A more specifiec diversity acceptence question for Huntsville

[zenjenn]

My daughter's preschool has a large Indian presence. We just had a multicultural festival and India was hands-down the most well-represented country. Even my blonde-haired blue-eyed Jewish daughter was in a beautiful yellow sari, as one of the family members of a student donated tons of Indian clothing in child sizes for children to borrow if they didn't have something else to wear to the event.

Granted, the preschool we attend seems to attract a lot of non-Christians, as it has a non-religious program and most preschool programs around here are Christian. There is a disproportionate number of Jewish children at the school too. You would still be a minority, but not at all out of place.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by NicoleC

I don't think you will have any problems. You may want to stay closer into Huntsville or Madison proper to avoid the few mossbacks around. There are a couple of ladies I see from time to time wearing full hijab and jilbab and I haven't seen anyone give them a second look -- I think your wife's dresses wouldn't be any cause for concern.

Huntsville has a couple of Indian markets and at least one Pakistani/Indian restaurant that seems pretty authentic (Sitar in Madison). There are at least a couple of more I have passed, but I haven't tried them.

Hey! You've been reading my posts. I love that word.

[pvjd]

I live in Birmingham, and have it is somewhat similar to Huntville. We have many middle-eastern people here, particularly in the UAB area. There is also a pretty big Lebanese population. I don't think you will have much reaction to your ethnicity, but I can't speak for the religious difference. Christians, especially older, traditional churches can be pretty closed minded. That is probably only regional though. After 9/11 my coworker was harassed for being muslim, but I don't believe that to be a regional issue, just ignorance combined with post 9/11 hysteria. All in all, just be proud of who you are and forget the rest. That's my motto. Best of luck to you, and if you enjoy traditional Indian curry and are ever in Birmingham, I will advise you on where to eat.

[ionlife]

We're heading down from the DC area which is very diverse. I have learned how to cook Indian food dishes from my wonderful neighbor and was given the opportunity to dress in the traditional clothing when we ate our meal. I think most people in the Hville/Madison area are like us--transplanted and open minded because of interesting experiences like the ones we have here--international nights in our Elem schools have all cultures and races represented and it is a pretty even mix. That's one thing I didn't want to miss about going south, but it sounds like I will still be able to enjoy a diverse area and all the good things that brings to the community (like interesting places to eat!)... Also, someone mentioned a large Lebanese community in Birmingham--any Lebanese restaurants there? We love that food!!!