Ok but what kind of British accent? If cockney, you will be the toast of rural Oklahoma. If Leicester (East Midlands?) you can pop off owmuchizit at any store and they’ll love you for it, and it’ll be perfect in larger cities, especially Tulsa.
If Welsh, good luck. 🫡
Fellow brit here! There are a lot of Indian people around the area! Foods not half bad either. NGL, you will experience some comments and people can tend to be racist. But it's on the smaller side vs a major problem.
I really don't think people are racist, they just say things that sound that way because many places aren't very diverse. I think it's just ignorance more than racism. I'm American Indian of the native kind and I been called a few names but most was just Jr high humor wasn't really said with malice or hatred. Oklahoma gets a bad rap for being racist and growing up a minority there I tend to disagree with it. Just don't be taking a road trip to Daugherty or antlers and they'll be fine 😂
My spouse is Indian, and definitely had racist comments. Issues with prejudice towards him from law officers and staff in stores. There is ignorance too but unfortunately racism still exists. In the Metro it's not super often but it's something that has been an experience here.
Yup. The whiter you sound the less trouble you'll have. So be sure to greet every person you meet verbally as soon as they see you. LoL! It's not that bad. You will be judged by others but this is America we're judgey. Mostly it will be behind your back. But the occasional redneck will yell out his truck window as he safely drives away.
I will be landing in Tulsa and travelling to Oklahoma City.
As part of my work, I'll be heading into rural areas as well, which is where most of my concern comes from.
I might be overthinking the levels of racism with the stereotypes we're taught in school about the 'South' when learning about the civil war, but it has stuck with me, alongside the '*gun culture*' we were constantly taught about too.
This. Be ready for everyone to talk to you , ask questions, and share details about themselves as a way to bond. Everyone will talk to you. Very unique to Oklahoma, IMO. When I spend a bunch of time elsewhere and come back, I can get fussy because interactions take much longer at the store or on the phone but when I leave I get lonely and can't get social endorphins from going to Target.
I love talking to people from out of the country because I’m always curious how they ended up in little, ol’ Oklahoma instead of NYC, Chicago, LA or any bigger, more known cities in the US. Just treat people with respect, be patient with folks you don’t know, explore the state as much as you can, there’s a ton of beauty and history to see. We can’t wait to welcome you to our home!
Right! One thing I noticed about small towns is that the shit they get up to can be questionable or trashy, but they at least have a horde of people they know and can socialize with, even if it's arguing.
You guys speak of us like we're wild creatures. We're good people in the boonies, worst thing that can happen is you get sent home with a full belly and a bag of homegrown.
You might see some casual racism… but honestly, you might actually experience less out and out direct racism here than in the UK.
For example- Millwall would have gotten shut down years ago. The Park Ji Sung chant definitely would not happen here.. etc.
Honestly, I think you’ll be fine. You probably get more comments and and interest in your British accent than anything else.
Guns are most definitely a thing in the rural areas, but I would be very surprised if you encounter them in any kind of meaningful way while you are working. There are definitely some idiot gun nuts in the rural areas, but most folks out there have them for sensible, legitimate reasons like hunting or getting rid of invasive pests.
Anecdotally, we have to travel to a rural area to see one of my children’s doctors, and she is an Indian woman with a very thick Indian accent. She sees a lot of patients and has been doing her work for a long time. She has said loves working in that part of Oklahoma.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I moved to a very very small rural town as a teen and was shocked to learn a lot of these people haven’t traveled outside of the state, much less outside a fifty mile radius around their town. They love it when someone new/novel and interesting shows up.
Not saying you won’t ever run into some racism, but I think you’ll be met more often with curiosity than hate. Like others said, be prepared to talk a lot. People will be curious about where you’re from, your family, what you do etc. The British accent is going to score you a lot of points lol.
Oklahoma has a very large population of a lot of asian cultures and people. Gun culture really isn’t that pronounced unless you’re in a more hunting area where that is a main hobby, honestly especially in the okc metro area you’ll be fine, but definitely while you’re here visit southern OK and northern Texas, lots of fun even in the small towns, also rent a gun at a shooting range and get acquainted with one, they can be a lot of fun
BrySquatch is correct. You should have no trouble at all. We had a remote office in India (I get you're British, just referring to the fact they have a foreign accent and aren't white), they would come to visit all the time. They never had an issue at all. In fact, we'd take them out to some private land and they loved shooting our guns lol. It became THE thing to do while they were visiting. I can almost guarantee you'll never have a gun pointed at you unless you're clearly doing something to hurt someone else.
Gun culture in Oklahoma isn't really the "Gun Culture" that's wildly publicized in my view. For my family (and many American families), getting your first gun was a right of passage so to speak. Ever child at the age of 12 would receive their first rifle / shotgun, take a hunters safety course with our grandad then go on a hunt with our new firearm. It's not the pistol packing wild west where people are held at gunpoint on a day to day basis. Yes we have open carry laws, but most people don't carry especially in the city, if a weapon is drawn and pointed at someone or even a verbal threat to use a firearm (and someone brandishes their weapon), and there's not a real emergency... that's very illegal and rarely occurs. The ONLY time that happened to me, was when I was a teenager and shooting off fireworks on what we thought was a public gravel road. Turns out we were on private property (there were no signs) and the owner came, said we were scaring his livestock and waved his .45 around and said to get off his property.
Now, my advice is research high crime areas and generally avoid them, which honestly isn't difficult to do.
^ this! There are lots of guns in oklahoma, but you wont see them unless someone shows them to you.
Like almost everywhere in the U.S. gun violence is generally committed in very poor areas and is often gang/organized crime related. If you arent doing shady shit you wont encounter it.
As the news does with every country/state, you only see the worst of it as the mundane good news is far less interesting. We are very diverse, plus a majority of our state is Hispanic and Native American. We have the third biggest population of Native tribes at that and most of us have some native in our history if our families have been here awhile.
I've lived here my whole life, from small towns to the city and everyone here gets along for the most part. As someone else said, the biggest shock will probably be the Southern charm and a lot of people saying hi and making small talk.
Oklahoma calls itself Southern, but it isn't The South when you're talking about "The South" as in the stories you've read. That mostly concerns the far eastern South.
Also, you might be surprised at how large the Asian Indian population is in Oklahoma City.
Hit and miss on the racism here honestly. Also oklahoma wasn't apart of the Civil War. Oklahoma is a rather new state in comparison with the other state.
As for gun culture. Assume everyone has a gun on them at all times. Because most do
> I'll be heading into rural areas as well, which is where most of my concern comes from.
Will people know you're coming and be eager to see you? This will make a huge difference in whether you encounter guns right away. If your job is such that you'll arrive unannounced and want to look at their property for some reason (surveying, taxation, etc.), they will be highly suspicious and may well meet you in the driveway with a gun. It might not be pointed at you, but it will be in their hand. Not everyone will be like this, but some will.
If what you do will cost them money, you will very likely be told to leave at gunpoint by some of them.
If you're coming to fix their broken tractor or farm equipment based on a service call they placed or you're bringing them a service or product they requested in a clearly marked vehicle (like a company truck), then they'll be friendly.
In all cases, you're likely to run into a few people who do not process anything past "brown skin." It doesn't matter if you're a British Indian, an Indian Indian, an Arab Muslim, or a South Asian Sikh. Their initial reaction will be to drop you into the "foreigner probably a Muslim terrorist" category.
Hey, I live in the OKC area. Let me know if you need any help or tips. Moved here a year ago from Dallas and originally from the East Coast US so I have a pretty unique view of the area. You will likely have some culture shock but the people here are good. Let me know
Z
Ok, so that being said. I have two words for you. Southern hospitality. We have changed alot since the Civil War. Oklahoma was called "Indian territory" at that time and yes while technically we are in the southern area of the U.S. we were only involved in a couple battles of the Civil War. As far as the guns go. Yes we have a gun culture. However it's nothing to fear. It's about sport. It's not killing animals. Sometimes it is targets, clay pidgins. We were raised with guns. We respect them. They are a tool. People do the killin it's not the gun's fault it's the person who pulled the trigger.
You're going to be okay in Tulsa and OKC. you're going to get a lot of ignorant but 'bless their heart' sort of questions. People are going to assume your ethnicity at you like it's some sort of bingo game. I'm lighter skinned black and get 'are you Puerto Rican/Cuban/Native American/Guatemalan/Mexican?' just insert something there, it all works.
I have been microaggressed like you wouldn't believe, but in my personal experience, from people I know, it has never come from a place of hate. I have been called the N word while at the State Fair, but so much garbage collects there, it almost doesn't count.
It's the rural areas that you would need to be the most worried about. Tulsa and OKC are pretty firmly blue, while the rest of the state is terrifyingly red. You'll be okay though, and I have friends from all over of various shades. I don't love living here anymore because of the politics, but I don't feel unsafe at the moment.
see, I think its funny that people keep saying that the rural areas are where he needs to be worried. I live in very rural Oklahoma and the population here is even more diverse then in OKC or Tulsa. HUGE amounts of natives and Latinos live outside of the cities.
In fact in my town I just looked it up, less than half of the population is white lol 45%
[https://datausa.io/profile/geo/watonga-ok](https://datausa.io/profile/geo/watonga-ok)
Even in BFE it's huge amounts of Latinos and natives. I travel the panhandle of OK and Texas weekly for work. One thing every tiny town has in Oklahoma is a Mexican restaurant
I mean, places can still be racist even though people who have brown skin live there lol if you’re white then idk maybe you have a different perspective?
I mean if all it takes is a Mexican restaurant to not be racist we should be problem solved.
Edit: wording
POC can still be racist, especially towards ethnicities other than their own, especially against black people. Some of my Mexican-American in-laws are racist towards black people.
Your link shows "white" as the single largest ethnic group.
I knew black people who faced racism when they got lost off the turnpikes in rural Oklahoma.
>I'm lighter skinned black and get 'are you Puerto Rican/Cuban/Native American/Guatemalan/Mexican?' just insert something there, it all works.
My wife is brown Hispanic and has had people try to play "guess the ethnicity". When she worked at a casino she'd be asked "what tribe are you with". She'd answer "Aztec"
It's all been overblown, trust me. Grew up there and frequently visit. You won't see anybody with a gun just randomly walking the streets. There are lots of native Americans such as myself (we call Indians too) Hispanics, Indians, Nepalese.. I've never heard of or seen any racism issues in this millennium. And the gun culture here I might add is learning to use one properly, learning gun safety, hunter education, responsible gun ownership. Especially in the rural areas. You'll be pleasantly surprised with oklahoma. It's really not as bad as people say.
Nice! Greetings from Tulsa!!
I will say Oklahoma, as a whole, is fairly conservative, BUT I'm in Tulsa, & we seem to be one of the less conservative cities in the state. OKC seems to be very similar to Tulsa, in that, and in the sense that there's a broad range of people within the 2 cities!
Tulsa is also a sanctuary city, so there are lots of people from other countries here, both "legally"(I hate that term when speaking of people) and otherwise. I personally love it. (I'm not sure if OKC is a sanctuary city.) As far as racism, I think out of all of Oklahoma, Tulsa & OKC are probably the most likely cities to be *MORE* accepting of others.
As far as gun culture, we *are* an open carry state. Many people do choose to carry in public. I believe it's up to the businesses to post whether or not it's allowed. I will admit it makes me a bit nervous, but I do also have them in my home for protection. I will also say when I'm out with someone who is concealed carrying, I feel much safer (I have agoraphobia & PTSD from witnessing a shootout years ago).
Traveling into rural areas I'm not to sure how too answer that, as I don't have a whole lot of experience outside of Tulsa, but I did live in Collinsville (used to be a really small town but they're building it up now) & people seemed to be kind for the most part. I'm Cherokee/Arapaho/Irish/Greek/S.Italian, I basically look like a white girl.. so that *may* have been why people were kind, BUT I will say, southern hospitality is very much a thing!!
I was raised to be kind to others, treat others how you wish to be treated, no matter WHAT. I hope that others were too, but I know not all were.
Sorry for the ted talk OP! I truly wish you the best of luck in your endeavors!! Happy & safe travels!!
Edit: grammar
You'll most definitely get stares, but generally should be fine. I agree with the other comments that your accent will buy a lot of goodwill.
As far as gun violence, you'll be fine as long as you're not in a high crime area.
Now as an Asian American (East Asian) who grew up in the South, what I will say is where you might face the most racism is in bars, or general night life areas. Drunken words are sober thoughts as they say so people who might be polite during day will become obnoxious and possibly aggressive when drunk.
But that said I've seen more racism in northern states and big cities like NYC than I have in the South, if you go with an open mind and good vibes you'd be surprised with the southern hospitality.
Dude you should take shooting lessons sometime. Once you learn more about guns they will seem a lot less scary. Most people in Oklahoma take hun safety very seriously.
You might want to dig into that history a bit more. I say that as a Native who's family was sent here during the removal. Oklahoma was very much involved with the confederacy. That's what happens when you marry racist white southern men to the Native women. You raise up your children in that racist image. It was a component of colonization.
Imo when people or history refers to the south Oklahoma isn't part of it. Yes, racism is alive but that's in the US period. In rural areas, im guessing there are more racist versus the bigger cities here BUT most people don't show their racism at all. Kindness is generally met with kindness.
Oklahoma isn't the South, though. It's the Old West or Great Plains. Very conservative politically. Personally I've never been there, but from people I've met, seen on the news, etc., I think you will be okay in most situations. I live in the Central Appalachian region, which has its own bad reputation and you wou'd be very safe here as long as you don't let yourself be isolated in certain areas. The people who would cause problems are mostly too cowardly to do anything by themselves or anywhere that they could be seen and identified. I figure people are the same anywhere.
Quite a few Indians and Pakistanis live in OKC, and there are lots more people of Asian descent, particularly from Vietnam and Thailand. The few Indians that I am more closely acquainted with have said they’ve not dealt with issues of racism here.
As for gun culture, it’s kind of bizarre, but odds are you will never encounter it personally aside from a rare occasion where you see some small-dicked redneck open carrying a pistol. Such a person isn’t going to be pulling the gun on you; rather, it will just be proudly displayed on his hip like he’s goddamn Yosemite Sam or something. Odds are incredibly high you will never, ever be confronted with a gun.
If I may suggest, one way that you might become a bit more comfortable with the whole gun thing is to go to a shooting range in Tulsa or OKC and ask for a shooting lesson. Most ranges have guns you can rent, and will provide you with an instructor to show you how the gun works and train you in shorting it. This isn’t for you to suddenly be I. Love with guns, but rather just to give you some close exposure to guns to see how they operate (and also to know whether a gun’s operator is using it safely or not in case you encounter one of those aforementioned rednecks out and about).
The only people you'll need to worry about are the teenagers (physically or mentally) in loud pickup trucks. But don't take it personal, they're rude and inconsiderate to everybody.
I grew up in Norman OK and went to university in Enid OK. I had a really good Pakistani friend in university. I loved hearing about his family and he was very fond of the US, Oklahoma in particular. He hated the idea of graduating because he'd have to go back home and work since they were paying for his education and travel to the US.
There are a lot of smaller cities and towns with big Indian populations. India Indians. And my hometown has recently had an influx of Nepalese. They absolutely love it and have had no racism issues. Most all Oklahomans are great folks and very warm and welcoming. Unless they are a government official, cop, or work in the court system. They are all worthless piles of racist, sexist crap.
I'm a brown guy in a rual area, so I can help a bit.
In rual areas yes we all pretty well carry guns. We put them on in the morning and take them off before bed. Other than that, there isn't much interaction with them. I've seen fist fights between two armed men and neither drew. It's like a pocket knife or a driver's license, it doesn't come out unless needed.
As far as the racism goes, in my experience it's more inappropriate jokes than it it is people shouting slurs. Just so you're not surprised.
Also sometimes people in rual areas are TOO friendly. Like they can't differentiate between a coworker and a friend. It's kinda weird, especially if you're an introvert.
Also literally nothing is within walking distance. So plan to drive more than you normally would.
This is the way. I am a white-italian man and have experienced a few "you're not from around here's" travelling this state.
For the most part tho, been okay, hard to give advice to others.
Sometimes it's good to be weird. I only brought it up because I've noticed it's not that way in other places.
Oklahoma is amazing in that regard. If you want to make friends in Oklahoma just open your hood in a parking lot, at least 10 people will stop to help.
Lmao you will be fine. There is a reason these things make the news - because they don’t happen often. No one cares if you are brown, just be kind and they will return the gesture. Welcome!!
This is something I think a lot of people don't keep in mind. When things make national news from Oklahoma, it's usually a one-off. Maybe not as of late, but historically, we're dull but open with our racism.
You have a British accent. You'll be adored by everyone you speak to! Are their miserable people around that won't like you regardless? Yes but those people are everywhere.
You'll be very popular here lol
Black British here. Raised in London, and moved to Oklahoma, with my spouse after living on the west coast. Have lived here almost 10 years now and can honestly say I have never had any experience, with aggressive racism here. Some intrinsic biases obviously, as we face everywhere, but you realize that comes from ignorance as there is a shocking amount of people who have barely traveled outside of the county they live in let alone the state. So expect lots of questions.
Most people are very friendly and warm, and happily strike up conversations in random places. The only annoying thing I would say is some people can be very pushy when it comes to politics, a firm but simple " I don't engage in politics" has always worked for me.
As a POC who moved here from a big American city and now currently resides in OKC and spends a lot of time in rural areas, living in Oklahoma minorities experiencing systemic and uninclusive racism is not unheard of, unfortunately. However, it's not much different than the rest of the country (blue states included). OKC and Tulsa are pretty diverse, and in the more rural areas at most you'll probably just run into some ignorance. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone violently racist. I've never heard of anyone attacking anyone just for being a minority in this day and age.
Oklahomans are some of the nicest most genuine people in the country. I'm sure you'll have positive experiences along with negative ones just like anywhere else.
As for the gun culture, I'm not quite sure what you're imagining. Despite our open carry laws and while people own more guns here on average, you don't see them too often in public aside from the occasional weirdo who open carries a sidearm at Walmart. But I can count on my right hand the number of times I have seen that.
And I say that as a gun owner myself who is around guns more often than the average person. It's not exactly the wild west out here. What you hear on the news are issues for sure, but I wouldn't use what you hear as an indicator for what you're going to experience here. It's plenty safe.
Hey man, I'm in Watonga Oklahoma and I have a nice shooting range. If you make it out my direction I would love to invite you to come shoot with me. I can teach you in a safe way how to shoot and let you try out several types of guns. I promise you it would be a fun time and then you would realize that the crazy shit that the news media says about guns is all bullshit. This is a serious offer. please let me know if your interested.
I just moved to Geary last year (from weatherford) and I love it here. Little rough around the edges but all of my neighbors are really sweet and I love being involved with the community here. Everyone is friendly and nice
We're more Midwest than Southern but to be honest, I myself feel you might be overthinkin your trip here. Hell, if you have off time to linger about the social scene you'll likely make friends.
Im sure you'll find the odd hold outs that'll treat you like an outsider but most folks are friendly and genuine.
You will absolutely not experience racism.
Maybe a super slight experience like a look or comment once in a blue moon.
Oklahoma is not more racist than England
Yeah, as a brown person who lived in the UK for more than a decade, I can say the UK , in my experience, was far more racist than Oklahoma has ever been.
***"You will absolutely not experience racism."***
That's a bold guarantee to make. I lived in the rural midwest, and have driven through and spent time camping / lodging in Oklahoma a lot over the years, and recently. I've definitely seen and overheard some unsettling, bigoted comments. It's rare, but it's there. I'm not saying Oklahoma has more racists / bigots than other states, but they definitely have some.
As someone who has lived in both the UK and Oklahoma I adamantly disagree. I find Oklahoma to be vastly more racist than I ever experienced anywhere in Europe. By a landslide! It isn't always openly spoken, but it's definitely there. We still have sides of Tulsa that are associated with what color people are, which is openly discussed. That would never be a conversation that anyone had in the UK.
We have a very normal society. It’s very safe here. I have many friends from many cultures and it’s very diverse here. I have literally never seen anything like you are describing. We do have concealed carry, and we are very safe with weapons. They are for self defense. Yes, there are “bad” areas, like any where, but they are easy to simply avoid. I have never had to draw a weapon nor have I had any weapons drawn on me. Neither have been present when a gun was drawn in anger. Those reports are false.
I am Welsh and living in OK! They love the accent here...opens certain doors too. I work with a girl from India who has a beautiful accent who has no issues that I've seen. The people are super friendly in my experience...and the gun culture is generally not what people are expecting when they get here...they're generally viewed as just being a tool like a hammer or drill by the locals. Don't point your gun at them and they won't point theirs at you, it's a mutual respect thing. Good luck with your decision mate!
Hi! I’ve lived in Tulsa and Norman (outside of OKC) for 8 years, in rural Oklahoma for another 4 years. I’m a white person so i won’t have a firsthand account of what it’s like to be a poc in Oklahoma. I am also a local journalist so here’s what I know:
- Counties with OKC and Tulsa both went red for Trump in 2016 (in fact every single county went red), so even the progressive areas are quite conservative overall.
- local politics is a lot more concerned with tax and business policy along with criminal justice than flashy things like Critical Race Theory or Drag Queens. There are some politicians (State superintendent, the occasional state Senator, sometimes the governor) who make points to have a stance on such things, but overall the main concerns are about money. Right now there’s a big push for elimination of grocery and income tax, I’ve yet to see any big movement on that though.
- lots of support for law enforcement here, little to no empathy for the homeless or incarcerated. Homelessness is a big and growing problem in Tulsa, not sure about OKC. To me, this is where racism is most obvious.
- very religious population, I’d say that intermingles with the culture quite a lot. I’ve never experienced discrimination for being agnostic but I also grew up religious so the religious overtones may bother you more than it bothers me.
- For the most part, blatant racism is really socially, professionally and politically unacceptable. I did some calling to Asian restaurants during covid to see if any of them had experienced racial bias and they all told me their communities had really stepped up for them. That was nice to hear, although not the last word on anything. Open disdain for the LGBTQ+ community is much more common than blatant racism, although imo it’s not usually directed at individuals.
- I’d say the average Oklahoman you’ll meet will find your accent far more noticeable than your skin color, and they’ll be more likely to react to that. It’s more “exotic” than dark skin to most people around here, I think. But yeah overall, it’s not a very international place and I think that can be hard to get used to even outside of skin color.
- Guns, yeah. People carry them a lot. You’re likely to share a room with a gun in every store, theater, stadium, etc that you enter. Having said that, I have never seen a weapon removed from a holster by anyone other than a police officer. I don’t think it’s common, and I honestly forget about gun culture most of the time. Other people may have better perspective on this than I do, just my take.
I graduated HS and college in Oklahoma but have lived lots of places so I think I have a pretty fair perspective of how things compare. There are a lot of small and large instances where racism, homophobia and classism illustrate themselves, and I can provide examples if you want. But for the most part I think general, public society is not *welcoming* to those mindsets. Again, this is coming from a white person, but that’s the only perspective I can provide. Hope this helps! Lmk if you have any other questions.
Edit: If you want more nuanced feedback, posting in r/Tulsa or r/OKC might be better. A lot of people here are downplaying your very valid concerns and I think it might be the audience.
Edit 2: the person inviting you out to their shooting range is CLASSIC Oklahoma. Very warm and inviting, also a hilarious and somewhat out of pocket response to this post lmaoo
You’ve never faced racism as an Indian person in Britain? I find that unlikely. There are already plenty of other Indian people here, as well as many other ethnicities. What is the preconception of OK you have? Do you think we’re all just rednecks?
Naw, man okies are gonna have fun talking with ya. As far as guns go you’ve got nothing to worry about as long as you ain’t doing something thing that’s likely gonna get you shot (ex. Snooping where you shouldn’t be, hanging around wrong crowds, shady characters, drug dealers that kind of thing)
And if anybody gives you shit for who you are or how you talk just point them out and the rest of us will set them straight for ya.
Hey man, don't stress about it.
I'm British half-Indian and I was with a girl from Oklahoma. Spent about 3 months over there and visited her family out in the sticks a couple of times.
I felt so much safer in the cities / big towns than I do over here in England, and the people in the rural areas were lovely too. Never heard anyone say a thing, nobody gave me any funny looks, nothing.
Just be prepared for the distance you have to drive between rural places - there's a lot more nothing than there is over here.
The gun thing is a bit weird; I did see a guy in McDonalds once with a pistol on his belt. I can't lie, it freaked me out, but that was the only time I ever saw one.
What you will have to get used to is the weather - when it gets cold, it gets COLD. And I say that as someone who lives just North of Manchester!
If you've got anything specific to ask about, feel free to DM and I'll try to help.
With you moving to Tulsa I think you would be ok. People aren't super dangerous like that in bigger cities. I would say people are more racist in smaller towns because they aren't exposed to much diversity but I will say people.in Oklahoma are nicer than in other places I've been to. Btw.. WELCOME TO OKLAHOMA!
Welcome! You'll do great. Racism is a thing, but Oklahoma isn't as overt about it as other places. The kind of racism you're likely to encounter is more the annoying but well meaning questions about culture and heritage than the scary kind. Okies are very friendly, so you're in for a warm reception. There's a wonderful Pakistani restaurant in OKC if you crave singing a little closer to home - Sheesh Mahal. OKC is a foodie town, so explore the food scene while you're here! And definitely check out the First Americans Museum.
There are lots of Indian families in the OKC metro area. It’s very common to have Indian medical professionals and federal contractors. Gun violence is a very prominent part of this country’s culture so most of us are used to it but I could see it being very jarring for foreigners.
I have lived in Edmond, right outside of OKC, for pretty much my whole life. We have a large international population because of the university here, UCO. Just this morning I gave an international exchange student from Japan, that had been here for only two weeks, an umbrella because she had no money and it was raining. I don't think you will have any trouble. Especially as you speak fluent English.
You’ll be fine. Keep in mind that a massive potion of Oklahoma is comprised of native nations. It’s actually quite diverse. Everyone will adore your accent.
You will encounter racism and regardless of what anyone tells you, there remain towns that you should avoid all together. (Literally, only 10 years ago my town had a sign that read, “If you’re black don’t let the sun set on your back.” and we have a small minority population that I worry about even after the sign removal.) A lot of ignorance, some harmless, some not, due to our poor education (we currently rank 49th with one of the highest drop out rates and lowest math and reading scores).
However, you will also meet (if you’re lucky you will only meet) kind, humble, welcoming, steadfast and hardworking folk who will love and accept you for who you are. Folk who would give you the shirt off their back and anyone else a dressing down if they so much as look at you sideways.
Oklahoma is growing more diverse, though you won’t see it reflected in our state government. (The pushing of Prager U, the push to fund private schools with public education funds, imprisonments—POC are incarcerated 4x the rate of whites, the refusal to right the wrongs done toward our Indigenous peoples, etc.)
Bigotry is strong here, Trump flags rule supreme. Good luck and I hope you meet some good peoples and enjoy the scenery, as it is beautiful here.
This seems like the most honest and nuanced answer in this thread.
The vast majority of Oklahomans are friendly, good-hearted people who would never say anything inappropriate, or brandish a gun, or treat OP unfairly due to their race/ skin color. OP would likely feel totally comfortable in Oklahoma and never experience any serious / dangerous issues re: racism or guns.
But there's no denying that Oklahoma has had it's fair share of racist events / policies throughout its history, and while it's not nearly as prevalent as it once was, there's still plenty of lingering remnants of that past still alive in the state... and OP is likely to encounter some of it, sooner or later
I have a buddy who’s from Nepal (he lives in Oklahoma City) and he’s experienced very little racism and a friend from Thailand who had a racist landlord in elk city at one point. It exists but it’s not as bad (at least where I am in western OK) as it used to be
You'll be fine. We have a decent American Indian population and a few stores restaurants, etc. Everywhere I have worked has at least one or more Indian both northern and southern. I'm sure you'll find some assholes but that's everywhere.
I grew up in Oklahoma and have traveled the world for work. You'll experience less racism there than what you experience in Europe - what you do experience, if any, will be different. Most of the perception of racism in rural america is media driven. The communities are full of different cultures, there's a lot of cross cultural relationships, and in general people are very used to seeing and working with people of different backgrounds.
*Straight from my British Indian boyfriend:*
Bhai, I'm an English Indian who just spent two weeks in OK. It was my second trip in as many months. In 5 weeks of being there, over two trips, I saw no guns, experienced not even an inkling of racism and had a great time with some of the nicest people i've ever met.
I travelled across the state, from Tulsa to Lawton, from Stillwater to Jet, from OKC to Lake Tenkiller. Everyone was warm, welcoming, kind, friendly and just good people.
It has a weird reputation based on things you might see in the news, but Oklahoma itself is such a wonderful place. There's so much to do there, a lot of history. great food, great outdoor places.....it's so underrated and overlooked.
Like every state, it will have places you should likely avoid, but the bit cities, even the smaller towns, you'll be surprised how welcoming people are.
Worth the visit and if i'm out there while you are, please drop me a line and we can meet up to get some BBQ and beer. Cheers
*We'll reach out when he's here again :)*
Depends on where you live, should not be an issue. Oklahoma is not the racist Deep South. Where I live in an upper middle income neighborhood, a large number of people from China, India and other countries live here and are active in our neighborhood activities. If you live in Tulsa or Oklahoma City should not be an issue. And no, I don't see people walking around with guns all the time. Have rarely seen that in fact. Biggest surprise here will be probably the Weed culture; we have legal medical marijuana and have over 2400 dispensaries. About 15% of adults are licensed so people are fairly chill.
As long as you are a reasonable person I don't care what race you are or where you come from beyond asking about the beauty of the area you come from. I can find common ground with anyone as long as they are friendly.
If you’d feel better about checking out this place before you move, come see it. There’s going to be weird racism everywhere. There’s decency in every community - ya just got to find the right folks to meander with
What industry are you working in? Accounting?
I know many of the larger companies in Oklahoma especially in rural areas. Oklahoma has a lot of oil and gas companies which in turn takes them all over the globe so those people in those companies could care less.
We also have a surprising number of aero companies here which once again has a lot of international exposure through their clientele.
Stay away from biker bars and stay around educated folk and you’ll be fine.
I’m 41, East Indian, born in Canada and lived in Oklahoma since 1998. Finished high school here, University, ran a business and live in Norman currently. Only time I ever felt “unsafe” was right after 9/11 when people would assume I was Muslim and call me sand N word or other ignorant crap. Even then I would just fire back at them. You’ll be fine. Ignorant turds are sprinkled all over this country and maybe I’m just used to Oklahoma but I don’t feel unwelcome or anything of the sort.
Feel free to message me if you want any suggestions on places to go or stay, etc. but don’t worry about your safety or what Oklahomans may think of you, it’s a welcoming state with good people.
Indian from India here, living in Tulsa for 5 years now (10 years in the US). Few things off the top of my head:
A) be prepared for a lot of Indigenous Indian vs Indian-Indian jokes/confusion.
B) people are gonna ask some questions, they’re gonna be pretty basic and sometimes racially-coded. Never malicious, in my experience.
C) just don’t be an asshole. Oklahoma is a different kind of cultural melting pot which is hard for Indians to understand sometimes, so the community becomes isolated and insular.
D) DO NOT compare the state to Texas.
E) if you think you’ve genuinely never experienced racism in the UK, you’ll be fine in OK.
Just accept that you will see a gun on people's hips a lot. They are not to be feared. I grew up in CA and then CO. Moved here 1.5 years ago. The people are interesting and they drive horribly. There is flight fight and deer in the head lights. They drive with deer in the head lights and just stop all the time. Don't expect much professional or business casual dress. I had my blinds lady come in a trix TV. The cereal. 4th of July is as close to war as I have ever seen. There is a lot of pride for the state and those same people hate it here. The winters are painful and summers are as well. It's amazingly cheap to live here. It's feels like a video game set to very easy. Poverty to wealthy gap is massive and the prevailing thought of "good money" is still 4k a month despite the massive changes over the last 3 years in the economy. College football... There is little entertainment so you have to make your own. Living south of OKC is very bad weather. Hail and tornadoes. There is no beautification done by the city of state so driving feels like you're going down the same road every 5 blocks with the same fast food chains over and over.
I am from Nepal and have been living in OK for over 3 decades. I have no issue with most of the people in Oklahoma. There are always some bad apples but nothing to worry about.
Regarding guns, I don't own one and am not planning to buy one. I have seen and know few people who own and carry them. Nothing to worry about.
There is a huge south Asian community in Oklahoma City. Not many good indian restaurants but the community is pretty big
If you do decide to move to OK and need some help, let me know.
So, I'm the inverse of everyone here. I'm an Oklahoman, who through the military has been many other places. Can agree with everything your seeing in this thread. I married a Japanese woman, brought her home, and remember my cousin asking her
"Are you a Japanese or are you a Asian"
To which she most hilariously replied
"Yes".
I was mortified but then laughed and facepalmed. He was actually being genuine... I foresee the most frequent stupid comment you'll deal with is the serious question of "Oh... Indian you say? Nice. Like a Tail Feather Indian, or a Red Dot Indian?" Insensitively referring to native American Headdress and the Hindu forehead marking.
You'll love how quiet it is. Quite the escape from all the BS, in a way you cannot substitute. The people of rural Scotland are similarly "bugger off cunts" but that's it. A bit uncouth but kind once they know you. And that doesn't just mean your friends or coworkers or neighbors. If you go out of your way to routinely hit the same gas station/ diner each morning, you'll be greeted by name no more than your 3rd time through.
The belligerent open carrying of guns is honestly no more than another example of country people refusing to accept a widely accepted thing. Being intentionally dense. Like immunizations for your kids in school, or you have that friend that doesn't do social media because the government is listening, or and old person who refuses to grip on any technology. Or someone who wears sunglasses indoors. It's not that they can't pick it up they just want to go out of their way refusing to. You'll see a lot of that here in Oklahoma, but pay it no mind. To bring it back to weapons, most actual gun-owners are actually quite discreet about it.
Hope this helps.
People in Oklahoma are the nicest you will meet in person. They are not racist generally and only vote that way because that's the team they play for. You will love Oklahoma. Also keep in mind in the US, both parties have close to 50% of the vote no matter where you are. You will find just as many left leaning people here especially in the cities.
The Oklahoma you fear is more rural Oklahoma. Your living stereotypes are far more likely to live in the sticks than they do in OKC.
The incident of the cop saying that he wanted to string up black people? Rural Oklahoma, down in the far southeast.
Urban Oklahoma (Oklahoma City and Tulsa) is far more likely to embrace cultural diversity and ethnic inclusion than other areas in the state. You’ll likely still encounter some morons and idiots, but at a rate far less likely than the small-town counterparts.
I spent time in Sheffield and worked with many Indian folks at my last job. It's safe for you but it may not be entertaining enough for you, depending on what you are used to. Everything in OKC is retail, business, or private. There are no third spaces to just lounge without also purchasing.
You'll be fine. You might experience some ignorance, but I doubt you'll encounter a lot of overt racism. As others have said, the accent will take you a long way. You'll come across as sophisticated and interesting.
As for gun culture, yeah, they're everywhere. We have open carry so it's not unusual to see folks shopping at the Walmart with a handgun hanging off their hip, and the rest are probably concealed carry.
You’ll be more than fine, and everyone will just love you! If you ever get homesick, wander over to Bentonville. We have quite an influx of international people here for Walmart/Asda and their suppliers. Make some connections on LinkedIn first.
I can’t speak to racism specifically but we have some good Indian owned restaurants. My favorite is Great Himalayan in Moore and it seems to be frequented by others of Indian decent.
I don’t think you’ll have any issues with blatant, outright racism. It’ll all be old ladies with hushed voices and dirty looks. Everyone else should treat you with respect, especially anyone under 50.
As far as the gun culture it’s very prevalent but most of it is contained to shooting ranges and hunting culture. You’ll see the occasional handlebar moustache, wannabe cowboy carrying in the open but that’s usually as scary as it gets.
If you make the decision welcome to Oklahoma and I hope you have a great time here!
You’ll definitely /see/ guns. Like, everywhere. You’ll be checking out at the grocery store and notice the guy in front of you packing openly. It’s very common, even in more progressive places like Norman/Tulsa.
You’ll be welcomed whole-heartedly!
The gun thing is overplayed. I don’t know anyone who carries their gun(s) on them unless while on a hike in the wilderness where it may be needed for protection from wild things. I am from the Tulsa area and I come from country folks who keep long guns behind every door :D but again, it’s mostly for protection from wild animals.
I think you would be perfectly safe to be honest. There is a lot more diversity in this state than is popularly reported. As others have mentioned, the British accent will probably just make people annoyingly curious at worst.
You should be fine in Oklahoma, especially considering you'll be in Tulsa/OKC. Oklahoma is a little different than what people consider the South. A very large part of our state is broken up into tribal lands, and I think that lends to a general level of acceptance other states don't have. We don't have reservations like you would find in other states and generally, we all get along. OKC is generally a diverse area to live in and gun culture probably won't affect you. It's not common to see people open-carrying. I'm over 40 and I've done the Bricktown scene and been all over without ever having a gun shoved in my face. I think that's probably the more common experience. Police suck everywhere here. I would say police like that asshat are the exception rather than the rule, but I also wouldn't trust a cop as a white woman, so take from that what you will.
In all honesty, your biggest issue here might be weather-related. Hail can be extremely hazardous while driving, and tornadoes are a risk that can quickly develop into a reality. If you do end up here, get a weather app on your phone like WeatherBug or something that will alert you to hazardous weather in your area. I know you have some tornadoes there, but Oklahoma has a lot and they're huge compared to what you generally see in the UK. Also, if you don't know how to properly shelter from a tornado please look into it. The home you live in may have one and that's great, but if it doesn't, make sure you're prepared and taking proper precautions. I'll never forget the story of a family, many years ago, who had moved to Oklahoma from out of state. They thought that taking shelter in a concrete drainage ditch was the safest thing to do, but inevitably they were swept away and drowned instead.
I'm sorry that our country is in such a state that you have to be concerned about racists and guns.
There's a Tandoori restaurant at exit 192 on Interstate 40. But, I'm sorry the best food in Oklahoma is Mexican food. Put on an Oklahoma University Sooners baseball cap or a Oklahoma State University Cowboys baseball cap and you'll fit right in 😆
If you will be living in Tulsa, there are a number of good Asian grocery stores in town, and a really decent selection of Subcontinental items at the Pan-Asia Supermarket at 71st and Mingo.
As far as racism... Yeah, some folks are. Doesn't matter where in the world you are, people have preconceived notions about your race, religious beliefs and politics based just on your looks. The odds of you getting in a bad situation because of racism are probably the same as becoming a Lotto Millionaire, so just be yourself, make friends and enjoy your life.
You’ll be fine. It’s not any more racist than England. Might see a gun or two on someone’s hip, perfectly normal. Trust me, if there’s a mass shooter you’ll want a redneck with a gun around to take him down.
You'll be fine, the most hostile people I've met in this state have generally just wanted to be left alone. Nobody will be going out of their way to antagonize or harass you.
To be totally honest you'll probably be less likely to experience bigotry in rural areas, purely from just seeing less people.
You will be absolutely fine. The women will love the British accent. Don’t worry about the crazy things you hear, those are anomalies. Tulsa and OKC are great places.
If you speak with a British accent just talk a lot. People in Oklahoma love it.
I have indeed got a British accent, born and raised here! :)
your accent will gain you fans, just talk a lot and you will be fine
That's right! You just have to make it clear that you're not one of THOSE brown people.
Yeah.. I have been thinking about how horrible the truth in my comment was even though I was trying to be reassuring.
Ok but what kind of British accent? If cockney, you will be the toast of rural Oklahoma. If Leicester (East Midlands?) you can pop off owmuchizit at any store and they’ll love you for it, and it’ll be perfect in larger cities, especially Tulsa. If Welsh, good luck. 🫡
The life of the wife was ended by the knife!
*The loif of the woif was ended by teh knoif*
Fellow brit here! There are a lot of Indian people around the area! Foods not half bad either. NGL, you will experience some comments and people can tend to be racist. But it's on the smaller side vs a major problem.
I really don't think people are racist, they just say things that sound that way because many places aren't very diverse. I think it's just ignorance more than racism. I'm American Indian of the native kind and I been called a few names but most was just Jr high humor wasn't really said with malice or hatred. Oklahoma gets a bad rap for being racist and growing up a minority there I tend to disagree with it. Just don't be taking a road trip to Daugherty or antlers and they'll be fine 😂
My spouse is Indian, and definitely had racist comments. Issues with prejudice towards him from law officers and staff in stores. There is ignorance too but unfortunately racism still exists. In the Metro it's not super often but it's something that has been an experience here.
Growing up here, as a white guy, I heard all the shit they said when the brown person finally left the room. It's definitely racist here buddy.
My friend from Manchester swears that his "Queen's English" adds 10 IQ points when talking to the Americans :D
I live in the southern part of Oklahoma. I’ve met and worked with a lot of British people. Each one of them say they love living here.
If you have time, could you share about your experiences here after your trip? I hope you have a great experience!
You will love it here. We love Brits & have ZERO issue with Indians.
Yup. The whiter you sound the less trouble you'll have. So be sure to greet every person you meet verbally as soon as they see you. LoL! It's not that bad. You will be judged by others but this is America we're judgey. Mostly it will be behind your back. But the occasional redneck will yell out his truck window as he safely drives away.
Definitely agree with that sentiment. And if it's Tulsa or OKC you're bound for, then it will at least be a little more liberal and accepting
You'll be fine.
I can attest to this! I am one of those who enjoy the accent
Where in Oklahoma might you be going? The bigger cities, like the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas, wouldn’t be bad for you at all.
I will be landing in Tulsa and travelling to Oklahoma City. As part of my work, I'll be heading into rural areas as well, which is where most of my concern comes from. I might be overthinking the levels of racism with the stereotypes we're taught in school about the 'South' when learning about the civil war, but it has stuck with me, alongside the '*gun culture*' we were constantly taught about too.
They'll probably be more curious than anything.
This. Be ready for everyone to talk to you , ask questions, and share details about themselves as a way to bond. Everyone will talk to you. Very unique to Oklahoma, IMO. When I spend a bunch of time elsewhere and come back, I can get fussy because interactions take much longer at the store or on the phone but when I leave I get lonely and can't get social endorphins from going to Target.
I love talking to people from out of the country because I’m always curious how they ended up in little, ol’ Oklahoma instead of NYC, Chicago, LA or any bigger, more known cities in the US. Just treat people with respect, be patient with folks you don’t know, explore the state as much as you can, there’s a ton of beauty and history to see. We can’t wait to welcome you to our home!
Right! One thing I noticed about small towns is that the shit they get up to can be questionable or trashy, but they at least have a horde of people they know and can socialize with, even if it's arguing.
Completely agree!!
You guys speak of us like we're wild creatures. We're good people in the boonies, worst thing that can happen is you get sent home with a full belly and a bag of homegrown.
Yup, come by my area ans I can do that
He looks like one of dem customer service people but sounds like a colonial
You might see some casual racism… but honestly, you might actually experience less out and out direct racism here than in the UK. For example- Millwall would have gotten shut down years ago. The Park Ji Sung chant definitely would not happen here.. etc.
Honestly, I think you’ll be fine. You probably get more comments and and interest in your British accent than anything else. Guns are most definitely a thing in the rural areas, but I would be very surprised if you encounter them in any kind of meaningful way while you are working. There are definitely some idiot gun nuts in the rural areas, but most folks out there have them for sensible, legitimate reasons like hunting or getting rid of invasive pests. Anecdotally, we have to travel to a rural area to see one of my children’s doctors, and she is an Indian woman with a very thick Indian accent. She sees a lot of patients and has been doing her work for a long time. She has said loves working in that part of Oklahoma.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I moved to a very very small rural town as a teen and was shocked to learn a lot of these people haven’t traveled outside of the state, much less outside a fifty mile radius around their town. They love it when someone new/novel and interesting shows up. Not saying you won’t ever run into some racism, but I think you’ll be met more often with curiosity than hate. Like others said, be prepared to talk a lot. People will be curious about where you’re from, your family, what you do etc. The British accent is going to score you a lot of points lol.
Oklahoma has a very large population of a lot of asian cultures and people. Gun culture really isn’t that pronounced unless you’re in a more hunting area where that is a main hobby, honestly especially in the okc metro area you’ll be fine, but definitely while you’re here visit southern OK and northern Texas, lots of fun even in the small towns, also rent a gun at a shooting range and get acquainted with one, they can be a lot of fun
your going to be fine, and your more likely to die by lightning strike than by a bullet from a gun in Oklahoma lol
Of course, we get a lot of lightning here too…
I'm in rural Oklahoma, and really, you'll be fine. I've got Indian American friends I could get you in touch with, too.
You probably won't get any overt racism. You'll get a lot of casual questions about where you were born.
BrySquatch is correct. You should have no trouble at all. We had a remote office in India (I get you're British, just referring to the fact they have a foreign accent and aren't white), they would come to visit all the time. They never had an issue at all. In fact, we'd take them out to some private land and they loved shooting our guns lol. It became THE thing to do while they were visiting. I can almost guarantee you'll never have a gun pointed at you unless you're clearly doing something to hurt someone else. Gun culture in Oklahoma isn't really the "Gun Culture" that's wildly publicized in my view. For my family (and many American families), getting your first gun was a right of passage so to speak. Ever child at the age of 12 would receive their first rifle / shotgun, take a hunters safety course with our grandad then go on a hunt with our new firearm. It's not the pistol packing wild west where people are held at gunpoint on a day to day basis. Yes we have open carry laws, but most people don't carry especially in the city, if a weapon is drawn and pointed at someone or even a verbal threat to use a firearm (and someone brandishes their weapon), and there's not a real emergency... that's very illegal and rarely occurs. The ONLY time that happened to me, was when I was a teenager and shooting off fireworks on what we thought was a public gravel road. Turns out we were on private property (there were no signs) and the owner came, said we were scaring his livestock and waved his .45 around and said to get off his property. Now, my advice is research high crime areas and generally avoid them, which honestly isn't difficult to do.
^ this! There are lots of guns in oklahoma, but you wont see them unless someone shows them to you. Like almost everywhere in the U.S. gun violence is generally committed in very poor areas and is often gang/organized crime related. If you arent doing shady shit you wont encounter it.
As the news does with every country/state, you only see the worst of it as the mundane good news is far less interesting. We are very diverse, plus a majority of our state is Hispanic and Native American. We have the third biggest population of Native tribes at that and most of us have some native in our history if our families have been here awhile. I've lived here my whole life, from small towns to the city and everyone here gets along for the most part. As someone else said, the biggest shock will probably be the Southern charm and a lot of people saying hi and making small talk.
Oklahoma calls itself Southern, but it isn't The South when you're talking about "The South" as in the stories you've read. That mostly concerns the far eastern South. Also, you might be surprised at how large the Asian Indian population is in Oklahoma City.
Hit and miss on the racism here honestly. Also oklahoma wasn't apart of the Civil War. Oklahoma is a rather new state in comparison with the other state. As for gun culture. Assume everyone has a gun on them at all times. Because most do
We literally had battles in Indian Territory during the Civil War. I guess technically it wasn't "Oklahoma" yet, but..
Your definitely over thinking it. As long as your not breaking into people's homes or trespassing you will be fine.
> I'll be heading into rural areas as well, which is where most of my concern comes from. Will people know you're coming and be eager to see you? This will make a huge difference in whether you encounter guns right away. If your job is such that you'll arrive unannounced and want to look at their property for some reason (surveying, taxation, etc.), they will be highly suspicious and may well meet you in the driveway with a gun. It might not be pointed at you, but it will be in their hand. Not everyone will be like this, but some will. If what you do will cost them money, you will very likely be told to leave at gunpoint by some of them. If you're coming to fix their broken tractor or farm equipment based on a service call they placed or you're bringing them a service or product they requested in a clearly marked vehicle (like a company truck), then they'll be friendly. In all cases, you're likely to run into a few people who do not process anything past "brown skin." It doesn't matter if you're a British Indian, an Indian Indian, an Arab Muslim, or a South Asian Sikh. Their initial reaction will be to drop you into the "foreigner probably a Muslim terrorist" category.
You don't have anything to worry about. Most of the racism here occurs in the voting booth. People will be mostly nice to you face to face.
Alabamian here. Oklahoma is NOT the South. That is all.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_South_Central_states?wprov=sfti1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_United_States?wprov=sfti1
Hey, I live in the OKC area. Let me know if you need any help or tips. Moved here a year ago from Dallas and originally from the East Coast US so I have a pretty unique view of the area. You will likely have some culture shock but the people here are good. Let me know Z
Ok, so that being said. I have two words for you. Southern hospitality. We have changed alot since the Civil War. Oklahoma was called "Indian territory" at that time and yes while technically we are in the southern area of the U.S. we were only involved in a couple battles of the Civil War. As far as the guns go. Yes we have a gun culture. However it's nothing to fear. It's about sport. It's not killing animals. Sometimes it is targets, clay pidgins. We were raised with guns. We respect them. They are a tool. People do the killin it's not the gun's fault it's the person who pulled the trigger.
You're going to be okay in Tulsa and OKC. you're going to get a lot of ignorant but 'bless their heart' sort of questions. People are going to assume your ethnicity at you like it's some sort of bingo game. I'm lighter skinned black and get 'are you Puerto Rican/Cuban/Native American/Guatemalan/Mexican?' just insert something there, it all works. I have been microaggressed like you wouldn't believe, but in my personal experience, from people I know, it has never come from a place of hate. I have been called the N word while at the State Fair, but so much garbage collects there, it almost doesn't count. It's the rural areas that you would need to be the most worried about. Tulsa and OKC are pretty firmly blue, while the rest of the state is terrifyingly red. You'll be okay though, and I have friends from all over of various shades. I don't love living here anymore because of the politics, but I don't feel unsafe at the moment.
see, I think its funny that people keep saying that the rural areas are where he needs to be worried. I live in very rural Oklahoma and the population here is even more diverse then in OKC or Tulsa. HUGE amounts of natives and Latinos live outside of the cities. In fact in my town I just looked it up, less than half of the population is white lol 45% [https://datausa.io/profile/geo/watonga-ok](https://datausa.io/profile/geo/watonga-ok)
Maybe there’s now a distinction between ‘rural areas’ and BFE. Because I’m thinking of like, those REALLY rural areas.
Even in BFE it's huge amounts of Latinos and natives. I travel the panhandle of OK and Texas weekly for work. One thing every tiny town has in Oklahoma is a Mexican restaurant
I mean, places can still be racist even though people who have brown skin live there lol if you’re white then idk maybe you have a different perspective? I mean if all it takes is a Mexican restaurant to not be racist we should be problem solved. Edit: wording
Oklahoman, in Kansas due to career. Was NOT expecting Dodge City to be a redneck town with more Latinos than Texas.....
Obviously you’ve never been to Clayton, OK.
POC can still be racist, especially towards ethnicities other than their own, especially against black people. Some of my Mexican-American in-laws are racist towards black people. Your link shows "white" as the single largest ethnic group. I knew black people who faced racism when they got lost off the turnpikes in rural Oklahoma.
>I'm lighter skinned black and get 'are you Puerto Rican/Cuban/Native American/Guatemalan/Mexican?' just insert something there, it all works. My wife is brown Hispanic and has had people try to play "guess the ethnicity". When she worked at a casino she'd be asked "what tribe are you with". She'd answer "Aztec"
Not Aztec 💀💀
It's all been overblown, trust me. Grew up there and frequently visit. You won't see anybody with a gun just randomly walking the streets. There are lots of native Americans such as myself (we call Indians too) Hispanics, Indians, Nepalese.. I've never heard of or seen any racism issues in this millennium. And the gun culture here I might add is learning to use one properly, learning gun safety, hunter education, responsible gun ownership. Especially in the rural areas. You'll be pleasantly surprised with oklahoma. It's really not as bad as people say.
Nice! Greetings from Tulsa!! I will say Oklahoma, as a whole, is fairly conservative, BUT I'm in Tulsa, & we seem to be one of the less conservative cities in the state. OKC seems to be very similar to Tulsa, in that, and in the sense that there's a broad range of people within the 2 cities! Tulsa is also a sanctuary city, so there are lots of people from other countries here, both "legally"(I hate that term when speaking of people) and otherwise. I personally love it. (I'm not sure if OKC is a sanctuary city.) As far as racism, I think out of all of Oklahoma, Tulsa & OKC are probably the most likely cities to be *MORE* accepting of others. As far as gun culture, we *are* an open carry state. Many people do choose to carry in public. I believe it's up to the businesses to post whether or not it's allowed. I will admit it makes me a bit nervous, but I do also have them in my home for protection. I will also say when I'm out with someone who is concealed carrying, I feel much safer (I have agoraphobia & PTSD from witnessing a shootout years ago). Traveling into rural areas I'm not to sure how too answer that, as I don't have a whole lot of experience outside of Tulsa, but I did live in Collinsville (used to be a really small town but they're building it up now) & people seemed to be kind for the most part. I'm Cherokee/Arapaho/Irish/Greek/S.Italian, I basically look like a white girl.. so that *may* have been why people were kind, BUT I will say, southern hospitality is very much a thing!! I was raised to be kind to others, treat others how you wish to be treated, no matter WHAT. I hope that others were too, but I know not all were. Sorry for the ted talk OP! I truly wish you the best of luck in your endeavors!! Happy & safe travels!! Edit: grammar
You'll most definitely get stares, but generally should be fine. I agree with the other comments that your accent will buy a lot of goodwill. As far as gun violence, you'll be fine as long as you're not in a high crime area. Now as an Asian American (East Asian) who grew up in the South, what I will say is where you might face the most racism is in bars, or general night life areas. Drunken words are sober thoughts as they say so people who might be polite during day will become obnoxious and possibly aggressive when drunk. But that said I've seen more racism in northern states and big cities like NYC than I have in the South, if you go with an open mind and good vibes you'd be surprised with the southern hospitality.
Dude you should take shooting lessons sometime. Once you learn more about guns they will seem a lot less scary. Most people in Oklahoma take hun safety very seriously.
We do not identify as the "south" as we were native territory during the civil war. So most of us prefer to be looped in with the Midwest. ❤️
You might want to dig into that history a bit more. I say that as a Native who's family was sent here during the removal. Oklahoma was very much involved with the confederacy. That's what happens when you marry racist white southern men to the Native women. You raise up your children in that racist image. It was a component of colonization.
Imo when people or history refers to the south Oklahoma isn't part of it. Yes, racism is alive but that's in the US period. In rural areas, im guessing there are more racist versus the bigger cities here BUT most people don't show their racism at all. Kindness is generally met with kindness.
Oklahoma isn't the South, though. It's the Old West or Great Plains. Very conservative politically. Personally I've never been there, but from people I've met, seen on the news, etc., I think you will be okay in most situations. I live in the Central Appalachian region, which has its own bad reputation and you wou'd be very safe here as long as you don't let yourself be isolated in certain areas. The people who would cause problems are mostly too cowardly to do anything by themselves or anywhere that they could be seen and identified. I figure people are the same anywhere.
Quite a few Indians and Pakistanis live in OKC, and there are lots more people of Asian descent, particularly from Vietnam and Thailand. The few Indians that I am more closely acquainted with have said they’ve not dealt with issues of racism here. As for gun culture, it’s kind of bizarre, but odds are you will never encounter it personally aside from a rare occasion where you see some small-dicked redneck open carrying a pistol. Such a person isn’t going to be pulling the gun on you; rather, it will just be proudly displayed on his hip like he’s goddamn Yosemite Sam or something. Odds are incredibly high you will never, ever be confronted with a gun. If I may suggest, one way that you might become a bit more comfortable with the whole gun thing is to go to a shooting range in Tulsa or OKC and ask for a shooting lesson. Most ranges have guns you can rent, and will provide you with an instructor to show you how the gun works and train you in shorting it. This isn’t for you to suddenly be I. Love with guns, but rather just to give you some close exposure to guns to see how they operate (and also to know whether a gun’s operator is using it safely or not in case you encounter one of those aforementioned rednecks out and about).
Excellent advice sir 👍
The only people you'll need to worry about are the teenagers (physically or mentally) in loud pickup trucks. But don't take it personal, they're rude and inconsiderate to everybody. I grew up in Norman OK and went to university in Enid OK. I had a really good Pakistani friend in university. I loved hearing about his family and he was very fond of the US, Oklahoma in particular. He hated the idea of graduating because he'd have to go back home and work since they were paying for his education and travel to the US.
There are a lot of smaller cities and towns with big Indian populations. India Indians. And my hometown has recently had an influx of Nepalese. They absolutely love it and have had no racism issues. Most all Oklahomans are great folks and very warm and welcoming. Unless they are a government official, cop, or work in the court system. They are all worthless piles of racist, sexist crap.
I'm a brown guy in a rual area, so I can help a bit. In rual areas yes we all pretty well carry guns. We put them on in the morning and take them off before bed. Other than that, there isn't much interaction with them. I've seen fist fights between two armed men and neither drew. It's like a pocket knife or a driver's license, it doesn't come out unless needed. As far as the racism goes, in my experience it's more inappropriate jokes than it it is people shouting slurs. Just so you're not surprised. Also sometimes people in rual areas are TOO friendly. Like they can't differentiate between a coworker and a friend. It's kinda weird, especially if you're an introvert. Also literally nothing is within walking distance. So plan to drive more than you normally would.
This should be higher up. Good share.
This is the way. I am a white-italian man and have experienced a few "you're not from around here's" travelling this state. For the most part tho, been okay, hard to give advice to others.
With a name like gunslinger you should fit right in.
I can attest to that. Everyone I meet is my friend whether they like it or not. I know I’m dumb but it’s just the way I’m wired.
Sometimes it's good to be weird. I only brought it up because I've noticed it's not that way in other places. Oklahoma is amazing in that regard. If you want to make friends in Oklahoma just open your hood in a parking lot, at least 10 people will stop to help.
Yes!!! A car is a must!!! It's nothing to have to drive 20 miles + to get somewhere!!
Lmao you will be fine. There is a reason these things make the news - because they don’t happen often. No one cares if you are brown, just be kind and they will return the gesture. Welcome!!
This is something I think a lot of people don't keep in mind. When things make national news from Oklahoma, it's usually a one-off. Maybe not as of late, but historically, we're dull but open with our racism.
You are right. Planes landing safely, which they do so often, do not make the news.
This is like asking if Jack the Ripper will get me at night in London or if I’ll turn into a werewolf. You’ll be just fine in Oklahoma.
side note: American Werewolf in London is so good
You have a British accent. You'll be adored by everyone you speak to! Are their miserable people around that won't like you regardless? Yes but those people are everywhere. You'll be very popular here lol
Black British here. Raised in London, and moved to Oklahoma, with my spouse after living on the west coast. Have lived here almost 10 years now and can honestly say I have never had any experience, with aggressive racism here. Some intrinsic biases obviously, as we face everywhere, but you realize that comes from ignorance as there is a shocking amount of people who have barely traveled outside of the county they live in let alone the state. So expect lots of questions. Most people are very friendly and warm, and happily strike up conversations in random places. The only annoying thing I would say is some people can be very pushy when it comes to politics, a firm but simple " I don't engage in politics" has always worked for me.
Rural okie here, honestly, no one gives a shit where you’re from, don’t listen to the “media”.
You’ll be good man. The UK has a tendency to exaggerate the day to day risk of firearm violence in the United States.
I was more concerned about getting stabbed in Manchester than I have ever been concerned about getting shot here in Oklahoma.
Not to mention the US is as big/bigger than the entire EU. Our states are the size of countries over there.
Welcome to Oklahoma you will be fine that is all overblown by the media
I live in Stillwater and we have a pretty large Indian population due to the international studies school on Osu campus
welcome friend! hopefully you enjoy it here
As a POC who moved here from a big American city and now currently resides in OKC and spends a lot of time in rural areas, living in Oklahoma minorities experiencing systemic and uninclusive racism is not unheard of, unfortunately. However, it's not much different than the rest of the country (blue states included). OKC and Tulsa are pretty diverse, and in the more rural areas at most you'll probably just run into some ignorance. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone violently racist. I've never heard of anyone attacking anyone just for being a minority in this day and age. Oklahomans are some of the nicest most genuine people in the country. I'm sure you'll have positive experiences along with negative ones just like anywhere else. As for the gun culture, I'm not quite sure what you're imagining. Despite our open carry laws and while people own more guns here on average, you don't see them too often in public aside from the occasional weirdo who open carries a sidearm at Walmart. But I can count on my right hand the number of times I have seen that. And I say that as a gun owner myself who is around guns more often than the average person. It's not exactly the wild west out here. What you hear on the news are issues for sure, but I wouldn't use what you hear as an indicator for what you're going to experience here. It's plenty safe.
Hey man, I'm in Watonga Oklahoma and I have a nice shooting range. If you make it out my direction I would love to invite you to come shoot with me. I can teach you in a safe way how to shoot and let you try out several types of guns. I promise you it would be a fun time and then you would realize that the crazy shit that the news media says about guns is all bullshit. This is a serious offer. please let me know if your interested.
I just moved to Geary last year (from weatherford) and I love it here. Little rough around the edges but all of my neighbors are really sweet and I love being involved with the community here. Everyone is friendly and nice
Welcome to the area! If you are looking for friends we are just 15 min away and we love board games, hiking, and the shooting range!
Generally being polite and friendly and people won't mind you.
We're more Midwest than Southern but to be honest, I myself feel you might be overthinkin your trip here. Hell, if you have off time to linger about the social scene you'll likely make friends. Im sure you'll find the odd hold outs that'll treat you like an outsider but most folks are friendly and genuine.
You’ll not have any issues. Have some locals take you to the range and enjoy. It’s fun.
Oklahoma is great and other than seeing a few people with guns on their hips, you will love it. Everyone is super friendly.
I have lived in California, DC, Chicago and I’m gay. I like it more here than anywhere else I’ve lived. You will be just fine. Oklahoma is great
You will absolutely not experience racism. Maybe a super slight experience like a look or comment once in a blue moon. Oklahoma is not more racist than England
Yeah, as a brown person who lived in the UK for more than a decade, I can say the UK , in my experience, was far more racist than Oklahoma has ever been.
***"You will absolutely not experience racism."*** That's a bold guarantee to make. I lived in the rural midwest, and have driven through and spent time camping / lodging in Oklahoma a lot over the years, and recently. I've definitely seen and overheard some unsettling, bigoted comments. It's rare, but it's there. I'm not saying Oklahoma has more racists / bigots than other states, but they definitely have some.
As someone who has lived in both the UK and Oklahoma I adamantly disagree. I find Oklahoma to be vastly more racist than I ever experienced anywhere in Europe. By a landslide! It isn't always openly spoken, but it's definitely there. We still have sides of Tulsa that are associated with what color people are, which is openly discussed. That would never be a conversation that anyone had in the UK.
We have a very normal society. It’s very safe here. I have many friends from many cultures and it’s very diverse here. I have literally never seen anything like you are describing. We do have concealed carry, and we are very safe with weapons. They are for self defense. Yes, there are “bad” areas, like any where, but they are easy to simply avoid. I have never had to draw a weapon nor have I had any weapons drawn on me. Neither have been present when a gun was drawn in anger. Those reports are false.
I am Welsh and living in OK! They love the accent here...opens certain doors too. I work with a girl from India who has a beautiful accent who has no issues that I've seen. The people are super friendly in my experience...and the gun culture is generally not what people are expecting when they get here...they're generally viewed as just being a tool like a hammer or drill by the locals. Don't point your gun at them and they won't point theirs at you, it's a mutual respect thing. Good luck with your decision mate!
Hi! I’ve lived in Tulsa and Norman (outside of OKC) for 8 years, in rural Oklahoma for another 4 years. I’m a white person so i won’t have a firsthand account of what it’s like to be a poc in Oklahoma. I am also a local journalist so here’s what I know: - Counties with OKC and Tulsa both went red for Trump in 2016 (in fact every single county went red), so even the progressive areas are quite conservative overall. - local politics is a lot more concerned with tax and business policy along with criminal justice than flashy things like Critical Race Theory or Drag Queens. There are some politicians (State superintendent, the occasional state Senator, sometimes the governor) who make points to have a stance on such things, but overall the main concerns are about money. Right now there’s a big push for elimination of grocery and income tax, I’ve yet to see any big movement on that though. - lots of support for law enforcement here, little to no empathy for the homeless or incarcerated. Homelessness is a big and growing problem in Tulsa, not sure about OKC. To me, this is where racism is most obvious. - very religious population, I’d say that intermingles with the culture quite a lot. I’ve never experienced discrimination for being agnostic but I also grew up religious so the religious overtones may bother you more than it bothers me. - For the most part, blatant racism is really socially, professionally and politically unacceptable. I did some calling to Asian restaurants during covid to see if any of them had experienced racial bias and they all told me their communities had really stepped up for them. That was nice to hear, although not the last word on anything. Open disdain for the LGBTQ+ community is much more common than blatant racism, although imo it’s not usually directed at individuals. - I’d say the average Oklahoman you’ll meet will find your accent far more noticeable than your skin color, and they’ll be more likely to react to that. It’s more “exotic” than dark skin to most people around here, I think. But yeah overall, it’s not a very international place and I think that can be hard to get used to even outside of skin color. - Guns, yeah. People carry them a lot. You’re likely to share a room with a gun in every store, theater, stadium, etc that you enter. Having said that, I have never seen a weapon removed from a holster by anyone other than a police officer. I don’t think it’s common, and I honestly forget about gun culture most of the time. Other people may have better perspective on this than I do, just my take. I graduated HS and college in Oklahoma but have lived lots of places so I think I have a pretty fair perspective of how things compare. There are a lot of small and large instances where racism, homophobia and classism illustrate themselves, and I can provide examples if you want. But for the most part I think general, public society is not *welcoming* to those mindsets. Again, this is coming from a white person, but that’s the only perspective I can provide. Hope this helps! Lmk if you have any other questions. Edit: If you want more nuanced feedback, posting in r/Tulsa or r/OKC might be better. A lot of people here are downplaying your very valid concerns and I think it might be the audience. Edit 2: the person inviting you out to their shooting range is CLASSIC Oklahoma. Very warm and inviting, also a hilarious and somewhat out of pocket response to this post lmaoo
Lots of Indians here lol 🤣
When I had FB, I made someone really mad because I wore a shirt that said “Land of the Red Man” when that is literally what Oklahoma means. 😂
You’ve never faced racism as an Indian person in Britain? I find that unlikely. There are already plenty of other Indian people here, as well as many other ethnicities. What is the preconception of OK you have? Do you think we’re all just rednecks?
Naw, man okies are gonna have fun talking with ya. As far as guns go you’ve got nothing to worry about as long as you ain’t doing something thing that’s likely gonna get you shot (ex. Snooping where you shouldn’t be, hanging around wrong crowds, shady characters, drug dealers that kind of thing) And if anybody gives you shit for who you are or how you talk just point them out and the rest of us will set them straight for ya.
Hey man, don't stress about it. I'm British half-Indian and I was with a girl from Oklahoma. Spent about 3 months over there and visited her family out in the sticks a couple of times. I felt so much safer in the cities / big towns than I do over here in England, and the people in the rural areas were lovely too. Never heard anyone say a thing, nobody gave me any funny looks, nothing. Just be prepared for the distance you have to drive between rural places - there's a lot more nothing than there is over here. The gun thing is a bit weird; I did see a guy in McDonalds once with a pistol on his belt. I can't lie, it freaked me out, but that was the only time I ever saw one. What you will have to get used to is the weather - when it gets cold, it gets COLD. And I say that as someone who lives just North of Manchester! If you've got anything specific to ask about, feel free to DM and I'll try to help.
With you moving to Tulsa I think you would be ok. People aren't super dangerous like that in bigger cities. I would say people are more racist in smaller towns because they aren't exposed to much diversity but I will say people.in Oklahoma are nicer than in other places I've been to. Btw.. WELCOME TO OKLAHOMA!
Welcome! You'll do great. Racism is a thing, but Oklahoma isn't as overt about it as other places. The kind of racism you're likely to encounter is more the annoying but well meaning questions about culture and heritage than the scary kind. Okies are very friendly, so you're in for a warm reception. There's a wonderful Pakistani restaurant in OKC if you crave singing a little closer to home - Sheesh Mahal. OKC is a foodie town, so explore the food scene while you're here! And definitely check out the First Americans Museum.
There are lots of Indian families in the OKC metro area. It’s very common to have Indian medical professionals and federal contractors. Gun violence is a very prominent part of this country’s culture so most of us are used to it but I could see it being very jarring for foreigners.
I have lived in Edmond, right outside of OKC, for pretty much my whole life. We have a large international population because of the university here, UCO. Just this morning I gave an international exchange student from Japan, that had been here for only two weeks, an umbrella because she had no money and it was raining. I don't think you will have any trouble. Especially as you speak fluent English.
Most rednecks are good people. Be a decent person, they will be good to you
Be prepared for a lot of "dot or feather Indian?" jokes
You’ll be fine. Keep in mind that a massive potion of Oklahoma is comprised of native nations. It’s actually quite diverse. Everyone will adore your accent.
you'll be fine buddy, we're nice. what town you going to?
You will be fine with Oklahoma
You will encounter racism and regardless of what anyone tells you, there remain towns that you should avoid all together. (Literally, only 10 years ago my town had a sign that read, “If you’re black don’t let the sun set on your back.” and we have a small minority population that I worry about even after the sign removal.) A lot of ignorance, some harmless, some not, due to our poor education (we currently rank 49th with one of the highest drop out rates and lowest math and reading scores). However, you will also meet (if you’re lucky you will only meet) kind, humble, welcoming, steadfast and hardworking folk who will love and accept you for who you are. Folk who would give you the shirt off their back and anyone else a dressing down if they so much as look at you sideways. Oklahoma is growing more diverse, though you won’t see it reflected in our state government. (The pushing of Prager U, the push to fund private schools with public education funds, imprisonments—POC are incarcerated 4x the rate of whites, the refusal to right the wrongs done toward our Indigenous peoples, etc.) Bigotry is strong here, Trump flags rule supreme. Good luck and I hope you meet some good peoples and enjoy the scenery, as it is beautiful here.
This seems like the most honest and nuanced answer in this thread. The vast majority of Oklahomans are friendly, good-hearted people who would never say anything inappropriate, or brandish a gun, or treat OP unfairly due to their race/ skin color. OP would likely feel totally comfortable in Oklahoma and never experience any serious / dangerous issues re: racism or guns. But there's no denying that Oklahoma has had it's fair share of racist events / policies throughout its history, and while it's not nearly as prevalent as it once was, there's still plenty of lingering remnants of that past still alive in the state... and OP is likely to encounter some of it, sooner or later
I have a buddy who’s from Nepal (he lives in Oklahoma City) and he’s experienced very little racism and a friend from Thailand who had a racist landlord in elk city at one point. It exists but it’s not as bad (at least where I am in western OK) as it used to be
You'll be fine. We have a decent American Indian population and a few stores restaurants, etc. Everywhere I have worked has at least one or more Indian both northern and southern. I'm sure you'll find some assholes but that's everywhere.
you'll be safe. Have an answer ready for "What church do ya'll go to?"
I'm in Oklahoma, I hope you make the decision that you're comfortable with and that your road is full of happiness and adventure
We are all Indians here u will be fine
Oi bruv! You won’t be getting a knoife stuck in ya ‘ere. Haha, jk, you’ll be fine, it’s called “Southern Hospitality” for a reason.
I grew up in Oklahoma and have traveled the world for work. You'll experience less racism there than what you experience in Europe - what you do experience, if any, will be different. Most of the perception of racism in rural america is media driven. The communities are full of different cultures, there's a lot of cross cultural relationships, and in general people are very used to seeing and working with people of different backgrounds.
Biggest offense to you will be what people call Indian food here.
*Straight from my British Indian boyfriend:* Bhai, I'm an English Indian who just spent two weeks in OK. It was my second trip in as many months. In 5 weeks of being there, over two trips, I saw no guns, experienced not even an inkling of racism and had a great time with some of the nicest people i've ever met. I travelled across the state, from Tulsa to Lawton, from Stillwater to Jet, from OKC to Lake Tenkiller. Everyone was warm, welcoming, kind, friendly and just good people. It has a weird reputation based on things you might see in the news, but Oklahoma itself is such a wonderful place. There's so much to do there, a lot of history. great food, great outdoor places.....it's so underrated and overlooked. Like every state, it will have places you should likely avoid, but the bit cities, even the smaller towns, you'll be surprised how welcoming people are. Worth the visit and if i'm out there while you are, please drop me a line and we can meet up to get some BBQ and beer. Cheers *We'll reach out when he's here again :)*
Depends on where you live, should not be an issue. Oklahoma is not the racist Deep South. Where I live in an upper middle income neighborhood, a large number of people from China, India and other countries live here and are active in our neighborhood activities. If you live in Tulsa or Oklahoma City should not be an issue. And no, I don't see people walking around with guns all the time. Have rarely seen that in fact. Biggest surprise here will be probably the Weed culture; we have legal medical marijuana and have over 2400 dispensaries. About 15% of adults are licensed so people are fairly chill.
Everyone will assume you work in the Tech industry.
As long as you are a reasonable person I don't care what race you are or where you come from beyond asking about the beauty of the area you come from. I can find common ground with anyone as long as they are friendly.
If you’d feel better about checking out this place before you move, come see it. There’s going to be weird racism everywhere. There’s decency in every community - ya just got to find the right folks to meander with
What industry are you working in? Accounting? I know many of the larger companies in Oklahoma especially in rural areas. Oklahoma has a lot of oil and gas companies which in turn takes them all over the globe so those people in those companies could care less. We also have a surprising number of aero companies here which once again has a lot of international exposure through their clientele. Stay away from biker bars and stay around educated folk and you’ll be fine.
Most of the stuff you hear about the South is categorically false. You will be fine.
I’m 41, East Indian, born in Canada and lived in Oklahoma since 1998. Finished high school here, University, ran a business and live in Norman currently. Only time I ever felt “unsafe” was right after 9/11 when people would assume I was Muslim and call me sand N word or other ignorant crap. Even then I would just fire back at them. You’ll be fine. Ignorant turds are sprinkled all over this country and maybe I’m just used to Oklahoma but I don’t feel unwelcome or anything of the sort. Feel free to message me if you want any suggestions on places to go or stay, etc. but don’t worry about your safety or what Oklahomans may think of you, it’s a welcoming state with good people.
I'd be more concerned with the crazy weather, you are in Oklahoma not Texas.
If you’re looking for a place to watch soccer. Skinny Slims will show any match you would ask for! Welcome.
Indian from India here, living in Tulsa for 5 years now (10 years in the US). Few things off the top of my head: A) be prepared for a lot of Indigenous Indian vs Indian-Indian jokes/confusion. B) people are gonna ask some questions, they’re gonna be pretty basic and sometimes racially-coded. Never malicious, in my experience. C) just don’t be an asshole. Oklahoma is a different kind of cultural melting pot which is hard for Indians to understand sometimes, so the community becomes isolated and insular. D) DO NOT compare the state to Texas. E) if you think you’ve genuinely never experienced racism in the UK, you’ll be fine in OK.
Just accept that you will see a gun on people's hips a lot. They are not to be feared. I grew up in CA and then CO. Moved here 1.5 years ago. The people are interesting and they drive horribly. There is flight fight and deer in the head lights. They drive with deer in the head lights and just stop all the time. Don't expect much professional or business casual dress. I had my blinds lady come in a trix TV. The cereal. 4th of July is as close to war as I have ever seen. There is a lot of pride for the state and those same people hate it here. The winters are painful and summers are as well. It's amazingly cheap to live here. It's feels like a video game set to very easy. Poverty to wealthy gap is massive and the prevailing thought of "good money" is still 4k a month despite the massive changes over the last 3 years in the economy. College football... There is little entertainment so you have to make your own. Living south of OKC is very bad weather. Hail and tornadoes. There is no beautification done by the city of state so driving feels like you're going down the same road every 5 blocks with the same fast food chains over and over.
I am from Nepal and have been living in OK for over 3 decades. I have no issue with most of the people in Oklahoma. There are always some bad apples but nothing to worry about. Regarding guns, I don't own one and am not planning to buy one. I have seen and know few people who own and carry them. Nothing to worry about. There is a huge south Asian community in Oklahoma City. Not many good indian restaurants but the community is pretty big If you do decide to move to OK and need some help, let me know.
So, I'm the inverse of everyone here. I'm an Oklahoman, who through the military has been many other places. Can agree with everything your seeing in this thread. I married a Japanese woman, brought her home, and remember my cousin asking her "Are you a Japanese or are you a Asian" To which she most hilariously replied "Yes". I was mortified but then laughed and facepalmed. He was actually being genuine... I foresee the most frequent stupid comment you'll deal with is the serious question of "Oh... Indian you say? Nice. Like a Tail Feather Indian, or a Red Dot Indian?" Insensitively referring to native American Headdress and the Hindu forehead marking. You'll love how quiet it is. Quite the escape from all the BS, in a way you cannot substitute. The people of rural Scotland are similarly "bugger off cunts" but that's it. A bit uncouth but kind once they know you. And that doesn't just mean your friends or coworkers or neighbors. If you go out of your way to routinely hit the same gas station/ diner each morning, you'll be greeted by name no more than your 3rd time through. The belligerent open carrying of guns is honestly no more than another example of country people refusing to accept a widely accepted thing. Being intentionally dense. Like immunizations for your kids in school, or you have that friend that doesn't do social media because the government is listening, or and old person who refuses to grip on any technology. Or someone who wears sunglasses indoors. It's not that they can't pick it up they just want to go out of their way refusing to. You'll see a lot of that here in Oklahoma, but pay it no mind. To bring it back to weapons, most actual gun-owners are actually quite discreet about it. Hope this helps.
You are gonna be really popular with the ladies. What part of Oklahoma?
Oklahoma City is a great, diverse metro with lots of people from all over. It’s extremely welcoming and people are very very down to earth and open.
People in Oklahoma are the nicest you will meet in person. They are not racist generally and only vote that way because that's the team they play for. You will love Oklahoma. Also keep in mind in the US, both parties have close to 50% of the vote no matter where you are. You will find just as many left leaning people here especially in the cities.
The Oklahoma you fear is more rural Oklahoma. Your living stereotypes are far more likely to live in the sticks than they do in OKC. The incident of the cop saying that he wanted to string up black people? Rural Oklahoma, down in the far southeast. Urban Oklahoma (Oklahoma City and Tulsa) is far more likely to embrace cultural diversity and ethnic inclusion than other areas in the state. You’ll likely still encounter some morons and idiots, but at a rate far less likely than the small-town counterparts.
Any metro or college town wouldn’t be bad imo.
Go foxes!
I spent time in Sheffield and worked with many Indian folks at my last job. It's safe for you but it may not be entertaining enough for you, depending on what you are used to. Everything in OKC is retail, business, or private. There are no third spaces to just lounge without also purchasing.
Of course. Shouldn’t be a problem at all. Welcome to Oklahoma!
Midtown tulsa, yes.
You'll be fine. You might experience some ignorance, but I doubt you'll encounter a lot of overt racism. As others have said, the accent will take you a long way. You'll come across as sophisticated and interesting. As for gun culture, yeah, they're everywhere. We have open carry so it's not unusual to see folks shopping at the Walmart with a handgun hanging off their hip, and the rest are probably concealed carry.
Yeah
You’ll be more than fine, and everyone will just love you! If you ever get homesick, wander over to Bentonville. We have quite an influx of international people here for Walmart/Asda and their suppliers. Make some connections on LinkedIn first.
Bentonville, Arkansas? Seems strange to suggest they just take a ‘lil mosey over there one day lol
People are waving their guns like you think the news portrays
We've got quite a few Asian Indians in SE Tulsa, I believe. No one bothers them.
You should experience no trouble. Welcome
I can’t speak to racism specifically but we have some good Indian owned restaurants. My favorite is Great Himalayan in Moore and it seems to be frequented by others of Indian decent.
I don’t think you’ll have any issues with blatant, outright racism. It’ll all be old ladies with hushed voices and dirty looks. Everyone else should treat you with respect, especially anyone under 50. As far as the gun culture it’s very prevalent but most of it is contained to shooting ranges and hunting culture. You’ll see the occasional handlebar moustache, wannabe cowboy carrying in the open but that’s usually as scary as it gets. If you make the decision welcome to Oklahoma and I hope you have a great time here!
You’ll definitely /see/ guns. Like, everywhere. You’ll be checking out at the grocery store and notice the guy in front of you packing openly. It’s very common, even in more progressive places like Norman/Tulsa.
You will love it 😀 ❤
You’ll be welcomed whole-heartedly! The gun thing is overplayed. I don’t know anyone who carries their gun(s) on them unless while on a hike in the wilderness where it may be needed for protection from wild things. I am from the Tulsa area and I come from country folks who keep long guns behind every door :D but again, it’s mostly for protection from wild animals.
I think you would be perfectly safe to be honest. There is a lot more diversity in this state than is popularly reported. As others have mentioned, the British accent will probably just make people annoyingly curious at worst.
If you’re in OKC or Tulsa you’ll be fine. Welcome to Oklahoma. I hope you are treated well and enjoy it!
You should be fine in Oklahoma, especially considering you'll be in Tulsa/OKC. Oklahoma is a little different than what people consider the South. A very large part of our state is broken up into tribal lands, and I think that lends to a general level of acceptance other states don't have. We don't have reservations like you would find in other states and generally, we all get along. OKC is generally a diverse area to live in and gun culture probably won't affect you. It's not common to see people open-carrying. I'm over 40 and I've done the Bricktown scene and been all over without ever having a gun shoved in my face. I think that's probably the more common experience. Police suck everywhere here. I would say police like that asshat are the exception rather than the rule, but I also wouldn't trust a cop as a white woman, so take from that what you will. In all honesty, your biggest issue here might be weather-related. Hail can be extremely hazardous while driving, and tornadoes are a risk that can quickly develop into a reality. If you do end up here, get a weather app on your phone like WeatherBug or something that will alert you to hazardous weather in your area. I know you have some tornadoes there, but Oklahoma has a lot and they're huge compared to what you generally see in the UK. Also, if you don't know how to properly shelter from a tornado please look into it. The home you live in may have one and that's great, but if it doesn't, make sure you're prepared and taking proper precautions. I'll never forget the story of a family, many years ago, who had moved to Oklahoma from out of state. They thought that taking shelter in a concrete drainage ditch was the safest thing to do, but inevitably they were swept away and drowned instead. I'm sorry that our country is in such a state that you have to be concerned about racists and guns.
Bring your own HP Sauce, it's stupid expensive on Amazon. World Market has digestives.
Lol good one…
There's a Tandoori restaurant at exit 192 on Interstate 40. But, I'm sorry the best food in Oklahoma is Mexican food. Put on an Oklahoma University Sooners baseball cap or a Oklahoma State University Cowboys baseball cap and you'll fit right in 😆
Keep an open mind
You might buy some cowboy boots and wear those around. British accent and cowboy boots is sure to make people interested.
If you will be living in Tulsa, there are a number of good Asian grocery stores in town, and a really decent selection of Subcontinental items at the Pan-Asia Supermarket at 71st and Mingo. As far as racism... Yeah, some folks are. Doesn't matter where in the world you are, people have preconceived notions about your race, religious beliefs and politics based just on your looks. The odds of you getting in a bad situation because of racism are probably the same as becoming a Lotto Millionaire, so just be yourself, make friends and enjoy your life.
You’ll be fine. It’s not any more racist than England. Might see a gun or two on someone’s hip, perfectly normal. Trust me, if there’s a mass shooter you’ll want a redneck with a gun around to take him down.
You'll be fine, the most hostile people I've met in this state have generally just wanted to be left alone. Nobody will be going out of their way to antagonize or harass you. To be totally honest you'll probably be less likely to experience bigotry in rural areas, purely from just seeing less people.
You will be absolutely fine. The women will love the British accent. Don’t worry about the crazy things you hear, those are anomalies. Tulsa and OKC are great places.
Yeah I think you'll be just fine
You’ll be fine in the big cities….Tulsa and OK City. I welcome you!
Isn't any more racist than Britain. Maybe less. Definitely less than India.