Anyone remember Blue Mink's hit "Melting pot"?

I'm quite enjoying learning about the cultural assumptions of relatives of my girlfriend. Some of them give me a wry grin (there is a definite belief that white men are in a particular respect on average less hygienic) - as do some of the assumptions that she tells me were made against her.

Several people have commented to me on the skin colour of my last girlfriend and this girlfriend (ironically one born in Crayford and the other in Islington). I find that a bit out of order. But there is definitely an assumption at a general social level that white women typify "pretty" and even "nice", whereas non white women are "exotic" and "sexy".

On the other hand - if you say "Nigerian" the word association is definitely "419".

One couple went so far as to pre-warn me (indirectly, via a friend, they had not the bottle to say it to my face) that my last girlfriend was a gold-digger and benefit scrounger. It simply was not so.