[newcomer2thiscorner]

Folks,

We are a family of three (my wife, and teenage son, 14) that are contemplating a move to CT, in the West Hartford area due to a change in my work profile. We are quite cosmopolitan, I have lived and worked in short sprints across the globe (Sydney, London, Chicago, NYC and Jersey City) where my career has taken me, and we do not know much about West Hartford (WH) or CT at all.

Our primary needs are -

- Determine if WH is going to be inclusive enough of a bunch of newcomers that know next to nothing of CT. We are a minority group (Sikh / Punjabi) and though cosmopolitan - nervous
- Locate a High School (my son will be starting 9th grade) that will suit him. He's outdoorsy by nature, does not like to be locked indoors, and sort of an introvert (sounds contradictory? I know ). He's an avid swimmer (silver medalist, competitive at sports) and likes being with his few, close friends (skateboarding, rip-sticks) in the neighborhood
- My wife is looking to leverage this opportunity to take a break in her career (she taught Grade V and VIII English back in India) to explore options and study Law.
- Go house hunting in an inclusive neighbourhood - we plan to rent for the first year and if all works well, plan to make a purchase. Our initial preference is neighborhoods that are are fairly walkable so we can grasp and learn about the place.

Questions I'm hoping I can have your thoughts - nay, your frank inputs on:

- How real are our needs versus what WH has to offer?
- Are we overanalyzing the whole 'inclusiveness' situation?
- Are there any forum threads we should consider / review that you can point us to?

Let me know if you need more background, we're a bundle of nerves right now!

[JayCT]

West Hartford is a great town to move to. There are many newcomers and it is the mist diverse of Hartfords most desirable suburbs. You and your family just need to get out and meet people. You do not need to worry about high schools. Both are excellent. Again your son just needs to make the effort. One thing you do need to realize is that West Hartford is not as cosmopolitan as the other places you have lived so don't expect it to be the same. It will likely be quieter and with less options for shopping and entertainment. Still there is a lot for a town its size. Good luck with the move and welcome to our state. Jay

[NewJeffCT]

agree with Jay - West Hartford is a diverse and welcoming town with two excellent high schools that have a huge abundance of extra-curricular activities. Hall High school generally has better test scores than Conard HS, but more students at Conard HS take AP exams than any other public high school in the state (90% of the students)

nearby Avon has a large Asian population as well (mostly Indian and Chinese), but I don't think the high school has a swim team. The test scores in Avon are better than either HS in West Hartford, but since it is a smaller town, they offer fewer extra curricular activities.

The difference is that West Hartford has more well maintained older homes on smaller lots, but with a lot of sidewalks throughout the town. Avon has more of the newer homes on larger lots and has many large, or large-ish, subdivisions where you can walk along the streets and not worry about traffic. Large by Connecticut standards, but small outside the northeast.

You'll find a lot of sports and outdoor activities in the area - hiking, biking, skating, and canoing/kayaking on the Farmington River.

Welcome to Connecticut!

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by newcomer2thiscorner

Folks,

We are a family of three (my wife, and teenage son, 14) that are contemplating a move to CT, in the West Hartford area due to a change in my work profile. We are quite cosmopolitan, I have lived and worked in short sprints across the globe (Sydney, London, Chicago, NYC and Jersey City) where my career has taken me, and we do not know much about West Hartford (WH) or CT at all.

Our primary needs are -

- Determine if WH is going to be inclusive enough of a bunch of newcomers that know next to nothing of CT. We are a minority group (Sikh / Punjabi) and though cosmopolitan - nervous
- Locate a High School (my son will be starting 9th grade) that will suit him. He's outdoorsy by nature, does not like to be locked indoors, and sort of an introvert (sounds contradictory? I know ). He's an avid swimmer (silver medalist, competitive at sports) and likes being with his few, close friends (skateboarding, rip-sticks) in the neighborhood
- My wife is looking to leverage this opportunity to take a break in her career (she taught Grade V and VIII English back in India) to explore options and study Law.
- Go house hunting in an inclusive neighbourhood - we plan to rent for the first year and if all works well, plan to make a purchase. Our initial preference is neighborhoods that are are fairly walkable so we can grasp and learn about the place.

Questions I'm hoping I can have your thoughts - nay, your frank inputs on:

- How real are our needs versus what WH has to offer?
- Are we overanalyzing the whole 'inclusiveness' situation?
- Are there any forum threads we should consider / review that you can point us to?

Let me know if you need more background, we're a bundle of nerves right now!

West Hartford has a very high Indian & Nepali population. Either Hall or Conard will be excellent high schools...9th grade is a great time to join (vs. later on). As others have indicated already, it is a very inclusive community, and nearly all the neighborhoods (except for those in the western part of town, around Mountain Rd) have sidewalks & street lights. Welcome to the neighborhood!

[parentologist]

Both high schools good. I think both have significant South Asian populations, but hall might have more. Consider the area around North main and Albany ave. Lots of 3 bedroom houses in walkable areas with sidewalks. Big plus to live close to high school, since kids are there for sports. Excellent town pool. Both schools with no cut swim teams.

[cdhpotter]

West Hartford is a great town and your family would be welcomed there. The downtown area is very walkable but finding housing that is walkable to downtown is not always easy. You may end up driving to the walkable downtown, which you could do from surrounding towns also.

Have you also looked at Farmington? I mention it because it is right next to West Hartford and would offer a lot of recreation for your son. It is a very outdoorsy town with a beautiful river where the town youth hang out to swim, tube, kayak, rope swing, row, etc. There is also a small skate park in town and an extensive rail trail system. They also have swimming, diving, and crew teams at the high school.

As mentioned above Avon is fantastic too. As is Canton or Simsbury- these towns are all in the same area and have great schools.

[docyale]

There won't be any issues blending in. WH is very diverse. Can be quite expensive though. Agree with Avon being another diverse town.

I think there is a Sikh temple in CT.. google it if you haven't found it yet.

[docyale]

forgot to mention.. You do have lot of options for indian restaurants and grocery shops as well. WH has one named COSMOS...

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by newcomer2thiscorner

Folks,

We are a family of three (my wife, and teenage son, 14) that are contemplating a move to CT, in the West Hartford area due to a change in my work profile. We are quite cosmopolitan, I have lived and worked in short sprints across the globe (Sydney, London, Chicago, NYC and Jersey City) where my career has taken me, and we do not know much about West Hartford (WH) or CT at all.

Our primary needs are -

- Determine if WH is going to be inclusive enough of a bunch of newcomers that know next to nothing of CT. We are a minority group (Sikh / Punjabi) and though cosmopolitan - nervous
- Locate a High School (my son will be starting 9th grade) that will suit him. He's outdoorsy by nature, does not like to be locked indoors, and sort of an introvert (sounds contradictory? I know ). He's an avid swimmer (silver medalist, competitive at sports) and likes being with his few, close friends (skateboarding, rip-sticks) in the neighborhood
- My wife is looking to leverage this opportunity to take a break in her career (she taught Grade V and VIII English back in India) to explore options and study Law.
- Go house hunting in an inclusive neighbourhood - we plan to rent for the first year and if all works well, plan to make a purchase. Our initial preference is neighborhoods that are are fairly walkable so we can grasp and learn about the place.

Questions I'm hoping I can have your thoughts - nay, your frank inputs on:

- How real are our needs versus what WH has to offer?
- Are we overanalyzing the whole 'inclusiveness' situation?
- Are there any forum threads we should consider / review that you can point us to?

Let me know if you need more background, we're a bundle of nerves right now!

West Hartford would be a fine town. I would also add Rocky Hill to your list. This town has a lot of Indian families and is about 1/3 the size/population of West Hartford. Although I would not classify Rocky Hill as having a walk-able community. West Hartford would win in that regard.

[newcomer2thiscorner]

I am blown away by the responses to my questions and your support. Thanks much guys!

Next steps - I'll look up Avon, Farmington amongst others and will share my experience / questions.

I appreciate your thoughtful suggestions !!!