Rmx

I've spent almost a week in Chicago in late April, and was surprised to find out how friendly and polite locals can be. Upon entering a shop, I was invariably greeted with a happy-sounding "Hello, how's your day?" or something similar.

I have travelled to other English-speaking destinations before, but this was the first time I ever came accross such behaviour. I guess that may be a Midwestern trait and for a tourist it felt quite welcoming, even though I know they are not really interested in the reply. 

That newly-built reputation was almost ruined when I was about to return home and this black guy over the pizza counter at the airport skipped me and began to serve another black guy who was behind me in line. That was quite a shock, especially coming from Brazil, where skin colour is not nearly as relevant as in the US and that would never ever happen. I'd rather believe the guy was in a bad mood and unwilling to waste his time with a babbling foreigner, but it made me sad just to think that racial hostility can happen even in such ordinary situations in a country as diverse and friendly as America.