samedi 20 novembre 2010
Had an interesting experience yesterday on my way to the Strasbourg train station. I was walking down the sidewalk, minding my own business and lugging my suitcase along. A guy passed me on his bike, and suddenly spit and said "Sale race" to me.
(roughly translated: filthy/dirty race/breed)
Took me a few seconds to figure out what happened. Did that guy actually try to spit on me/at me and say that to me?
I turned around and yelled a choice phrase in English at his back. I don't know if he heard me or understood me, but he kept on biking away.
I mean, wha???
I hadn't really looked at the guy, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say Middle Eastern.
I mean dang, it wasn't like I was wearing a "I hate Arabic people" shirt or anything.
I must say, I was a little shooken up by the experience. The guy didn't seem drunk or anything.
Which reminds me of the time I was walking down the street in Marseille at about 9 am and a falling-down drunk guy said something along the lines of how what I was wearing made me look like a prostitute (yeah, jeans and a very conservative sweater will do that).
(roughly translated: filthy/dirty race/breed)
Took me a few seconds to figure out what happened. Did that guy actually try to spit on me/at me and say that to me?
I turned around and yelled a choice phrase in English at his back. I don't know if he heard me or understood me, but he kept on biking away.
I mean, wha???
I hadn't really looked at the guy, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would say Middle Eastern.
I mean dang, it wasn't like I was wearing a "I hate Arabic people" shirt or anything.
I must say, I was a little shooken up by the experience. The guy didn't seem drunk or anything.
Which reminds me of the time I was walking down the street in Marseille at about 9 am and a falling-down drunk guy said something along the lines of how what I was wearing made me look like a prostitute (yeah, jeans and a very conservative sweater will do that).
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8 commentaires:
Whoa, that's crazy - I would find that really unsettling too!
Maybe the guy was getting back for similar insults he'd had.
Don't pay attention, it wasn't your fault.
Y'all do have some strange people over there.
Is it the way we dress or what? I was in Paris this weekend and I kept being identified as an American before I opened my mouth. I wasn't wearing bright colors or a cowboy hat; I don't get it. I would have been quite shocked to have had that happen to me.
Truly sorry this happened to you Megan.
Two years ago I was in Paris with a friend for my birthday. We had gone for drinks at the Ritz so I was dressed pretty conservatively, and a young man began shouting at me in foreign language (not French). We ignored him and kept walking. He caught up to us and grabbed me in the most disgusting way imaginable.
This is something I will never get over. I did not do one single thing to provoke his actions. Why some of these people feel that they can treat women in this way is beyond me.
It's horrible when people get angry about imagined slights, because there's nothing you can do to avoid that. Scary and unsettling stuff.
Chalk it up to total randomness and just consider it a story to tell at parties.
Happy Holiday!