Is racism a big problem?

[sweetwater]

Thanks for everyone's input. I want to know about the culture issues before I get there soon. Do the locals WANT the whites to keep to their own? I've always been colorblind, too and plan not to change but I don't know what the cultural norm is. Just like, I heard it is expected for you to take your shoes off went you go into someone's home..is that true? Linda Bowman