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Foreigner worship in Nepal
"Oh, someone spoke to me today in Italian! How cool! He thought I was Italian". Or "this person I met at work today asked me if I was Filipino. I guess I look Asian!". Substitute Italian and Filipino for one of many countries in the world. I swear I've heard Nepalis say this with glee countless times now - there is something to this. Maybe it's a desire to look exotic, or maybe Nepalis automatically equate foreigners with wealth. I don't know. But I do feel that there is an under current of Nepalis who want to look and hang out with non-Nepalis. A party is more cool if you have some white/asian/hispanic/whatever folks in it. A fashion show is more legit if you have some foreign models. ANY foreign model will give you bragging rights - "come to Fashion Week 2009 - we have THREE MODELS FROM INDIA AND ONE FROM RUSSIA".
This would be funny if Nepalis didn't have to go to restaurants in Nepal and have the waiter drop taking their order to rush to seat and take the order from the foreigner who just walked in (no, this didn't happen to me, I read it on myrepublica - link here). Ours is a nation that is racist against our own people. How messed up is that.
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sthapit
I agree that discrimination exists all over the world in varying degrees and forms. I was making the point that in Nepal it is directed towards our own.
Coming back jaded from the middle east from all the discrimination against Nepalis (and other foreign workers)? Well, hope you got used to it coz we have more of the same for you in Nepal as well.
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Koji
Simple, sleepy ignorance, no? And surely among a small, fawning sub-group of the population? Why be concerned.
And which is it? Foreigner worship or Nepali discrimination. They're not the same thing.
By the way, the sums at the bottom of the form are pretty tricky. Can you have some easier ones like 'what is 5'?
Thanks!
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sthapit
@Koji - Why is foreigner worship and nepali discrimination not the same? We're talking about discriminating against Nepalis in favor of foreigners [whom so many Nepalis fawn over].
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jwalanta
I have one bitter experience about this.
Last year i'd gone to a week long trek to Jomsom-Muktinath during October (peak tourist season) [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwalanta/sets/72157608356463972/] and along the way we found nothing but discrimination and humiliation. My own fellow-nepalis wont let me stay in their hotels. Even we had money, we were forced to stay in low-grade rooms; better rooms were reserved for foreigners. At the end of trek i almost felt like reaching Muktinath temple and pray for not to be born as Nepali if such thing as 'another life' exists!
But there was a reason we were being treated so bad -- there was separate rate (from food to room charge) for nepalis and foreigners. Since obviously foreigners were charged more, they got royal treatments and nepalis were not welcomed at all.. How much money u had in ur wallet didnt matter at all.
This all narrows down to two major factors - poverty and inferiority complex, latter being the most prominent. The general conception is that 'khaire's are rich, intelligent n better in all aspects. This changes everything. It's human nature to be attracted towards nicer ones..
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koji
People are dumb. What can you do?
I am foggy eyed khuire and don't think I have been worshipped too much. People certainly worship the cash they think I have, the visa they think I can get, the job I will line up for them, or the marriage we'll organise tomorrow for similar reasons.
All unrealistic and see-through. Not like Hollywood saccharin.
Guess every country has it as you need someone to look down upon to feel better about yourself. In UK we call it snobbery and it is all over the place, from the rich to the poor. So guess it is just human nature.
jwalanta - vote with your wallet. Move hotel until you find a sauhuji with a flesh instead of cash register for a heart. Sorry for your experience. Equally I get fed up of paying 100Rp for a hot lemon or whatever.
So what is the solution here?
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sthapit
@koji - maybe you don't see it coz you're at the recipient of the "better" treatment but it's definitely along the same lines as being treated as a hollywood celebrity. In both cases you treat someone differently, whether the perception is accurate or not, because the person is wealthier famous and can somehow help improve your personal social status etc.
The solution here afaik is economic development, jobs, and wealth creation. And the only way to get there, unlike countries with natural resources like the middle east + oil, is through education.
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Sunil
I agree with Mr. Jwalanta. You don't have to go very far just go to Thamel you will see it loud and clear. No shopkeeper will attend you but rather they look at you as if they are disgusted by your presence. Go to hotels and departmental stores you will see it there. Even if a foreigner buys a roll of toilet paper the cashier will show almost all their teeth and return money with two hand(although it has no meaning to the bedesi person) and also doesn't forget to say thank you please visit again and then just after that when a Nepali comes to pay lo and behold the face becomes stern and all the teeth vanish.We Nepalese are mistreated in almost many foreign land and incase if you have visited only India then you will know what I mean ( I have many bitter experiences in many countries) but its rather very shameful and painful that we have to face the same in our own country from our own people. What should we say this?????
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Biplav
I hope this does not happen in Nepal: Indians banned at Haagen Daz in India
Foreigner worship I think is a bit strong. Is it equal to caste worship? ie based on potential economic benefit? or true worship? I sort of thought it was yes well I'll take your money, treat you right because you'll tip me - but - aw bloody foreigner.
There is discrimination and racism everywhere in the world. I often feel discriminated against in Nepal because I am a bloody foreigner. We can all feel that way in certain places.
A few trips ago I had a Thai female colleague with me - and everyone stared as she looked Nepali - she loved it as got treated like a locla
As a red head male - I was bagged my entire child hood. In Oz I am called a Ranga -after "orangutan" Imagine it! Recall the uproar when Indians called one of our Aussie cricketers a monkey - that was uncool apparently.
I vividly recall in Rural China a few years ago a peasant farmer telling the interpretor that I was pretty cool for a sub-human! lol
If you don;t "speak da kine" in Hawaii you're a fu###ng Haole and should go back home. BTW Akshay - you'd be fully accepted up there - although Jen would have trouble perhaps - odd hey. Even my ex- who was born and bred in Hawaii (but white haole) was often put behind a newly arrived Filipina tourist - because they looked local.
A Japanese friend who has one great grandmother who is Korean has a notation on her passport that she is not fully Japanese - she has to prove why her children should be Japanese citizens.
Listening in Thai to how they talk about Farang's and how they smell - could never get away with that kind of language in Australia about - say - Thai people - there would be instant complaint to Discrimination board. Hilarious really.
Oh the world is a funny place - luckily we all get on in the main - and vive la difference!
8 months ago