Chesapeake Culture Shock (home, transfer, buying)

[Whitt]

Hello we are purchasing at a home on Benefit road in Chesapeake and we are concern that our children are going to be the only other African American children and we don't want them to feel so out of placed. We are very cultrual and excepting of others but we want to know about the rest of the area.

[damian]

Well, since you are buying in the Hickory/Grassfields area, there will not be very many other African-American children in the area. That being said, most of the people in this part of Chesapeake are very tolerant and nice.

[stacylee926]

I don't know about that area specificially, but I cannot see that there would be any problems. Overal, this area is very mixed with African Americans and whites (not many Asians, Middle Easterners etc though).

[one crowded hour]

I agree with the rest of the posters. Lots of diversity here, including plenty of mixed-race couples/families. I don't imagine that anybody in that area would think anything about it (or if so, then keep anything negative to themselves).

[Ciao9999]

Originally Posted by stacylee926

I don't know about that area specificially, but I cannot see that there would be any problems. Overal, this area is very mixed with African Americans and whites (not many Asians, Middle Easterners etc though).

Why is diversity measured by how many non 'White' people there are? Jewish, Irish-American, Italian-American, heck, even WASPs add to diversity.

[stacylee926]

Ciao - When talking about diversity, I usually compare things to how it is in NoVa (where I lived for 41 years). Non-whites are practically the majority there.

In answer to your question - I don't know! You make a good point though. When I think of diversity - it means a mix of all cultures, all religions, all languages. I honestly hadnt heard the term until I moved here 4 years ago. That alone is wierd because Nova is one of the most diverse areas in the country - I didnt even think of it as different, or that it needed it's own word. However, HR seems to use the word alot. When I moved here I went to a job fair that advertised 'Diversity' my brother in law told me what it meant. I am a college educated 45 year old and was a little embarrassed that I didnt know the real meaning of the word. I knew it, I just never realized it needed a name.

[NJ Relocation]

Originally Posted by Whitt

Hello we are purchasing at a home on Benefit road in Chesapeake and we are concern that our children are going to be the only other African American children and we don't want them to feel so out of placed. We are very cultrual and excepting of others but we want to know about the rest of the area.

The area you are talking about is a very nice & quiet area. The schools are EXCELLENT. I recently moved here from NY/NJ area so racial diversity is commonplace. My main concern was the school system and Benefit Rd falls in a fantastic district. I am not African American but being a "Yankee" has proved to have some challenges for our children. The schools zero tolorance policies keep issues to a minimum. Many people here are also military transfers. Don't get me wrong, we have our share of "Ignorant Rednecks" who are annoying as hell, but in general 95% of our neighbors are decent people. There are no race issues here.

The school system should be your paramount concern.