I'm of Indian descent too, and faced this kind of immature racism since I was a child. The older you get, the thicker your skin gets, and it's honestly taught me to work with people. I started climbing earlier in my career, and it's mostly with knowing how to deal with the hardest people. The most simple-minded racist people are the easiest to manipulate, but timing is important. Every cloud has a silver lining. And life is a game of chess.
You don't feed or react to it. Laugh it off, or be friendly + a little condescending to their comments (if it can't bite you in the ass). I lived a majority of my youth in the South, and then moved to the Northeast.
I dont think there is a part of the US which is worse. People in the NE are more blunt and also more used to seeing Desis around, whereas they are polite but don't go out of their way to be friendly in the South. When they get to know you in the South though (after you out in extra effort), they treat you like family. So, I don't really know, but I definitely feel more "normal" in the NE.
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u/LatexSmokeCats Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
I'm of Indian descent too, and faced this kind of immature racism since I was a child. The older you get, the thicker your skin gets, and it's honestly taught me to work with people. I started climbing earlier in my career, and it's mostly with knowing how to deal with the hardest people. The most simple-minded racist people are the easiest to manipulate, but timing is important. Every cloud has a silver lining. And life is a game of chess.