It seems like every other post on Instagram or TikTok I come across features someone enjoying a yacht in Greece, lounging on a beach in Spain, or savoring a delicious, carb-loaded meal in Italy.

The phenomenon of ‘Euro summer’ has infiltrated all corners of social media, leaving those of us enduring the chilly Australian winter with a severe case of FOMO.

While many people on TikTok are having a fantastic time somewhere in Greece, not everyone is relishing their European travels.

Although TikTok is brimming with individuals taking a few weeks off work, it's also full of people of color sharing their experiences of encountering racism or micro-aggressions during their travels abroad.

This is an unfortunate reality for many people of color traveling internationally.

Bangladeshi/Palestinian TikToker Sairaj Ahmed (@thegymfoodie) is currently creating videos while traveling around Europe.

During their time in Lisbon, Portugal, they were approached by locals trying to sell a tour package. When they declined, they were told to “fuck off” out of Lisbon and to return to their own country.

While this incident doesn’t entirely represent traveling to Portugal or Europe, it exemplifies the kind of prejudice people of color might face when visiting foreign lands.

Melbourne-based writer Simran Pasricha lived in Italy as a 17-year-old exchange student.

She shared with me that she can still vividly recall the things people shouted at her on the streets.

“Whenever I walked home from school or from the Piazza, I would always hear a racist-tinged catcall,” she told PEDESTRIAN.TV.

“Men would call out random words like ‘Bollywood’, ‘India’, and ‘Priyanka’, which left me unsure of how to react.

“Some were more overt, calling out ‘slumdog’, ‘dirty Indian’, and ‘curry face’.”

I’m sure I don’t need to explain how degrading it feels to be cat-called, especially in a foreign country. It's even more disheartening when the catcalling is rooted in racial stereotypes that exoticize you.

If you think it can't get any worse, unfortunately, you're mistaken. 

While individuals like Simran might face outright racism, others may encounter micro-aggressions. 

Racism is easier to identify; it's blatant and unmistakable. Micro-aggressions, however, are more subtle. They often masquerade as compliments or jokes.

If you're a person of color in Australia, you’ve likely experienced this on a semi-regular basis, but I digress. 

Micro-aggressions aren’t overt and are sometimes unintentional, making them challenging to navigate.

US-based content creator Iris Mai has been traveling across Europe for the summer.

In a TikTok, she shared how people have greeted her with “konnichiwa” or “ni hao”.

Iris is Taiwanese, not Chinese or Japanese, and often finds herself explaining this to those who make such remarks.

“Even though it doesn’t seem like a big deal, being greeted with ‘China’, ‘ni hao’, or ‘konnichiwa’ doesn’t feel good,” she told PEDESTRIAN.TV.

“They don’t do this to other races; they wouldn’t just say ‘bonjour’ or ‘Canada’ based on someone’s appearance, but they do it to us.”

Iris mentioned that while she usually tries to ignore it, sometimes she stops to inform them that she is neither Chinese nor Japanese.

Although these individuals might not intentionally misidentify Iris and other travelers, constantly having to clarify oneself is exhausting.

As a mixed-race woman of color, I often struggle to balance explaining my actual ethnicity and firmly reminding others of their rudeness.

It's a double-edged sword: not explaining my ethnicity means missing the opportunity to educate, but being too firm in my response risks being labeled as difficult.

And that’s just within Australia.

Explaining your identity to someone who speaks a different language is even more daunting.

Simran shared that while she doesn’t let potential racism or micro-aggressions deter her travel plans, she remains cautious.

“It’s more about being constantly aware and on guard,” she said.

The post-COVID travel trend has been about sunny escapes, creating memories with friends, and rediscovering life’s purpose.

My Instagram feed is filled with (mostly white) influencers flaunting their PR trips on yachts in Croatia, urging me to “live my best life.”

While this may be true for some, it overlooks the fact that not everyone experiences travel with such ease.

The reality is: for people of color, our Euro summer might not be as enjoyable.

Emma Ruben is a Malaysian-born freelance journalist and writer residing on Whadjuk Boodjar with her labradoodle. You can find her on Instagram.