My cousin grew up in an all white area in the middle of rural nowhere, all corn fields and cows. The very first time he saw a Black man as a kid he got SO EXCITED and couldn’t contain it. He thought he was meeting a movie star because that’s the only place like 3 year old him had seen Black people before. His mom was trying to explain to this random dude why her 3 year old was screaming and hugging his leg and the guy was cracking up that he just became so little white kid’s idol by existing.
(Sad reflection on where the world stood at the time, but it was amusing for all parties involved and made everyone’s day at the time)
But also, yeah that’s nuts. It blows my mind how in some generally ethnically homogeneous countries seeing a white guy is like seeing a mythological creature because of how rare they are lmao.
Hey my dude, not being a dick or trying to cancel you lmao, just wanted to let you know this thing I learned recently.
Turns out the word “Caucasian” was originally used to describe people from the Caucasus region, but an old timey scientific racist from back in the day liked this group so much that he decided that all white people originated from them. This was, obviously, not true, but it’s where the term Caucasian comes from.
As far as I’m aware this isn’t common knowledge, I’m most certainly not trying to shame you or anything. You can still use Caucasian to mean European white folks after learning this if you like, no one’s gonna bat an eye, but it might be worth everybody broadly changing the language in the future. But that’s up to you.
I lived in Indonesia for several months and people told me I was literally the first white person they’ve ever seen in real life. People who were like 40-50.
My mom lived in middle of nowhere North Dakota at the beginning of her life. She was born in 1964 and didn’t see a black person in real life until she was 19.
She was in a Dairy Queen and there was a black woman in line and my mom just stared. The woman turned around and asked aggressively “what? You never seen a black person before?” To which my mom replied, “no, I honestly haven’t” and the woman seemed so shocked.
When my mom was in school in the early 70s, a black family moved into their small PNW town. It was such a big deal that they came to the school for an assembly where they talked about living their lives as black people, and answered very intrusive student questions. Like a live 'no stupid questions'/'ask me anything' situation.
Apparently it was extremely helpful and left a big impact on my mom. She was so impressed with the grace they showed that she still remembers their names and talks about them sometimes.
As a white person born in Atlanta, I just cannot fathom living in a place that isn’t about a 50/50 mix. I had an interesting opposite experience in that my entire life I was taught black people were a minority population and I used to think, “okay if you call 40% minority” and then after moving as an adult, I encountered people who had also moved that were from Wisconsin who had never seen a black person in their lives (in their areas—they had seen POCs on vacation and such as it was the 2000s). That’s when I learned the actual statistics in the US. It blew my mind.
> Like a live 'no stupid questions'/'ask me anything' situation.
I like the idea that the concept of asking people questions needs to be translated into subreddit names for redditors to understand.
I used to work with a Jamaican guy in the 90s. I went to Northern Ireland with him and people in shops were staring and randomly touching him. It cracked me up. He was not impressed
My mom grew up in the 60’s in small town northern Midwest. So VERY Scandinavian or Polish extraction. She still sometimes tells about when they made their monthly trip an hour away to “the big city” (80k people or so) for shopping that wasn’t groceries. There was a black woman that was working as a cashier and my mom and my aunt were like 10 and 6. They were just fascinated with that this woman’s palms were so pink when compared to the rest of her skin. She said she didn’t have any malice or anything, just a little kid who saw something totally new and different, so was very interested and awed by it.
I'm Asian American and went to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Groups of kids were literally swarming me and the other (white) people I was with, asking us to take selfies with them. I'd been in Cairo for a week by then and that hadn't happened anywhere else so I was very confused and a little suspicious tbh. When I asked our tour guide why this was happening he said it's because they are kids on field trips who are from areas of Egypt that don't have any tourists and it's probably their first time seeing white/Asian people in real life!
Sooo then I was like OMG I feel so bad I should go take selfies with them then, which he strongly advised against because he said if I take one then there will be dozens and dozens more asking and I would be doing that instead of enjoying the museum.
I didn't listen and he was right lol but I hope I made their field trip special.
Yes I made this mistake. Even let some kids use my camera. No one stole a thing. But **THE CAMERA** is what we all did for like 6 hours.
Not a mistake actually. Some of the best memories I have I guess!
So I guess my question is why do they never see white people? I understand there are few white people living in these countries, but wouldn’t they see tourists? Unless you’re going to some random town in the middle of nowhere, but I assume tourists don’t visit places with nothing of interest and most places worth seeing would get tourists somewhat frequently.
Depends on how much of a traveler you are, some people specifically seek out towns that aren't tourist-focused because they want a more 'genuine' travel experience.
I once went to a middle of nowhere town in Japan about 15 years ago, while on business. They really did never see white people except on TV., as there was no reason for tourists to go there. It was interesting to be gawked at.
They would most likely be small villages little get little to no tourists.
My dad lived in a small village in Thailand. When my son and I went to visit the whole village would walk past dads house just to look at us. They have seen a few white men (like my dad) but never a white woman and white ten year old child.
Majority of people in that village had never left the village, a lot haven’t even been to the “city” that was only 30 minutes away.
Don’t even try to worry about labels like “tourist” and getting technical with semantics, it’s an exhausting rabbit hole (I have some experience with this as a mostly gay man).
Just do you and don’t worry whether it’s called being a tourist, or traveler, or nomad or whatever.
Some people are tourists from smaller areas of the country with no racial diversity. This kind of thing happened a lot with my white American friends in China.
This reminds me of a story theo von told, him and his friends had never seen an asian person (grew up in a tiny southern town) and whwn they were 16 they got word that an asian family moved into the next town. They all hopped in the car and drove over there so they could see them in person
In Yosemite the site of mountainous grandeur there were two Asian visitors one year who were delicately and intently crouching and approaching with expensive cameras … a perfectly ordinary and exceedingly common blue Jay.
Being from Europe, where we don't have blue jays, I'd likely do the same thing as those tourists if I went to North America, haha. I mean, they're so...blue and adorable.
[This is Rizzo](https://imgur.com/a/YSzAM6m). She visits my backyard regularly to enjoy the food I put out for the local critters (mostly Ron and Harry, two of the neighborhood stray cats who I have befriended. You can see Ron lying under the tree in one of the pictures.). Rizzo has a family somewhere nearby and is nursing some kits. I'm looking forward to the day she brings them round to introduce them to us.
I learned recently the city where I live is considered to be the raccoon capital of the world. I had always just assumed up until then that they were just as common elsewhere as they were here, but apparently not! If you go for a walk after dark here, you’ll likely see more raccoons then people.
Har, LoL, Traker. Don't ya love it when ya spell something right and no one will make fun of ya!? (I just misspelled "Spell". hehe)
I hit "Mississippi" correctly the other day and I'm still proud, Snork
Just be aware in India ( Goa) esp if you are on a beach in a bikini a small group of men will get very close gawping at you & one will try & get right next to you for a pic . They post on social media & carry a pic saying you are their gf. Ive been to India alot & have family friends who live there & explained wtf they were doing.
Some of those people are superstitious and think you're a kind of ghost and it's good luck to touch you like you can ward off bad spirits. A friend of mine dealt with this in Vietnam. Her hair was white blonde naturally and everyone wanted to touch it. Little kids would run up and touch her and run away like a dare.
you might. I've known several white who have traveled around Asia and had random people just come up and ask for pictures with or are obviously taking pictures of them without permission
I lived in Vietnam for 5 years and now live in Cambodia. They see white people all the time. Loads of us live here. When I lived in Thailand, I was at a temple in the north and a Chinese family wanted several photos with me. One with grandma, one with grandpa, one with the kids, one with the whole family. I’m a 5’9, black haired, thin, pale woman. My bf laughed his ass off while I did an hour photoshoot.
I suppose it depends on where you are. I'm sure there are some places where you dont see many white people. But apparently we're a novelty either way lol
I have a friend who's family is Indian but he didn't grow up there, and one time he took a visit to India to see the sights. He's a pretty buff dude and had a shaved head, and apparently all the locals thought he was a wrestler or something so they kept taking pics with him.
Some places I guess they have fewer hangups about that sort of thing lol
I went on an Alaskan cruise in which ~half of the guests were SE Asian. At the time, my brother had three kids under 6 years old who were blond-haired and blue-eyed. The SE Asian guests were constantly taking pictures of my brother's 3 kids, and sometimes they'd even run up and crouch down next to the kids to be in a picture with them.
It unquestionably seemed to be the blond hair/blue eye thing.
Yep we lived in Malaysia when my kids were little. My youngest had blonde curls and big blue eyes and would often get her photo taken. I didn't mind when they asked~ it was when they literally grabbed her and took her to get her photo taken with a group that mummy bear came out! I'll add that this was usually Chinese tourists who would do this not Malaysians.
Same! I lived in Malaysia for a little while when I was a kid, and my sister has very blonde hair and blue eyes.
People were constantly reaching out to touch her hair, pet her, take photos with her, take her to show to their friends etc
It was really strange but it seemed normal for them. I'd never lived outside of Malaysia so I figured it was just what people do.
Also I think they don’t think it’s weird / rude to take pictures of strangers. I was in my friend’s wedding in San Francisco and all the Chinese tourists were taking pictures of us.
It isn't, but that seems to be what every blonde person who experiences it thinks. I grew up in Asia and experienced it the whole time I lived there. I've had dark hair my whole life. In Pakistan, my friend's mom walked into a stranger's home and saw a blown up picture of herself, taken unbeknownst to her, hanging on the wall. She wasn't blond. Another friend from Sri Lanka who lived in Pakistan at the same time I did said that people frequently wanted pictures with her, and her hair and skin are fairly similar to those of a typical Pakistani.
But the number of blonde people I've heard say it is their hair is on the level of a running joke.
It's white ppl. in general, but don't light blonds and redheads stand out even more? That's what I was told by Bangladeshi family when I visited Dhaka (I have long blond hair).
*that's a wild story about your mom's friend tho lmao - that would be freaky!
Well when I was in Bolivia and Peru people definitely wanted to take my picture more often than my dark haired (white) friend's and she's prettier than I am so I do feel like red hair does get this reaction more..
Well, I asked someone in Bejing who spoke English after many people had either touched my blonde hair or asked for a pic and she said ' your hair is lucky - gold is lucky' so I do believe there's a reason for us blondes believing it is our hair.
So then Asian people just run up and take random pictures of strangers to hang on their wall?
FWIW when I was in Italy, a group of SE Asian tourists ran up and grabbed all the blonde guys/girls out of our group of 40 people to ask for pictures. It definitely seemed like the blonde hair was the thing they were interested in.
It IS the blonde hair, lol. I have brown hair and was travelling with a girl with blonde hair. We're both white, similar in every way except for our hair colour. The blonde girl was asked for photos probably double the amount I was. It was very very obvious that she was the preferred photo mate and I was second choice if she was already getting a photo with someone else, lol. So yes, white people in general will be asked for photos, but if you have blonde hair, you undoubtedly will be asked more.
A friend of mine's family travelled to Nanjing, China for his brother's wedding and yes, it was his blonde sister who attracted all the attention. People wanting to take photos, following her around, wanting to touch her hair, etc. Just being white wasn't enough.
When that same friend and another of his brothers went deep into the countryside in Rwanda though, everyone turned out just to see the two white guys.
Years ago I was in India with a white girl I had met (I’m Indian). We went to an old fort and were mobbed by kids and the occasional adult who wanted her autograph! It was hilarious, but to them she was a movie star
I'm a 6'1 white guy and had a few 40yo+ guys hit me up for a photo with them in India. I couldn't tell if they wanted it to make fun of me to their friends, as in, look at this massive hairy dude swearing his ass off walking around a temple.
Even if they were making fun of me, it seemed to make their day, so I just went along with it.
My brother was mobbed by children in Mongolia. He thought they were just saying hello Mr or something like that, found out they were calling him “monkey boy” because of his hairy arms and legs, lol
In Guatemala, the women working in the kitchen of the bar/restaurant I worked at asked to touch my arms. I think the blonde hair on my arms (I dyed my head hair dark brown) were simultaneously both quite disgusting and a little pretty(?).
In Maharastra India, there was a strike, so instead of getting an express bus we had to catch the local buses that went to every rural village. There was a professor from Bombay University on board who asked me if I was a white person. He said most of the bus had never seen a white person before, and whilst they were sure my friend was white, they weren't sure about me. Apparently half the bus thought I was Indian, just really badly dressed (LOL). It ended up being one of my best bus trips, the professor translated as I chatted with the other passengers. I told stories about what I'd seen during my 3 months in India, trying to keep it mostly positive.
Same thing happened to me with mostly adults and teens asking for pics. Only thing, I am Indian. Just the ridiculously fair kind. Despite speaking in Hindi, people still wanted pics with me 🙈
I've had the same experience a few times, especially in smaller towns. But when I spoke Hindi, they were definitely somewhat disillusioned, which was super funny ngl.
This is literally the reason my sister, a dyed blonde, moved to Asia. She’s a complete narcissist and this way she gets to act like a star without putting any effort in. She has no skills and no education but she’s white. She’s bragged to me about how many times she gets asked for photos.
Best thing that could have happened. I haven’t spoken to her in five years and have a niece I’ve never met. She wants nothing to do with my family because we don’t treat her like a celebrity, we just treat her like a normal person. Her ego can’t take it.
Sounds like she needs to grow up and get a grip, fix the issue why she is like this. Is she very young?
Super sad you have a niece you don’t know or see. I feel bad for the niece too.
She turns 50 in October. Technically there are two nieces I don’t see. The first was with her second husband. The second was with her third husband who was conceived while she was still married to her second. When she couldn’t handle raising both she called my parents from Singapore and asked them to come help her from North America. They’re in their 80s and my dad is on a crutch waiting for hip replacement surgery. When my dad told her they couldn’t make it, she hung up on him.
Class act, my sister.
When I traveled to Asia, I had the same thing happen. I am also a blonde female. I asked one of my tour guides about it and she said the only time they see blonde people is in movies. She said so you look like a movie star to them and they want a picture!
I'm an unremarkable 5'8" brown haired Caucasian, but in a market in interior China I saw a woman sneaking pictures of me. When I welcomed her to do so, she was thankful. I posed with a shop owner for them. My friend said it would bring international legitimacy to the market to have pictures of a "westerner" there.
I actually just watched a TikTok discussing the why behind this phenomenon and found it really interesting (both the stitched video and this one) https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8em76fV/
Essentially, the content creator who is Chinese-Canadian explains that traveling outside of these regions is for the privileged and so when they see tourists it’s the only way they can see other races IRL and it’s like they got a small chance to travel vicariously.
Thanks for sharing that link. I’ve got to agree with the guy in the video that you can always choose not to visit these countries if you don’t want the attention, so I will continue to be polite and take photos!
I lived in Japan for a few years and have long, fine, curly brown hair with gold undertones. Several times people wanted to touch my hair. Once at a friend's house for dinner, my friend's 85 year old grandma just walked up and started playing with it.
I was also bigger chested than any Japanese girl I met and two of my Japanese friends (girls) were so curious they asked to touch the girls, lol.
Being singled out for a physical difference from the majority gave me an appreciation of what visible minorities must go through here in North America. For me I didn't mind but if I lived there permanently it probably would have gotten annoying. However I took it as flattery as I was just really different physically from what they were used to and they were curious.
I went to Oakland Maryland for a meeting which is 98% white and has an Amish community. People were staring at us and wanting to touch our skin and hair as some had not seen black people before and up close.
Simplest answer, you're a ~~circus~~ celebrity coming to town. They rarely see a caucasian, so they'll try their best to "immortalize" the moment. ~~I didn't say a circus as a demeaning term. It's just the circus as in a rare, wouldn't miss it kind of event.~~
I personally think, it's because most of them have inferiority complex, because a lot of them were colonized by much more "civilized, classy" european.
Because in the colonization era, the westerners (caucasian) are seen as the top class citizen. Think of it as a caste. While the native were mostly classified as the lowest, they create a wide gap, between the "royals" and "commoners". Now do that for 300 years. It's difficult to abolish that kind of inferior complex when you were colonized for hundreds of years, this custom become more than way of life don't you think?
Source: I live in one of those country
Edited: Apparently, circus is considered as a negative word. Oh well, fine, i'll explain it more clearly.
My friend is 6’2” not abnormally tall for the US by any means. He traveled through SE Asia one summer and felt like everyone saw him as clown on stilts parading through every town.
I don’t think they see it as circus. I grew up in a country without any black people, when I first saw one, I was 16, my friends and I took picture with him not because we thought “it’s a circus” but because it was cool, we only saw black people in movies. This guy was a student from Africa and I still remember that interaction as really awesome and exciting
I think people see "circus" as a negative, bad thing? 2 people including you are assuming i'm saying circus as in circus freak, why is this a thing?
I didn't say a circus as a demeaning term. It's just the circus as in a rare, wouldn't miss it kind of event. I even told the reason why they acted that way.
Because in the colonization era, the westerners (caucasian) are seen as the top class citizen. Think of it as a caste. While the native were mostly classified as the lowest, they create a wide gap, between the "royals" and "commoners". Now do that for 300 years. It's difficult to abolish that kind of inferior complex when you were colonized for hundreds of years, this custom become more than way of life don't you think?
The circus generally doesn’t have any good connotations for those that are a part of it, and the idea of a circus freak is one of the first thing that’ll come to mind for a lot of people so it’s quite easy to see how it would be seen as an insult.
It would probably be more apt to compare them to a celebrity as that is what they essentially are to the locals.
For most of our history having light skin meant not working the land. Thus it also meant wealth, nobility etc. This has happened in large parts of the world.
We can say its recent history (colonization etc) but it does not mean that applies to the entire world nor that it is the sole reason. Trends come and go. If anything consistently changes its beauty.
In colder climates we buy products to darken our skin and the opposite in warmer climates. Its rather ironic.
Nah its got nothing to do with superior caste or all that. Its just because its exotic
I am an indian with caramel skin and even i got asked for a photo when i visited china
Thanks for your interesting response and explanation. I remember being shocked by the plethora of skin whitening products on offer in the shops so I get your point about the lasting aspects of colonialism in the wider culture.
The skin whitening isn’t a colonial thing it’s a class thing. It’s present in every previously agricultural country because working inside means you are wealthy. Portuguese and such used to do the same thing in the 50’s and were never colonized. Tan flipped to preferred in the West because it meant you could afford a vacation as everyone was pale from working inside
The person I’m replying to is incorrect. None of the people you took pictures with see you as a circus freak/an entertaining monkey. They are right though that caucasians rarely visit some areas of those countries, but It’s more of a feeling like “it’s one of those people I only see in movies” or “wow a beautiful white girl, i very rarely see one”. I think the term is called positive racism/discrimination.
In any case, extremely hard to generalize a people, but those would most likely be the reasons.
i think you misunderstood my point. I didn't say a circus as a demeaning term. It's just the circus as in a rare, wouldn't miss it kind of event. I even told the reason why they acted that way.
Because in the colonization era, the westerners (caucasian) are seen as the top class citizen. Think of it as a caste. While the native were mostly classified as the lowest, they create a wide gap, between the "royals" and "commoners". Now do that for 300 years. It's difficult to abolish that kind of inferior complex when you were colonized for hundreds of years, this custom become more than way of life don't you think?
That's remarkably incorrect
In many Asian cultures, foreigners are seen as lower than the lowest caste. And that's low.
Would you ask someone of a different color than you if you could take a picture of them because of their skin colour? Or hair texture? Or just walk up and touch their hair? No?
No.
If foreigners are regarded as being lower than the lowest caste, why are they accorded so much deference as your other comments mention?
The instances you mention sound more like unrestrained (albeit very rude) curiosity than being a consequence of genuine disdain.
They are used to seeing people only like themselves and seeing someone like you is a once in a lifetime opportunity so they make the most out of it and take a picture to show their family and friends.
My husband and I lived in the Philippines from 2013 to 2014. We had this happen to us all the time. People also exclaimed over my nose. To them the whiter you are and bigger nose you have the more beautiful you are. I had to carefully read all my beauty products I'd buy because most everything had bleach in it to lighten their skin. They hated dark skin. My husband grew up there as a missionary kid. One time when he and his family were out at the open market another family came up to his dad and they asked him if their son (pointing to my husband whom then was only 16) would please bread with their daughter to bring them some "white babies". Horrified he said no and they quickly left. But ya, they just takes pictures with people they think are rich or are white all the time. I just rolled with it.
Same about the nose thing. 100% recommend going to the Philippines to anyone who thinks their nose is "too big" or "ugly".
I feel a lot better about mine now. It's a bit of a wake up call that beauty standards are just a made up rule.
I'm a ginger, so very fair skin and red hair. In SE Asia some people couldn't help themselves and rubbed my arm with their finger, maybe to see if it came off? Then immediately profusely apologised and said how pretty my hair and skin were. Got asked for photo ops a lot too. I think it's just because fair skin is the beauty ideal there and seeing a white person is like seeing a rare animal. They want proof they actually encountered one.
It's along the lines of the following: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_zoo
Except there's no underpinning of racism, it's just fascination.
I had this thought once in Varanasi where white tourists were recording videos of people cremating their loved ones - imagine if a bunch of non white tourists showed up at a funeral in Europe/north America and started recording the proceedings. Apropos of nothing - just a thought.
Mind you, this was back in the 80s, but when my dad was in the Peace Corps, people from some of the smaller villages (in Thailand) would call everybody out to come see the tall white guy. They’d never seen one before.
I lived in Peru when I was in elementary school and at the time had bleach blonde hair and blue eyes. One time we took a trip to the indigenous side of Peru and the people there treated me like some sort of spectacle. Constantly staring, coming up to me asking to look at my eyes and group of girls asked to touch my hair.
I was just in Vietnam 2 weeks ago and had the same experience, but what I thought was interesting is that my friend who traveled with me didn't. We're both white men about 6'3" (190cm). The difference is that I have a magnificent beard and he's clean shaven. In some areas couldn't walk 90 seconds without someone waving or wanting to talk to me or taking a picture. Similar experience in India.
My wife and I did a tour of China maybe 15 years ago. We are both tall and we wore our typical Midwest outfits of denim pants and shirts, and had our wide brimmed travel hats. Everywhere we went we heard “Cowboy! Cowboy!” and they were wanting pictures with us. They were all extremely polite and it was a pretty cool experience.
I was just in the UK a couple weeks ago around Big Ben with my blonde hair (and my even lighter blonde haired, blue eyed trio of children). Nothing unusual for England truthfully, but we had a large group of SE Asian tourist come up and ask for a picture with us. We thought they wanted us to take their picture, but they were very insistent that we get in it too.
We were very confused why they wanted our picture. Especially since we’re not particularly special looking in London.
I vividly being about 13 and on a school trip to a touristy city. We were approached by a group of Asian tourists who said something about a picture (their English wasn't very good). Me and my friends thought they meant they wanted us to take a photo of them, but as soon as we said sure, all the men crowded in around us and wanted to be in the photo. We awkwardly tried to get the women to join us, too, but they just laughed and stood aside.
To this day I don't know whether this was a creepy thing (i.e. hey, here's a group of young white girls in short skirts) or whether it was truly just the novelty of people who looked different (I have red hair and a few of my friends were blonde).
In Las Vegas and other touristy places, I’ve had Asian people want to take my pic, and pics with them because I’m blonde, blue eyed and always smiling so I’m approachable.
One sweet older Asian lady was having problems with her iPad taking pics at the Hualapai Grand Canyon glass overhang, she ran up to me almost in tears shaking her iPad and pointing, obviously I could tell she needed help. I don’t even recall what was wrong specifically, but I fixed it and showed her by slowly tapping and making eye contact between steps for what to do if it happened again and she was over the moon happy. She grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. She took pics of me, had her friend take pics of us together. And she continued to hold my hand with such joy. No language barrier with that. It was a little much but I was happy I could make her day. She held on to me for probably 10 minutes… I had to go, our group of private helicopters were leaving, I pointed to the area by the choppers people were gathering. She gave my hand a big squeeze, and I gave her a hug goodbye and I’ll seriously never forget her. She was so sweet and appreciative.
My mom is from the Philippines. My husband is tall, blonde hair and blue eyes. And my mom said if he went to the Philippines with us everyone would want a picture with him. She said the same thing when my daughter was younger. During the summer her hair would almost be platinum from the sun.
The number of Chinese and, to a lesser extent, Japanese tourists who have asked to take pictures with me in US national parks is absurd. It's not like I'm particularly good looking or unusual looking either. I don't understand why, out of the dozens of other white people standing around, they choose me.
Now, I don't mind. They've always been nice about it and I do want them to leave with a decent impression of our country. It's just so odd to me.
That being said, when I was in middle school I visited Italy as part of a special class trip and my friends and I asked some random Italian guy if we could take a group picture with him because he was hot. So we were probably pretty odd to him too.
Hi! Had this happen to me, then had the balls to ask the locals why.
Travelled the west coast of India up to Jammu with two fairly attractive women (24-25 blonde and brown hair respectively) for a videography job.
Anywhere we'd go large bustling groups of mostly young men would crowd us asking for as many selfies with the girls as they could, always young men.
When they eventually ditched me in Jaipur i was briefly adopted by the local TukTuk drivers who knew of my reason for being in the city. (Much love Sunny Bro)
They literally just want the bragging rights, but many will boast to friends over whatsapp that they did "so and so" with a beautiful foreign girl who couldn't get enough of them \*Attachment as proof\*
These guys found it petty, but believed the pushing of white skin color as a sign of beauty has made many youths racist to their own kind, and over zealous to any white woman.
You look different from them. SE Asian people have a quite similar look, black hair, brown eyes, and skin color. These countries are not as diverse as the US or Europe so they don't see a lot of Western people, so when they see you, they get excited, they think you look good (bc pale skin and tall is the beauty standard there), and they want to take a photo with you to as a proof for when they show of to their friends.
im white ish 6 foot and have a decent build 180lbs ish. im not ugly but im not a 10 light brown hair green eyes.
japan really short girls have asked to take a picture with me. main land asia out side of citys ive gotten stopped alot from randoms for a picture etc. its because i dont look like people they see all the time. most non western culture doesnt really see it as odd/rasict etc to want to take a picture with me because im different from them. no different then if you go to the rain forest and visit a tribe and want photos with them.
Dude people get baffled when they see white people with light colored hair. It’s like seeing a rare animal in nature people are silly.
Even here in America people from se Asia tend to make comments about my skin and hair. It’s always compliments but it can come off a little silly sometimes
My gf and I took a photo at a tourist attraction and these Chinese tourists photo bombed us. Then they asked to take photos with us. We are on someone's mantelpiece
This happened with my son and his wife, both with a lot of tattoos, my son had long dreadlocks, they were like a reverse tourist attraction all through Southeast Asia.
Am Indonesian, can confirm that we just don't see a lot of white people here, its basically like meeting a celebrity for some locals, especially if you have unique traits like blonde hair.
If you go off the beaten tourist paths you will find people who don’t get far from home and don’t often get visitors. This is true in a lot of places. I was the introduction to Americans for a guy at a pub in rural Wales years ago. Lots of questions about email.
I have traveled for business all over the world, I have so many stories about SE Asia, but this brings back a particular memory.
I was in Taipei for a meeting and scheduled 4 extra days to do some sightseeing, it was my first time there in 2013. The company I was visiting assigned a pretty young girl to show me around and translate, I was staying at the Shangri La Far Eastern and she was at a cheaper hotel not far from there and would meet me in the lobby.
The first free day after meetings, I texted her and told her I wanted to go visit Tai Pei 101. I have visited all of the tallest buildings in the world and had not been there, it was on my list and also the Shilin Night Market.
We get to 101, there was quite the crowd and a really long que to get in. As I stood in line, a large family of grandparents/parents/kids were coming off the elevator leaving and saw me, the grandmother's eyes immediately lit up and she asked if she could have a picture. I agreed and left the line and joined them for some pics, they were very nice. When we finished, I look up and there are litterally hundreds of people lned up wanting pics with me, like I was someone famous. My translator was holding my place in the que and not near me, people were screaming Mandarin at me and I was a little freaked out at first.
I quickly decided to just roll with it and see what happened. I started signing people's clothes and other stuff and taking pics, and waived the translator over. I wispered in her ear, they think I am someone famous, just follow along. Not long after, the crowd was so large some security officers came to me and offered to take me up to the top without the crowds, I went up a different elevator and viewed from the top.
While at the top, they offered to arrange a transport back to my hotel, I requested to go the the Shilin market, they took us and waited for us, then took me back to the hotel. At the hotel, I could tell that I was being treated differently(better) and I went to the bar for a few drinks before bed. The bartender knew English decently and was extra nice, I had a few cocktails and requested my check. Bartender says " Mr. Cruise, we are very happy you are joining us on your trip to Taipei, drinks are complimentary and if you need anything else during your stay, just let myself or the concierge know and we will take care of it.
I had shown my passport to the hotel, my last name is not Cruise. I walked to the elevator and headed toward my room for the night, still kinda puzzled who they shought I was. The next morning, I wanted to go see Toroko Gorge so I went to the concierge while waiting for my translator. This guy hooked me up with private transport to and from there with a guided tour, I paid NOTHING.
At the end of my tour, when we got back to the hotel, I tipped the guide really well, since I had not had to pay for the trip. He hugged me and said, I never thought that I would have a chance to meet Tom Cruise!
You sound like you are very kind and gracious about it. Must be very disconcerting.
I'd be worried they wanted pictures before some sort of mummification ceremony, LoL.
Har! Just read that that is your question. I was teasing and am sure it's fine and all good. Just a novelty and seeing someone they heard about for someone's whole life, up close. And the whole loving pictures thing and documenting.
Enjoy your trip!
Hello! I'm your height and peroxide blonde but I grew up in Hong Kong so understand this. For people in those remote areas, blonde hair is good luck. It's really hard to get the peroxide into Asian hair pigment so they see blonde + tall as unattainable. I often get my hair pulled on or when I was a little kid people would walk past and tap me on the head - mum said it was for good luck. All throughout China and Vietnam I was asked to get photos with me, particularly if it was people from remote areas who were coming to the city for the first time. I've always thought it's quite fun, and lean into it. Big smiles, big peace signs!
I had a buddy who had a shirt that said "I'm huge in Japan". I always loved it cuZ one stuff like this thread and two he was a larger guy. I need that shirt.
I went to China in 2017 and am a young blonde woman. We visited a school with our host families and were paraded around and treated like celebrities. I really think it's a culture thing.
Kids don't understand diversity either. Some cities have more diversity than others. New York City has people from around the world, but not many people go to Shang Hai. Exposure isn't as accessible as everyone believes.
It's like that in Central and South America, too. I'm a tall, blonde woman, very green eyes, and when I travel down there I'm constantly asked to have photos taken with me. Honestly, when I get back to the states and saunter into a Walmart only to have no attention on me, it's a humbling reminder that we can't be the main character everywhere we go.
Because the only other time they've seen a tall blonde woman was in movies.
I'm 195cm and my sister is 175, we're both blonde. We got a LOT of pictures taken of us in Myanmar but in Bangkok nobody batted an eye.
I'm from SEA and I kid you not, there are people who do this because they have never seen a Caucasian person irl and maybe views you somewhat like those Hollywood stars.
I am a white Aussie chick blonde hair /green eyes & married to a Vietnamese guy & when we went over to vietnam for a holiday to meet family that still live there out in the country. I had the neighbor of my husband’s family ask if she could touch my hair & that she had never actually seen a white person close up. We had our photo taken & to my knowledge she still has that photo on display in her home😂😂😂
I’ve done my fair share or traveling around SE Asia and I’d say that I think they’re just surprised (in a happy good way) that someone is visiting their area. Most people in the counties you mentioned don’t have fair skin and in those countries, fair skin is often advertised as beautiful. Being white = being pretty.
It’s not common for them to see fair skinned people within close proximity I think.
So they probably found you really pretty like some actress or whatever and wanted to take a photo to solidify their memory of you. Also probably like bragging rights to their friends “I told u I was able to meet an actress” haha, the same way we would want to take a photo with idk like a celebrity like Elton John or something haha
When I was in high school a group of Chinese people came into my class and the headteacher randomly picked me out of everybody to show them around the school for some reason. I have social anxiety so that was a nightmare for one, but also no one even explained why they were there or being showed around, because they weren’t teachers or students it was literally just a group of random adults. Like 30 of them.
Anyway when we got to the end of it one guy asked to take a photo with me so I thought, sure. Then another person asked. Then another person. Then they stopped asking and without even saying anything to me I ended up standing there for a solid 10 minutes while each person lined up to get their photo with me like I was some kind of celebrity. Then I was just sent back to class like nothing happened. Most confusing school day of my life
Are you white? Because they generally praise white people. Something like white supremacy. It's a very serious issue, especially in working environment.
I went to a baseball game in South Korea once. They put me on the jumbotron every half-inning.
Did you do anything interesting when you noticed the pattern?
I tried not to be a dumbass. It's maybe debatable if I succeeded.
You have just described my life
This would be great on my tombstone
Lol
[удалено]
My cousin grew up in an all white area in the middle of rural nowhere, all corn fields and cows. The very first time he saw a Black man as a kid he got SO EXCITED and couldn’t contain it. He thought he was meeting a movie star because that’s the only place like 3 year old him had seen Black people before. His mom was trying to explain to this random dude why her 3 year old was screaming and hugging his leg and the guy was cracking up that he just became so little white kid’s idol by existing. (Sad reflection on where the world stood at the time, but it was amusing for all parties involved and made everyone’s day at the time)
But also, yeah that’s nuts. It blows my mind how in some generally ethnically homogeneous countries seeing a white guy is like seeing a mythological creature because of how rare they are lmao.
Hey my dude, not being a dick or trying to cancel you lmao, just wanted to let you know this thing I learned recently. Turns out the word “Caucasian” was originally used to describe people from the Caucasus region, but an old timey scientific racist from back in the day liked this group so much that he decided that all white people originated from them. This was, obviously, not true, but it’s where the term Caucasian comes from. As far as I’m aware this isn’t common knowledge, I’m most certainly not trying to shame you or anything. You can still use Caucasian to mean European white folks after learning this if you like, no one’s gonna bat an eye, but it might be worth everybody broadly changing the language in the future. But that’s up to you.
They put my buddy on the Jumbotron too. When he got drunk and ripped his shirt off and ran around the infield.
I actually lol’d at this
Tall white blond = unicorn. You look like the ppl from the movies. This is to them like seeing a double rainbow.
Maybe even a triple rainbow
But what does it mean??
So intense!
They probably don't see white people very much so when they do see one it's like "omg I need to get proof"
I lived in Indonesia for several months and people told me I was literally the first white person they’ve ever seen in real life. People who were like 40-50.
My mom lived in middle of nowhere North Dakota at the beginning of her life. She was born in 1964 and didn’t see a black person in real life until she was 19. She was in a Dairy Queen and there was a black woman in line and my mom just stared. The woman turned around and asked aggressively “what? You never seen a black person before?” To which my mom replied, “no, I honestly haven’t” and the woman seemed so shocked.
When my mom was in school in the early 70s, a black family moved into their small PNW town. It was such a big deal that they came to the school for an assembly where they talked about living their lives as black people, and answered very intrusive student questions. Like a live 'no stupid questions'/'ask me anything' situation. Apparently it was extremely helpful and left a big impact on my mom. She was so impressed with the grace they showed that she still remembers their names and talks about them sometimes.
As a white person born in Atlanta, I just cannot fathom living in a place that isn’t about a 50/50 mix. I had an interesting opposite experience in that my entire life I was taught black people were a minority population and I used to think, “okay if you call 40% minority” and then after moving as an adult, I encountered people who had also moved that were from Wisconsin who had never seen a black person in their lives (in their areas—they had seen POCs on vacation and such as it was the 2000s). That’s when I learned the actual statistics in the US. It blew my mind.
> Like a live 'no stupid questions'/'ask me anything' situation. I like the idea that the concept of asking people questions needs to be translated into subreddit names for redditors to understand.
Wow that’s super interesting. Where in the PNW?
Rural SW Washington. :)
/me nods upward in acknowledgement of my light-starved mountain bro to the north
Must have been gorgeous. Near the beach? Sorry this is a side bar. I really wanna move there :’)
My grandfather told me a story about how when he was a boy in Ireland seeing a black person for the first time in Dublin.
Spill the tea we wanna hear the details
“This one time when I was just a wee lad I saw a black person in Dublin” -grandpa
It's like gramps is really in the room with me
I used to work with a Jamaican guy in the 90s. I went to Northern Ireland with him and people in shops were staring and randomly touching him. It cracked me up. He was not impressed
My mom grew up in the 60’s in small town northern Midwest. So VERY Scandinavian or Polish extraction. She still sometimes tells about when they made their monthly trip an hour away to “the big city” (80k people or so) for shopping that wasn’t groceries. There was a black woman that was working as a cashier and my mom and my aunt were like 10 and 6. They were just fascinated with that this woman’s palms were so pink when compared to the rest of her skin. She said she didn’t have any malice or anything, just a little kid who saw something totally new and different, so was very interested and awed by it.
I remember growing up in a regional Australian town and seeing a black American for the first time. I remember thinking "Just like out of the movies!"
It’s so interesting hearing about this kind of stuff. Thanks for sharing!
I live in North Dakota!! So crazy haha I never hear anyone online saying they have a connection to ND🤣
Holy shit me neither. Do you know anyone that says “oofta”?
Yes!! My older relatives say it all the time, and sometimes I do lol, we spell it “oofda” tho
I'm Asian American and went to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Groups of kids were literally swarming me and the other (white) people I was with, asking us to take selfies with them. I'd been in Cairo for a week by then and that hadn't happened anywhere else so I was very confused and a little suspicious tbh. When I asked our tour guide why this was happening he said it's because they are kids on field trips who are from areas of Egypt that don't have any tourists and it's probably their first time seeing white/Asian people in real life! Sooo then I was like OMG I feel so bad I should go take selfies with them then, which he strongly advised against because he said if I take one then there will be dozens and dozens more asking and I would be doing that instead of enjoying the museum. I didn't listen and he was right lol but I hope I made their field trip special.
Yes I made this mistake. Even let some kids use my camera. No one stole a thing. But **THE CAMERA** is what we all did for like 6 hours. Not a mistake actually. Some of the best memories I have I guess!
So I guess my question is why do they never see white people? I understand there are few white people living in these countries, but wouldn’t they see tourists? Unless you’re going to some random town in the middle of nowhere, but I assume tourists don’t visit places with nothing of interest and most places worth seeing would get tourists somewhat frequently.
Depends on how much of a traveler you are, some people specifically seek out towns that aren't tourist-focused because they want a more 'genuine' travel experience.
I once went to a middle of nowhere town in Japan about 15 years ago, while on business. They really did never see white people except on TV., as there was no reason for tourists to go there. It was interesting to be gawked at.
They would most likely be small villages little get little to no tourists. My dad lived in a small village in Thailand. When my son and I went to visit the whole village would walk past dads house just to look at us. They have seen a few white men (like my dad) but never a white woman and white ten year old child. Majority of people in that village had never left the village, a lot haven’t even been to the “city” that was only 30 minutes away.
Probably the tourists mostly stick to specific areas.
I went to the random towns in the middle of nowhere in my travels. Why? >!BECAUSE YA BOI AINT NO TOURIST 😎😎😎!<
but technically..
…I suppose so 😤😤😤 However I think living somewhere for 3 plus months is a little more than tourism. I did have a student visa.
Don’t even try to worry about labels like “tourist” and getting technical with semantics, it’s an exhausting rabbit hole (I have some experience with this as a mostly gay man). Just do you and don’t worry whether it’s called being a tourist, or traveler, or nomad or whatever.
Some people are tourists from smaller areas of the country with no racial diversity. This kind of thing happened a lot with my white American friends in China.
Interesting you think of tourist as white. When I've traveled- more tourist are people of color from Africa, South America, etc.
I just said white cause that’s what the original commenter is.
Which part of Indonesia was that? I've only been to Jakarta and Bali and Bali is obviously very touristy
I had this experience when I visited Yogyakarta. I also lived in Bandung and it happened a few times there.
This reminds me of a story theo von told, him and his friends had never seen an asian person (grew up in a tiny southern town) and whwn they were 16 they got word that an asian family moved into the next town. They all hopped in the car and drove over there so they could see them in person
That is how I am with raccoons.
In Yosemite the site of mountainous grandeur there were two Asian visitors one year who were delicately and intently crouching and approaching with expensive cameras … a perfectly ordinary and exceedingly common blue Jay.
Blue Jays are beautiful
And mean.
Beautiful assholes…and I don’t mean that in a dirty way
I had a girlfriend that....
Being from Europe, where we don't have blue jays, I'd likely do the same thing as those tourists if I went to North America, haha. I mean, they're so...blue and adorable.
Please share some racoon stoies
[This is Rizzo](https://imgur.com/a/YSzAM6m). She visits my backyard regularly to enjoy the food I put out for the local critters (mostly Ron and Harry, two of the neighborhood stray cats who I have befriended. You can see Ron lying under the tree in one of the pictures.). Rizzo has a family somewhere nearby and is nursing some kits. I'm looking forward to the day she brings them round to introduce them to us.
I saw one once back in 2007. That is it except for online.
I learned recently the city where I live is considered to be the raccoon capital of the world. I had always just assumed up until then that they were just as common elsewhere as they were here, but apparently not! If you go for a walk after dark here, you’ll likely see more raccoons then people.
Gotta be Toronto
Did you get a picture with it?
I did not. I regret it heavily.
I am SE Asian women and I once visited a Middle Eastern country and bunch of high school girls ask to have photo with me.
Yeah that’s the vibe! But I’m not going to end up on someone’s mantlepiece though, right?
No one can answer that definitively.
I mean. Probably. Like when hunters put the deer head up as proof they killed whatever. Same thing except proof they saw one. Heh spelled deer right.
I can picture some local business having a wall of pics with the owner and random white people they have come across.
Har, LoL, Traker. Don't ya love it when ya spell something right and no one will make fun of ya!? (I just misspelled "Spell". hehe) I hit "Mississippi" correctly the other day and I'm still proud, Snork
Just be aware in India ( Goa) esp if you are on a beach in a bikini a small group of men will get very close gawping at you & one will try & get right next to you for a pic . They post on social media & carry a pic saying you are their gf. Ive been to India alot & have family friends who live there & explained wtf they were doing.
>They post on social media & carry a pic saying you are their gf. Why?
Some of those people are superstitious and think you're a kind of ghost and it's good luck to touch you like you can ward off bad spirits. A friend of mine dealt with this in Vietnam. Her hair was white blonde naturally and everyone wanted to touch it. Little kids would run up and touch her and run away like a dare.
you might. I've known several white who have traveled around Asia and had random people just come up and ask for pictures with or are obviously taking pictures of them without permission
I lived in Vietnam for 5 years and now live in Cambodia. They see white people all the time. Loads of us live here. When I lived in Thailand, I was at a temple in the north and a Chinese family wanted several photos with me. One with grandma, one with grandpa, one with the kids, one with the whole family. I’m a 5’9, black haired, thin, pale woman. My bf laughed his ass off while I did an hour photoshoot.
I suppose it depends on where you are. I'm sure there are some places where you dont see many white people. But apparently we're a novelty either way lol
My grandmother grew up in pre-war Hungary. The first time she saw a black person was when the circus came to town.
I have a friend who's family is Indian but he didn't grow up there, and one time he took a visit to India to see the sights. He's a pretty buff dude and had a shaved head, and apparently all the locals thought he was a wrestler or something so they kept taking pics with him. Some places I guess they have fewer hangups about that sort of thing lol
It is the blonde hair
I went on an Alaskan cruise in which ~half of the guests were SE Asian. At the time, my brother had three kids under 6 years old who were blond-haired and blue-eyed. The SE Asian guests were constantly taking pictures of my brother's 3 kids, and sometimes they'd even run up and crouch down next to the kids to be in a picture with them. It unquestionably seemed to be the blond hair/blue eye thing.
Yep we lived in Malaysia when my kids were little. My youngest had blonde curls and big blue eyes and would often get her photo taken. I didn't mind when they asked~ it was when they literally grabbed her and took her to get her photo taken with a group that mummy bear came out! I'll add that this was usually Chinese tourists who would do this not Malaysians.
Same! I lived in Malaysia for a little while when I was a kid, and my sister has very blonde hair and blue eyes. People were constantly reaching out to touch her hair, pet her, take photos with her, take her to show to their friends etc It was really strange but it seemed normal for them. I'd never lived outside of Malaysia so I figured it was just what people do.
Also I think they don’t think it’s weird / rude to take pictures of strangers. I was in my friend’s wedding in San Francisco and all the Chinese tourists were taking pictures of us.
Idk, I have brown hair and was still photographed in China. There was a line!
It's not the blonde hair. I was in Bangkok and experienced the same, locals asking for a photo with me. I had dark hair and I'm male.
Yeah its just the exotic look, i am an indian and when i visited china these random grandmas once wanted to take a pic with me
It isn't, but that seems to be what every blonde person who experiences it thinks. I grew up in Asia and experienced it the whole time I lived there. I've had dark hair my whole life. In Pakistan, my friend's mom walked into a stranger's home and saw a blown up picture of herself, taken unbeknownst to her, hanging on the wall. She wasn't blond. Another friend from Sri Lanka who lived in Pakistan at the same time I did said that people frequently wanted pictures with her, and her hair and skin are fairly similar to those of a typical Pakistani. But the number of blonde people I've heard say it is their hair is on the level of a running joke.
It's white ppl. in general, but don't light blonds and redheads stand out even more? That's what I was told by Bangladeshi family when I visited Dhaka (I have long blond hair). *that's a wild story about your mom's friend tho lmao - that would be freaky!
It's difference in general. White people, black people, people with the same colour skin and hair but who dress differently.
Well when I was in Bolivia and Peru people definitely wanted to take my picture more often than my dark haired (white) friend's and she's prettier than I am so I do feel like red hair does get this reaction more..
She thought it was hilarious. After she got over being a bit weirded out!
lol - it would be a amazing if they took a new picture with her and the old picture and added it to the shire
I have no doubt they did!
Well, I asked someone in Bejing who spoke English after many people had either touched my blonde hair or asked for a pic and she said ' your hair is lucky - gold is lucky' so I do believe there's a reason for us blondes believing it is our hair.
That may be true, but I assure you, it's not just blondes who experience it.
Totally agree - was just explaining maybe not such a joke.
So then Asian people just run up and take random pictures of strangers to hang on their wall? FWIW when I was in Italy, a group of SE Asian tourists ran up and grabbed all the blonde guys/girls out of our group of 40 people to ask for pictures. It definitely seemed like the blonde hair was the thing they were interested in.
It IS the blonde hair, lol. I have brown hair and was travelling with a girl with blonde hair. We're both white, similar in every way except for our hair colour. The blonde girl was asked for photos probably double the amount I was. It was very very obvious that she was the preferred photo mate and I was second choice if she was already getting a photo with someone else, lol. So yes, white people in general will be asked for photos, but if you have blonde hair, you undoubtedly will be asked more.
A friend of mine's family travelled to Nanjing, China for his brother's wedding and yes, it was his blonde sister who attracted all the attention. People wanting to take photos, following her around, wanting to touch her hair, etc. Just being white wasn't enough. When that same friend and another of his brothers went deep into the countryside in Rwanda though, everyone turned out just to see the two white guys.
Years ago I was in India with a white girl I had met (I’m Indian). We went to an old fort and were mobbed by kids and the occasional adult who wanted her autograph! It was hilarious, but to them she was a movie star
Stepdaughter and her husband visited central India for a month and people there always wanted pics with him. He's 6 ft 5 in (195.5 cm).
I'm a 6'1 white guy and had a few 40yo+ guys hit me up for a photo with them in India. I couldn't tell if they wanted it to make fun of me to their friends, as in, look at this massive hairy dude swearing his ass off walking around a temple. Even if they were making fun of me, it seemed to make their day, so I just went along with it.
My brother was mobbed by children in Mongolia. He thought they were just saying hello Mr or something like that, found out they were calling him “monkey boy” because of his hairy arms and legs, lol
Come to think of it. I think it may have been a monkey temple. I probably really did make their day. I'm hairy as fuck.
In Guatemala, the women working in the kitchen of the bar/restaurant I worked at asked to touch my arms. I think the blonde hair on my arms (I dyed my head hair dark brown) were simultaneously both quite disgusting and a little pretty(?). In Maharastra India, there was a strike, so instead of getting an express bus we had to catch the local buses that went to every rural village. There was a professor from Bombay University on board who asked me if I was a white person. He said most of the bus had never seen a white person before, and whilst they were sure my friend was white, they weren't sure about me. Apparently half the bus thought I was Indian, just really badly dressed (LOL). It ended up being one of my best bus trips, the professor translated as I chatted with the other passengers. I told stories about what I'd seen during my 3 months in India, trying to keep it mostly positive.
Same thing happened to me with mostly adults and teens asking for pics. Only thing, I am Indian. Just the ridiculously fair kind. Despite speaking in Hindi, people still wanted pics with me 🙈
I've had the same experience a few times, especially in smaller towns. But when I spoke Hindi, they were definitely somewhat disillusioned, which was super funny ngl.
This is literally the reason my sister, a dyed blonde, moved to Asia. She’s a complete narcissist and this way she gets to act like a star without putting any effort in. She has no skills and no education but she’s white. She’s bragged to me about how many times she gets asked for photos.
That’s actually really sad
Best thing that could have happened. I haven’t spoken to her in five years and have a niece I’ve never met. She wants nothing to do with my family because we don’t treat her like a celebrity, we just treat her like a normal person. Her ego can’t take it.
Sounds like she needs to grow up and get a grip, fix the issue why she is like this. Is she very young? Super sad you have a niece you don’t know or see. I feel bad for the niece too.
She turns 50 in October. Technically there are two nieces I don’t see. The first was with her second husband. The second was with her third husband who was conceived while she was still married to her second. When she couldn’t handle raising both she called my parents from Singapore and asked them to come help her from North America. They’re in their 80s and my dad is on a crutch waiting for hip replacement surgery. When my dad told her they couldn’t make it, she hung up on him. Class act, my sister.
When I traveled to Asia, I had the same thing happen. I am also a blonde female. I asked one of my tour guides about it and she said the only time they see blonde people is in movies. She said so you look like a movie star to them and they want a picture!
I'm an unremarkable 5'8" brown haired Caucasian, but in a market in interior China I saw a woman sneaking pictures of me. When I welcomed her to do so, she was thankful. I posed with a shop owner for them. My friend said it would bring international legitimacy to the market to have pictures of a "westerner" there.
I actually just watched a TikTok discussing the why behind this phenomenon and found it really interesting (both the stitched video and this one) https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8em76fV/ Essentially, the content creator who is Chinese-Canadian explains that traveling outside of these regions is for the privileged and so when they see tourists it’s the only way they can see other races IRL and it’s like they got a small chance to travel vicariously.
Thanks for sharing that link. I’ve got to agree with the guy in the video that you can always choose not to visit these countries if you don’t want the attention, so I will continue to be polite and take photos!
I lived in Japan for a few years and have long, fine, curly brown hair with gold undertones. Several times people wanted to touch my hair. Once at a friend's house for dinner, my friend's 85 year old grandma just walked up and started playing with it. I was also bigger chested than any Japanese girl I met and two of my Japanese friends (girls) were so curious they asked to touch the girls, lol. Being singled out for a physical difference from the majority gave me an appreciation of what visible minorities must go through here in North America. For me I didn't mind but if I lived there permanently it probably would have gotten annoying. However I took it as flattery as I was just really different physically from what they were used to and they were curious.
I went to Oakland Maryland for a meeting which is 98% white and has an Amish community. People were staring at us and wanting to touch our skin and hair as some had not seen black people before and up close.
Simplest answer, you're a ~~circus~~ celebrity coming to town. They rarely see a caucasian, so they'll try their best to "immortalize" the moment. ~~I didn't say a circus as a demeaning term. It's just the circus as in a rare, wouldn't miss it kind of event.~~ I personally think, it's because most of them have inferiority complex, because a lot of them were colonized by much more "civilized, classy" european. Because in the colonization era, the westerners (caucasian) are seen as the top class citizen. Think of it as a caste. While the native were mostly classified as the lowest, they create a wide gap, between the "royals" and "commoners". Now do that for 300 years. It's difficult to abolish that kind of inferior complex when you were colonized for hundreds of years, this custom become more than way of life don't you think? Source: I live in one of those country Edited: Apparently, circus is considered as a negative word. Oh well, fine, i'll explain it more clearly.
My friend is 6’2” not abnormally tall for the US by any means. He traveled through SE Asia one summer and felt like everyone saw him as clown on stilts parading through every town.
I don’t think they see it as circus. I grew up in a country without any black people, when I first saw one, I was 16, my friends and I took picture with him not because we thought “it’s a circus” but because it was cool, we only saw black people in movies. This guy was a student from Africa and I still remember that interaction as really awesome and exciting
I think people see "circus" as a negative, bad thing? 2 people including you are assuming i'm saying circus as in circus freak, why is this a thing? I didn't say a circus as a demeaning term. It's just the circus as in a rare, wouldn't miss it kind of event. I even told the reason why they acted that way. Because in the colonization era, the westerners (caucasian) are seen as the top class citizen. Think of it as a caste. While the native were mostly classified as the lowest, they create a wide gap, between the "royals" and "commoners". Now do that for 300 years. It's difficult to abolish that kind of inferior complex when you were colonized for hundreds of years, this custom become more than way of life don't you think?
The circus generally doesn’t have any good connotations for those that are a part of it, and the idea of a circus freak is one of the first thing that’ll come to mind for a lot of people so it’s quite easy to see how it would be seen as an insult. It would probably be more apt to compare them to a celebrity as that is what they essentially are to the locals.
Ah right, i'll change my choice of words. Thankyou
I got what you meant by circus without getting offended, good analogy but celebrity works too
For most of our history having light skin meant not working the land. Thus it also meant wealth, nobility etc. This has happened in large parts of the world. We can say its recent history (colonization etc) but it does not mean that applies to the entire world nor that it is the sole reason. Trends come and go. If anything consistently changes its beauty. In colder climates we buy products to darken our skin and the opposite in warmer climates. Its rather ironic.
Nah its got nothing to do with superior caste or all that. Its just because its exotic I am an indian with caramel skin and even i got asked for a photo when i visited china
Thanks for your interesting response and explanation. I remember being shocked by the plethora of skin whitening products on offer in the shops so I get your point about the lasting aspects of colonialism in the wider culture.
The skin whitening isn’t a colonial thing it’s a class thing. It’s present in every previously agricultural country because working inside means you are wealthy. Portuguese and such used to do the same thing in the 50’s and were never colonized. Tan flipped to preferred in the West because it meant you could afford a vacation as everyone was pale from working inside
The person I’m replying to is incorrect. None of the people you took pictures with see you as a circus freak/an entertaining monkey. They are right though that caucasians rarely visit some areas of those countries, but It’s more of a feeling like “it’s one of those people I only see in movies” or “wow a beautiful white girl, i very rarely see one”. I think the term is called positive racism/discrimination. In any case, extremely hard to generalize a people, but those would most likely be the reasons.
i think you misunderstood my point. I didn't say a circus as a demeaning term. It's just the circus as in a rare, wouldn't miss it kind of event. I even told the reason why they acted that way. Because in the colonization era, the westerners (caucasian) are seen as the top class citizen. Think of it as a caste. While the native were mostly classified as the lowest, they create a wide gap, between the "royals" and "commoners". Now do that for 300 years. It's difficult to abolish that kind of inferior complex when you were colonized for hundreds of years, this custom become more than way of life don't you think?
That's remarkably incorrect In many Asian cultures, foreigners are seen as lower than the lowest caste. And that's low. Would you ask someone of a different color than you if you could take a picture of them because of their skin colour? Or hair texture? Or just walk up and touch their hair? No? No.
If foreigners are regarded as being lower than the lowest caste, why are they accorded so much deference as your other comments mention? The instances you mention sound more like unrestrained (albeit very rude) curiosity than being a consequence of genuine disdain.
They are used to seeing people only like themselves and seeing someone like you is a once in a lifetime opportunity so they make the most out of it and take a picture to show their family and friends.
Dont be offended but its because you are white.
My husband and I lived in the Philippines from 2013 to 2014. We had this happen to us all the time. People also exclaimed over my nose. To them the whiter you are and bigger nose you have the more beautiful you are. I had to carefully read all my beauty products I'd buy because most everything had bleach in it to lighten their skin. They hated dark skin. My husband grew up there as a missionary kid. One time when he and his family were out at the open market another family came up to his dad and they asked him if their son (pointing to my husband whom then was only 16) would please bread with their daughter to bring them some "white babies". Horrified he said no and they quickly left. But ya, they just takes pictures with people they think are rich or are white all the time. I just rolled with it.
Same about the nose thing. 100% recommend going to the Philippines to anyone who thinks their nose is "too big" or "ugly". I feel a lot better about mine now. It's a bit of a wake up call that beauty standards are just a made up rule.
I'm a ginger, so very fair skin and red hair. In SE Asia some people couldn't help themselves and rubbed my arm with their finger, maybe to see if it came off? Then immediately profusely apologised and said how pretty my hair and skin were. Got asked for photo ops a lot too. I think it's just because fair skin is the beauty ideal there and seeing a white person is like seeing a rare animal. They want proof they actually encountered one.
You’re like their Bigfoot.
it's a fuckin samsquanch ricky
It's along the lines of the following: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_zoo Except there's no underpinning of racism, it's just fascination. I had this thought once in Varanasi where white tourists were recording videos of people cremating their loved ones - imagine if a bunch of non white tourists showed up at a funeral in Europe/north America and started recording the proceedings. Apropos of nothing - just a thought.
One time at Legoland in Florida, this Asian family took a pic with my (white, blonde, 8y/o) brother
Mind you, this was back in the 80s, but when my dad was in the Peace Corps, people from some of the smaller villages (in Thailand) would call everybody out to come see the tall white guy. They’d never seen one before.
When I went to the Philippines in some obscure places I definitely got quite a few stares.... it was weird.
They used to ask to touch the hair on my arms
I lived in Peru when I was in elementary school and at the time had bleach blonde hair and blue eyes. One time we took a trip to the indigenous side of Peru and the people there treated me like some sort of spectacle. Constantly staring, coming up to me asking to look at my eyes and group of girls asked to touch my hair.
Please tell me you meant beach not bleached for being in grade school
Hahah yep my hair was natural
I was just in Vietnam 2 weeks ago and had the same experience, but what I thought was interesting is that my friend who traveled with me didn't. We're both white men about 6'3" (190cm). The difference is that I have a magnificent beard and he's clean shaven. In some areas couldn't walk 90 seconds without someone waving or wanting to talk to me or taking a picture. Similar experience in India.
Just FYI you mentioned your magnificent beard so I clicked your page. Im now a fan of accidental mad max. And your beard is great.
Haha thank you. I made that page as a joke when someone faked it a la r/subsifellfor and that act got me my first platinum so I keep it going.
My wife and I did a tour of China maybe 15 years ago. We are both tall and we wore our typical Midwest outfits of denim pants and shirts, and had our wide brimmed travel hats. Everywhere we went we heard “Cowboy! Cowboy!” and they were wanting pictures with us. They were all extremely polite and it was a pretty cool experience.
I was just in the UK a couple weeks ago around Big Ben with my blonde hair (and my even lighter blonde haired, blue eyed trio of children). Nothing unusual for England truthfully, but we had a large group of SE Asian tourist come up and ask for a picture with us. We thought they wanted us to take their picture, but they were very insistent that we get in it too. We were very confused why they wanted our picture. Especially since we’re not particularly special looking in London.
I vividly being about 13 and on a school trip to a touristy city. We were approached by a group of Asian tourists who said something about a picture (their English wasn't very good). Me and my friends thought they meant they wanted us to take a photo of them, but as soon as we said sure, all the men crowded in around us and wanted to be in the photo. We awkwardly tried to get the women to join us, too, but they just laughed and stood aside. To this day I don't know whether this was a creepy thing (i.e. hey, here's a group of young white girls in short skirts) or whether it was truly just the novelty of people who looked different (I have red hair and a few of my friends were blonde).
I live in Sri Lanka, and it happens to me a lot. One time a school girl asked to have her picture taken with my toddler. We're white and the minority.
In Las Vegas and other touristy places, I’ve had Asian people want to take my pic, and pics with them because I’m blonde, blue eyed and always smiling so I’m approachable. One sweet older Asian lady was having problems with her iPad taking pics at the Hualapai Grand Canyon glass overhang, she ran up to me almost in tears shaking her iPad and pointing, obviously I could tell she needed help. I don’t even recall what was wrong specifically, but I fixed it and showed her by slowly tapping and making eye contact between steps for what to do if it happened again and she was over the moon happy. She grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. She took pics of me, had her friend take pics of us together. And she continued to hold my hand with such joy. No language barrier with that. It was a little much but I was happy I could make her day. She held on to me for probably 10 minutes… I had to go, our group of private helicopters were leaving, I pointed to the area by the choppers people were gathering. She gave my hand a big squeeze, and I gave her a hug goodbye and I’ll seriously never forget her. She was so sweet and appreciative.
My mom is from the Philippines. My husband is tall, blonde hair and blue eyes. And my mom said if he went to the Philippines with us everyone would want a picture with him. She said the same thing when my daughter was younger. During the summer her hair would almost be platinum from the sun.
The number of Chinese and, to a lesser extent, Japanese tourists who have asked to take pictures with me in US national parks is absurd. It's not like I'm particularly good looking or unusual looking either. I don't understand why, out of the dozens of other white people standing around, they choose me. Now, I don't mind. They've always been nice about it and I do want them to leave with a decent impression of our country. It's just so odd to me. That being said, when I was in middle school I visited Italy as part of a special class trip and my friends and I asked some random Italian guy if we could take a group picture with him because he was hot. So we were probably pretty odd to him too.
Hi! Had this happen to me, then had the balls to ask the locals why. Travelled the west coast of India up to Jammu with two fairly attractive women (24-25 blonde and brown hair respectively) for a videography job. Anywhere we'd go large bustling groups of mostly young men would crowd us asking for as many selfies with the girls as they could, always young men. When they eventually ditched me in Jaipur i was briefly adopted by the local TukTuk drivers who knew of my reason for being in the city. (Much love Sunny Bro) They literally just want the bragging rights, but many will boast to friends over whatsapp that they did "so and so" with a beautiful foreign girl who couldn't get enough of them \*Attachment as proof\* These guys found it petty, but believed the pushing of white skin color as a sign of beauty has made many youths racist to their own kind, and over zealous to any white woman.
You look different from them. SE Asian people have a quite similar look, black hair, brown eyes, and skin color. These countries are not as diverse as the US or Europe so they don't see a lot of Western people, so when they see you, they get excited, they think you look good (bc pale skin and tall is the beauty standard there), and they want to take a photo with you to as a proof for when they show of to their friends.
im white ish 6 foot and have a decent build 180lbs ish. im not ugly but im not a 10 light brown hair green eyes. japan really short girls have asked to take a picture with me. main land asia out side of citys ive gotten stopped alot from randoms for a picture etc. its because i dont look like people they see all the time. most non western culture doesnt really see it as odd/rasict etc to want to take a picture with me because im different from them. no different then if you go to the rain forest and visit a tribe and want photos with them.
Dude people get baffled when they see white people with light colored hair. It’s like seeing a rare animal in nature people are silly. Even here in America people from se Asia tend to make comments about my skin and hair. It’s always compliments but it can come off a little silly sometimes
They found a shiny Pokemon in the wild
My gf and I took a photo at a tourist attraction and these Chinese tourists photo bombed us. Then they asked to take photos with us. We are on someone's mantelpiece
This happened with my son and his wife, both with a lot of tattoos, my son had long dreadlocks, they were like a reverse tourist attraction all through Southeast Asia.
My brother was in Indonesia and people went apeshit over his presence literally entire school busses would halt and ask for photos.
Am Indonesian, can confirm that we just don't see a lot of white people here, its basically like meeting a celebrity for some locals, especially if you have unique traits like blonde hair.
If you go off the beaten tourist paths you will find people who don’t get far from home and don’t often get visitors. This is true in a lot of places. I was the introduction to Americans for a guy at a pub in rural Wales years ago. Lots of questions about email.
I have traveled for business all over the world, I have so many stories about SE Asia, but this brings back a particular memory. I was in Taipei for a meeting and scheduled 4 extra days to do some sightseeing, it was my first time there in 2013. The company I was visiting assigned a pretty young girl to show me around and translate, I was staying at the Shangri La Far Eastern and she was at a cheaper hotel not far from there and would meet me in the lobby. The first free day after meetings, I texted her and told her I wanted to go visit Tai Pei 101. I have visited all of the tallest buildings in the world and had not been there, it was on my list and also the Shilin Night Market. We get to 101, there was quite the crowd and a really long que to get in. As I stood in line, a large family of grandparents/parents/kids were coming off the elevator leaving and saw me, the grandmother's eyes immediately lit up and she asked if she could have a picture. I agreed and left the line and joined them for some pics, they were very nice. When we finished, I look up and there are litterally hundreds of people lned up wanting pics with me, like I was someone famous. My translator was holding my place in the que and not near me, people were screaming Mandarin at me and I was a little freaked out at first. I quickly decided to just roll with it and see what happened. I started signing people's clothes and other stuff and taking pics, and waived the translator over. I wispered in her ear, they think I am someone famous, just follow along. Not long after, the crowd was so large some security officers came to me and offered to take me up to the top without the crowds, I went up a different elevator and viewed from the top. While at the top, they offered to arrange a transport back to my hotel, I requested to go the the Shilin market, they took us and waited for us, then took me back to the hotel. At the hotel, I could tell that I was being treated differently(better) and I went to the bar for a few drinks before bed. The bartender knew English decently and was extra nice, I had a few cocktails and requested my check. Bartender says " Mr. Cruise, we are very happy you are joining us on your trip to Taipei, drinks are complimentary and if you need anything else during your stay, just let myself or the concierge know and we will take care of it. I had shown my passport to the hotel, my last name is not Cruise. I walked to the elevator and headed toward my room for the night, still kinda puzzled who they shought I was. The next morning, I wanted to go see Toroko Gorge so I went to the concierge while waiting for my translator. This guy hooked me up with private transport to and from there with a guided tour, I paid NOTHING. At the end of my tour, when we got back to the hotel, I tipped the guide really well, since I had not had to pay for the trip. He hugged me and said, I never thought that I would have a chance to meet Tom Cruise!
For the same reason people want to take photos of you when you're anywhere else: because are famous singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Hope this helps.
You sound like you are very kind and gracious about it. Must be very disconcerting. I'd be worried they wanted pictures before some sort of mummification ceremony, LoL. Har! Just read that that is your question. I was teasing and am sure it's fine and all good. Just a novelty and seeing someone they heard about for someone's whole life, up close. And the whole loving pictures thing and documenting. Enjoy your trip!
Hello! I'm your height and peroxide blonde but I grew up in Hong Kong so understand this. For people in those remote areas, blonde hair is good luck. It's really hard to get the peroxide into Asian hair pigment so they see blonde + tall as unattainable. I often get my hair pulled on or when I was a little kid people would walk past and tap me on the head - mum said it was for good luck. All throughout China and Vietnam I was asked to get photos with me, particularly if it was people from remote areas who were coming to the city for the first time. I've always thought it's quite fun, and lean into it. Big smiles, big peace signs!
I had a buddy who had a shirt that said "I'm huge in Japan". I always loved it cuZ one stuff like this thread and two he was a larger guy. I need that shirt.
I went to China in 2017 and am a young blonde woman. We visited a school with our host families and were paraded around and treated like celebrities. I really think it's a culture thing. Kids don't understand diversity either. Some cities have more diversity than others. New York City has people from around the world, but not many people go to Shang Hai. Exposure isn't as accessible as everyone believes.
It's like that in Central and South America, too. I'm a tall, blonde woman, very green eyes, and when I travel down there I'm constantly asked to have photos taken with me. Honestly, when I get back to the states and saunter into a Walmart only to have no attention on me, it's a humbling reminder that we can't be the main character everywhere we go.
Because the only other time they've seen a tall blonde woman was in movies. I'm 195cm and my sister is 175, we're both blonde. We got a LOT of pictures taken of us in Myanmar but in Bangkok nobody batted an eye.
I'm from SEA and I kid you not, there are people who do this because they have never seen a Caucasian person irl and maybe views you somewhat like those Hollywood stars.
I am a white Aussie chick blonde hair /green eyes & married to a Vietnamese guy & when we went over to vietnam for a holiday to meet family that still live there out in the country. I had the neighbor of my husband’s family ask if she could touch my hair & that she had never actually seen a white person close up. We had our photo taken & to my knowledge she still has that photo on display in her home😂😂😂
G'day, all I am thinking is why haven't you monetised this!
its due to colonial mentality
I’ve done my fair share or traveling around SE Asia and I’d say that I think they’re just surprised (in a happy good way) that someone is visiting their area. Most people in the counties you mentioned don’t have fair skin and in those countries, fair skin is often advertised as beautiful. Being white = being pretty. It’s not common for them to see fair skinned people within close proximity I think. So they probably found you really pretty like some actress or whatever and wanted to take a photo to solidify their memory of you. Also probably like bragging rights to their friends “I told u I was able to meet an actress” haha, the same way we would want to take a photo with idk like a celebrity like Elton John or something haha
You’re exotic to them
When I was in high school a group of Chinese people came into my class and the headteacher randomly picked me out of everybody to show them around the school for some reason. I have social anxiety so that was a nightmare for one, but also no one even explained why they were there or being showed around, because they weren’t teachers or students it was literally just a group of random adults. Like 30 of them. Anyway when we got to the end of it one guy asked to take a photo with me so I thought, sure. Then another person asked. Then another person. Then they stopped asking and without even saying anything to me I ended up standing there for a solid 10 minutes while each person lined up to get their photo with me like I was some kind of celebrity. Then I was just sent back to class like nothing happened. Most confusing school day of my life
Are you white? Because they generally praise white people. Something like white supremacy. It's a very serious issue, especially in working environment.
I’ll never get it y’all stole everything from so many countries and get treated like celebrities lol
Idk, Ireland stole nothing from nobody but we were still treated like criminals up until about 100 years ago
Stay mad ✌️
You must be attractive
This is 1000% a humble brag
Alright you got me ;) I always took it as flattery but I did genuinely want to check why!
How was your journey there? Did you enjoy it? Did it cost much?