repete - it's not that most Europeans would not consider an interracial adoption; they used to be quite common but are now not an option in the UK as it is felt to be better for the children to be adopted by a family of their own race/religion/culture.

Whether that's always a good thing or not is moot...yes it's the ideal but it does mean some children wait a long time while their social workers are hunting for a couple who have a mix of all 4 Irish/Japanese/Ghanian/Italian backgrounds, for example.

Not to hijack this thread to a debate on transracial adoption but that's not really the case. There are still transracial adoptions in the UK.

Our experience with Europeans, including some involved in public health in Greece and Denmark, talked more about the "stigma" than the actual challenges of raising a child of another race.

An interesting story from the UK:
http://ncane.com/kh3b

Indeed, here are the current guidelines from the BAAF:

"What this means in practice is that vigorous efforts are made to find a family that reflects the child’s individual identity. Given the profile of prospective adopters, this is not always achievable. In these instances, social workers will have to make a decision about when to consider alternative families in order to minimise delay for the child. Children would then be placed with families that best match most of their needs, even if this means they are of a different ethnic group."

>But, all in all, my son who has visited Italy, Greece, UK, China and Australia plus 40 states has had his worst racial experiences in the good ol' USA, including in one of the top school systems of one of the nation's most "progressive" states.<

That's because you and your son LIVE in the US. 5 days in Greece really can't compare.

When I was at the Beijing Zoo in 2000, people tapped me on the shoulder to get a photo. I was the first white person they had ever seen. I was more popular than the pandas.

Thin

Still trying to rubbish people's personal experience?
Grow up - other people's experience is as valid as your own opinion!

I know, and have seen, many families in France that adopted children from Africa. I think that in some ways, that's more common and more accepted than it is in the States. Having said that, people are going to stare and make comments about anything that seems unusual to them at the time. As a blue-eyed blonde, I also had people put their children in front of me to take a picture in China. It was as if I was a giraffe strolling down the street- something out of the ordinary. My colleague was told many times in China that he was fat- but in admiring way, as in, "you must be rich to be able to afford so much food." You have to be careful about interpreting looks and even comments as negative, when they may be admiring, or just casual.

Alec: "Biracial/multiracial families are far more common in Europe than in US, so it's not a novelty."

Sorry, Alec, but you presented that information as if it were a verified FACT, not merely your perception.

As an American living in Europe, I find no real difference. In either place, most people are more concerned with their own lives.

And Thin is also right, there is a big difference between what you notice on a brief holiday and what you see living somewhere.

Alec, sorry but Thin is right about OJ. In all honesty I never knew OJ had a white wife until the murder trial. Not only did his interracial marriage NOT cause a stir, my DH and I never saw it in news or tabloids. Before the murder my DH was a major fan of OJ and followed his career, yet he knew nothing about OJ's wife because it just wasn't important. And by no means is OJ the only black celeb to marry white, it is really quite common whether a person is famous or not.

There is so much interracial marriage in the US today, I just don't know anyone who finds it shocking. And BTW, I live in the South.

And once again, my dad and stepmom are an bi-racial couple. Even living in the South there are no problems, not even funny stares.

Etonmymind,

From my own personal experiences you have little to worry about UNLESS you happen to run into a few of the people ON THIS THREAD!!!!

Gosh I love the intellectually dishonest folks here who make assumptions and spew them as facts.

<b>Cries: "That's because you and your son LIVE in the US. 5 days in Greece really can't compare."</b>

I was in Greece for more than a month.

If you can't debate without fiction, please leave the discussion.

Repete, a month is a fairly brief holiday compared to living somewhere for years. Overall, you're still skimming the surface.

Dukey - you hit the nail on the head!

>If you can't debate without fiction, please leave the discussion.<

ROFL!!!!

Me leave??? That is side-splitting. I have been posting here for 10 years--probably the most famous poster on this travel site--not to mention quoted in multiple Fodor's Guides--and you want ME to leave???

How was I supposed to know you were in Greece for a month?? You didn't put that in your response. I am many things, sweetie darling, but I am not a mind reader.

I am sure the people of Hellas will be grateful to know that you can assess their culture after being in the country for a whole month.

Maybe you can arrange the the return of the Elgin Marbles.

Thin

>>>you have little to worry about UNLESS you happen to run into a few of the people ON THIS THREAD!!!!<<<

It is not that bad. In real life, they are harmless. Cries_Van_Notebook-Proenza Preschooler-Marginal Margiela-Thingorjus is just a balding, slightly overweight guy who likes to provoke a bit.

ROARING WITH LAUGHTER.

I am NOWHERE NEAR being bald.

I have more hair than David Hasselhof.

And I do Pilates and tae-bo three times a week. I am not overweight.

YOU haven't got a clue.

Thin

Wow, a 10-year troll. I'm in a fair number of guides myself -- not that that's any endorsement.

<i>How was I supposed to know you were in Greece for a month?? You didn't put that in your response. I am many things, sweetie darling, but I am not a mind reader.</i>

Just because I did not provide all the details you wish does not provide you license to fabricate them. ....

As for assessing cultures, I labeled my response only as "our experiences," which is what this board is for ... unless you're an ego-driven, intellectually fraudulent troll.

Passerine,

Of course.

I don't disagree, but the OP was look for a frame of reference for a monthlong trip. As a white parent who has traveled extensively with a black child, I offered perspective closer than most of the folks on this threat.

How many others on this thread actually bring that experience? Do you? How about Cries?

I didn't say Europe was more racist that the U.S. or vice versa. I simply relayed our experiences as a parent in an attempt to help. My mistake I guess.