Racism is alive and well in New Zealand.

[randomness]

Just before midnight, Saturday night, lots of kids cruising in their rice burners. I looked at a cheesy-looking white Honda a little too long, I suppose, and one of the white guys inside shouted, "This isn't your country, what are you doing here?"

One never gets the quick response out in time. In this case, I should have shouted, "Visiting!" in a clear, loud, American accent.

Unfortunately, it took me too long to figure out whether I should be offended. I mean, he was right. This isn't my country. On behalf of Chinese-New Zealanders I flipped the guy the bird.

Comments

[denyse.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about New Zealand, but friends of mine who've studied and lived in Australia says it can get pretty bad there sometimes. (The occasional shouted out insult, nasty note and one memorable incident where stool was thrown at their house with graffiti saying 'chink go home')
I live in Boston, and at work get daily enquiries from folks to the tune of 'where are you from?' Once in a while I'll respond 'Rhode Island', but the usual response to that is 'where are you really from?' But on the whole I don't really have any serious problems with rascism in the Northeast.
Alternatively, they'll ask me what China is like. :) I tell 'em it seemed pretty nice, at least the parts I visited on a two week vacation once.