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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: How often are you discriminated against because of your ethnicity and how do you handle it?
just when looking for jobs, its nothing this is china we actually benefit from the discrimination here so why would anyone get bent out of shape
Unfortunately, my race is not something that could give me an advantage anywhere in the world so...yeah.
well i would like to say that yes ofcourse when you go in to job market chinese are raciest, no doubt about it.
even when they display jobs they mentioned openly, i want black, white or brown person, i think there must be a law in china to prevent discrimination.
Never experienced much discrimination but it is taken for granted that you do not understand how much things cost and you can afford to pay lots more than locals do for things.
Njord:
Is that your nice way of saying they screw people over because their foreigners? I don't know about Australia but where I'm from we don't hike up the price 300% because it's a Chinaman buying it...
woody:
It's like any business where there are few consumer laws. You reakon there is any country that does not tray and rip tourists off if the oportunity arrises. And yes in Australia there have been many examples of Chinese and jananese tourists being herded into stores specially set up to sell to tour groups and payiong way over the odds for wool and bee products, opals and cheap touristy crap. FFS if you think the price is OK and pay it, is that the sellers fault.
I think their racist as hell here and they screw you over because your not Chinese (granted they screw each other over for 1 yuan as well) so yah...
Usually I get benevolent racism (because I'm white) like people offering me seats on the bus (which I don't take), people wanting to drink with me, and people generally just being curious about me and where I come from. If you're black then it's a whole other set of rules and expectations. Like 1930's Alabama.
I find it a bit ironic that back in my country if you tried to screw somebody from another country be it in a job situation or a financial transaction you would probably find yourself facing a racial discrimination hearing. Here in China racism is alive and well and as a foreigner I am fair game in the fruit and vegetable markets, in the clothing stores and even buying train tickets with regard to availability. To overcome this I do two things: check the big store price for goods so that I have a base to work from when bargaining and when purchasing tickets I use Chinese friends.
They say there is a sucker born every minute so just be aware that if they can drag an extra yuan out of you then they will try. It's human nature too.
This is not restricted to China - as a foreigner in any country I have found this to be the case and I might add that the same is practised if possible on visitors to our country if the opportunity presents itself.
It's a case of 'buyer beware' all over the world AND on the internet. Hard to discern whether this need to bargain an extra dollar / yuan / peso / baht is greed or racism though!!
In general living I have found Chinese to be only too happy to have you eat at their restaurants, teach them and / or their kids English and want you as a friend.
woody:
Agree with all that. Is it a coincidence or is there another reason behind the fact that those who appear on here to be a little tolerant of others and sensible in their approach to things haverelatively few problems and seem quite happy to put up with those that occur, while those who come accross as pricks have lots of issues. Off course there are many things that cause annoyance at times but with a little understanding they are generally overcome or can be ignored after the initial frustration subsides.
kchur:
In my country, the Chinese keep civil rights lawyers on their speed-dial.
DaqingDevil:
Haha. That's a pretty funny comment Kchur. I think it's true too!!
I've noticed that they don't just treat you differently because of your ethnicity, but also because of your sex. I've heard of so many guys coming to China, being mistreated. I have not had any such bad experiences. True, I have only been here for a month, but I think that is long enough to experience even a little of what will continue to happen in the future. I'm going to take a guess and say that female foreigners will be treated better than male foreigners, especially if they think you are pretty. In America, I am just average looking, but here they think I am very pretty. Today there was even a young man driving by me in a small truck, he noticed me and said hello, not paying attention to where he was driving. I was worried that he was going to run into someone; afterwards my friend and I laughed about it. I do have some students at this college asking to be my friend because I am a foreigner, and wanting to improve their English. I have also had a little boy cry in my presence because I am a foreigner. Of course many people stare at me, but it's not out of dislike or disgust, but rather curiosity.
I have not really tried to buy anything, and yes, when I do I will probably be taken advantage of as far as prices go because I am a foreigner. But for the most part, the only discrimination I have faced is favorable or at the worst, neutral. Yes, people say that women here don't have it as good as men because they are not treated equally. However, there are plenty of guys who will do anything in their power if a girl asks them for help. Sa jiao, anyone? I am sorry if you are discriminated against in a bad way, the Chinese are very obvious about it. I hope that you did some research before coming to China so that you knew what you would be facing here.
I would say that you should try to smile as much as possible, even if they are trying to screw you over. Only use anger as a last resort, sometimes it is useful. I would also say that while they try to screw you over, their methods are often obvious. Think about what they will say before you begin a conversation and work out a plan to counteract what they do. After all, as people say on here, Chinese think they are clever, so you should be a little clever yourself. A little preparation goes a long way.
Basically never. As you would expect from GoldenBoy, he is all the Chinese expect from a 'laowai'. He has white skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. China fell to it's knees when The GoldenBoy stepped foot off the plane upon his first coming.
As has been said, there certainly is discrimination and the best way to handle it is the same way we handle it in the States. Ignore it and let it "slide of your back", so to speak. You can't change people's ignorant thoughts.