As an outsider sometimes you are not aware of cultural norms, but I always felt the margin for error for what Americans considered "acceptable" was too narrow. There was no benefit of doubt, and sometimes an explicit dislike for someone who did not immediately fit in.
I am in hell right now..dealing with harassment(in the legal sense of the word)from a CA public agency, no less. Everyday I fantasize about quitting something I love because the psychological impact is too much to bear.
The only thing that keeps me going is that one day I hope karma will kick in…
I have become a lot meaner at heart. I wonder if I will turn into a tyrant if I ever acquire power.
In California, the worst racism I have faced is in Berkeley where they wear their progressiveness on the sleeve.