It has been an interesting couple of weeks in Seville, I can’t believe how quickly my time here has gone by. It seems like only a couple of days ago I was getting lost in the maze of streets on my way to school.
Amidst the regular routine of school, homework and eating 50 cent tapas on Mondays I have begun pondering about my race and its relation to my life here. It seems that I don’t fit the mold of what Spaniards think of when they hear the word American. Nowadays it’s no surprise for me to be called exotic, chinita (Little Chinese) or even oriental when I am conversing with or passing by local Spaniards. I have even been complimented on my English proficiency by a Spaniard from Madrid! Of course he hadn’t known that I lived in the U.S. for 11 years or that I consider Wyoming to be my second home…but you can imagine my surprise non the less.
I often find myself to be the only Asian at a tapas bar or at a gathering with local Sevillians. This certainly has not been my first encounter with such experiences i.e. being a “racial minority” in a public space. However I find that in Spain (At least based on my experiences) I am not more than the stereotypes that exist about Asians. It feels that I stand out but am still not seen.
These experiences have me wondering the ways in which I experience Spain differs from my peers based on their racial identities. Recently, I read a blog where the writer said “Racialization is a process that varies depending on localization, history, demographics and geography” (Nadia Cho), so far I have found this to be true.
Linked below is the article/blog:
http://jetsettimes.com/2014/03/15/what-it-means-to-be-an-asian-american-in-europe/