I want to start by saying that: I come from a deeeeeeeeply divided country. Where Romanians have always discriminated against Roma people. So… it took me a while to understand my own internalized racism and to try to desconstruct this part of myself while living in Spain. But the truth is… we live in a world that is soooo rasist, it is hard not to have some biases.
As always…. I press play to my Spotify playlist and start pouring my thoughts here.
My first home in Spain was in Barcelona… and while I was living there, I would’ve fought anyone who said Spanish people were racist. I worked in an international environment, mostly surrounded by Spaniards, meeting locals and enjoying every moment. But I’ve come to realize that wasn’t the everyday reality for many immigrants.
Back then, I was the “expat” (how I hate this word now). Highly skilled, earning above the market average, working from home whenever I wanted, living in a building with a rooftop pool, and paying double for a room compared to what I now pay for an entire flat. To Spaniards, I was seen as the “good migrant.” They didn’t care where I came from because I fit into their idea of the “acceptable foreigner.”
Fast forward to 2024, when I started working for a big nationwide company in northern Spain with such a small-minded mentality. Suddenly, I went from being the “expat” to being seen as an “immigrant.” (honestly, I prefer the second term, because it moves away from the classism and the eternal good/bad immigrant debate).
Even though I’d been living on and off in this city since 2021, I barely knew anyone actually from León-León. Most people I knew were friends of my partner who had also moved here for work. Or other immigrants I meet occasionally on the group’s Friday gatherings.
My earlier experience in Barcelona, and even in Madrid, felt like a bubble compared to the more closed attitudes I started seeing here. I knew Romanians are often seen as a threat and labeles as bad migrants (we are the second biggest migrant community in Spain). But I did not expect to notice attitudes from my own colleagues.
You’re here because our boss likes your country.
I heard that more than once. It did not matter that I’d worked for some biiiiig companies and clients during my 11 years of professional experience. Didn’t matter that I had way more skills than what my social media job required. Every time I tried to propose something new, my ideas were disregarded. I won’t go deeper into that now, but you can read more about my work experience here.
So back to what I was saying about racism and xenophobia… I find it alarming how much these are growing in Spain. In Romania. And worldwide. But where I feel it the most is in Spain. Speaking from a privileged position, I’m somehow protected. Even if some Spanish people don’t like it, I’m an EU citizen. This gives me access to sooooo many things and makes bureaucracy a lot easier.
As a former colonizer country (I love this term soooo much), Spain forgets the damage it caused in the countries it colonized. And let’s not ignore the damage that other EU countries did in Latin America or Africa. Yet, many Spanish people are soooo against people coming from “poorer” countries who just want to find a better life in Spain. I mean, what comes around, goes around, right?
Speaking of which, I feel like there’s a crusade happening against migrants who are seen as “below” Spanish people. They’re demonized, weaponized, and portrayed as thieves, aggressive, or bullies. Everywhere you look or listen, you hear stuff i.e.:
We’re being taken over by Muslims. This country will be full of burkas and soon we’ll be pushed out.
The crime rate is so high I can hardly walk alone on the street.
While it’s true that in some cities like Barcelona or Madrid, the petty theft rate has gone up… it’s definitely not always because of immigrants. I’ve never had any issues in either city, and I actually feel safe walking the streets in Spain.
It drives me crazy to hear these narratives. Not because I am a immigrant and biased, but because I’ve met the people Spaniards are talking badly about. I had immigrant classmated. Worked with them. Met people in NGOs that help immigrants in Spain. And the conclusion is always the same: they just want a better life. They want to work.
Maybe not every single person is the same. But the graaaand majority is. And let’s not forget: not all Spanish migrants are angels when they move abroad, either. I’ll go deeper into this topic another time. But for now… I just want to say that despite everything, immigrants deserve a chance.
And talking honestly about racism in Spain is one way to start changing things.