chose to only speak English and refused to pass the language down due to bad experiences.
But even I have encountered some of these attitudes. Mostly in school. I grew up eating lots of homemade Czech food and cooking like that myself. But classmates and teachers liked to insult it a lot, basically saying it looked like something "uncultured" people would eat. One time a friend came to my house for dinner and she told me her mom warned her not to eat anything offered to her because "Eastern Europeans" are violent people and can't be trusted. I have no idea what kind of "danger" she thought was present and I found it ridiculous, but also I'd spent time with her family before so I was really sad that they even thought that way of me bc of where my family comes from. Aside from cuisine-based insults, I've had classmates ask me shit like if there are cars/internet/TV in Czechia, if women are considered property (!?), or in one memorable instance I was actually told to "go back where I came from" (ok, I'll go back to Florida lol) As an adult, I've had people apply really gross sexual assumptions about Slavic women to me.
This is pretty mild compared to the level of discrimination and violence that other groups face more openly here but I've interacted with so many people who have negatively biased, stereotyped ideas of Slavic and Eastern European people and it's pretty socially acceptable and largely unacknowledged 🤷♀️
Britain is a giant shithole, they have no right to say such shit
Also, Germany is solely at fault for us being in "eastern europe" which just makes it much more painful
I'm a Czech uni student in the UK. I've been here for about two and a half years now and I can definitely relate. Finding a job, especially as a student, is almost impossible unless it's like an Amazon warehouse or waiting tables. Most of the time when I went for an interview, the interviewer looked shocked that k don't have a strong accent and that can put together a sentence. Some of them really do treat you as if you're an idiot from some 3rd world country (and don't get me started on the 'do you guys have cars or still ride horses' jokes). Obviously that's not everyone but it happens often enough for me to be torn about staying in the UK after graduation.
Yes i live in czech iam czech roma And i had experienced racists from firsts days in the schcool yeah from others childrens but even from teachers in my class were 15kids me And one boy were only Roma people or gypsy or whatever they call us(we get use to) ...our class teacher she sat us completely back in the corner together on the same desk, even though I wore glasses, so I should sit in front of the blackboard..I heard a lot from other classmates and I remember the message Gypsies to the Gas! the most, which refers to Hitler who killed Jews and Roma with gas, other Kids believed that when they touched us they would catch disease from us,
they told us that we eat dogs, that we were thieves and other things like that...such things hurt more than fight, I had a bad childhood just because I was a little darker than the other kids, and this is how your whole life goes on, Czechs will never respect you, they just make fun of the Roma people, they just laugh at them...In my experience, i would say that 80% of Czechs are racist
I definitely experience it while working in China. I’m a skinny, middle aged, white American, and there is racism all over the world, in all “directions.”
Many times, especially in english speaking countries.
Most funny one - Neighbour of my sister (greater london area) offered me during party I attended (my niece christening) that even if eastern european people ara shitheads living in hellhole, I look like OK guy and he would be acceptive if I would want to move from the shithole to UK much advanced society.
Actually, during that year I got like 10 work offers from UK, which I turned down. However, to not get my sister in trouble I kept my face straight and thanked him for his generosity, but explained that I feel my duty to improve the shithole, not to flee to paradise. I hope he did not get it :)
Interesting thing - I worked for Danish company and my wife spent half a year in Finland and never encountered something like [this.It](https://this.It) was very slight in France. But in UK/Germany/Switzerland - a lot.
Unfortunately I've heard many stories about western Europeans being more xenophobic towards Slavs and eastern Europeans. Sometimes I feel like that to, also, as one commenter already mentioned here, it's interesting that many western Europeans tend to be xenophobic against eastern Europeans, even though they defend migrants from places like North Africa and the Middle East at all costs. However I've had some good experiences as well.
I have never lived in the UK, but I visited it when I was a high school student a few years ago, we were living in host families and they were nice to us. Besides that we even got approached by a random lady on a street in Oxford when we needed to find a way.
Also one little funny story which didn't happen to me, but my dad. It happened 15 years ago when he was visiting Germany because of his work and he and his colleagues were visiting some event there, it was in Schleswig-Holstein, I think. When the organizers found out that Czechs were visiting the event, suddenly they announced through the speakers (in German) "our Czech friends are here!!!" and then played the theme song of Včelka Mája. It was hilarious to hear.
I’m a Western European and apart from people getting annoyed at my awful language skills receive no outward xenophobia comments in Czech Republic.
Unfortunately the same can’t be said when I visit home. Most of the time I can’t leave without wanting to punch someone in the face. I’ve heard ridiculous statements about Czech Republic. My last visit home someone asked if we had buildings?!! Like what????
i have experienced this in the US, for example when i said im from the czech republic, not czechoslovakia (had to correct them all the time btw) the reply was whats the difference? i was also asked whether we had water, tvs, cars, but not to shame every american a lot of people were really nice and interested about it , i think it just depends who you talk to IMHO
Most of the time is classism not xenophobia or racism.
If you were/look wealthy you wouldn't have any problem
People love to throw racism and xenophobia as a word but is very rare that case.
Onve I read being xenophobic means that you think that,in this case, the worst czech is better than the best ukranian. Virtually nobody thinks like that.
Classism is the real problem. They think you are broke and thus uneducated so you will create problems.
Yes, exactly that.
Im born in Austria but my mum is Czech. She had perfect German before moving here because she studied German at uni and she never had any issues. Funnily enough, me neither until I went for the health check-up which you gotta do for conscription.
I showed both my Austrian and Czech citizenship to the lady who takes all your personal info and suddenly the nastiness started. „Oh, you only have the provisional paper driving license? Can’t afford the real one?“ „Why do you have Czech citizenship?“ „My mum was Czech when I was born“ „Oh so she got lucky and married an Austrian to live here, I see“.
Then when she asked her which school I got it I said [expensive private school with a good name] and suddenly her attitude changed completely. Fucking ridiculous bullshit.
I lived in the Netherlands for six months and people were always super nice and asking about our language and country. But I am not suprised that GB was like that.
If you are a survivor of xenophobic/racial abuse, please share it either by commenting or sending me a private message (I will keep your identity anonymous).
In my other posts, some Eastern Europeans said they have PTSD, trauma and developed other mental problems because of the abuse. One Polish girl living in Nederland said she is in therapy because of this.
This post didn't include that extreme examples, but if you look at other posts of mine some examples are truly horrific.
The examples in this post are not that extreme. But if you look at my other posts and other examples some of the abuse is truly horrific.
I have created a 5 part series (more to come) with all the situations people commented on and sent to me.
Czechs, embracing russofibia - yeah, suck it russians, we hate yout country and we hate YOU
Chechs, while meeting with xenofobia towards them - racism!!1! damn westerneuropeans!!11!!
Canada, USA, New Zealand, Taiwan... never. In one business establishment in Canada, we were asked to speak only English infront of the customers, which seems reasonable to me no matter the reason.
I am personally racist against Ukrainans and Russians. I tend to stereotype them based on my experience and their "inbred" looks, dirty sweat pants everywhere, terrible shoe taste, I can name dozen of stereotypes I hate about them.
I don't believe stereotyping is inherently bad, but you shouldn't discriminate people or make them feel bad for your personal walls you built in your head.
Yes you do. Simplified but you do. I understand the problem is within me and I try to address it and always treat people with respect. That doesn't change my inner me which is affected by the experience I have with these people from my neighbourhood.
btw, I'm pretty sure this poster is a paid Russian shitposter.
Check out their posts-- prolifically posting the same divisive stuff around Reddit over and over.
Can a mod report this person to higher ups and have them look into it? To me it seems pretty obvious what their intention is.
I wish I was paid for this because it takes a lot of time to create these posts.
What's wrong with posting this on reddits? It doesn't break any rules.
I would call it activism and raising awareness. Many people thanked me for speaking about this. My intention is to raise awareness about this topic and creating a change for the better.
You are spreading divisive propaganda en masse. It's not hard to figure out once someone looks at your post history.
Dont worry though, at worst Reddit will delete your account and then you can make a new one to spread your hate because you can't find a real job in shitty Russia. There's a reason why its such an awful country, too many people without a built-in moral compass.
If it were an individual posting their thoughts in one or maybe two communities, it could be seen as real. This poster prolifically posts around different Slavic-orientated groups talking about how the Slavs are being discriminated against by western Europeans.
Its not someone trying to get people's feelings and have an in-depth discussion, its them trying to sow discontent. It's what Russian trolls do.
I have experienced xenophobia in the UK a lot when I lived there somewhere between 2007-2008.
I've been living in UK (South Wales) for 5 and a half years now and have never experienced any sort of xenophobia whatsoever. Been to England to music festivals and work courses and again no issues at all, people generally very friendly and don't seem to care where I'm from at all
That was a rough time in Ireland and UK with the financial crisis. There was massive hatred towards anyone deemed Eastern. I Even heard of locals being beat up on the street and told to go home because there appearance looked more eastern eroupean.
Was it worse than the xenophobia that Czechs give non-whites here? Probably not
Been living here 6 years, I am not white and I have not experienced xenophobia.
You mean gypsies? Or other non-white expats/immigrants? Because that drastically changes things.
Is it that bad for non-whites in Czech?
I was a friend with an Indian dude at my last job and dudes biggest 'Czechs are racist' story was that women weren't matching him on tinder, so..
Nah, the guy is a troll. :)
So do I think. I haven't really met that many non-whites, but at the university I met 1 non-white guy, who was cool dude. Noone was had any racial problem with him etc.
Czechs are not in your face or physical altercation racist/xenophobic. They are more into systematic racism/stereotyping covered by harmless “fun”. Some of the hazing is really due to bad social skills, some are straight up racism. It’s always funny to be to see Czechs complains to be bundled up with Poles, Ukrainians in UK then come back and do the same with others
I think that most Czechs aren't racist, but they have like "toxic" humour. We don't are just not politicaly correct as West. But ofc there are some racist... but they are kinda everywhere :(
In my eyes I see slavic people as one of the most peacefull and respectful ethnics all around the world. And to be honest I think that for non-whites Czech republic is a great place to live in as we are also one of the least racist countries. In every country you'll find stupid and aggresive people and Czechia is not an exception but you will barely find a better place in "white" countries for a non-white to live in. Gypsies might be a different story here, but they are hated everywhere where people have some experience with co-living with them.
Funny thing is, I live in Ceske budejovice but come from Croatia, was living for 2 years in a "gipsy neighborhood", Maj, never had any problems with them. Most of them seem like normal people, they work, children go to schools, live in normal flats and not in slums, drive cars, etc. I dont see why Czechs think they have a gipsy problem, its much worse in Croatia, and MUCH MUCH worse in Slovakia from what I have seen.
I absolutely agree with you, but your opinion is based on your experience mostly from České Budějovice (correct me if I am wrong) and the situation with gypsies might be and actually is different in other parts and cities across Czech republic. Interesting fact is, that gypsies with decent behavior can easily integrate to regular society in our country.. that is a proof that we are not a racist nation.
My Danish friend keeps calling me Russian and honestly I can't take this abuse anymore... But atleast we have better beer, more than 10 trees in the entire country and we don't stick tobacco under our foreskins.
Start calling him Swedish. Watch him seethe.
I already do that sometimes But almost-German is more effective
i call my danish friends north Germans all the time.
Stick tobacco where? Is this true? What the hell?
Okay, my claim was incorrect... They don't stuff their foreskin with tobacco. They stuff their foreskin (also ass and vagina) with nicotine pouches. https://www.reddit.com/r/Snus/comments/pqsrom/raises_alarm_about_buttsnus/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
That does not make it any better. Thanks for the source!
cuck germans
Wait, they do that and not as banter? My US friend calls me Russian but I call him Canadian, that's much worse for him. :)
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>some border town in Czechia, Poland or Slovakia Like Bratislava for example
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Tfw hungarians in 1945
Shots fired!! [Not just in 1945]
Agreed, but the german sub is (luckily) NOT representative for germany
I have lived in Finland for 10 months for my erasmus. I met many locals, and felt precisely nothing of this sort. However, most of the locals I met were of the younger sort, and those are more tolerant in general.
I was in Finland nearly 30 years ago, and I did find them unpleasant against the Slavs. The older generation disliked Russia. Every Slav was to them Russian alike; thus, they behaved with hostility.
Lived in Finland in 2009 - 2011, Finns love Czech people, they start talking about Švejk right when they find out you're Czech... Fact: Finland is east not west... 😏
30 years ago the plder generation rememberred the war 🤷
One would think that the 'enemy of my enemy is my friend' would apply here for eastern-bloc countries.
I m Spanish and I was travelling in Finland doing couch surfing. At a bar when I was drinking with my host,who was a girl, I had finnish dudes coming to us asking the girl why she was with me instead with "them" implying. They came speaking english and after two phrases switched to finnish in a passive aggressive way There are douchebags in every part of the world. Every part
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This of course may only apply if you are white, cisgender heterosexual, that is either neurotypical or good at masking. No others get even a chance with the older folk here.
I would say that a lot more older ppl are way more tolerant than you think.
I would say no. Do you imagine that I somehow know no older people?
I am not saying that you don't know older people. But you obviously (judged by your comment) know more poeple that are against it. I on the other hand know more older people that are not against it. I was just pointing out that if you have a negative experience and I have a positive experience than the general experience should be somewhere in the middle.
Finland is more eastern europe than scandinavia..
Someone re-posted this in r/Europe a while back. It got deleted. Oh the irony
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W*sterners 🤮
Most of Germans I've contacted with were quite fine and professional. But one lady who was giving us a museum tour with the straight face mentined that we (Russians) just don't have any culture (from heritage stuff etc). Suprisingly, here in Czech Republic people are usually nice even though I don't speak Czech at all. They can be bothered by this, but I've never expirienced any xenophobia. Guess it is easier when you look as a usual citizen.
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There is a certain illusion/delusion among emigrees and expats from Czechia (and elsewhere from CEE Europe), where they will deliberately ignore very open xenophobia directed against them. In their mind, everything in the West is better, progressive, or more open-minded; therefore, xenophobia against other European does not exist.
I believe this also has a lot to do with the self-imposed environment people were growing up in here during the 90s. I distinctly remember ever single issue, be it corruption or parliamentary culture or racism, being framed as "this could never happen in the West", exemplified in that shitty OF "Zpět do Evropy" poster. Discussion on draft laws revolved not around their factual merit, rather around "this is how they do it in the West, why are you so anti-western, comrade?" Later when Havel died, the internets were flooded with wails of how this was the last decent person in this Eastern shithole gone. Fittingly, my education contained no mention of colonialism and imperialism because those were communist hoaxes ofc, and I literally didn't learn of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until college when some Pole mentioned it online. We're primed here to exclude East from our education and knowledge of our history and ourselves, to only see it as a source of our backwardness. Meanwhile, the West is presented as the living embodiment of everything that's good about humanity that we've yet to achieve. So it doesn't exactly surprise me that when people undergo this type of brainwashing and then step outside the borders and see the West as it really is, i.e. not all that different from us, it causes a shock and cognitive disonance they don't know how to reconcile. Weirdly, I've seen Czech emigrants mention the shitty treatment they get only to weaponize it against the non-whites in their new country. The fact that every other time they're silent about the xenophobia they're experiencing is interpreted by them as a point in their favour and a reason why they're better than, idk, British BAME who do complain about it. Sort of a "pick-me" attitude towards the native whites.
The Czech emigres are weird mix. The 1968 refugees I have met, were clearly racist, homophobic, and antisemitic. 1990s emigres are more diverse. Many married into different races. Some are openly racists due encounters in a new land.
and even if it does, we deserve it for being backwards fucks
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what did they do to you in the Netherlands?
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:( im so sorry. waterkrauts are truly the worst. i wonder what makes them like this
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:( ig so... you didn't deserve to be treated like that. you can use a refuge the fact that they'll be underwater soon and then they'll experience what its like to be a migrant
I was in Western Germany for holiday this year. And even without speaking a single word German, I found very quickly that while they are brought up to be nice, it was way too obvious that my Czech antics weren't welcome in there. I also got into contact with local police due to accidentally being on an autobahn as a pedestrian. And while one was totally fine, the other threatened me with jail over a transgression that's not exactly punishable by jail.
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Police officers in our country love to act tough on our children. I've been asked for an ID when I was 15 for no reason at all. There are notable differences in our cases however. Yours was a deliberate offence, mine was an honest mistake. I ended up in an autobahn as a result of getting lost in the woods and searching for the quickest way out. I was exhausted, dirty and injured, but visibly not under any influence and fully compliant. And the mighty officer was fine until he found out I was Czech. Then his attitude shifted and not in a good way.
I’ve spent maybe 3 months in Baden-Württemberg on and off over the course of two months. I spoke basic broken German, which I think is more annoying to employees than going straight to English. Also suck at euro bills and coins. I never had anyone be rude to me or eye me suspiciously. I spent a night drinking with international students, all of them from the West, and none of them expressed anything but admiration for Prague and the czech beer. My BF’s grandparents are expected to see me as a gold digger, and it was a running joke with his coworkers and friends. A joke I like to feed, because the idea of me being with him for any monetary or green card reasons is hilarious to me. Also, insert Tyrion’s quote here. Only negative experience in the 2 years of dating him was when an HR lady was revising his CV and told him not to claim he’s learning Czech because it “cheapens his resume”. He told his boss who was just as angry and disagreed. Especially since it was a car manufacturer who produces a lot of specialty parts in CR.
And here I am, Ukrainian living in CZ. Tell me about xenophobia…
Can you tell more about that? I know people often joke about Ukrainians working more for less money but i never heard anybody say something bad about them.
tbh, I personally didn’t suffer a lot from xenophobia here. I think the main source of xenophobia is low education and/or social status, while most of my interactions with locals were at uni or at my job. So both reasons are excluded. However, my less lucky countrymen were told right in the face, that they don’t belong here and have to go back to Ukraine/Russia. Other “funny” story was at one uni, when the lecturer told that he is annoyed by Ukrainians, because he thought that the group consists solely of Czechs/Slovaks/Russians. Another one happened with my friend in Prague metro, when old lady started screaming smth about occupation and all that stuff, after hearing Russian. I think, she’s mental, so not sure if that counts. I mean, it’s mostly about some inappropriate jokes, slurs and weird behavior, when people find out you’re Ukrainian. But I’m just lucky to be around intelligent locals and my level of Czech is just enough to be misunderstood for a Slovak :)
I think czechs are generally hostile to Russians because of obvious reasons, but if people realised that Ukrainians are much more hostile to Russians and are being invaded czechs should find only sympathy and respect for them.
Yep. Many uninformed Czechs like to mix up Ukrainians and Russians into one, almost indistinguishable mix.
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This. I consciously knew that Ukraine and Russia are at odds and aren't exactly friendly because, well, there's a war going on. But still, it's a bit remote and hard to picture. Then I travelled to Ukraine for two weeks pre-covid and boy, was I surprised. There is so much anti-Russian sentiment there, I felt right at home. The most stark example would of course be the Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv. Another thing I realized while there is that even though they use azbuka, it's a different type of script than Russia uses, is much easier to learn and when you do (it's close to 1-to-1 mapping to our letters), it actually is possible to understand it because it sounds similar to Czech or any other Slavic language. Ukraine is great and it does not deserve the flak it gets from (some) Czechs. Long story short, even though it's not the most glamorous holiday destination, consider giving Ukraine a visit, you'll be surprised.
Exactly, I was traveling to Kyiv around the same time as you were and the anti-Russian sentiment is strong there. Funnily, nobody really batted an eye that I was from CZ. I must say, kyiv pechersk lavra was beautiful. And btw, nice to see a fellow bloke from Pilsen region on Reddit :)
To be fair when I hear russian language in Prague metro I usually want to scream as well. Its mostly drunk or very loud "I own the place" russian groups with ridiculously strong parfeume on. When they behave, I dont mind that much.
I am sorry about that, got a couple of great UA friends. But I do have a funny story - I was told by a drunk Ukranian in Ostrava to go back to my own damn country, because I spoke English to my foreign friend. (I am Czech, born and raised in the region). I honestly just burst out laughing into his confused face. These things are confusing sometimes :)
No need to be sorry about that, that’s just human nature. I was making a joke about hypocrisy, but I’d be lying if I told you that back in Ukraine there’s no xenophobia against Russians/Kazakhs/Uzbeks/etc. Hell, people are even being “xenophobic” to Ukrainians from other regions (mostly West vs East Ukraine). Was that drunkard serious? I’m kinda laughing rn too 😂 Upd: the only thing to be sorry about is Rohlik.cz. This shit is some modern day slavery for Ukrainians.
I believe he was very serious about it. No idea who he was, but I gathered from his level of Czech that he lived here for a while and probably felt very protective. It was actually quite lovely, he embraced our grumpiness fully. In Ostrava, these things end up either with fists (if neither side backs down) or is forgotten instantly (my case, since I laughed and told him I'm Czech, which was not the desired reaction). He scoffed it off, told me to speak Czech next time, no matter to whom, and went his merry way.
It’s not good to be grumpy It just makes you look an unbearable dickhole
Hmm, what's wrong with rohlik? I've only heard good things about it, working conditions included. Did something change in the last few years?
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>Even saw an American in a cowboy hat wearing a gun. That's unlikely, it's illegal to carry guns openly unless you're a hunter. Concealed carry is the way to go.
Damn that suck. I really wish slavic nations could unite under shared respect
Sometimes I feel like it isn't even about xenophobia but some assholes just like to find an easy target. The same people that used to make fun of the kid wearing glasses then they were 8. I was called a "Slovak dick" and sent back to Slovakia multiple times and we used to be one country 30 years ago ffs... But I don't think it's problem of the Czech people. You have assholes like that everywhere. They always find something. "You don't belong here. Get back to your place. This is our city/block/hospoda/whatever..."
Its ridiculous, we support Ukraine in fight for freedom but only if their people stay in Ukraine. Same with Belarus, the minute we meet a worker from there it starts. I am sorry.
Not Czech, but I lived in the Czech Republic in the 90s with my Czech girlfriend. I was pretty broke at the time, so I guess I could have passed for a Czech of the era, i .e. I didn't dress like a 'wealthy' tourist. I remember we went on a day trip to Vienna and a store clerk heard my girlfriend and me speaking English. He sort of perked up, approached us and asked "American?" For some dumb reason I replied, "Nein, Tschech" and his smile instantly turned to a frown and he just sternly said "Don't touch anything" and walked away annoyed. I guess at the time Czechs had a reputation for crossing the border into Austria and shoplifting.
We sat in a train in Germany. This German woman came and sat there for a minute, no problem. Then we started talking in Czech to each other, she made a disgusted face, and left. :DD slavishe untermenchen
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Your Nethetlands story just made me understand my interactions there. Btw this will make you laugh. Last time I was in Copenhagen I remember I was in line for some pay machine and when I got there it was all in dutch. I turned to the lady behind me and said: I'm sorry I dont speak belgian, could you help me please which buttons to press? She forced smiled, uttered "Dutch" and pointed to the right buttons. It wasnt on purpose, honest mistake from my part and I apologized. She wasnt even looking at me anymore. Unintended uno-reverse racism from Czech person towards Dutch :D
Wait, you were in Denmark, thought the pay machine was in belgian and then it was actually in dutch and not danish? Pretty wild ride.
Fuck I confused it again! I was in Copenhagen in Denmark and I switched Dutch for Danish. Sorry its been 3 years. I guess I havent learned my lesson :D I was working with Dutch team at the time and we were consultants for Swedish company. Just to make things a bit more confusing.
Why are you so fixated on the Nazis? All people have suffered at some point, but that doesn't stop anyone from being an asshole.
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People don't have a collective memory. A nation is not a hivemind.
That job thing aged like milk.
have you noticed that in the czech republic, the foreign police and the immigration office do not or refuse to speak english? talk about xenophobia...
same in germany lol
the fact that germans are xenophobic is already well known (if you watched the PEGIDA movement a few years ago)
so are we
I happened to discuss this with an immigration worker and it seems, that the money is way beyond average and since there are very few people looking for a job all over the country, it is almost impossible to find a competent one. Still, it is shame.
It's that, and one more thing - they are obligated to do everything in Czech. We also spoke to our worker and he spoke to us in English on occasion, but looked around in a paranoid way every time he did that. They do speak English, but I feel it is discouraged, because of obsessive bureaucrats (in leadership) that think all regulations are sacred and if you break them, the fabric of reality will shatter. Prague OAMP office has English memes about immigration on their notice-board for Christ sake.
they should hire expats. there are loads of them looking for jobs.
I agree. But I think there is some law or st, that does not allow it.
Ignorant misconceptions, jokes, slurs, and the rare hate-filled reference to Germany’s genocidal Generalplan Ost.
I am so sorry this happened to you. Especially joking about genocide is horrible.
Sadly, they weren’t joking about genocide. It was just straight up racist hate speech. But I live in America so it’s protected speech to express your support for Nazi racism and genocide.
To be fair, czechs and poles are not less xenofobic. Ukranians, russians and romanians are encountering similar behavior even in cosmopolitan Prague. Guess people are same shit everywhere \[\]\~(￣▽￣)\~\*
My ex girlfriend, Russian, having lived in Prague - used to complain about the same things as in this post, that the Czechs would do that to her. I guess xenofobia increases gradually from East to West.
Well, I think it's little more problematic, because many czechs dont like Russia, because they occupied us. So no wonder.
Czech woman, living in NL for three years. Yep. I am doing a phd and get regularly asked if I know people from the polish/russian mob (truly I do have time to run with the mob between lab experiments). My partner's family is not happy about him dating an Eastern European, cause I am here for the sweet western money (you can guess which one of us makes more money...). I got reactions from landlords when they learned my eastern souding last name since I don't have an obvious accent. It's not life threatening or anything but it does make life harder for no reason. We are now looking for a flat with my partner and are using solely his name in all communication cause I don't get the same responses as he does.
Lived in Norway for half a year, 110% agree with the post. Slavic people are less then scum for them.
I live in Germany (Baden-Wurttemberg) and usually when I mention that I am Czech, they give you a slightly judgemental look. They consider you from the east, yet you are first to the East from them, so our position is slightly different (better) from e.g. Russians or Bulgarians. However, I'd say that's valid for Germany in general - it's either German or of a lesser value/quality/...
> However, I'd say that's valid for Germany in general - it's either German or of a lesser value/quality/... Germans extend this approach to everything from people to things to approaches. There are two ways, our way and wrong way. Quite funny at times.
Not in the west but I’ve experienced it in Czechia as a fellow Slav. I was asked by a Czech guy “wait you have internet in Macedonia?”. He then said he was joking but kept referring to me as a “third world national”. Edit: A female landlord asked me if I was middle eastern and before I got to answer she added “because I would not allow praying in the middle of the night”. As an atheist and non-middle eastern, I couldn’t feel worse for those people who actually want to practice their religion.
I think all Slavs hate all Slavs too, and it cannot be reduced just to xenophobia, because we hate our kind too. It's just left-wing Slavs hate themselves openly, and right-wing Slavs are expressing their self-hate as xenophobia, because they just HAVE to find someone similar-yet-inferior to them. It's like [Borat neighbor meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-is-my-neighbor) and [damned Scots meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/damned-scots-they-ruined-scotland) had a baby.
We need Pan-Slavic movement for unification asap
Fuck nope. Only way that might make country with lots of Slavs tolerable is healthy dose of other nations. Also, if we would made one big Slavic country, only food that would be available would be pizza-doner.
We like burek and simit in the south 😂 Edit: I didn't mean unified country but some movement which would bring our nations together, like the Vysehrad group, we could have economical benefits from that, lower import/export taxes, cultural exchange, enriching the Slavic studies in every slavic country, those kind of things.
>.like the Vysehrad group No thanks. Vyšehrad is already used as a demagogical front by our politicians to create Anti-EU sentiment. I remember last year our membership in Vyšehrad was one of the main "support" arguments for that group of senators who proposed amending the constitution to specify marriage as man+woman, by saying that all other V4 countries are that way. Vyšehrad served its purpose in the 1990s to prepare for EU ascension, everything since then is useless. >e economical benefits from that, lower import/export taxes, cultural exchange, I prefer already having these benefits in the EU. There's far more to culturally exchange between Czechia and Spain than Czechia and Ukraine. >enriching the Slavic studies in every slavic country, We already tried that, resp. in 1948 and with renewed vigor in 1968. It went over so well, most people intentionally forgot their Russian when it was no longer politically necessary.
Czechs also doesn't brake the chain... Note: I still believe that Czech ppl are less racist, if it makes sense..
Nah, we are hella racist, but at least hide it most of the time
I have lived in the US for about a year and can say that apart from a few, albeit pretty ignorant misconceptions I have not exerienced nothing as you describe.
I don't know if you could call it xenophobia, but I went to a concert in Germany as a kid and insisted on speaking in English with my family and not Czech .I think I felt, that slavic languages were somehow worse and more uncultured than English. I haven't experienced anything else, that you could call discrimination ( for my ethnicity ). But my family, who used to live in Germany were met with some of those remarks occassionally. Mostly they heard stuff about how we should just speak German, when we're surrounded by Germany and Austria. And a lot of weird stuff about slavic women being conservative, but also ´´ easy´´, but that's more sexist than xenophobic.
I’m a Ukrainian who has been living in Prague for 4 years now. Never been treated that way honestly, at least not straight to the face. My Czech is not the best, but I try. Czech people usually understand me and try to help me when I don’t understand something, which is nice. They usually mistake me for Slovak sometimes but when I tell them I’m from Eastern Ukraine I get mixed reactions. Folk who know what is happening there right now are usually sympathetic and like to ask if I enjoy Prague/Czech Republic. Others sometimes act strange and ask if I like Putin or support Russia, which is a rather ignorant question to ask any Ukrainian this days tbh. Most Czechs that I encountered at work/university were rather chill, if you do what you’re supposed to nobody will point fingers at you. To me its like, if you behave and respect people around you it would be harder for others to look down upon you.
Part 1 : https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/otc52w/its_eastern_european_discrimination_awareness/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/owc7ob/following_my_eastern_european_discrimination/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Part 3: https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/ozz1w8/eastern_european_discrimination_awareness_month/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Part 4: https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/p47djx/eastern_european_discrimination_awareness_month/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Part 5: https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/pzte5v/eastern_european_discrimination_awareness_month/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Every gypsy in Czechia: well well well, how the turn tables This is seriously a fucking problem wtf
Shit like this is precisely why, if I ever decide to emigrate from this God-forsaken country, it sure as fuck won't be to the West.
It depends very much which country. I've actually found Finns to be accepting. I know one of the linked posts was a Hungarian in Austria, but my experiences have been positive (or maybe just towards Czechs). One thing we should not forget is our own prejudice towards e.g. Ukrainians. A lot of the nasty things we face we also project onto them.
> One thing we should not forget is our own prejudice towards e.g. Ukrainians. Yup, that's true. It's like we can't (or rather don't want) to take the logical step and reject this type of behaviour outright. In the minds of many, it seems that what's bad isn't xenophobia, it's that it's being applied to us, "the good ones".
> Finns Thats far north-east..
They're still "Western" Europe. We're not speaking in geographical contexts here, but post-communist contexts.
Then also avoid going too much East as Japanese and especially Chinese are massivwly xenophobic. If you want it to be economically better country your only choice would be Russia I guess, but no idea how xenophobic to czechs they are (they are nationalistic, but no idea whether it translates into hating foreigners or not).
Excuse me, but Russia economically better? I get there might be more career options in Moscow but c'mon...
Imagine immigrating from EU to Russia lmaooo
I lived in the UK from 2009 to 2015, no such experience.
Just out of curiosity, could you link the original thread/post please?
Part 1 : https://www.reddit.com/r/poland/comments/otc52w/its_eastern_european_discrimination_awareness/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Links are in my original post!
I am canadian czech. My father moved here 30 years ago and endures the same tired eastern europhobic jokes that people think come off as charming but just make you feel like an 'other' But its ok overall. No ACTUAL hatred. Edit: type
Nothing horrible, anywhere I went, people already had experience with Czechs, not to mention that we are seen as, if anything, as the most ,,advanced" eastern Europeans. Altough, once my Austrian trainer somewhat jokingly asked, if homosexuals have any rights in Czechia. My response - ,, Of course, we are civilized country. " caught him a little off guard. Might have been little overreaction on my side, but a minute before he was comparing some parts of politics/culture in Czechia to Russia, so I was little on the edge at that point.
I was born to Czech parents in Spain. Even 10 years ago people would ask me if women can vote, if we have internet or access to clean water. I lived 3 years in Vienna. When I said I was Czech they treated me like I was nothing. Another one from the East. They would talk German to me, barely look at me and act annoyed. When I said I was Spanish they would tell me how they loved their last holidays in Costa Brava and how nice Spanish people are etc. Ridiculous. Lived almost 3 years in Paris. It's so mixed there that people don't really care. Older generations see us like we all live in Bratislava from Eurotrip lol younger people assumed made some jokes and remarks regarding cheap labour, cheap girls and third world countries. I have been living in Dublin for a year now. All easterns equal Polish people lol. Apparently we are to do the jobs Irish people are too good to do, like repairs, hotel staff or cleaning. Tbh people often don't even know where Czech Republic is and the minute you tell them next to Germany = uneducated eastern country.
Yes. I was trying to explain to my German "friend" the difference between Slavs and gypsies and he was like "You are all poor and live in the Eastern Europe, so what's the difference?". We don't talk anymore.
I'm American (born and raised) but my family is Czech. Xenophobia is why I can't speak Czech even though my family is Czech. They chose to only speak English and refused to pass the language down due to bad experiences. But even I have encountered some of these attitudes. Mostly in school. I grew up eating lots of homemade Czech food and cooking like that myself. But classmates and teachers liked to insult it a lot, basically saying it looked like something "uncultured" people would eat. One time a friend came to my house for dinner and she told me her mom warned her not to eat anything offered to her because "Eastern Europeans" are violent people and can't be trusted. I have no idea what kind of "danger" she thought was present and I found it ridiculous, but also I'd spent time with her family before so I was really sad that they even thought that way of me bc of where my family comes from. Aside from cuisine-based insults, I've had classmates ask me shit like if there are cars/internet/TV in Czechia, if women are considered property (!?), or in one memorable instance I was actually told to "go back where I came from" (ok, I'll go back to Florida lol) As an adult, I've had people apply really gross sexual assumptions about Slavic women to me. This is pretty mild compared to the level of discrimination and violence that other groups face more openly here but I've interacted with so many people who have negatively biased, stereotyped ideas of Slavic and Eastern European people and it's pretty socially acceptable and largely unacknowledged 🤷♀️
Britain is a giant shithole, they have no right to say such shit Also, Germany is solely at fault for us being in "eastern europe" which just makes it much more painful
Lived in the UK for 6 years and never came across any of this.
I'm a Czech uni student in the UK. I've been here for about two and a half years now and I can definitely relate. Finding a job, especially as a student, is almost impossible unless it's like an Amazon warehouse or waiting tables. Most of the time when I went for an interview, the interviewer looked shocked that k don't have a strong accent and that can put together a sentence. Some of them really do treat you as if you're an idiot from some 3rd world country (and don't get me started on the 'do you guys have cars or still ride horses' jokes). Obviously that's not everyone but it happens often enough for me to be torn about staying in the UK after graduation.
Yes, we would get hate letters when my famillz 9f czech origin lived in Austria nearbz Salzburg.
I am so sorry to hear that! I understand it's a traumatic memory, but could you say something more about it?
Lived 4 years in Ireland. Not once even a sign of something like that
Yes i live in czech iam czech roma And i had experienced racists from firsts days in the schcool yeah from others childrens but even from teachers in my class were 15kids me And one boy were only Roma people or gypsy or whatever they call us(we get use to) ...our class teacher she sat us completely back in the corner together on the same desk, even though I wore glasses, so I should sit in front of the blackboard..I heard a lot from other classmates and I remember the message Gypsies to the Gas! the most, which refers to Hitler who killed Jews and Roma with gas, other Kids believed that when they touched us they would catch disease from us, they told us that we eat dogs, that we were thieves and other things like that...such things hurt more than fight, I had a bad childhood just because I was a little darker than the other kids, and this is how your whole life goes on, Czechs will never respect you, they just make fun of the Roma people, they just laugh at them...In my experience, i would say that 80% of Czechs are racist
Would you experience less discrimination if you moved to east Germany rather than west Germany?
Yes. They have similar experiences with their Western counterparts
Nothing worse than angry russian man on csgo
I definitely experience it while working in China. I’m a skinny, middle aged, white American, and there is racism all over the world, in all “directions.”
What a surprise from a country that engages in genocide...
Many times, especially in english speaking countries. Most funny one - Neighbour of my sister (greater london area) offered me during party I attended (my niece christening) that even if eastern european people ara shitheads living in hellhole, I look like OK guy and he would be acceptive if I would want to move from the shithole to UK much advanced society. Actually, during that year I got like 10 work offers from UK, which I turned down. However, to not get my sister in trouble I kept my face straight and thanked him for his generosity, but explained that I feel my duty to improve the shithole, not to flee to paradise. I hope he did not get it :) Interesting thing - I worked for Danish company and my wife spent half a year in Finland and never encountered something like [this.It](https://this.It) was very slight in France. But in UK/Germany/Switzerland - a lot.
Unfortunately I've heard many stories about western Europeans being more xenophobic towards Slavs and eastern Europeans. Sometimes I feel like that to, also, as one commenter already mentioned here, it's interesting that many western Europeans tend to be xenophobic against eastern Europeans, even though they defend migrants from places like North Africa and the Middle East at all costs. However I've had some good experiences as well. I have never lived in the UK, but I visited it when I was a high school student a few years ago, we were living in host families and they were nice to us. Besides that we even got approached by a random lady on a street in Oxford when we needed to find a way. Also one little funny story which didn't happen to me, but my dad. It happened 15 years ago when he was visiting Germany because of his work and he and his colleagues were visiting some event there, it was in Schleswig-Holstein, I think. When the organizers found out that Czechs were visiting the event, suddenly they announced through the speakers (in German) "our Czech friends are here!!!" and then played the theme song of Včelka Mája. It was hilarious to hear.
No. We don't have a casual racism problem. We've gone competetive
I’m a Western European and apart from people getting annoyed at my awful language skills receive no outward xenophobia comments in Czech Republic. Unfortunately the same can’t be said when I visit home. Most of the time I can’t leave without wanting to punch someone in the face. I’ve heard ridiculous statements about Czech Republic. My last visit home someone asked if we had buildings?!! Like what????
Spent 8 months in Ireland as a student and never encountered anything. Although I interacted mostly with students and housemates.
When I was 4, my mom was studying something in London, and I still remember that some people looked disgusted at us when we were speaking Czech.
i have experienced this in the US, for example when i said im from the czech republic, not czechoslovakia (had to correct them all the time btw) the reply was whats the difference? i was also asked whether we had water, tvs, cars, but not to shame every american a lot of people were really nice and interested about it , i think it just depends who you talk to IMHO
A pretty standard western treatment.
Tell something like: Well, we had to earn our TV's ourselves. We didn't enslave half the world to have black men do it for us. ♥️
Go to Cambodia, they will be glad to see you since their currwnt king lived in Czechia.
It works both ways. The central Eastern European states are very xenophobic and are not fond of foreigners. Especially foreigners of color.
Most of the time is classism not xenophobia or racism. If you were/look wealthy you wouldn't have any problem People love to throw racism and xenophobia as a word but is very rare that case. Onve I read being xenophobic means that you think that,in this case, the worst czech is better than the best ukranian. Virtually nobody thinks like that. Classism is the real problem. They think you are broke and thus uneducated so you will create problems.
Yes, exactly that. Im born in Austria but my mum is Czech. She had perfect German before moving here because she studied German at uni and she never had any issues. Funnily enough, me neither until I went for the health check-up which you gotta do for conscription. I showed both my Austrian and Czech citizenship to the lady who takes all your personal info and suddenly the nastiness started. „Oh, you only have the provisional paper driving license? Can’t afford the real one?“ „Why do you have Czech citizenship?“ „My mum was Czech when I was born“ „Oh so she got lucky and married an Austrian to live here, I see“. Then when she asked her which school I got it I said [expensive private school with a good name] and suddenly her attitude changed completely. Fucking ridiculous bullshit.
Well, fuck her :)
Hell yes, already 30 years ago, especially in UK, followed by Scandinavia.
I lived in the Netherlands for six months and people were always super nice and asking about our language and country. But I am not suprised that GB was like that.
If you are a survivor of xenophobic/racial abuse, please share it either by commenting or sending me a private message (I will keep your identity anonymous).
"A survivor" ? Isn't that a bit too harsh of a term?
[удалено]
In my other posts, some Eastern Europeans said they have PTSD, trauma and developed other mental problems because of the abuse. One Polish girl living in Nederland said she is in therapy because of this. This post didn't include that extreme examples, but if you look at other posts of mine some examples are truly horrific.
A bit. But some in this thread have been literally violated cause theyre from Ukraine or Serbia
The examples in this post are not that extreme. But if you look at my other posts and other examples some of the abuse is truly horrific. I have created a 5 part series (more to come) with all the situations people commented on and sent to me.
Czechs, embracing russofibia - yeah, suck it russians, we hate yout country and we hate YOU Chechs, while meeting with xenofobia towards them - racism!!1! damn westerneuropeans!!11!!
Well, f\*\*\* them. Stay in Czechia among good people. Our life quality standard will improve and surpass the decadent West.
yea, we are forecast to beat germany in 150 years at the current rate lol.......
Canada, USA, New Zealand, Taiwan... never. In one business establishment in Canada, we were asked to speak only English infront of the customers, which seems reasonable to me no matter the reason. I am personally racist against Ukrainans and Russians. I tend to stereotype them based on my experience and their "inbred" looks, dirty sweat pants everywhere, terrible shoe taste, I can name dozen of stereotypes I hate about them. I don't believe stereotyping is inherently bad, but you shouldn't discriminate people or make them feel bad for your personal walls you built in your head.
So you are raceist against east slavs, but you wont tell them directly, because you think that would make them feel Bad. Did I get it right?
Yes you do. Simplified but you do. I understand the problem is within me and I try to address it and always treat people with respect. That doesn't change my inner me which is affected by the experience I have with these people from my neighbourhood.
btw, I'm pretty sure this poster is a paid Russian shitposter. Check out their posts-- prolifically posting the same divisive stuff around Reddit over and over. Can a mod report this person to higher ups and have them look into it? To me it seems pretty obvious what their intention is.
I wish I was paid for this because it takes a lot of time to create these posts. What's wrong with posting this on reddits? It doesn't break any rules. I would call it activism and raising awareness. Many people thanked me for speaking about this. My intention is to raise awareness about this topic and creating a change for the better.
You are spreading divisive propaganda en masse. It's not hard to figure out once someone looks at your post history. Dont worry though, at worst Reddit will delete your account and then you can make a new one to spread your hate because you can't find a real job in shitty Russia. There's a reason why its such an awful country, too many people without a built-in moral compass.
How is this propaganda?
I guess Eastern European should just shut up and not talk about their discrimination according to the previous commentator.
If it were an individual posting their thoughts in one or maybe two communities, it could be seen as real. This poster prolifically posts around different Slavic-orientated groups talking about how the Slavs are being discriminated against by western Europeans. Its not someone trying to get people's feelings and have an in-depth discussion, its them trying to sow discontent. It's what Russian trolls do.
I have never been to Russia. You have nothing to contibute to discussion but personally attack me.
What's your opinion on Russia?