AITA for stating 'Apparently they (workplace) are interviewing people from overseas'?. My friend said to me it was giving 'xenophobic' energy. My workplace has been looking to hire an intern (healthcare related) at work. I was discussing about how I felt a bit upset they didn't consider me as their first option since I will be graduating at the end of the year, and I was hoping they would offer me or extend a form of invitation to fill the role for next year. I didn't find out that they were doing an external hiring round until I heard from another co worker that the exact position for the workplace was posted by my management team on a popular job listing site. In the past, I was discussing how I thought it was a bit unfair they were doing it behind my back, and that the management team didn't mention a word about their hiring procedures. In this conversation, I said, verbatim, 'I think it would be easier on the company's end, logistically, for them to get someone they have trained for years instead of someone, for example, from overseas', as a hypothetical, with no ill, biased or racist intent. My friend corrected me and said next time, they suggest I use the word 'outside' so that I don't sound racist. I took on the feedback and I apologised. It was never an intention to make a racist comment and I don't care if they ultimately choose someone from overseas to fill the role. Today, I got news from my co worker that the management team were conducting interviews for prospective candidates who were from overseas. In the past, my friend told me to keep them updated on any movement in the hiring process. Today, I gave my friend an update on the management team's procedures and I told them, 'Hey, this is random but I heard xx have been interviewing some overseas candidates', without any racist or biased intention. They looked upset and said that they didn't understand why I kept 'bringing up' the fact (even though I only used the word overseas in a hypothetical scenario once as stated above) there were people from 'overseas' who were being interviewed. This friend also said my actions were giving 'xenophobic' and 'biased' energy. I apologised and was about to speak on how it wasn't my intention to bring anything which was negatively geared about race and ethnicity into the conversation, but that I was simply stating a fact my co worker said. We later made peace and they said they understood that I wasn't trying to be racist but my comment and past actions made it seem as if I was being 'xenophobic'. I was surprised and upset, but also understand where she is coming from. I probably didn't use the word in the right context and made my intentions sound very racist and acknowledge next time, whenever I am I referring to external applicants, I don't need to be specific and say this person was from, interstate or overseas. But AITA?