'Unwelcomed in New Zealand': Indian immigrant's experience with racism sparks online debate; read post

In a candid post on Reddit, an Indian user known as Lopsided_Tennis69 shared his unsettling experiences of racism since moving to New Zealand two years ago.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Oct 24, 2024, 2:46 PM IST | Last Updated Oct 24, 2024, 2:46 PM IST

Even as cricket fans enjoy the mouth-watering Test contest between India and New Zealand in Pune, a candid Reddit post by an Indian user sharing his unsettling experiences of racism since moving to NZ two years ago had gone viral.

Hoping for a fresh start in a country he perceived as welcoming and multicultural, the 29-year-old revealed the stark contrast between his expectations and reality. His account has sparked a vigourours online debate about the challenges faced by immigrants in New Zealand and the subtle forms of racism prevalent in society.

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In his post, the user recounted instances of racism ranging from strangers hurling insults at him on the street to receiving uncomfortable comments about his accent and appearance at work. He expressed feeling like an 'outsider', even after making efforts to integrate into Kiwi culture by learning local slang and customs.

Indian user's post on Reddit titled 'Unwelcomed in New Zealand'

I’m a 29-year-old Indian guy who moved to New Zealand two years ago, hoping for a fresh start. I had this ideal image of NZ being welcoming and multicultural, but my experience has been far from that, unfortunately. I wanted to share my story and hear from others who might be in the same boat.

Don’t get me wrong, there are good people here. But I’ve faced more racism than I expected. From random strangers yelling stuff at me on the street to getting weird looks or rude comments at work because of my accent or appearance. Even in social settings, I feel like people avoid me, or I get treated differently. Sometimes it's subtle, like people talking over me or excluding me from conversations. Other times, it's blatant—like being told to "go back to where I came from."

I’m trying my best to integrate—learning the Kiwi slang, understanding the culture, and keeping an open mind. But there are moments when it gets exhausting. I never felt like an outsider growing up in India, but here, even after two years, I feel like I don’t fully belong.

I guess I’m just looking for some advice or solidarity. Have any of you faced similar issues after moving abroad? How do you cope with the feeling of being an outsider or dealing with racism, especially when it hits so unexpectedly?

It’s tough because I really want to make New Zealand my home, but there are days I wonder if I made the right choice. How do you handle the mental toll of this, and does it get any better over time?

Thanks for reading and for any advice or personal experiences you can share.

Viral post sparks debate over racism in NZ and world over

This post found its way to the hearts of many users, provoking a series of comments from people who had the same experiences with racism in diverse parts of the world.

One user commented, "There is this kind of subtle racism every where in the world! I am a flight attendant and I have experienced it in many forms in different layover cities all across the world. I live in the UAE and it’s not much different. All I can advise you is that make your circle. Focus on work. Once you get slightly financially well off, you will feel the difference. With time you will also get better in dealing with situations like these. Also, always remind yourself of the big picture. All the best bro!"

A user who faced racism in Berlin stated that they returned home after a year due to the overwhelming nature of the discrimination. "Faced the same overt and covert racism in Berlin. Left the place and came back home after a year. Couldn’t be bothered to deal with racism," the user remarked.

"NZ doesn’t have great reputation of integrating non whites . Even the Maoris have been discriminated by the Anglo elites. Also recently many Anglos have become rather insecure of Indians and Chinese people across UK, AUS , NZ ( CANADA is a separate issue all together); they think of you as a competition honestly. Try to make friends at your workplace, someone local. Hopefully things will get better," reacted another Reddit user.

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Another user noted, "Speaking from experience, you'll face racism anywhere you go. I'm in Canada and run a business. People don't trust immigrants at all especially when they pay for your experience and advice. A white man's push is better to them than a brown's looking at them different."

"From my experience, most Kiwis are culturally racist. They don't care if you look Indian or Chinese as long as they think culturally you are one of them. Also while most Kiwis are friendly, they aren't looking to make new friends. So it is hard to integrate into society. I haven't experienced much racism myself in NZ, even compared to Australia. However I have been here for many years and have mostly a Kiwi accent," said a resident in response to the viral post.

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