to feel nervous of travelling abroad as a multi-racial family?

[SufferingSaffy]

Just wanted to say I've never been abroad so I think it's fear of the unknown as much as anything.

I'm (white) thinking of going on our first holiday abroad (somewhere in Europe, most likely Spain or Cyprus) next Summer with my black husband and mixed race DCs.

Am I worrying over nothing?

Is it any more likely we would be confronted with racism any more than at home?

Would we be best to stick with touristy areas?

Sorry to be a bit wet. If it was just me and DH I probably wouldn't be as worried but with our young children it's becoming a big worry in my head.

Oi! As a Millwall household, I take offence, Joanofark.

racist taunting happens in this country too and racist incidents sometimes make the press- so you could well see how somebody from another country might read that and be hesitant about coming here

the thing is that we have a more balanced view of our own country and know from experienced that the good usually outweighs the bad

it's hard to have that level headedness about a situation you know nothing about

but I am sure you will be fine OP

I am only just beginning to realise how much of a problem racism is in Eastern Europe.

But in France and Spain, op, I am sure you will be absolutely fine. Hope you enjoy your travels .

Thanks again everybody. I do definitely feel better about it. I suppose that's what I was hoping for from posting here, the reassurance that I'm probably being silly.
I've never been abroad, as I said so I'm nervous about going anywhere full stop. But DH went to Austria (as a teen, so a long time ago!) and he was on the receiving end of racist taunts even though he was just a kid.

how sad you feel this way :( totally understandable though after all the recent news

i am sure in most of europe you will be fine, italy is wonderful :)

A friend of mine who is Pakistani is going to Poland over the summer as her son has a school sports tour there. She will be based in Warsaw but wanted to visit Krakow and she said she would go by herself, on the train. I didn't want to over-react or seem alarmist but I am a bit nervous about that. I have no idea how likely she is to be at risk of abuse or attack in a major city but I can't help worrying.

We live in the Middle East and although she has a home in the UK I am not sure how much she keeps up with UK/Europe-centric news. I am wondering if I should warn her to take care/think twice about the train trip?

I feel stupid even typing this. Hopefully it's just confined to horrible thuggish football fans but I suspect not.

Both countries you are mentioning are very touristy but Spain is bigger and there are some less touristy areas. In Cyprus you cannot find an un-touristy area even if you try because it is a small country-island. I don't think there is anything left to shock the locals there anymore. Anyway there are many mixed-race families living permanetely on the island. I hope you have great hols! (i will be there in August too)

Not a silly question at all.

The South of France is very often not ok, as I know from personal experience and that of a family member. However, Paris and Lyon and other tourist areas have been fine, and Corsica gave our family a very warm welcome. Actually, we went to Northern France in the early 1980s as a family and it was fine then too.

Germany used not to be very OK (again, from personal experience) but my best German friend assures me it has changed out of all recognition and is now absolutely fine.

I've never had a problem in Spain, Italy or Greece. My Spanish colleague assures me racism is not rife in Spain, which has many many people of other races living there originally from its own former colonies. The only racism I tend to experience in Spain is anti-immigrant ranting about how Britain is going down the tubes from FIL's delightful drunken fellow Brit expat friends. It doesn't ever seem to occur to FIL I might not want to spend my holiday evenings listening to such bollocks.

Bear in mind a lot of the hostility you read about is either football-specific (still not ok, obviously) directed at immigrants and asylum-seekers from developing countries, while tourists from places like the UK are treated very differently.

I agree with EC - not a silly question at all.

I found the South of France fine, although that may be because I was speaking French to them . I know others who have found Northern France more racist.

I have been to Germany many times over the years and can't even think of any incidences of racism towards me.

I agree that as you are nervous, stick to tourist areas. I have travelled through Spain by train (years ago) and came across quite a bit of ignorance outside of the tourist towns. My brother did too on a different holiday.

However, I will say that I have encountered a bit of ignorance outside the tourist towns of England .

As someone said above, you can always stick to the 'Brit' resorts if it makes you feel more comfortable, but don't let the very few small minded people stop you from having a lovely experience.

I speak French too. But certain areas are Front National strongholds, and it shows.

I'm still waiting for an aplogy from Joan for her Millwallist comment.

*apology

Lot of people in spain can be racist in their language and their views if you converse with them and know them well but the actual chance of them being racist and abusive to your face is almost nil I would say and I am there a lot of the time.

Racism sadly exists everywhere, but I don't think you need to worry OP. Our family is multiracial (White/Asian) and we have travelled extensively together, across several different continents). We have never really encountered any problems except here in UK and in DH's home country.

I know my cousin (white) went to Italy on holiday with his girlfriend at the time who is Bangladeshi and any time they behaved in a coupley way - eg holding hands or whatever, they were subjected to quite a lot of abuse including being spat at in the street. That was about ten years ago though. Perhaps it's different now or they were just particularly unlucky.

I think you will be okay too X I'm mixed race , my DH is white/blonde, my daughters are somewhere in between. I worried about travelling too but have NEVER encountered racism anywhere apart from Poland. We went to Zakapane (before the children were born) and I went into a restaurant to ask for directions and got monkey taunts. I ignored them and the polite Polish guy who was talking to me and giving me directions alos ignored them. Luckily DH didn't come in or there may have been issues. ANYONE who causes you issues based on your/yourDC's race is not worth acknowledging. They're ignorant and belong in the shadows. Fear of them should not stop you travelling or that attitude has won. X

I'm Asian and white btw if that helps

Oh, not just me who encountered it in Poland!

Having spent a fair amount of time in both Spain and Cyprus I can say with certainty that there is racism in both countries and there is a risk that the OP will encounter it. However it is not likely to be anything more than an annoyance. Best of luck on your holiday Saffy and hope it all goes smoothly.

I lived in Poland, neve heard any racist comments but they are definitely a homogenous lot and not used to seeing people who aren't white ( of course that will change). However, Spain, Portugal, France (especially) you will almost certainly be fine.

her majesty don't be too worried about your friend, she might get some strange looks but I'd be very surprised if as a lone female shed get any real trouble. Yes there are some football related issued but Poland is a very friendly place they're just not used to seeing non white people mostly.

YANBU to ask this. Not at all.

Interestingly, I've some friends who've lived in Warsaw and Madrid. The husband is Indian. He didn't have any problems in Warsaw, but found Madrid rather racist.

I wear hijab and have not had any abuse abroad, but if I go to places where there aren't many Muslims, or anti-immigrant sentiment is rife, then I'll stares ranging from curiosity to some v nasty looks. On the plus side if I've encounter other Muslims living there, they've often been v friendly.

YANBU to ask this. Not at all.

Interestingly, I've some friends who've lived in Warsaw and Madrid. The husband is Indian. He didn't have any problems in Warsaw, but found Madrid rather racist.

I wear hijab and have not had any abuse abroad, but if I go to places where there aren't many Muslims, or anti-immigrant sentiment is rife, then I'll stares ranging from curiosity to some v nasty looks. On the plus side if I've encounter other Muslims living there, they've often been v friendly.

Oh, ffs, second thread on this today.

Queen Elizabeth- um, no need for you to worry about your friend. Really. She will not be attacked because she's Pakistani.

Seriously, as if Poland was some wild country full of murderous thugs bent on attacking anyone who is not Polish. It's actually rather civilised, you know. Racist football fans (which are a minority of all football fans) excepted. But they exist everywhere. Hmm, wasn't there an Indian man shot point blank for no reason at all (except that he was Indian) in England a couple of moths ago?

I think some of the southern US states might not be a great idea but the med will be fine.