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An Indian man who moved to New Zealand two years ago has faced racism in social settings and at work. He has even been told to ‘go back to India’ on several occasions.
An Indian man facing racism in New Zealand has been learning the Kiwi slang and trying to understand their culture. (Representative Image: Getty)
A 29-year-old man shifted to New Zealand from India two years ago, seeking a fresh start. He initially envisioned New Zealand as a “welcoming and multicultural” country, but his experience has been far from that. The man, who goes by “Lopsided_Tennis69” online, detailed the racism he has been enduring daily, hoping for “advice and solidarity”.
The man, in his Reddit post titled “Unwelcome in New Zealand”, stated, “I’m a 29-year-old Indian guy who moved to New Zealand two years ago, hoping for a fresh start. I had this ideal image of NZ being welcoming and multicultural, but my experience has been far from that, unfortunately. I wanted to share my story and hear from others who might be in the same boat.”
Though he has met a few kind people during his two years in New Zealand, his overall experience has been full of racist comments. “From random strangers yelling stuff at me on the street to getting weird looks or rude comments at work because of my accent or appearance,” he shared.
He admitted getting treated differently in social settings. “Even in social settings, I feel like people avoid me, or I get treated differently. Sometimes it’s subtle like people talking over me or excluding me from conversations.”
Recalling one of the more overt instances of racism, “Lopsided_Tennis69” shared, “Other times, it’s outright – like being told to ‘go back to where I came from.’”
The man living in New Zealand added that he has been “learning the Kiwi slang, understanding the culture, and keeping an open mind”, adding, “But there are moments when it gets exhausting.”
“I never felt like an outsider growing up in India, but here, even after two years, I feel like I don’t fully belong,” he admitted.
Seeking guidance from the online community, he asked, “Have any of you faced similar issues after moving abroad? How do you cope with the feeling of being an outsider or dealing with racism, especially when it hits so unexpectedly?”
He concluded his post with the words, “It’s tough because I really want to make New Zealand my home, but there are days I wonder if I made the right choice. How do you handle the mental toll of this, and does it get any better over time?”
In September this year, an Indian YouTuber shared his experience of encountering racism during a trip to South Korea. In a video, Deepanshu Sangwan recounted the “uncomfortable stares” and feelings of “alienation” he faced due to his appearance. He discussed how his brown skin seemed to draw unwanted attention and remarked, “We’re Indians, we have brown skin—what can we do? We were born this way.”
“Yes, people of African descent may face challenges in India, but it’s not as widespread. We don’t give dirty looks to others,” he added.
He further said, “We could poke fun at Koreans too since much of their culture is borrowed from Chinese traditions and other influences.”
Sangwan advised his audience to be prepared for such incidents if they plan to visit South Korea, so they aren’t caught off guard. He also mentioned that it is not just people with brown skin who stand out in South Korea, mentioning, “If you’re white, for them you are an exotic thing.”
