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Scot in Australia

I have never been racist which can be seen by my friends. That was until yesterday, when I was confronted with the height of ignorance and arrogance. I am a Scottish women living in Australia, and didn't think twice about attending a party that one of my closest friends was at.

When I got there I found myself slightly alienated. The reason for this was, I thought, just down to people not knowing me, but after an hour and a half I was asked what part of England I was from, I replied "I'm from Scotland", in return I got told to stop being so sensitive, that Scotland is just a suburb of England and that I am just really English.

When I said "no I'm Scottish and it's a separate country" I was then threatened with fights, called terrible names and had "England the Great" chanting around me. When I looked around every person at this party was English and very proud of it – to the level that they where half way around the world and they want to physically hurt a Scottish person.

I am 31 and have never experienced anything like it, even when I lived in London. My closest friend begged me to stay and stand up to it, but I am not confrontational and with the thought of all my friends in mind I could not have forgiven myself if I had said something that lowered myself to their level.

So with that I retreated and warned my friend (who is also English ) not to fall in with that crowd too deeply for they are not friends, they just have her around because she is English. For to have a party with nine women in their 40s who have lived in Australia for 20+ years not to have a single other nationality amongst their friends bemuses me. I have been in the country now for four years and have many true close friends and only two are from the UK. I had held a Halloween party days earlier and had Indian, Balinese, English, Scottish, Maltese and a high level of Australians, some of whom are black and that was woken up to me at this English party.

I have strong anger towards racism but to be a target of it will bring out strong feelings towards a nationality. I would also like to add they stated the Australians to be small minded, they live in their country with all the freedom and privileges the Australians share with them and they can't even give them respect. In closing Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, Germany, Spain and every other country in the world are not the problem, it's the groups of people with cold hearts and rose tinted glasses on that are.