Tag: travel

The Impractical Immigrant Guide to Life in the UK: Ethics of Public Transportation

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This is one you need to get to grips with quickly especially if you don’t own a car. Danfo buses are very prevalent in Lagos, Nigeria and are the main source of transportation for millions of people daily. The modus operandi with these particular types of buses in Lagos is really ‘first come first serve’ in the realest form. No queuing, just standing alert waiting for a bus going your direction with a free seat. There are really no bus timetables to work with, buses come when they come. Once the bus arrives you hop on as quickly as you can and with the most agility you can muster. It doesn’t matter if you were the last person to get to the bus stop; and so in an egalitarian sense you should be the last to get on the bus. No, you just need to be fast. The last becomes the first – if fast. Once aboard said Danfo, anything really should be expected. Silence is a rare possibility. What is more likely is boisterous, sporadic conversation. Sometimes that conversationality features in the form of arguments but nonetheless, conversation with strangers is very normal and unsurprising in these jam packed buses. Personal space isn’t a thing. All you need is a seat and just about enough oxygen . One has hardly lived the Lagos life until they’ve experienced the drama of Danfo buses.

My nephew and I minding our business on the London Underground

Danfo buses provide a transient platform for discussion on ethics, morality and incredulity. As Lagos is such a buzz, with a trillion things happening all at once and all around, discussion topics are never scarce. There’s always someone somewhere doing or saying something weird which sparks commentary from Danfo passengers. Alternatively, there could be an argument between the bus conductor and a passenger which warrants other passengers to intervene. Danfo buses are not ideal for quietly reading a book on your daily commute. They are more suited for engaging in fiery conversations or altercations, which means you arrive at work fully awake and energised. Again, these conversations, which everyone is usually welcome to join in, make you a part of something, your voice matters.

A Danfo

Now, transportation in the UK almost has no similarity to voyaging in Lagos beyond the fact that you are conveyed from one place to the other. Everything from the speed, comfort and vibe with which you get to your destination is different.

As a new immigrant one of the first things you should figure out is to identify when you need to queue. British people take this seriously. I was once told off by a granny in my early days in the UK for jumping a queue unknowingly. If you see people huddled around a bus stop or even on the underground platform (though very rare) in something that looks even vaguely like a line, make sure to confirm whether or not it is a queue before hustling to the closest possible spot that gives you quick access to vehicle entry like I usually do. For someone used to using speed and wits to get on public transport back home, having to humbly queue is annoying and underwhelming but it is what it is.

If you live in London and you are on the underground, as a newbie London commuter, you are advised to either take a seat or have a firm grip on something. Do not compare yourself to those people who seem to be able to keep their stamina while free standing and holding on to nothing. They are at the pro level of underground commuter travel. Except you have previous experience travelling on underground trains in some other part of the world , you are a novice. If you do not hold on to something steady, you will be caught off guard when the train suddenly jerks, and jerk it will. If you are lucky you will only stagger dangerously, if you are not so lucky you will barge into someone else or outright fall to the floor. And if you read my previous post on how the English respond to minor mishaps, you will know once you do fall you are very likely to be respectfully ignored except you obviously hurt yourself or someone else. So until you master the craft of free standing on the London underground, seat down or hold something. Be humble.

Alighting a train in Italy. People seem to mind their business on Italian trains too (surprisingly)

There is more to say about tube transportation in London. Eye contact with fellow passengers is considered awkward, so look everywhere but directly into the eyes of your fellow passengers. Secondly, and this is the case for buses too – do not start a random conversation with your fellow commuters. I repeat, do not start a random conversation. At best you’ll get someone who doesn’t think you’re are a nutter (cray cray) give a one word response, nod or awkward smile. It’s just not the thing. Public transportation in the UK is not where to seek out vibrant conversation. Is it absolutely impossible, of course not. Is it as prevalent as is the case back home in Nigeria, absolutely not. The motto is, seat down and mind your business.

There is one thing that may, however, spark the spirits of a Lagos commuter turned London commuter. Running for buses and trains is still a thing especially if you lack patience and don’t want to wait for the next one or according to the time table, if you miss this one you’d be waiting a long time. This is your opportunity to revive the vigour of public transport entry you may have missed. Run! Put your now latent hustling skills to use and run!

A voyage across the English Cotswold

The Impractical Immigrant Guide to Life in the UK: The Sin of Spontaneous Visits

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There is a spontaneity and unannounced nature to the social sphere in Nigeria which is anathema to Brits and British residents. I make a distinction between Brits and British residents here on purpose because I believe this hatred for a type of spontaneous socialisation is often quickly imbibed by new immigrants (i.e. British residents), interestingly/suspiciously.

Contemplating in Bath Spa

So what am I talking about? Those who’ve grown up in Nigeria will likely understand the phenomenon where one can casually visit a friend completely unannounced and be welcomed with an open door and open arms, and maybe even a plate of food. There’s a constant, relegated, expectation in every host’s mind that a visitor may arrive at any moment. Of course, these visits are timed when a host is likely to be home such as after work or on the weekend. Also, the visits are usually made by visitors who live reasonably nearby, which means disappointment of perhaps not finding a host at home is not taken too badly. The visitor can easily retrace their steps back home with little harm to energy, fuel or finances. In other words, there is sense in the spontaneity; it’s not harebrained. Another thing that makes these surprise visits fairly common is the ‘outside’ nature of life in Lagos I believe. It’s warm, and verandas, patios etc are common. People can easily see your presence whilst walking down the street and decide to ‘branch’ by for a visit.

Magnolias in Oxford

One thing to confess is that I am, to be honest, depicting my life as a kid in the 2000s. With the over abundance of mobile phones and the magneticism of social media, it is very possible people are now more inclined to insular, non-wandering lives and would rather binge watch some K-drama than gallivant the streets, conducting surprise visits!

That said, in the UK, visiting even a family member unannounced is probably as bad as snatching a wig off someone’s head. You don’t do it. You just don’t. You need to give notice that you will be presenting yourself before launching into someone’s home and life. Spontaneous visits are an insult and will be greeted with a cold reception or an obviously fake welcome. No one arrives unannounced at anyone’s home twice as the first time will forever scar the untrained visitor. A relative based here in the UK once told me of a time he spontaneously visited a friend he’d gone to high school with in Nigeria unannounced. He’d only just moved to the UK and was unaware of these little subtleties. Well, suffice it to say that the friendship dwindled from that day on.

Coronation vibes in Wiltshire

To be fair, I will say I have witnessed unannounced visits, usually by young people, in villages or small towns in the UK. The kinds of places you can let your children wander off with no fear. The norm though is to give notice before casting your shadow on anyone’s door.

I mentioned how it’s interesting that new migrants imbibe this British disgust for unannounced visits so quickly, myself included, as I would be genuinely upset if anyone just popped up at my door for a visit without prior warning. I wonder if this suspiciously quick acceptance of this very British proclivity is because immigrants from uber welcoming cultures probably low-key resented the pressure of unannounced visits. On the other hand, I can’t imagine this is the case in the average Nigerian home, as if there’s one thing a Nigerian will do, it is to tell you the truth, in the most unembellished, direct way possible.

The Impractical Immigrant Guide to Life in the UK: Minor Mishaps

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Trying to understand life (in the UK)

There is quite a lot of information out there on practical information, such as complex visa proceedings and passing the Life in the UK test, when it comes to living in the UK. Though I am a Nigerian immigrant, I will be of zero help when it comes to such practical and obviously necessary information as I moved to the UK as a teenager over 15 years ago and I know things have massively changed since then when it comes to starting life in the UK legally (things have probably also changed hugely on how to start life here illegally but again I am certainly of no help there either!).

So with 15+ years under my belt as someone who has lived, and I daresay thrived, in the UK, I thought it’d be fun, if not useful, to recount some of the things that helped me get to a place where I can call the UK, specifically England, home.

The very English town of Bath Spa
  1. The Brits are just different

Let’s start by stating the obvious. Cultures are different. No matter how much you’d want a Brit to be as easily readable as say a Nigerian, it is unlikely going to happen. British people are less expressive, less dramatic and not as forthcoming as the average Nigerian. This means for the Nigerian fresh off the plane, there will likely be plenty of awkward moments as you try to relate with the generally inscrutable Brits. Some people would even say the British can be two-faced, I personally wouldn’t be so blunt, but one thing is for sure, you will need to grow your ability to discern what a British person really is saying or what they really think of you as they seldom just blurt it out unashamedly as your Nigerian friend would. Just because that colleague of yours says ‘interesting’ a lot in response to all your tales doesn’t actually mean they believe so.

Let’s not get paranoid here, the British speak English so it’s not like you are having to navigate a new language, it’s more cultural than anything else and as time goes on you’ll figure things out. The contrast between British and Nigerian folks is more apparent when dealing with strangers or acquaintances. Whereas you can comfortably and warmly have a full blown, non-alcohol induced, conversation with a Nigerian stranger you meet on the street for the first time back home it is less the norm here.

One scenario that often flabbergasts the non-Brit from an expressive culture is the Brits’ response to a relatively minor mishap or emergency. Case in point, you’re happily walking up the stairs in a London underground station and all of a sudden you trip and fall, almost cascading down the flight of stairs. You expect a yell of panic from at least a couple of fellow commuters and for a small concerned crowd to gather round, helping you up and asking effusively if you’re ok. Well this is unlikely to happen, in fact, it didn’t happen as this event actually involved me a few years ago – I was the one who nearly tumbled down the stairs in a busy station. I was unceremoniously ignored, as people nonchalantly clambered up the stairs around me continuing their journeys completely unbothered. I found this experience hilarious, as at the time I’d lived in the UK for a good few years and was not particularly horrified or shocked by the seeming lack of concern.

It is only until recently I understood what was happening in the average British mind in such a situation. I believe the reason British people ignore minor mishaps is because they do not want to draw added attention to what is already an embarrassing situation. By completely ignoring you, the British are helping you save face. You will find that there are times when you try to help someone who you think needs help and they brush you off embarrassed. You’ve unknowingly broken a sort of social code by reaching out to help someone who can clearly help themselves. Now in scenarios where the mishap is far from minor, the response is very different, still not dramatic, but much more care and concern is shown.

Selfridges, with an English Guard bear

As a new immigrant to the UK, do not expect the daily entertaining melodrama that seems to be the case in bustling cities like Lagos.

Speaking of cities, as a caveat, you will notice cities in the North of England tend to have more of that warmth that is familiar in Naija.

A word of encouragement to the new immigrant – don’t let anyone make you feel weird because you are straightforward, easily excitable and possibly theatrical. The British are used to Nigerians at this stage as they are surrounded by us, so just as we are learning their styles of being, they have and are learning ours. You are not as foreign as you think.

Covent Garden, with a robot

Common sense should tell us (apologies for the directness, I am Nigerian afterall, this apology, though, highlights my Britishness) that the above hosts generalizations and not every Nigerian or Brit fits the above stereotypes but life in the UK will show you that these generalizations are more true than not.

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University of Cape Town, on the Cutting Edge

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I got to spend a day at the renowned University of Cape Town here in South Africa and was impressed by a number of things. I believe the last time I was at a University building was when I was completing my Bachelors programme in the North of England.

The Lab I spent most of my day in

The University of Cape Town was a pleasant surprise. To my embarrassment, I’d never even heard of the University. Having spent only a couple of hours there I was wishing I knew this place existed when I was 19 years old and trying to decide where I would go to University.

Firstly, the University of Cape Town is located in the most stunning of settings with the formidable Table Mountain hovering over it.

Secondly, it is a very diverse University setting with over 100 nationalities represented as we were told by the Vice Chancellor, Mamokgethi Phakeng. The diversity is obvious as students of all colours course through the University’s buildings.

Mamokgethi Phakeng

Thirdly, interesting and much needed research is being held at the University. I spent the day within the Civil Engineering Faculty learning about research based on Water. I was at a lab using Urine (yes, you heard correctly) as it’s main base to find solutions to fertilisers and even sustainable building materials.

I now have my Bachelors and also my Masters degree. I do not plan on getting a Doctorate at the moment, but if I did, I would highly consider the University of Cape Town.

Cape of Good Hope

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Today was a day of significance and firsts.

The significant bit is I got to the southern most part of the African continent today! I feel like such an explorer. The Cape of Good Hope is right at the tip of the continent and is spectacular to behold. It is characterised by furry, green hills on one side with ostriches and Elands. On the other side, it is bedazzled by the sea with crashing waves to boot. Jutting into the waters are layered rock formations.

In terms of firsts, I saw Ostriches. They are as intimidating as they seem on screens. Tall, nonchalant and feathered to a T!

Though not a first, it is worth commenting on. I witnessed a Baboon, with a baby Baboon on its back, wrestle some sort of cardboard object from a woman’s hands. It had attempted, and failed, to steal the woman’s handbag but succeeded in snatching the cardboard object instead. The theatrics of it all, amidst the dramatic beauty of the Cape of Good Hope, added a magical tone to the unfortunate incident.

30 Days in South Africa

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It’s absolutely atrocious that my last post was in 2020!

I have missed the pleasure of writing (almost) everyday.

However, I have had more reasons to put pen to paper than before (not that one needs a reason to soliloquise on paper!).

One of those reasons is Cape Town. This city is absolutely stunning and my window, fortunately, overlooks the back of Table Mountain. How can I not be inspired! And, rather unusual for me, I will be here for a long time. The longest I have been away from home since 2013.

A glimpse of outside my window

I am in the perfect location for capturing thoughts, musings and philosophisings.

A water fountain and it’s mountain companion

I am a bit rusty with this writing thing but I want to give it a go again and hope you’ll journey with me.

30 Days in South Africa

What Traveling Taught me About Race

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Stereotypes are still prevalent

There are archaic stereotypes attached to being Black that are still unashamedly thriving in parts of the world. Living in a country like the UK, where racism is more subtle, can easily numb one to the fact that there are places where people still hold obscenely derogatory beliefs about Black people and are guided, in their relations with Black people, by this misunderstanding. In other words, you might experience blatant racism when traveling. The bulk of this travel-related racism is pure ignorance and a lack of understanding on what not to say to or ask a Black person due to the fact that these people have little or no day-to-day interactions with Black people or may have never met one before. Some are down to lazy inane thinking, where people believe that what they see in the media and entertainment, as a representation of Black people, is actually true of ALL Black people, while a few will be conscious malignant discrimination. In my experience of traveling, I have only experienced the latter once

 

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Madrid, Spain

People are able to dismantle stereotypes

Though stereotypes exist as mentioned previously, people are capable of overlooking surface level differences between themselves and the Black traveler. Travel has the power to restore your faith in humanity. The joys of travel outweigh the negatives and not even racial differences have caused any issues which have made me second guess my love for travel. This is because I have never received really bad treatment due to race whilst traveling. As said earlier, I have only experienced blatant racism once, so far, as a traveler. I have mostly found that people from different cultures and backgrounds, who look nothing like me or who have never met someone like me have been very welcoming and open. I have been housed and fed by strangers, befriended by people with whom I had no language in common, involved in deep conversations with strangers in strange places and invited to family dinners where I stuck out due to the hue of my skin. Travel truly does show that in the end, we are all commonly human.

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Cappadocia, Turkey

Being Colorblind is NOT ideal

Great discussions have been borne from my Blackness/African culture. We all know those moments when someone tries to skirt around the obvious fact that you are Black and it becomes this awkward elephant in the room. I prefer our differences to be celebrated not buried or worse, white-washed. We are who we are and the colour of our skin brings stories, cultures, traditions and rich histories. All these are the basis for great midnight conversations in foreign countries surrounded by the unfamiliar but feeling weirdly at home because you are given a platform to be you and discuss being you. Often, in countries where Black people are a minority, people are very open to hearing about you and your life and this sheer curiosity has made discussing race less tense. It is not my job to educate others on race and Blackness, there are plenty of books for this. But having an open dialogue where we bond over the similarities and differences in our culture can be fruitful for both parties.

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Cappadocia, Turkey

Money > Race

To put it crassly, no one cares about the colour of your skin as long as your wallet has hard currency. People will bend over backward, in most circumstances, to get a hand on that cash of yours and do all the boot licking necessary. I am not unaware of the fact that being a Black tourist might prove to be very different from being a Black immigrant. A Black tourist is often seen as a walking ATM machine as are all other races of tourists, on the other hand, a Black immigrant is usually seen very differently. A Black immigrant is often seen as a taker, someone who comes to take things away from the host community such as jobs or housing. A Black tourist, on the other hand, is usually seen more as a giver, as they are often purely consumers with no request/need for social benefits such as housing or jobs hence they are not “competing” with the locals.

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Bexley, England

You’ll Always Discover Similarities

No matter how different you think you are from the people in a country you travel to, you will find that you have common ground and usually more than you may have expected. I am always amazed at how at home I feel in some countries, such as parts of Italy. Usually, values such as respect and community are found in these collectivist societies which immediately transport me back to Nigeria. Travel throws a lot of uncertainty and unfamiliarity at the traveler but you will also find cases of familiarity which offer comfort and a serving of home.

Cappadocia, Turkey

Being Black doesn’t obstruct travel though it gives the experience a certain hue. In my experiences, openness is more common than discrimination – as curious as the traveler is, so is the host, both parties are inquisitive and usually both open.

I dare say if you want to escape subtle or more blatant discrimination due to race in your home country, become a traveler.

*Please note that all the above relate mostly to my experience of being a Black traveler as opposed to a Black immigrant.

Back from Sabbatical 😁

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Beside, The Astronaut, one of Berlin’s most famous street art

I am back!

It is weird to see how time flies by looking at the last time I posted on my beloved blog, africanwildflower – BUT..I am back now and have blown the dust off this collection of travel experiences.

Since my last post about Hungary, I have been to 10 new countries which I can’t wait to tell you about. In addition, I now have a goal to hit 30 countries by 30, which was inspired by a colleague who aimed, and succeeded, at reaching 25 countries by the age of 25!

Here’s to keeping the africanwildlflower fire burning!

Budapest, Hungary – The City of Baths

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Budapest is definitely the most unlikely city I have visited so far. By unlikely, I mean it was never on my “top ten” list of places to go and it seems not to be on the list of many people as my sister’s exclamation of “what are you doing in Budapest??”when I sent pictures to my siblings whatsapp group, shows.

The Danube

In short, Budapest was not planned. My friend and I had some other destination we wanted to visit, but the cost of accommodation and flights put us off. Just when we were about to pause on travelling at all, Budapest happened.

Heroes Square (Hosok Tere)

Kossuth Lajos ter


We were in Budapest in the middle of June – the heat was debilitating. However, thanks to the many baths and spas that Budapest is famous for – cooling off was never far away.

The first thing that struck me about Budapest was how manageable the crowd was. For a capital city, it didn’t feel as overwhelming as London but still managed to feel exciting. The people were also very polite, from strangers on the road to hotel staff.

Budapest isn’t the cheapest city I have been to but it is definitely not expensive either. It took me a while to get used to the conversion rate, for some reason, and truly understand the value of things but I can say it was a moderately affordable city. For me, Bogota, is the cheapest city I’ve been to where I would go on a 45mins Uber ride and pay less than £10!

Baths

Gellerts


We had the opportunity to visit 2 thermal baths whilst in Budapest – Gellerts and Szechenyi. Gellerts bath is elegant whilst Szechenyi is hip. Szechenyi was full of young people in their early twenties whilst Gellerts was more family friendly. Szechenyi was bigger and had glum, wet changing stalls that seemed to go on forever, my friend likened it them to prison cells and I don’t disagree, Gellerts, on the other hand is smaller and it’s changing stalls bore little similarities to a penitentiary. I won’t suggest one over the other as they were both fun and relaxing just with different vibes. Szechenyi’ yellow buldings is especially picturesque.
Jewish District

Budapest’s Jewish district is the soul of the city and you immediately feel a shift in vibe when you get there. The second biggest synagogue in the world, and the largest in Europe, is located here and so are several boutique restaurants and street art. Where the street art is, is usually where the most passion in a city lies – at least this is what I believe.

Cuisine

In relation to cuisine, I will say as a legit foodie, who has eaten food from different cultures, that the Hungarian delicacies did not disappoint. My favourite was this pancake stuffed with chicken soaked in a paprika stew. Typical of how I relate to international foods, I do not remember the name but I hope the description is crisp enough to help you find it if you ever go to Hungary. Goulash was also a staple in most restaurants we went to and is definitely something to eat in Hungary.

I can recommend 3 restaurants in order of amazingness which must not be missed if you’re in Budapest:

Bobyglar – this restaurant fell into our laps as we wondered away from Hosok Tere, a square with statues of important figures in Hungary’s history. It’s similar in structure, and its location centrally at a big crossroads, to Trafalgar Square in London. Of course, it was nowhere near as chaotic as Trafalgar Square but it was still beautiful and full of history.

Anyways, we wandered away from this monument and staggered hungrily into the hobbit-home-looking building to find a nicely furnished restaurant which had an outside seating area that we immediately settled into. The staff were top-notch and I will give not just the delicious food 5 stars, but also the service we received.

Cafe New York – Tagged the most beautiful cafe in the world, this is an absolute must-visit. I have never been to a restaurant that opulent and extravagant, let alone a cafe that exquisite. You might actually be intimidated by the setting and assume your pocket won’t survive the visit. For a place as beautiful as a palace, the Cafe is unbelievably affordable. It’s also a great place for taking unrivalled photos.

Mazel Tov – Tucked in the Jewish district is this Israeli restaurant which has sections outdoors whilst their indoor area is covered with clear canopies. It is teeming with greenery so that even when you are inside, you feel like you are outside. The food was was delightful – I had a sharwama that tasted authentic, fresh and delicious. To make the already charming atmosphere more special, there was live music by this guy with a guitar who sang heart-wrenching love songs all night.

Budapest is a truly beautiful city! The wide streets, yellow trams, Jewish district and Moorish architecture made Budapest feel idyllic and like a cross breed between Portugal, San Francisco and Tel Aviv (none of which I’ve been to, but Pinterest pictures tell you a lot).

Budapest is not very diverse, in the sense that non-White people are a rarity, so my friend and I were stared at quite a bit, but we have become used to this as we often find ourselves in situations where we stand out. If you’ve travelled through most countries in Europe as a Black person, you won’t find the stares in Budapest shocking. In fact, the stares were milder than I have experienced in other countries such as in areas of Greece or the South of Italy were I almost stopped traffic.
Budapest was an unexpected trip that has now become an unforgettable experience.

Vienna, Austria – The Enchanting City

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Now Austria is my first venture to a non Mediterranean European country, asides the UK of course. Vienna has absolutely exquisite architecture dating from ages past. I was only in the city for a couple of days but I was in awe of the sculptures and grand opulent buildings from time gone by. It felt like I was in another era, another time, a time were the rich were extremely, grand , luxurious and ostentatious – at least I assume this from the effort, time and expertise that obviously went into these structures. In that sense, Vienna felt truly European. I remember going into a fashion retail store which looked more like a 15th Century Nobles closet than a regular clothes store in the 21st century. The elevator in the store was the most elaborate elevator I have ever been in, it looked so beautiful and intricate I could hardly believe it actually worked. 

I remember seeing a particular dark, imposing cathedral, with an eerie dome on my way back to the airport after my visit. The memory of this particular building has stayed with me.I regrettably, do not know what it is called or where it is located but the way I felt as I stared at it from my cab truly encapsulates how powerful the emotions these beautiful static buildings from another time can evoke.

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Exquisite elevator


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Hofburg Palace

My favorite sculptural piece was the Pestsaule, which is a bit morbid as it is a memorial of the plague epidemic of 1679 that ravaged the city. As I wondered round inner city Vienna, the structure grabbed my attention quite a ways away and of course I floated right towards it. The most enchanting thing about the sculpture were the clouds, I have never seen sculptural clouds. I mean making clouds, something so airy, puffy and weightless look so real using such concrete material is truly genius.

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Pestsaule

So, I was at Vienna at Christmas time and of course I went to the Christmas market located at the Rathaus (town hall) . It was buzzing with life and Christmas cheer. There was loads of food and I ate this delicious bratwurst hot dog. It was pretty cold but the joy and Christmas spirit concentrated at this market made the cold bearable! I love Christmas and visiting the Christmas market really made Christmas that year extra special.

I discovered I lived only a few minutes walk from the Sigmund Freud museum so I visited. It was really informative and engaging. The museum used to be Freuds offices and home in Vienna so I got to see his space and some of his personal effects.

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Sigmund Freud Museum, staring into Freud’s mirror

Interestingly, I also visited this Nigerian restaurant called Wazobia in Webergasse, Vienna. The food was delicious and authentic, although the restaurant itself is not stunning and is located in a basement with bad lighting. If you don’t mind a below average ambiance, you will enjoy good Nigerian food. The owner is also really pleasant.

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Wazobia restaurant, Webergasse

I should add Vienna is super easy to navigate, I was able to get around easily without my friend solely using a combination of google maps and an app called qando Vienna, which is also a GPS navigation platform.

Vienna was quite diverse in a European sense, I met people from Turkey, France, Poland, the UK, Ukraine and USA. It did feel very vibrant and also seemed to have an interesting arts scene. However, it is not diverse in a more international, global sense. I saw very few Black people (not that I expected Black people to be in abundance or Black people need to be in abundance EVERYWHERE) but I did not get many stares like I have in some other places. On one random occasion, a semi-drunk guy shouted “black girls” at my friend and I and kept staggering away. As a Black tourist, Vienna was definitely welcoming. 

Vienna is a charming city. I would love to visit more places in the city and also go to more rural parts of the country, as I know Austria also offers beautiful natural environments.