I've found an article listed below that's got me thinking about my many experiences of being photographed/harrased whilst on holiday because, well, I am black. This kind of experience can only happen in certain parts of the world...

Two examples-
Turkey: My cousin and I were photographed constantly by Russians. We moved around like VIP . My cousin can sing, so after her karaoke rendition of Killing me Softly, the requests for autographs that came afterwards were ridiculous. She signed for them all as she has no shame . It was overall a plesant experience but very bizarre, especially one incident involving a helicopter pilot in the Sauna Room!

Tenerife: Only 9 years old, but my brother and I became the darlings of a local shopkeeper. She crammed free gifts into our hands, she could barely speak English so I had no idea why. She kept stroking my brothers hair and exclaiming

I'd like to hear of some experiences you all may have had.

The article I'd read; "Being Black in China"
http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/18/being-black-in-china/

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I schooled in france you know even arsene wenger respects me a lot.

Snapped so many pictures with unknown families especially in Istanbul, Turkey and Nicosia, Cyprus.. They always keep asking for pictures especially if you can speak their language... They tend to love you more.. I was always feeling like a superstar then not until I begin to think "what the hell does this people do with my photos?"Since then I no give anyone audience of pics again lol

I remember when I was in Poland for a short project, people stared at me like I am a kinda alien, although it was common with teenagers and old people. They stare in surprise, not contempt or anything (at least I think so). SO many times I was in club, guys approached me to practice their English, they assumed I'm an American. Different people offer to buy drinks for me and wanted to be friends.

Same with Slovakia and it was even worse over there. The love on the street was much, you will instantly feel like a celebrity. There was a time I was shopping in Tesco and a little girl saw me and ran to safety, I just laughed. There was also a time I was waiting for the elevator, as the elevator door opens, the people in the elevator shivered as they saw me, and everyone begins to laugh.

In poland and Slovakia, people were asking if I could take pictures with them, its easier to make friends there and they will treat you like one. I was there for a school project, so I lived about 1year combined in both countries, the love I got there was impressive from the student, teachers and ordinary citizens, my stuffs has been paid in supermarket many times by random stranger, especially when the POS cant accept my card.

But when I was in places like Austria, Finland and Turkey, I felt like I was not wanted there, even though nobody made me feel this way. The atmospheric feeling of belonging was lost. France is so diverse, you will feel like you are in a ''develop Africa'', especially Paris. I felt at home instantly even if I did not speak French.

honeyad:
Snapped so many pictures with unknown families especially in Istanbul, Turkey and Nicosia, Cyprus.. They always keep asking for pictures especially if you can speak their language... They tend to love you more.. I was always feeling like a superstar then not until I begin to think "what the hell does this people do with my photos?" Since then I no give anyone audience of pics again lol

Hahaha! I know!!! Somewhere out there we may be framed and on a family portrait wall

Flytefalls:

Hahaha! I know!!! Somewhere out there we may be framed and on a family portrait wall

Imagine your photos going where you won't dream of going... And when they want to describe you.. They might do it in a very bad manner

pansophist:
I remember when I was in Poland for a short project, people stared at me like I am a kinda alien, although it was common with teenagers and old people. They stare in surprise, not contempt or anything (at least I think so). SO many times I was in club, guys approached me to practice their English, they assumed I'm an American. Different people offer to buy drinks for me and wanted to be friends.

Same with Slovakia and it was even worse over there. The love on the street was much, you will instantly feel like a celebrity. There was a time I was shopping in Tesco and a little girl saw me and ran to safety, I just laughed. There was also a time I was waiting for the elevator, as the elevator door opens, the people in the elevator shivered as they saw me, and everyone begins to laugh.

In poland and Slovakia, people were asking if I could take pictures with them, its easier to make friends there and they will treat you like one. I was there for a school project, so I lived about 1year combined in both countries, the love I got there was impressive from the student, teachers and ordinary citizens, my stuffs has been paid in supermarket many times by random stranger, especially when the POS cant accept my card.

But when I was in places like Austria, Finland and Turkey, I felt like I was not wanted there, even though nobody made me feel this way. The atmospheric feeling of belonging was lost. France is so diverse, you will feel like you are in a ''develop Africa'', especially Paris. I felt at home instantly even if I did not speak French.

@ bolded; i had that feeling in Sweden. Initially I felt guarded but after a while you start to gain perspective and most stares are of intrigue.

Re Austria, Finland and Turkey; definitely the negative end of these foreign experiences. Happily I've not felt that way yet, but there is still time. My husband felt that way in Wales. I felt welcomed, whereas he felt sidelined and handled with contempt. We haven't been to Wales together, so we shall see.

honeyad:


Imagine your photos going where you won't dream of going... And when they want to describe you.. They might do it in a very bad manner

Flytefalls:

@ bolded; i had that feeling in Sweden. Initially I felt guarded but after a while you start to gain perspective and most stares are of intrigue.

Re Austria, Finland and Turkey; definitely the negative end of these foreign experiences. Happily I've not felt that way yet, but there is still time. My husband felt that way in Wales. I felt welcomed, whereas he felt sidelined and handled with contempt. We haven't been to Wales together, so we shall see.

Which year did you visit Sweden and where in Sweden did you visit? Sweden has the highest amount of Africans in the Nordic, I've been to Sweden too and no one cares if I am pink or whatever but of course, it stil depends on individual experience and interpretations.

pansophist:


Which year did you visit Sweden and where in Sweden did you visit? Sweden has the highest amount of Africans in the Nordic, I've been to Sweden too and no one cares if I am pink or whatever but of course, it stil depends on individual experience and interpretations.

I went to Lund in 2011. Honestly I don't recall seeing many other black people, my friend studied at the uni there, where she was one of a few South Asians. On that holiday we cycled around the area a lot, as far as the sea, so we covered a lot of ground. People were generally friendly, I've vowed to take my kids there when I have them and they are old enough to ride kilometers on bikes .

We definitely didn't trigger any batting eyelids in Copenhagen, we pretty much sunk into the crowd.

Nice finding this thread out of the swamp of regular BS. Would love to have this experience some day. Selah.

Happened to me when I was vacationing in Phuket, Thailand in 2011. A local walked up to me (with a smile on his face), touched my arm -to feel my skin and took pictures with me. I remember thinking "awkward.... "

honeyad:
Snapped so many pictures with unknown families especially in Istanbul, Turkey and Nicosia, Cyprus.. They always keep asking for pictures especially if you can speak their language... They tend to love you more.. I was always feeling like a superstar then not until I begin to think "what the hell does this people do with my photos?"Since then I no give anyone audience of pics again lol

superstar bro

stevecrun:
superstar bro

Hahaha... What are u looking for here man? This one no be US thread na

honeyad:


Hahaha... What are u looking for here man? This one no be US thread na

Just patrolling bro..lol

Funny this topic is here because this happened to my hubby and I in a very small town called Tenggarong on the island of borneo( east kalimantan, indonesia) ( what the heck where we doing there being tourists) We went to see the Sultans palace, very beautiful and we went ourindonesian friends and wanted to take pics beside the sultans old throne on display and we got so many requests to take pictures with random folk, which we obliged and we became a minor attraction. I was annoyed /confused, looking back i should have been a bit game about it and had fun!!!

babyspice:
Funny this topic is here because this happened to my hubby and I in a very small town called Tenggarong on the island of borneo( east kalimantan, indonesia) ( what the heck where we doing there being tourists) We went to see the Sultans palace, very beautiful and we went ourindonesian friends and wanted to take pics beside the sultans old throne on display and we got so many requests to take pictures with random folk, which we obliged and we became a minor attraction. I was annoyed /confused, looking back i should have been a bit game about it and had fun!!!

No regrets now, how were you to know? . I'd love to travel to Indonesia for food and fabric. I've always felt a little timid about travelling to Asia (although I am part Chinese)

aniffy4eva:
Happened to me when I was vacationing in Phuket, Thailand in 2011. A local walked up to me (with a smile on his face), touched my arm -to feel my skin and took pictures with me. I remember thinking "awkward.... "

Haaha! I can already picture your face

I hope to travel to a non-black part of the world soon!

you would absolutely love the food and the fabric!!!

Flytefalls:

No regrets now, how were you to know? . I'd love to travel to Indonesia for food and fabric. I've always felt a little timid about travelling to Asia (although I am part Chinese)

@topic
Try Guangzhou china. You are literally treated like a celebrity there

Its incredibly common in Turkey, I have taken tons upon tons of photo's with random people who always approach me with this look of awe... and if you dare speak Turkish@that point looool ol boy you don become superstar be that.
I remember once@Magusa K.K.T.C last year, I practically took photo's from a queue of tourists in a supermarket, there were some Kazakstani girls who literally begged to touch my hair, lol I felt like Snoop Dogg.
Once I had an awkward moment with a Ukrainian lady who calmly asked me if my package was... errrrh... you know really large, because she was curious-I wonder what she'd heard about Afro packages lol.
At Kyrenia still @K.K.T.C I was crowded by curious children who were all eagerly trying to speak english with me and when I responded "Hello! how are you guys?" that was it, they were all jumping around thrilled and excited like I was a movie star loool.
But there were also times I was ostracized like I had a disease, sometimes peolpe ran away from me lol, prolly because they've never seen a black person b4. The Asians are particularly fond of this.
anyway they were all pleasant experiences.

jennykadry:
@topic
Try Guangzhou china. You are literally treated like a celebrity there

I'd settle for that

optimusprime2:
Its incredibly common in Turkey, I have taken tons upon tons of photo's with random people who always approach me with this look of awe... and if you dare speak Turkish@that point looool ol boy you don become superstar be that.
I remember once@Magusa K.K.T.C last year, I practically took photo's from a queue of tourists in a supermarket, there were some Kazakstani girls who literally begged to touch my hair, lol I felt like Snoop Dogg.
Once I had an awkward moment with a Ukrainian lady who calmly asked me if my package was... errrrh... you know really large, because she was curious-I wonder what she'd heard about Afro packages lol.
At Kyrenia still @K.K.T.C I was crowded by curious children who were all eagerly trying to speak english with me and when I responded "Hello! how are you guys?" that was it, they were all jumping around thrilled and excited like I was a movie star loool.
But there were also times I was ostracized like I had a disease, sometimes peolpe ran away from me lol, prolly because they've never seen a black person b4. The Asians are particularly fond of this.
anyway they were all pleasant experiences.

Do you ever feel you must purposefully act nice?

Negative stereotyping of black people is ignorant yet internationally pervasive. When you find people who are intrigued in you because you are black, do you ever feel it's your responsibility to represent well? Just asking

Flytefalls:




Do you ever feel you must purposefully act nice?

Negative stereotyping of black people is ignorant yet internationally pervasive. When you find people who are intrigued in you because you are black, do you ever feel it's your responsibility to represent well? Just asking

An attribute of proper literacy, upbringing and civil decency, is representing well regardless of colour or case scenario's...
Thats what I feel basically.

In a small town south of Italy close to Sicily and Naples, a tiny town called capua, I became an instant celebrity's the young boys made me feel very cute I was only 18, I took so many phone numbers despite language barrier had no idea how I would ever contact them, they send me back home with wine and so many pleasantries.
It was awkward this Zimbabwe lady married to an Italian immediately invited me to her house, a couple that had an adopted a 10 year old Ghanaian girl also invited me, was pleasant though.
Me and hubby are planning a euro trip cannot wait to tour this areas.

yes, the thot does cross my mind. That negative stereotype is always on my mind so i do go out of my way to be polite, nice etc. and also make sure intelligent sounding things come out of my mouth!!!! Sometimes its a bit of a bother though. why can a oyibo look like a hobo ( homeless person) and he/she is still given the benefit of the doubt/ treated like a semi-god but me if i have a bad hair/clothes day i am not treated as such. it just ain't fair!!!

Flytefalls:

I'd settle for that


Do you ever feel you must purposefully act nice?

Negative stereotyping of black people is ignorant yet internationally pervasive. When you find people who are intrigued in you because you are black, do you ever feel it's your responsibility to represent well? Just asking