Jason Gordon is a salsa dancer with a rhythm for engaging in work that involves improving the lives of others, especially those who have been through severe hardship.

This was one of my first nights out at university. Being all excited and ready to embark on a new adventure of mine, I went out with a friend who also came from Poland.

It was Freshers’ Week (a week where new students who arrive at university get introduced to their course and have lots of parties) and we found ourselves one night in this club, where the lights were blazing and the floor was bouncing with all the new arrivals from university.

At some point the DJ shouts at the top of his voice: “Who's from England? Let's shout!”

A group of girls right beside us screamed and shouted. Thereafter, the DJ goes, “Who is from overseas? Let's shout!”

“Ooooo!” went my friend and I as we cheered with all the energy pumping through us.

Suddenly, one of the girls from the group who just shouted to the England cheer came over to me, in a dancing manner, before leaning over and asking where I was from.

I replied that I was from Poland.

She then screamed in my ears, clearly excited: “Holland! That's awesome! I've always wanted to go to Amsterdam. You have to take me there!”

I wasn’t sure if I was puzzled by this or just with all the sounds and energy around us, but for which I said: “I can take you to Amsterdam if you want, but I'm from Poland. I'm Polish you know...”

She then just kind of stared blankly at me. It was quite the sight given so much jumping and shoving everywhere.

For a good couple of seconds, she had this puzzled look on her face, before suddenly she turning around and in a dancing manner goes back to her friends.

It felt like she made an instant judgement based on my nationality. I didn't react in a particular way, just simply shrugging my shoulders and continued dancing away with my friend.

My advice

I would say in this situation at the nightclub, where you don't actually need to interact with the person, the best thing to do is to ignore it.

However that would be different to a situation where the environment was calmer and we can actually engage meaningfully with the person.