"Trying Best To Integrate, But...": Indian Man On Facing Racism In New Zealand

A 29-year-old Indian man recently shared an online post detailing his personal experience of facing racial discrimination in New Zealand, a country he thought was multicultural. Taking to Reddit, the man, who goes by "Lopsided_Tennis69" online, stated that he moved to New Zealand two years ago, seeking a fresh start. "I had this ideal image of NZ being welcoming and multicultural, but my experience has been far from that, unfortunately. I wanted to share my story and hear from others who might be in the same boat," he wrote. 

In the Reddit post, the man said that he felt unwelcomed in the country and even though he found some good people, his overall experience in New Zealand has been filled with racist incidents. "I've faced more racism than I expected. From random strangers yelling stuff at me on the street to getting weird looks or rude comments at work because of my accent or appearance," the 29-year-old shared.

Take a look below: 

Unwelcome In New Zealand
byu/Lopsided_Tennis69 inindia

The man recalled being treated differently in social settings.  "Even in social settings, I feel like people avoid me, or I get treated differently. Sometimes it's subtle like people talking over me or excluding me from conversations. Other times, it's blatant-like being told to "go back to where I came from," he wrote.

The man said that he has been trying his best to integrate himself with the local culture.  "But there are moments when it gets exhausting. I never felt like an outsider growing up in India, but here, even after two years, I feel like I don't fully belong," he said.

"It's tough because I really want to make New Zealand my home, but there are days I wonder if I made the right choice. How do you handle the mental toll of this, and does it get any better over time?" he added.

The man reached out to other Indians who moved abroad and sought advice and solidarity. "Have any of you faced similar issues after moving abroad? How do you cope with the feeling of being an outsider or dealing with racism, especially when it hits so unexpectedly?" he wrote.

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The post was shared on Reddit just a day back. Since then it has garnered nearly 1,500 upvotes. In the comments section, while some users shared their own experiences of facing racism in foreign countries, others asked the man to ignore the racism.

"There is this kind of subtle racism every where in the world! I am a flight attendant and I have experienced it in many forms in different layover cities all across the world. I live in the UAE and it's not much different. All I can advise you is that make your circle. Focus on work. Once you get slightly financially well off, you will feel the difference. With time you will also get better in dealing with situations like these. Also, always remind yourself of the big picture. All the best bro!" commented one user. 

"These things bother too much if you are a overthinker. In Singapore faced few similar ones especially from local shopkeepers. At that time I brushed it off thinking that its just normal thing. But later a friend told me its something called microaggression, like subtle form of racism. But again its everywhere. Even in India you get treated differently based on skin color or your cloths etc. So ignore and move on is the best policy," shared another. 

"Faced the same overt and covert racism in Berlin. Left the place and came back home after a year. Couldn't be bothered to deal with racism," wrote a third user. 

"Almost a decade away from home (India), and it never gets easier. You just have to accept the pro and cons I guess, and keep moving forward. Still trying to figure out if leaving my family, my life, my parivar, my dost yaar wad worth it," commented another.