World: Global traveler says UK is the least friendly toward immigrants

A corporate lawyer who has lived in the United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore says the United Kingdom is the least friendly place for immigrants. Ryan Zen, who has spent 18 years in north-west England, told a Daily Mail travel feature that the country is the 'least friendly place for immigrants' and that he 'h hasn’t got any white friends' in that time. He added that, despite his attempts to be welcoming, some local residents have not reciprocated. 'I have tried being friendly with some. I have invited some of them to my home. But none has reciprocated. Yet, they blame immigrants for not integrating with them,' Zen wrote in a post circulated on his Instagram account @neurosparkly_soul. 'I arrived in the UK in 2007. It was a boom year and there weren’t enough qualified corporate lawyers in the UK then. So, I was recruited from India based on video interviews. Unfortunately, 2007 was the last boom year. It’s been a disaster ever since. Wish I didn’t come to the UK then.'

The remarks come as Zen, who has lived in India, the US, the UK and Singapore, maintains that social and cultural barriers have intensified since his arrival. He said, 'In UK, the racists have a problem with all outsiders. They use Muslims as a scapegoat as Muslims are categorised as 'terrorists' by the media and helps them to justify their racism. They believe they are saviours as they are targeting "terrorists" which the State has failed to do. Thus, they see themselves as true patriotic warriors. And that keeps the racism going.'

This description was followed by a review of personal experiences. Zen said he told his teenage daughter yesterday, 'at some point expect some random white guys coming to you and telling you to go back to your country' (although she was born in the UK, is a British citizen and has no other country to go back to). 'Very interesting times ahead for us!' he added.

The interview has sparked a mix of responses online. Some readers voiced agreement with Zen’s assessment. One commenter wrote, 'My daughter studied in the UK, she complained same thing, it’s different from our culture in Malaysia.' Another added, 'UK is definitely not friendly again. I am planning to move abroad.' But others challenged the account, arguing that experiences vary by region and person. 'I used to think that living in a London suburb, however I've found friends now in Leeds. Some English folks are lovely I must say,' one reader said. 'People in England are also kind and caring, just more reserved people,' another wrote.

Zen’s reflections echo ongoing debates about immigration and social integration in the UK. His account, documented in a travel feature published on Sept. 18, 2025, comes amid broader conversations about multicultural cohesion in Europe and North America as communities grapple with shifting demographics and changing attitudes toward newcomers. The Daily Mail piece notes Zen’s international background and his long residence in Britain, framing his statements as a personal perspective rather than a scientific survey.

For readers seeking visual context, an image associated with the piece is included below.