As a chicano, I recently visited Europe on vacation and was never once refered to as an "American". Everyone k

Question

kept asking "where I was from"...


I guess anti-hispanic viewpoints are felt all over the world..

or am I being over-senstivio?

Answer 1

I'm sorry if you feel slighted--think of it as a compliment! Most countries hate Americans right now, as the Prez is a greedy, evil moron. The best thing that you can do is remember how that felt, and remember to never assume something about somebody just because of what is outside. That's what I try to do in my life.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hi being a person of a different race in th eUK is not hard, but I can say I haven't seen a lot of chicano away from a military base.

Americans aren't looked upon highly in the UK, you being different may have slipped thru or under radar so to speak and were spared the slings and arrows of the French for one group of people I know that feel they are better then most of us Americans.

I don't think it was a anti hispanic view point at all, but lack of knowledge on their part of some of the greatest people on earth.

Answer 3

As someone who's lived in Europe the past four years I could say that europeans have difficulty picking out who's from where because of physical appearance. It's very hard for them to point out an "American" because really...what does an american look like? America has no specific idenity. We are a mix lot of asians, latinos, africans, europeans, and sometimes martians. To Europeans these are very hard to distinguish. And if you're thinking that speaking English is a dead give-away please don't. Everybody and their brothers, sisters, and cousins speaks english. Our culture is the only culture in the world that don't require us to teach out children and ourselves another language.

Europeans know America is a mix lot...I think that's the thinking behind asking where you're from. We know Germans are from Germany, Frenchman are from France. But is an due to the nature of our country being of a mix an American could be from any of the other five or even 6 continents. It's nothing personal against hispanics...I'm asian and they do the same to me. The next time they ask you where you're from tell them Pennsylvania, or New York or whatever state you're from. Europeans won't recognize an American as from America.

Answer 4

muy sensative, don't worry about it. When I was in Japan I was American cuz thats where I came from even if i am hispanic. By the way, the Japanese don't know what a hispanic is, and thats cool with me. Personally I prefer to say I'm californian :P

Answer 5

chicano is mexican american right? so....... when you go to another country...... they just see your hispanic and assume you from Mexico. I mean, how are they to know you actually live in the US unless they ask.

I wouldn't take it personally. You know who you are. And really, what if you were in Mexico. What is the big deal? I wish racism didnt exist!

Answer 6

Did you tell them you were from the United States? You assume people will know your nationality from looking at you. I would find that more offensive than someone asking where I'm from.

Answer 7

I guess it's ignorance on their part. They seem to think that all Americans are either black or white. They're not really aware that there are other groups in that country.

Answer 8

It all depends. If your not white with the typical blond hair and blue eyes you obviously they will ask. They dont wanna make any assumptions that may have hurt you. It was out of courtesy i suppose.

Answer 9

it just ignorance......don't worry about it .....we have people here in the USA.....who will look at someone who is not white and assume they are not an American just because of the tint in their pigmentation or because of their last name.....