Is racism rampant in Prague?
 

Is it true that Czech people are racist towards anyone of Roma/Arab appearance?

I know that they don't have the best customer service, as most people who travelled to Prague can attest, but are they racist as well?

no, and I also disagree with you about customer service.

Unclegus. Sorry, I would love to agree with you but the general consensus is that Czech customer service sucks. I know plenty of people who have been to Prague and all of them experienced a rude waiter or shop owner at some point.

have you been there?, I am in the city many times every year ( just returned from a trip a few days ago) and customer service wherever I go is a damn sight better than I get in the UK. It is not the smiley happy I am your best pal type service you get in the US but it is efficient.

I wonder if the Czechs would start behaving nicely if tourists stopped going to Prague. Tourism brings $4.5 billion to the country.

have you been there?, I am in the city many times every year ( just returned from a trip a few days ago) and customer service wherever I go is a damn sight better than I get in the UK. It is not the smiley happy I am your best pal type service you get in the US but it is efficient.

....general consensus is that Czech customer service sucks....

General consensus with whom? A few friends? You are the first posting I have seen on any travel site about bad service in Prague. Pickpockets - sure. But all the waiters were fine when we were there two years ago over Christmas/New Years. Damn cold but waiters were fine.

I had a very nice time in Prague.
several years ago.
..learned a bit of the language ahead of the trip...

Check out the threads on Tripadvisor and eslewhere. Even Czechs agree that their country has a "rudeness problem".

Just back from 2 weeks in Czech, saw not a single issue with "customer service" if anything people were impressive how they did things to be nice, not just for the "Yankie tip" which I find is servile.

I've worked with Czechs and they do struggle with how they are educated on the Roma, who by the way, are not particularly Arab looking, Roma often struggle with the Czech education system which can mean they are marginalised, however recent work by the German education system has shown the Czechs how to manage the situation.

When I worked with Czechs it surprised the h@@l out of them when I explained by own racial background :-)

Sounds like YOU might have a problem.

Oh I have a couple of comments.....

I was told by a Budapest resident (and also other folks that lived under communist rule) that smiling was taken as a sign of stupidity - so folks in such countries may well seem less friendly, customer service oriented.

Also IMO most cultures / societies / countries have at least tinges of RACISM - oooooooo. Many countries are not very diverse, and even in countries where we might see one race?, there may be strains of prejudice that we are not even aware of. I think to some extent, racism or stereotypes are pretty much part of the human condition. The reasons for, roots of this, were examined in detail in a sociology course I took long ago.

And the Roma, lots of bad feelings and ill treatment towards this group thru out the EU. Some of which is brought on by bad behavior on the part of some individuals.

One last comment that has stayed with me - several years ago I was working with two young African women who had been living in Belgium and then came to the US on work visas. They loved the US - they said their lives were so much better here than in Belgium as far as how they were treated.

Not smiling is one thing.

Refusing to help is another.


StCirq, just because someone has an opposing doesn't give you the right to patronize them.

In many parts of Eastern Europe they still make monkey sounds when they see a black person.

Let's not justify everything as "cultural difference".

.....In many parts of Eastern Europe they still make monkey sounds when they see a black person. .....

And you know this how?????

I think I am leaning in the StCirq direction.

We were in Prague and the Czech countryside last September. We found everyone to be very helpful and friendly. We didn't experience any rudeness at any of our three destinations:
Prague, Cesky Krumlov, and Olomoucs.

We had a great time and would love to go back.

I'll give you some examples. Croatia was fined a hefty penalty because Croatian fans made monkey sounds and threw a banana on an Italian black player (Balotelli).

An Austrian woman told a friend of mine to leave the swimming pool, because he was of dark complexion and she thought he was an Arab.

But you guys wouldn't know. Most of you are white Anglosaxons anyway, and not a good barometer of the level of racism in Europe.

Can't comment on any attitudes towards specific ethnic groups.

But as for customer service have never had major problems with it in Prague. Yes, you can get a surly waiter in a cafe, but that's the same anywhere (even Italy where everyone is usually friendly). I did find the service sub par in some places in Russia - but that improved a lot from my first trip to my most recent one.

My only complaint is one taxi driver who thought he was going to cheat us. But he learned better and was very unhappy about it (I think he was calling me rude names in Czech as he drove away).

....Most of you are white Anglosaxons anyway, and not a good barometer of the level of racism in Europe.....

And you are??????

The racism is true. My nephew spent his semester abroad in Prague a few years and was the subject of harassment on a number of occasions and made his stay horrible. His father is from Argentina/Spain and his mother is Puerto Rican. He is a somewhat dark skinned but his features could be one many groups.

It was unexpected and he was traumatized for some time.

Who cares?

All that really matters is that Giorgio Armani on Pariska Street still offers Champagne service.

Know what is worse than racism?

Shopping for frocks without a cocktail on hand!

Thin, whiter than Princess Michael