I didn't mean YOU of course...

If I tell you that 95% of Austrians are xenophobic and highly prejudiced against foreigners that would be a pretty accurate estimate. About half of them openly admit it and are amazed when you don't agree with them that it "gives you a headache when you can't hear a German word on the tram, doesn't it?" or you can't understand what exactly is so threatening about plans to build a refugee shelter in their village. ("But just imagine how much more crime there is going to be!"). I won't even mention the older generation's irrational fear of dark-skinned people. The other half maintain that they have nothing against foreigners as such, BUT you know...

There's always been the "good" (read: rich) foreigners whose manners and traditions (Italians: "so noisy!", Americans: "no table manners, no dress-sense", Japanese: "taking pictures of everything", etc.) we might find ridiculous but who at least have the decency to bring lots of money into our country. Our German neighbours, from whom we are divided by a common language, are of course a completely different story, but we grudgingly admit that although they "have no sense of humour and leave miserable tips" we can't seem to get rid of them, no matter how hard we try and they're at least not as bad as the penniless immigrants.

In spite of the fact that we love holidaying in (tourist ghettos) anywhere nice and hot between Turkey and Thailand, go on Nile cruises and photo safaris in Africa and hoard half the supermarket stocks in Hungary and Slovakia every Saturday, we can only just about tolerate the natives of those countries in their natural habitat. Now, please don't get the wrong idea, of course we have nothing against them as such, it's just that, well... we'd much prefer if they stayed at home, thank you very much. If they must come, let it be as package-tourists, doing touristy things, staying in hotels and buying as many souvenirs as they can.

I'm not claiming I'm holier than thou and entirely free of prejudices myself, which I am not, but at least I recognise a prejudice when I see one and willingly let myself convince just how unfounded it is. What I don't get is perfectly nice people - even friends and family, in fact - who roll their eyes and complain about Turks ("religious fundamentalists and wife-beaters" as we all know) in TD's presence, blissfully unaware that this might be insulting to him. It's mostly me who reminds them that he's Turkish as well. Cue: bewildered look and a mildly apologetic "Well, obviously, I didn't mean YOU. You're different". Right.

Yesterday we were visiting my great-aunt and uncle, both in their eighties. Great-uncle suddenly asked me if it was true that so many Turks lived in our district. I jokingly replied "Mhm, it's in fact so bad one of them even invaded my flat." At least he was honest enough to mumble something along the lines of "Well, I suppose that can't be helped" which was not exactly reassuring, either...

That's me playing Jane (as in Tarzan) on a playground round the corner from my relatives' yesterday. Childish? Me?

Weekend-purchase: I bought a really nice off-white (spring/summer) jacket with detachable hood on Saturday. No lunch-break indulgences today.