Job Discussion Forums

[taylor.1988]

Hi all,

I have recently posted the question of how I would be received in Georgia as a young Korean man on the volunteer programme (under the 'racism in russia' thread):

so... how am i likely to be received by:

1) My host family

2) Students

3) People in general

in both small and big towns?

Will I face significant alienation / even physical attacks?

Any input would be fantastic,

Cheers

[ancient_dweller]

really worried about racist attacks aren't ya?

[taylor.1988]

evidently, another question was whether i will be significantly alienated by locals. anything helpful to add?

[ancient_dweller]

dude, you are winding us up!

[taylor.1988]

sorry, didnt mean to wind ppl up - paranoia is a powerful force

anyway, ill probably go CZ and see if i come back with my balls intact lol

cheers

[jooooooey]

Georgia is funny about that, they pride themselves on being really tolerant (there�s this long history there about toleration) but they are also really naive about it, I think because there�s so few foreigners who live there.

In Tbilisi, my students would make fun of Asians (there was a lot of little Chinese shops), but I never saw any blatant racism except for one of my really old-fashioned co-teachers who thought I was "cool" against blacks. The Asian Americans I knew who taught there never had any problem. But people will look at you because you stand out. I don�t know in the villages.

[golsa]

I'm currently in Georgia, but haven't met many Asians here. Here is what I can tell you:

I've met a few Korean travelers who were denied lodging at hostels in Tbilisi because they were Asian. I know several hostels in Tbilisi and one in Kutaisi that gladly accept Asians.

People in villages will stare a lot at first and this happens to everyone who comes here. You're the lone foreigner in a village of people who may been there for 8,000 years. Everything about you will stand out as different, including the way you dress. Even if you were of European descent, people would stare.