First of all I want to thank this sub for all the advice and encouragement it gives its users. This was my first solo trip and I can say now that it’s almost over that it went reasonably well.

However, today as I was leaving the metro in Paris to head for the airport, a French man started yelling at me on the escalator and said something I’m assuming to be racist, ending with the most distinguishable word Senegalese. I guess I should state that I’m a Black F, 22, from the US. I was in front of him in the escalator, when I heard a commotion behind me I turned around, realizing that he was speaking to me I stated, “Désolé, je ne parle pas français”, which means “Sorry I don’t speak French”. I turned back around and as I was getting off the escalator I nearly tripped. I thought he kicked me, but I was likely surely someone wouldn’t be so rude. But, someone witness the man kick me and shout at him to stop. I was in shock that some could do something like that. I never approached, talked too or made eye contact with this man. I even stated in French with a very distinct American accent that I don’t speak French, which people from Senegalese do, it’s their second language. I’m still in shock, and I’m glad that this is the last leg of my trip because it’s really putting a sour mood to what was a great trip for me.

The worse part is that this isn’t the only incident I had this trip. I was in Prague for New Year’s and I was hanging out with some people I had met on couchsurfing. Around 8 or 9pm we (me and 2 other guys I had met earlier that day) were approached by some very boisterous Russians or Ukrainians (one of the the guys with me said that this was their nationality, I call him Sam). They were hugging up on the other guys and being loud and using wild hand gestures. I felt that something was off and I should be weary, so I hid behind one of the guys. He then asked, who’s this? I introduced myself but continued to stay behind the guys. After a while Sam said we had to catch our bus and we walked away. When we were far enough away he told us to run and we ran to the nearest bus/tram. He then told us the guys were high/ and or drunk and any slight offense could be taken the wrong way and would result in us getting beaten up.

Not even an hour later we’re on the Charles’s Bridge taking pictures when another seemingly Russian/Ukrainian guy approached us pointing and gesturing at me and speaking his own language. Sam was like we do know what your saying/ talking about, and the guy eventually left us alone. Sam told me that when the guy was pointing at me he made a foul gesture (like are you f***ing her?), and we were approached twice by Russians/Ukrainians twice in one night and that it wasn’t a coincidence. I was the determining factor, which was true I realized that I hadn’t seen that many black people in Prague in the days that I were there. Apparently Sam works with several Russians/ Ukrainians and they are very racist. I was thankful that I happened to be with people that night and not by myself since the situation could have been worse if I were by myself, like I normally am. I have heard that Eastern European countries are racist, however, I was not in their country and I was still antagonized. I thought ok I’ll just not go to racist countries like Russia, etc. but Paris is as as far west as one could stay in Europe.

I know I shouldn’t let these few instances take away from what was an amazing and insightful trip, but I’m tired and in my head about the whole thing. 🤷🏾‍♀️