Racism in Barcelona.

You have to play the same game, u won't change them and this isn't a reason or logic issue

Hi Ed,

Am really sad to hear this, cuz I planed to come to spain on 25th of Dec.

Anyway dude, Let's hangout sometime and I will show u how to break this damn racism.

I'm so happy to see this post, for me, it's a relief.  I am a dark-skinned, American, single mother living in a small town in Hungary...I'm judged and criticized on a daily basis.  It'S EXTREMELY difficult not just hating in return for their hate.  But, the funny thing is, being here has shown me how ugly and unnecessary hate is.  I've been here 3 years and people still stare and gawk, use the word nigger, and judge.  It is what it is.  I have to say that I assumed Europe (I've travelled around several countries here) would be more open, as far as race is concerned, than America.  In my experience, the opposite is true.  That doesn't deter me, I still love Europe, I just wish I could see more multiculturalism and less hate.

Hi Ed,
I feel so sorry for this and in the same time I feel secure that i'm not only the one who lived this situation. I thought that this behavior was reserved to moroccan people taking in consideration the immigration problems between our countries and my religion. But when i read all the posts, i realized that the racism don't have a nationality or religion it's just confirming the nature of human being wherever they are.
I'm living in Barcelona since 1 year, studying an MBA and trying to work as freelance but as it said in major posts, the catalan people are very closed and refuse to treat with foreign people. I'm living in the exiample too and when they ask me for my address, they are surprised to know that i'm living there...since now the only friend that I have is Moroccan and it's really difficult to live without social relationships. It's really disgusting. SO, I'm happy to share with all of you this experience, it allows me to understand more what happen in this country. Good luck for everybody.   
Ouafaa Bach

Someone crossed out my name on the mail box of our building. We are four to share the flat, and we did not remove some other names of previous flat mates (they still receive some mails in their previous address)… all the names are local ones, except mine, and only mine was crossed out in black.
I was really shocked:nothappy:. But I also believe that one or even some “crazy” persons do not make a city. I know who I am. I focus on the nice things I see, I learn and share every day with my few friends and/or my Catalan flatmates:top:. The rest… straight to the trash can. This is the world. Nice and bad things wherever you go.

I had to wince a bit at reading your story about meeting the "fellow" american in the same building and his apparent memory loss at ethnic diversity back home. Still, as you say, he was probably from one of those innumerable suburbs where there is little diversity. Reading your comments you're clearly a socio-politically aware individual, you've thought/read about race, identity, class etc. I say this as I am of a similar mind myself and I find that being of such a disposition makes the day to day racism in Spain difficult to swallow at times. Political correctness hasnt quite arrived which means though it may be no more or less racism than other places you do hear people express whatever racism they harbour whereas may be elsewhere they are more constrained by social norms. There are times that I've worked hard to educate others in order to explain how illogical and immoral racism is but increasingly, I tend to adopt a more stoical passive attitude with only occasional comments aimed at gently reminding or suggesting a better way of thinking.

blacktsalagi wrote:

This post began in 2010 and yet today, is still being added to. It's nice to see that people aren't trying to avoid the subject of racism. As well, people of many nationalities / "races" / ethnicities have contributed. To me this continues to confirm that "racism" really does effect everyone.
Personally, coming from a multi-ethnic background I've always understood this.
I'd like to share an anecdote about a countryman I met here in Barcelona.
- When I lived in Sants, I kept hearing someone in the building speak english...with an accent similar to mine. Knowing I couldn't be the only "yankee" in Sants, I was still thrilled of the possibility of another one being in my building. This went on for about three weeks until I finally saw the person in passing. I said "hello" and he replied "hola"... I thought perhaps I had made a mistake. Until, One day, the timing was perfect and I found myself riding in the elevator with him. I said, "hi, how are you?" He looked at me a little puzzled. Yes, I knew what was going to happen. lol He replied with a dry, "fine." I proceeded to ask him where he was from and he turns to me, and speaking in his best TEFL teacher language, begins to actually explain, "the geographical location of his state within the u.s. and that it was called the ""mid-west"", blah blah blah..." lol  I just looked at him, as if he were an idiot, (because he was), and said, "you DO realize that I'm from the u.s. as well, don't you?" He looked at me in disbelief... and then confusion.

I've come across north-americans like him many times before in europe. They are prejudice against "ethnic-people" from their own country, (for whatever reason), and they don't really expect to or want to see "them" in europe. People-of-color from other countries? Sure, that's ok, but NOT their own. LOL
Having been to the mid-west of the u.s. many times, there are "white" people, who have never actually met a person-of-color, as strange as it may sound. This in no way means that they are "small minded"... Please remember that the u.s. is very big and there is a lot of isolation in certain parts.

The way I see it, Spain's version of prejudice, is no different than any other country's.

Moroccans do have it tough in Barcelona no doubt, there seems to be a multifaceted racism, they are perceived by most of the mainstream media as the true "other" who will supposedly never integrate and are somehow destined to be "uncivilised". Most nations have an "other" which better defines how they (falsely) give themselves identity based on being the opposite of the other. The term "moro" is used so loosely and is so ingrained as part of the culture its going to be difficult to change this, I mean they still black themselves up down in Valencia and dance the Moros and Cristianos dont they?

bachlet wrote:

Hi Ed,
I feel so sorry for this and in the same time I feel secure that i'm not only the one who lived this situation. I thought that this behavior was reserved to moroccan people taking in consideration the immigration problems between our countries and my religion. But when i read all the posts, i realized that the racism don't have a nationality or religion it's just confirming the nature of human being wherever they are.
I'm living in Barcelona since 1 year, studying an MBA and trying to work as freelance but as it said in major posts, the catalan people are very closed and refuse to treat with foreign people. I'm living in the exiample too and when they ask me for my address, they are surprised to know that i'm living there...since now the only friend that I have is Moroccan and it's really difficult to live without social relationships. It's really disgusting. SO, I'm happy to share with all of you this experience, it allows me to understand more what happen in this country. Good luck for everybody.   
Ouafaa Bach

Thanks for this update... Sometime if other light skin immigrant in Barcelona, suffer like this, i wonder, what black people, who easily standout would be treated.. It hard fact.... racism is still fresh and raw here in Catalonia. I am Gambian expart living here in Barcelona ( for two years now)..I have experienced so many approaches, which to me can be categorize as racist.. though I just tend to ignore them many time..

I entered a supermaket to buy stuff and behind me was security person following and checking my every, while spanish and other white folks was given the king size treatment. When I finish buying, I protest this at the person at counter, but she shrugged and smile..The other, I was plaza catalonia taken fresh, police came to me directly asking what i am doing there.. yet they did ask other who are whites and probably locals. Last December, I was montain monjuic with friend South Africa for walk. We wanted to take the teleferico and the security at the gate told us we cannot use because it is not working, yet other tourist ( non black)were allowed to use it... I was in metro... young man show me the finger, simply because i am black... The list goes on

Racism is a big word to be used here I think. Spaniards staring to a scandinavian blond or not being capable to interact with oriental people is just a matter of education, admiration, surprise, fear, TV-news... Add that Spaniards are not that travelled than other Europeans. Add that still a lot of young people in the 20s do not speak English to keep a conversation. Add that there is almost non interaction between Catalan people and non-Catalan people perhaps because of the continuous amount of foreigners coming and going from the city plus that the most visible foreigners are the ones misbehaving in the streets where every single person can tell stories about Brits, Arabs, Chinese, Nordics and the lack of contact puts the label to the whole population.

Normally foreigners live in areas for foreigners, rarely you find foreigners living in the popular areas. A foreign family in a popular area will be much more integrated and have a nice life with neighbours than in the old city or the richer areas, absolutely in my own opinion and from my experience. Indian Pakistani people living in old city will have it very difficult to make regular Spanish friends if ever manage to.

Plus, if you come from Canada, the happiest most friendly country in the world, the contrast is very strong.

Spain does not have a policy that a public place should allow everyone to enter and I guess Jamboree did not want to have that night a single Mexican-looking guy, lots of latino-looking people already inside or 50/50 policy, who knows.

Racism is something else. Can be for example being insulted in the street for not being blond in a Nordic country without any reason. What about being beaten in the metro for being black or looking gay?

Put yourself in their skin and do not expect them to get into your brain. You are supposed to be the one who knows more because you have left your home and you know both places. Easy with the Spaniards, please.

Jaime -
You seem to be rather cultured. Your comments come off a bit delusional (respectfully though).
I don't know what your personal background is with "racism" / "discrimination", travel, living abroad BUT you seem to NOT be convinced that Ed's experience was "racism".

1 - Perhaps you haven't read the entire thread. You should if you haven't.

2 - a wide rang of "races", nationalities, ethnicities and cultures have responded on this thread and the VAST majority have had similar if NOT identical experiences as Ed's, OR, have seen it happen to someone else.

3 - At the top of Ed's post, he clearly stated that he didn't want to write about his experience.
-This means, that perhaps, it's happened before and he had ignored it for a long time. Like many of us do...ignore it....again and again and again. -

We've all heard your arguments before and your position is very weak.
If you are trying to convince ALL of us, that "racism" is ONLY being physically attacked or beaten up, then you are living in a fantasy world OR do NOT understand what "Racism" is.
Is "sexism" ONLY when a female is raped????? Of course NOT.
Is agism is ONLY when an old person is robbed and beaten up????? Of course NOT.
So WHY is "racism" (in your explanation) only when someone gets beaten???

Lastly - You stereotyped a lot of different ethnicities and nationalities in your post.
Many of us desire to show a better side of social behavior and do NOT want this to become an "anti-spain" or "anti-catalan discussion.
I would say that "Racism" is anywhere and everywhere in some form and perhaps you yourself has experienced it. I don't know. But what's clear, is that your comments show that you have a very "one sided" view on Racism.

You will have to do much better if you want to convince us that Ed's or any of our experiences were NOT "Racist" or motivated by race.
Good-luck.

You are right blacktsalagi,

I am not going to say it is a right behavior nor justify it. I was just trying to show that normally racism is based on learned stereotypes, lack of experiences and wrongly understood tradition and it is easy to find the link if you look at Spain's contemporary history and education. It is not a justification at all and it is a deeply sad experience when it happens. As you say racism is everywhere and I was trying to put people in the context. As Iranians say: "We that are big, have to understand those that are smaller".

On the other hand i could also go the other way and say that statistically there are very few Mexican people living in the area where he lives, I am from Barcelona and I have also been denied entry to a disco in Barcelona and security follows me in the shops if I am dressed in a certain way. Besides I am the foreigner who decided to move to other countries, so when I face those reactions I think to myself that I am the one who moved and I stick to the positive facts and people. But this last paragraph is not very mind developing I think.

I think it is good that people talk about this subject as many Spaniards would not admit the level of racism in Spain.

[Moderated: Offensive comment]

Dear Atano,

No need to insult and in my opinion is not true Catalans hate Spaniards, please.

I can have a couple of comments about Ibiza in terms of treating foreigners. Perhaps you are right that Madrid is the most welcoming city as everybody is welcome there.

I Believe that one or a group of people do not represent all the Catalan population. My friends are from all the regions of Spain, and I share a flat with Catalan and Spanish friends. They are simply excellent.
If there is a city I will never forget, it will be Barcelona.

As a Catalan myself, I am very sorry this things happen. I can just share with you a piece of thought on how to deal with this, which served me well when I was abroad and suffered from similar attitudes: BE ARROGANT. Unfortunately many people here as everywhere judge on first sight. Well, do give them a freakingly good first sign by showing you are to be treated good-mannerly. In other words: you have to rather visibly transmit that you are in Barcelona because you chose to, and that you do not need these clothes, clubs or whatever further because you can get them anywhere else. If they look weird at you, give them a weird look too. If they say you ar "chinita" or "sudaca" or any of this, tell them you are not, and that they are just ignorants. And if they think you are a robber because you look this or that, be ironic and tell them not to worry, you will soon enough have to go somewhere else to rob because Spain is getting poor.

My point is, as many of you more than surely noticed travelling around, two ways of dealing with ignorance are good education and shocking experiences. It is not your duty but that of our wellfare state to take the former in charge, but you can do the latter. In our particular case, we Spanish need to be told things three times to move, inasmuch as we are not really the most civic people in Europe. Yes there is racism, but it is generally not ill-hearted or deeply rooted. And that bears good news too: Once we are told, ashamed, taught, and overall shocked, we do learn and we do react. Call it drama, mediterraneanism or an excess of sun, but I am sure that many of you who directly confronted those ignorant people did have positive reactions, be it a boyfriend's mother or a shop-keeper.

So please, from now on, do not let yourselves be treated in that way (unless of course you have a two-metre, two-hundred kilos, single-neuroned club gorilla in front of you). Sad as it may be, by being arrogant you are being educational. And you may free yourselves from a great deal of frustration you do not deserve. You have the right to live in Barcelona as much as any of us.

Oh, and Benvinguts a Barcelona!

Apparently the inquisitor in this forum is catalonian. Sorry for being so direct in my comments. But I said the truth.
Again I recommend to travel to Madrid or Ibiza. people are much more open minded and more amicable with foreigners.

[Moderated: No need to generalize]

I totally agree with Marc Paris.  All of you should be more arrogant.  These people (which has been stated in other posts) are basically ignorant, uncultured and impolite, a great breeding ground for racism.  You cannot educate them in a few minutes of interaction, no matter how much you want or how hard you try.  I think shock treatment works best!  Several shocks work the best of all.  Challenge their preconceptions!  Shake the foundation of their beliefs!  Send out the vibrations/first impressions that you are not here to be treated rudely and ignorantly.  But don't only do this during the racist situation, do this before and after, always.  Don't worry, it is possible to be both arrogant and friendly/courteous.  And don't worry about their feelings.  They deserve a little discomfort.

You have chosen to live/be in Barcelona and you have a right to be there.  Act like it!  After a few "shocks" like this, they'll think twice the next time they encounter someone "different." 

By the way, we've (my family) visited Barcelona twice in the last 6 months.  We really love the city: its vibes, culture and some of its people.  The people we deal with when we're there are friendly, helpful, polite and cultured (even the door guard at up-scale retail stores).  We've stayed at the same place both times. 

I've never encountered a racist situation on my visits or a situation I recognized as racist.  Perhaps it would be different if I was dark-skinned, but I'm not.  I'm of African-, Mexican-, and Irish-American ancestry.  And my wife and child do not look Spanish.  This is not to belittle your experiences or to hint that some Spaniards aren't racist.  Of course, there are racist Spaniards.

Barcelona has a lot to offer.  Enjoy it!

I have just come back from Barcelona and only experienced overt racism once. Many people will stare at you when you get on the Metro but I guess that it was because they rarely see a young black family get on the metro.

The overt racism was that the guard at the FCBotiga store (FC Barcelona's offical shop) outside Catalunya metro station kept following my family around when I went in to buy a football shirt for my son. At one stage he was pointing at us and telling the store manager something. I felt very uncomfortable and became nervous. If I was in an English speaking country I would have questioned why he was following my family around in a store full of people but because I only have about 5 Spanish words in my vocabulary, I abandoned the shopping, paid for the one shirt we had manged to pick up and left hastily.

I choked when I read this topic... I was in B in the late nineties and I was a very happy tourist. Had not been confronted with challenging situations at all. But if life is so hard for a non-white 'foreigner' , maybe I should skip B to move to.
But then... in the end EdMontreal 'survived' and found a way to live his life. If he can do it... at least I could try it ;-)
I am really surprised (confused & disappointed) to read how uncool Barcelona is when it comes to multiculturalisation.

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences, only people who lived such aweful moments can undertsand the emotional pain it causes being singled out and treated differently, just because your physical appearance or ethnic origin . I've also had my share of disgusting experiences, 90% of them in Madrid which I think is way more racist and conservative than Barcelona.But my stay in Spain just made me value and look positively at my country, France, which I considered intolerant and flawed before my coming to Spain, but now I see it as a tolerant and egualitarian paradise, and I'm just glad my internship is over, and I'll be leaving this country soon. If you're forced to stay longer in Spain, here is a tip for you, act arrogant! Do not show submissiveness and never be quiet if you're shown disrespect. You're not here to ask for food or charity, so never let them treat you as if you were a poor refugee.

Yes, it is a shame that this has happened to you. I have been living here for 5 years and I also have come across this. But please keep in mind that the people that have treated me this way were not Catalan. I agree that the Catalan people are not ones to open up to others but I have made some wonderful friends. It is the South Americans that work here who I seem to have the problem and I have encountered this with many other expats as well. Racism is everywhere and sometimes you just have to except the fact that these people exist and to me they are not worthy as people.

Hi, I am so sorry that you had this experience. Racism is an ugly thing. I don't understand it. I hope things get better for you.  I am living in Andalucía with my family. I notice that there are more brownish people here. I have a Moroccan neighbor. Since we are both foreign we have become friends of sorts. I do notice some racism against the Moroccans here.
Best of luck, Leslie

I strongly believe there is one thing to say about this,

IS PREHISTORIC

Earth belongs to living beings.

We are desroying the planet, at all levels, including what is closest, an other human being.

Why politicians and transaleting money, have the right to say that a part of earth belongs to people with a certain passport, please in which century are we? how much time will be needed to say that the EARTH must be open to all humans in the planet

[moderated: keep this comment for you]

I understood what Kezmoh said in her post and she was trying to word her thoughts in a respectful way. There is no need to attack the person. This is not a place to start arguments.

The drink is gazpacho!

There is racism in Catalonia, but from observation it normally seems to be towards African and middle east/North African people.  Most Catalans are distinctive from other Spanish as they tend to have brown hair, although many are fairly dark skinned.


From your photos you could be mistaken for a north African, therefore potentially muslim, which is ironic as your deep tan is from Spanish inheritance via Mexico.

If you want to stay in Spain there are two things you could do.  Take a holiday to the south of the country and see if you get the same attitude.  Many in the south are dark haired, dark skinned as they inherited these from the mix of moors and Spanish.  Alternatively if you want to stay in Barcelona, keep your passport on you and if you get any hassle show them you are Canadian.

good luck.

I'm sorry about your experience.

Just to give you a smile I hope.  I am white British living in the southern most part of Catalonia.  In several towns around here we have what are euphemistically called Chinese Emporiums. 
They are similar to the UK pound shops in quantity of items on sale, but just a little bit more upmarket.   

When I go in (blond, pale skin), the Chinese staff follow me around or stand at the end of each isle and I have seen them do it to obviously Spanish people.

Not an excuse for racism but I hope that makes you feel better.  Laugh at it and don't let it get you down.

Dorothy

I'm sorry to read what happened to you but I have to say that it's not Spanish people, it's Catalan people.

i'm not generalizing but i'm sayin the majority are racist, i'm Egyptian and my wife is british and work as a sales manager here in spain (catalonia) and people don't respect me until they know my profile.

then I thought they don't have to know everything about me to respect, just because i'm an Arab and Muslem (although my wife is Christian and I drink as a choice) people don't treat me like they treat other nationalities.

it's the stereo type about Catalans which is in most cases true but also I have a some catalan friends who are normal people and open minded and they know this stereo type and feel disgusted from the other Catalans who fit into the stereo type.

at the end I have to say as much as they are racist there are arabs like me or south americans like yourself, Indians, Pakistanis.....etc. who aren't good and give the rest of us reputation unfortunately.

we say in Egypt: we are all born in 9 months, which means we are all the same. so keep it up and cheer up life isn't worth there is so much to enjoy.

I love the city itself though

Hi Ed,
For the past 20 years I have lived in Mallorca one of the Spanish Balearic islands
My late wife was French but was frequently complimented by Spanish people for her command of Castellano the official Spanish language.
One of our neighbours an Englishman asked her to check his Spanish pronunciation. He had decided to learn the language and had bought a computer program for the purpose. He had completed the course and passed the tests successfully but the local people looked at him as though he was talking Greek.
My wife came back laughing, the program is American and it is teaching Mexican. It seems there are major differences between Mexican Spanish and Spanish Spanish

How's this for a put down in a racist situation.
One of my Wife's daughters has the traditional "English Rose" type of complexion and her husband is a real blue-black African negro. They came over for a visit and were introduced to the President of the Community of Owners of our apartment building. After the couple had gone back to France we met Manuel who earns his living spray painting cars in a repair shop.
His opening remark was "It's not right a white girl marrying a fellow like that".
My wife looked at him for a moment then said "I like Remi, he's a very well mannered young man, he earns a good salary teaching electronics at the University of Dijon (another pause) and his Father is the President of his Country.
Oh dear.

No dear Sir, They are not racists at all. They are business people. They know that the local people, who know the market prices well, will not have even a single drink in the pub for the prices demanded, they will enter, dance and knowning a nearby place that is economical, will buy the stuff from there. Most of local guys buy their own bottles and hide them in nearby places. They come out, sip it and enter again. Let me tell you a real story. An American lady entered a restaurant in Ramblas, ordered for some stuff and a bottle of wine. The waitor presented a bill of 370 Euros. The lady carried only 260. She pleaded a lot and nobody wanted to listen. She started crying and eventually her two children too started crying. Finally, the restaurant staff kept her mobile and a watch and let her go. That is the type of business these clubs, pubs and many restaurants do. Do you thing that they can do that to me? No. Now if you want to call the police, do you think the police does not know about all this? Well, they are well aware of this. And they are unfortunately a part of it. There are factions within the police as well. They have their favourite bars decided and go in civil clothes, enjoy their drinks and come out. Everything comes at a price.

Fortunately, I discovered very soon that the Catalan people hated Spanish language. So if someone objects to you over that just start speaking English. They love English. You will be highly respected.

Third, Do you know which is the national game of Spain? Well, it is Jealousy. They want to see you at lower places. When you show them that you have resources and/or you are intelligent, they will start creating hurdles in your way. When you say you are without money (even if you have something) and need a help and are looking for a job, they will try to help you.

Once I met a nulti millionaire guy in Barcelona. He showed me his collection of watches. Then finally he said "This is the best piece in my collection. I stole it." Many times I really do not understand them. But it seems that this is allowed by culture. You can see many youngsters stealing and snatching in Barcelona. They learn it from schools and colleges. Ask any police person. This is a fact. That is why they are racial when you enter  a shop to buy something.

If a flying crow *** on your head, do not start thinking that he is in love with you. That is exactly the case when someone starts following you in a superstore.

When someone says, I want to live in this area and a Spanish says normally the foreigners do not live in this area. The person really means that it is too expensive and he or she would not spend that much. Normally, there are areas dominated by rich people with all the luxuries. That is not prohibited for you but if you are about to spend 3000-4000 Euros, you need to be someone special.

The salary scale in Spain is very low. That is a fact and she really wanted to help you. Do not get offended.
Before coming to Barcelona, I have spent 5+ years in Germany. I had money. I used to spend a lot every evening.

One day, I thought I should work. I was offered a job at night to help make “churros”. Do you know, how much I was offered? Just 20 Euros per night. I just laughed at myself. I changed my habits of spending as I had plans to stay here.

The guy checked your stuff when you came out of the market because there is a fool in you like it is in most of the tourists. They just do not know the right way. They are half lost.

At places frequently transited by the foreigners, the Spanish are already habitual to it and they will understand you and treat you well but if you go to a store like IKEA where the expert local middle class people go to buy economical and you actuate like a lost sheep (I am sorry for the words..), the security person will check your bags. Whenever you encounter a situation like that and see a security person heading towards you, do not hesitate. Start moving towards him and tell that you need his help.

Explain the reason. He will also be comfortable. Otherwise he will have to run after a person who has just now stolen something from the store.

This is just a way to explain you the facts.
Immigrants bring a lot of trouble? That is not a fact. In 1990s, the Government of Spain legalized the immigrants and issued visas from their home countries to work in Spain to balance the births and deaths ratio. Eventually, there was a boom in the market. That boom was converted into a balloon by the local people from Spain who exploited the foreigners.

Every immigrant that you find here excels in his and her native country. It takes a lot of effort and money to come out, to buy air ticket, to spend nights in hotels. There is a visa process and the person has to clear that.

Do you think that the foreigners are rotten eggs in their home countries? No Sir, I have seen most talented and hard working persons amongst the immigrants. They are the one who are holding the economy of Spain up. They are the ones who open the shops and work day and night seven days a week. They are the moving force behind the economy of Spain. I have witnessed how they renovated the rubbish shops of Barcelona.

But that is nothing. We live in an ever changing world. The people start respecting you when they know you better. That is adaptation.

Many years back, whenever any foreigner went to my village in my home country, small children would gather and start running and dancing behind your vehicle. At least it does not happen in Barcelona.

If you do not like something about Barcelona, never criticize it directly. Your staff works like x department in my country. Once, I had to criticize someone, so I told the engineers faculty in mayor’s house that in my hometown, when a team of eight does the work of a  single person, we call it ayuntamiento and it is same here. They were all laughing. So remember the bird *** on your nose.

And if you want to see a smile on a spanish person's face, just tell him that the people in my country are not that intelligent like you. I always say, "I left my country because there were not many plates in my country and I am in the habit of spoiling many plates when i dine. Eventually, I left my country and settled in Spain."

Well, I should not forget to invite you at Gandhi Restaurant Hindú located at Calle Balmes, 21, Barcelona.

Bazrez - Your anecdote was great! Thanks for sharing.

Where are the brakes?
This has turned into a "finger pointing" party.
People, to sum up an entire group of people with basic adjectives is the basis of racism, sexism, etc... and it spirals out of control.

The point of this topic was to bring the issue of discrimination / racism to the surface, NOT to blame entire groups of people.
And now, folks are attacking other posters?!?!....
As a friend of mine used to tell me back nome.
"Love it or leave it." ..... I'm happy to say I did.
As all of you have. Let's try to love it? We're all here together.

Maybe we should find a way to try to show more support to each other than "bad mouthing" people or trying to convince each other how "wrong" they are?
Just my thought.

Reading through the contributions on this subject I see the word "arrogant" used in a significant number of them and I wonder if the writers realise, that the behaviour that they are describing as arrogant would be regarded by a Spanish citizen as perfectly normal.
In England, from a very early age we are taught "remember our P's and Q's, please's and thank-you's.
BBC Television used to have a programme for learning to speak Spanish and it was full of Por favor  this, that and the other and I had been living in Mallorca for a long time before I heard it said by a local and then it was a policeman trying to get through a crowded market place.
Spanish people do not ask, they demand but they always remember gracias (Grathias) or gracis depending on where you are.
I have sat on many occasions in a Spanish restaurant next to a Spanish family and not once have I heard "la cuenta por favor" when the want the bill,only a curt "cuenta". Perfectly normal for them and as visitors to their country it is not our place to object.
Remember, most adults in Spain have grown up under a dictator who told them what they could or couldn't do or have and this must have had a bearing on their behaviour patterns.
A few years ago a group of concerned British Owners attended the AGM of our Community Association with a translator. When they attempted to ask a question or express an opinion they were told to shut up or leave. Later, the translator described the behaviour of the Spanish as being "Like a herd of wild animals".
The concept of listening to other opinions before agreeing to a mutually acceptable compromise is totally foreign to them. Their system is he who shouts the loudest wins.
At around the same period a newspaper reporter covering the proceedings of the Parliament described the Shadow Education Secretary pleading the case for The Principals of Democracy to be made a compulsory subject in all Spanish schools.
Very few Spanish people have the slightest idea of what democracy is all about, I have heard it said to be a system that allows us to choose a new dictator.
In one book that I have read on the subject of the Civil War the author claimed that Franco had ordered that all persons who were capable of teaching Democracy should be eliminated the numbers assassinated were estimated in tens of thousands.

On a brighter note Mallorca can be an excellent place to spend your pension particularly if you are officially resident. With at least a hundred miles of open sea in every direction and very little industry the air is clean and the temperatures are mild. I came out of an English winter in February 1993 for two weeks and couldn't believe the improvement in my general well-being in such a short period of time.
Then there is the Medical System, my first encounter was a hernia problem. The Medical centre is about 100 Metres from my front door. Usual office hours for non-urgent consultations but staff are on duty for emergencies 24/7.
Without relating all the preliminaries I got an appointment for the operation ten days after the first visit to the doctor, a French visitor offered to drive us to and from the hospital. We arrived five minutes before my appointment time. Two minutes to go a door opened and a nurse called my name. Our driver asked if he should phone in an hour or so expecting to leave us and come back later. The nurse smiled and said "Go to the restaurant on the ground floor and have a merienda (elevenses in English) and come back, he'll probably be ready to go by then. The Frenchman was amazed as were all the English people I related the story to later.
I don't know if laser eye treatment for removing cataracts from the eyes is available on the NHS in the UK, there are regular offers advertising the treatment at £450 per eye. Mine were done with no charge.
When my wife was dying I rang the Emergency Services number and the Paramedics arrived in six minutes.
Don't let anyone try to knock the Spanish medical services, they are top rate.

The last report that I read claimed that 94% of the income of Mallorca comes from tourism. Tourism is seasonal so there is a Government ban on all but emergency repairs for the building industry during the summer season so the bricklayers and plasterers become cooks and waiters while during the off season (October to April) some of the hotels are kept ticking over by giving subsidised holidays to pensionistas. My last was three years ago, a week's holiday in a four star hotel in Minorca, full board including transport from and to Palma airport for €130, cheaper than staying at home.
The bargain hunter's dream.
The other side of the coin is that you are among people who were young at the time of the Civil War and you get a frequently distressing insight into the effect it has had.
At meal times (not breakfast) there is always a mob waiting for the door to be opened and there is always a small number who either sidle or elbow their way to the front if they weren't there first anyway. Once inside they grab a plate and pile starter, main course and desert one on top of the other on the same plate. At the table they sit with arms around the plate furtively looking around as though expecting someone to try to snatch their plate away
On one of these holidays we watched one old guy, clearly alone, as every day he washed his breakfast down with a litre of red wine.
On another trip we were actually guided to an empty table by the Maitre'd., very formal and quite unusual on these holidays. We realised later that there were commercial guests as well as the pensioners and they were being kept separate.
We sat for a few minutes discussing what we should eat and waiting for the queues to subside when a group of women came with loaded plates and declared we had to move because it was their table, they'd sat there yesterday. As normal in Spain the noise level went up a few decibels so the Maitre'd came over and having listened said something obviously rude because my wife smiled and refused to translate, then he politely asked us follow him and seated us at a table by the window overlooking the beach, obviously one of those reserved for the paying customers.

One final observation, Spain is not a Law abiding country and the principal crooks are the lawyers. One of my neighbours told me that in a discussion with her priest he told that he estimated that no more than 10% of Spanish lawyers could be trusted to deal honestly. I told the story to one of my lawyers and he smiled and said "That's a generous estimate"

And a final story that would be funny if it wasn't so serious.
A family of gypsies were using an abandoned village for distributing drugs. The police raided the village and arrested everyone. In the ensuing Court proceedings the head of the family received a 23 year jail sentence. She then approached the lawyer who told me the story, she wanted to prosecute the Chief of Police because she had paid him €250,000 to get her sentence reduced and he had failed to deliver!

EdMontreal. I'm sorry to hear what happened to you. No one should go through what you went through. Having said that, I want to risk a politically incorrect but highly likely guess as to why you were subject to such unpleasant treatments. It is possible that those people who denied your entrance to the club might have thought you were of North African decent. I have a Moroccan friend, and it was outrageous how he got screened out by bouncers who were probably told by their management to practicing a racial profiling. What's sadder, you yourself will learn to use educated profiling (albeit somewhat racial) if you live in Barcelona long enough. It is sad indeed, I wish the local police force would do something to change the petty crime situation so that people don't have to resort to their own crude racial profiling methods in order to look out for themselves.

dude yourte not alone..i had eight dogs before....and since january i dont have them----exactly the same stonewall

and that is when i  will hit people.----i am from nigerian father..my grandfather was chief of my tribe...mother is white from fionland..i am very different because all my life....i have stood up to all kinds of bullies and rcaist with full force.....no one wants to hear here..but i have beaten up`many racist and would be child sexual abusers of me before...

I'm not diverting from the topic at all and has been a us full eye opener as I'm thinking of visiting Barcelona , but have found the Catlan people so far to be quit strange in they deal with someone who is not white and even rude at times although I have had it easy in comparsion to many of the people on here with respect to Catalonia although I can relete to many of the experiances stated in my native country the UK ,racist doormen etc.

With regards your experience in the Basque cafe though could it be that you were speaking Spanish instead of the Basque language that made them blow up like that ? it might well be down to race but their is also the factor that the Spanish language has a very contentious history in that part of the world.

I have been to Bilbao never had no overt racsim to me just a lot of people asking whether I was packistani I found more racisim in malaga. I was only their for a few days but found most of the people normal some friendly and even more so when I tried my best to speak there  language over spanish.

Before reading this educational thread I would have thought that Madrid was racist and Barcelona the other way more or less. As the Catalan people fought a war against fascism but it seems their national pride is more nationalism alongside the traditional German kind then what I had mistaken of it for being similar to Scotland and its inclusive quest for independence. A lot of English writers(mainly white) romanticise the whole image of Barcelona Catalonia as being a underdog like Celtic maybe this is not the case in reality.
I'm glad I've red this thread might save some cash and give the city a miss I'm visiting in other parts of the region but have found the service very brisk I have not been stopped by the (Moderated: Inappropriate posting) for the euro tour stable I get on visits when ever I go abroad  on my own EU "passport !" but  see how it goes I'm sure if I visit the big smoke   ,might have to play Gestapo check with some bored cop.  I found people very rude in bars and cafe and one women in particular but at the moment I cant say this is  down to colour in all honesty though my instinct would probally tell me  that it was , but saying some people have been very friendly at least there not the same aggression as in the UK and even though a lot of people are calling the Catalans backward etc how many people in England would be able to speak  Catalan(or even Catilian) to a visitor who was struggling to get around non. So lets not be too smug on how civilised we are and how less they are they don't have UKIP as their second most popular party.

Compared to England, the banking and health systems in Spain are 100% better.  While on holiday here, my husband developed a bleeding ulcer and was literally bleeding to death without realising it.  Within ten minutes of arriving in casualty (with what we  thought was a heat stroke), he was on a gurney with a drip and BP cuff.  He was triaged in the waiting room within a couple of minutes of arriving.  He had a massive blood transfusion and in hospital treatment over the next couple of days.  On arriving back in the UK he had a pain in his leg.  We called the NHS help line, who suspected it could be a DVT, so went straight to casualty.  This was 2pm.  After an hour he was triaged and they suspected it may be a DVT.  At 1am the next morning a very surprised nurse sent us home without being seen because the DVT clinic was shut till the next morning.  We may have been less shocked if he had not just received such marvellous treatment in Spain.

When I came here permanently I opened a bank account.  I then realised a week or so later I wanted a debit card.  I was given a sealed envelope with the pin number there and then over the counter and received the card three days later.  No questions about previous bank accounts as in the UK.  After all a debit card will not allow you to withdraw money that is not in the account without an overdraft facility.  They don't seem to understand that in the UK.

I have not been so impressed with the judicial system.  I know the following stories because I and a friend among many others were both victims.  We had a spate of burglaries around our way over a period of several years.  I lost some things.  I reported it to the police.  Eventually a local Spanish lad was found to have stolen property in his garage.  The police never bothered to inform us or give us a chance to identify our property.  One gang of Romanians were actually caught red handed with stolen goods, squatting in an empty holiday home.  They were held in custody, taken to court, and sent to prison.  An English expat drug addict was caught thieving.  He had slowly stripped an empty house of all the kitchen, bathroom and light fittings and sold them for drug money.  He was caught because he tried to sell two solar panels to someone who knew my friend had had some go missing and they checked the serial numbers.  He was living in Spain because he was wanted in the UK by the police.  He was allowed out on bail and vanished.   He got away with it possibly because he was English.  Is this inverted racism.