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I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you. Brexit also put a lot of psychological pressure on my wife. She's from a Baltic country, but during Brexit, she'd c

I'm sorry to hear that this happened to you. Brexit also put a lot of psychological pressure on my wife. She's from a Baltic country, but during Brexit, she'd constantly be asked if she was Polish for no reason at all. -"Hi, nice to meet you" -"Hi, are you Polish?" Nothing against Polish people of course, but it made her start to gradually lose it. Each new instance would bring tears for days Luckily, it seems Brexit is not on everyone's mind now. Good luck to you, try not to stress out (it's not your fault)

frereubu 5y ago
There is a divide between attitudes to continental Europeans in the UK though. I'm British and my wife is Spanish, and although she feels much more unwelcome now it's nothing compared to some of the racially-charged rubbish that I've heard people openly say about people from eastern European countries.
- collaborative 5y ago
  True. I am Spanish myself and feel super welcome, unlike my wife (although I have an American accent which makes it easier for me to disguise I guess). My ears cringe each time I hear things like "Beast from the east", let alone "PIIGS". It's a cultural/media problem
eptcyka 5y ago
Me and my partner are in the same boat as your wife - we're from the baltic states and when people are curious about our origins, they ask if we're polish or not. I don't really hold it against people, but having to reassert your own ethnicity gets tiring. Most people are not aware of the country I come from anyway. As a side note of the knowledge the general public holds, it seems like the history knowledge people get out of highschool is severely lacking.
- collaborative 5y ago
  When I lived in the US everyone would automatically assume I was Mexican (I am Spanish), so I totally get how it feels. I remember that some times I'd even say that yes, I was Mexican, just to avoid having to spend any time on it. For example, in the US loads of people think that Spain is next to Mexico. So I'd joke that I went home by train, and if nobody blinked, I'd at least get a laugh out of it. This is a big part of why I love all the Borat movies
- biscotte_ 5y ago
  I live in the Uk, i’m not British, and speak with a foreign accent. I was extremely surprised to see people complain of the « racist abuses »... until i read those few posts explaining that the « racists abuses » in question were the mere fact of being asked « what’s your accent ». Ok, if being asked what your accent is, is a « racial abuse », then yes, i guess i am a victim and should whine and maybe ask for money? Stop being snowflakes.
  - collaborative 5y ago
    Please don't pretend to reference the parent comment with what you say by falsely quoting "racial abuse" - the parent comment never said that. And we don't know what "racial abuse" referred to in the original comment.
    - biscotte_ 5y ago
      « my children and wife started to experience a level of racially motivated abuse that we had not seen before.« To which both people replied saying « same for us ». You’re welcome.
      - collaborative 5y ago
        Still making stuff up. Read again
        w_t_payne 5y ago
        Sadly, behind every person who is prepared to act upon his or her racial animus with acts of physical violence directed against the innocent and helpless, there is an army of equally malevolent supporters and enablers who willingly compound the harm and trauma with gaslighting and similar abusive and manipulative acts.
        collaborative 5y ago
        Yes, at some point one has to wonder whether this is intentional. But it could also just be a product of cognitive dissonance which makes people read or understand something that has no basis in reality
gambiting 5y ago
I'm Polish and I run into this all the time. Every time I get asked "are you Polish"? Sometimes the asker is genuienly just curious, but sometimes the tone of the conversation somehow cools down when I say yes. Lived here for 11 years and don't think I have much of an accent, but people still ask.
icare_1er 5y ago
Gosh, that is so terrible, someone noticed your accent and asked where you came from... sounds like the IVth Reich is coming fast !!

frereubu 5y ago

There is a divide between attitudes to continental Europeans in the UK though. I'm British and my wife is Spanish, and although she feels much more unwelcome now it's nothing compared to some of the racially-charged rubbish that I've heard people openly say about people from eastern European countries.

collaborative 5y ago
True. I am Spanish myself and feel super welcome, unlike my wife (although I have an American accent which makes it easier for me to disguise I guess). My ears cringe each time I hear things like "Beast from the east", let alone "PIIGS". It's a cultural/media problem

eptcyka 5y ago

Me and my partner are in the same boat as your wife - we're from the baltic states and when people are curious about our origins, they ask if we're polish or not. I don't really hold it against people, but having to reassert your own ethnicity gets tiring. Most people are not aware of the country I come from anyway. As a side note of the knowledge the general public holds, it seems like the history knowledge people get out of highschool is severely lacking.

collaborative 5y ago
When I lived in the US everyone would automatically assume I was Mexican (I am Spanish), so I totally get how it feels. I remember that some times I'd even say that yes, I was Mexican, just to avoid having to spend any time on it. For example, in the US loads of people think that Spain is next to Mexico. So I'd joke that I went home by train, and if nobody blinked, I'd at least get a laugh out of it. This is a big part of why I love all the Borat movies
biscotte_ 5y ago
I live in the Uk, i’m not British, and speak with a foreign accent. I was extremely surprised to see people complain of the « racist abuses »... until i read those few posts explaining that the « racists abuses » in question were the mere fact of being asked « what’s your accent ». Ok, if being asked what your accent is, is a « racial abuse », then yes, i guess i am a victim and should whine and maybe ask for money? Stop being snowflakes.
- collaborative 5y ago
  Please don't pretend to reference the parent comment with what you say by falsely quoting "racial abuse" - the parent comment never said that. And we don't know what "racial abuse" referred to in the original comment.
  - biscotte_ 5y ago
    « my children and wife started to experience a level of racially motivated abuse that we had not seen before.« To which both people replied saying « same for us ». You’re welcome.
    - collaborative 5y ago
      Still making stuff up. Read again
      - w_t_payne 5y ago
        Sadly, behind every person who is prepared to act upon his or her racial animus with acts of physical violence directed against the innocent and helpless, there is an army of equally malevolent supporters and enablers who willingly compound the harm and trauma with gaslighting and similar abusive and manipulative acts.
        collaborative 5y ago
        Yes, at some point one has to wonder whether this is intentional. But it could also just be a product of cognitive dissonance which makes people read or understand something that has no basis in reality

gambiting 5y ago

I'm Polish and I run into this all the time. Every time I get asked "are you Polish"? Sometimes the asker is genuienly just curious, but sometimes the tone of the conversation somehow cools down when I say yes. Lived here for 11 years and don't think I have much of an accent, but people still ask.

icare_1er 5y ago

Gosh, that is so terrible, someone noticed your accent and asked where you came from... sounds like the IVth Reich is coming fast !!