September 21, 2026

I am spending the semester abroad in India on an EMU intercultural studies program. We explore museums and monuments, learn about the fascinating history and culture, and eat a wide variety of amazing food so full of spices and flavor.

I am learning a lot here, but what I did not expect was how people read me. I have people approaching me speaking in Hindi, the way any locals ask for directions. I am happy to be seen as not American, because that may come with better prices on goods than my white classmates, and different attitudes in markets. However, I find it interesting how people here view me so differently, even just based on skin color, instead of how I’m dressed or the fact that I’m with a group of other Americans.  I wear typical American clothing (shorts and a t-shirt), yet sometimes people here think Americans have to be white.

 I saw this firsthand at a Sikh temple, where another student and I, both of us with darker complexions, got scolded for not finishing our food, while not a single word was said to our white classmates. This was just an interesting experience I witnessed.

These experiences were in Delhi, showing that even in a large city, being American and being white is still often seen as typical or the normal American. They see someone with dark, Southeast Asian features, and they do not think American. 

I can compare this to racism in the United States, where the typical racism I experience is more institutional and historical, with acts barring Asian immigrants or being viewed as the “model minority.” 

Here, discrimination against Southeast Asian looking people seems mostly through foreignness and color. Someone who looks Southeast Asian gets treated as an outsider or tourist regardless of citizenship. In India, having lighter skin tones is seen as better or more well off. Darker skin got associated with outdoor manual labor, while lighter skin signaled wealth. In the USA, it is flipped, with a tan signifying you have money, can go on vacations, and go to the beach. I find the comparison of each to be interesting and something I would like to learn more about. 

-Alex Jantzen