Somplace in ID....cultural diversity/africans? (Boise: house, public schools, university)

[Snapaholics]

Hi there, I am restless in California after a lifetime here (well, most of 38 yrs) and would love to explore other areas wit ha lot of beauty.

My main issue is that i have an adopted Haitian daughter. I want her to grow up at least SEEING other black people around. I know there will always be some everywhere, but seeing one on the street once in a while is not enough. I want the tolerance, too. I have never had one nasty comment here in northern Cal, being the white mom of a black daughter. I don't want to start getting any!

I would love to have "a room with a view" and have a nice funky downtown area to go have coffee outside, someplace where you sit out at a cafe and look around you and people watch and see the mountains surrounding you, and lots of trees, and sigh and think "ahhhhh....this place is cool" i know this all sounds stupid, but i am playing the subdivision rat race out here, waiting for some commercial to come to our subdivision so that hopefully the home values go up and i don't lose my shirt on my newly built house. it's pretty flat here north of Sac and I miss the mountains. I dont mind conservativism but need tolerance. i am mostly a homebody but would love to be able to go see a concert sometims....maybe some flamenco dancing or a kids' musical. good schools.....not TOO much snow on the ground.....anyone get my gist? where would i look? i'd love to find a house for not more than 275 or 300 k

steph

[Sage of Sagle]

I don't see anything in North Idaho that would fit your needs. Tolerance, yes. Actual diversity by numbers, no. If you moved here, 99% of your daughters friends and schoolmates will be white.

[cleosmom]

I'm not seeing it here in SE Idaho either. Don't get me wrong, we have some cultural diversity and are getting more and more all the time, but certainly not in the numbers you're used to living north of Sac.

However, I do wish you the best in finding your dream place

[Torrie]

Boise could be the most diversely populated area in the state, but I say that based on the fact that we have the largest population not that we are as diverse as what you might be looking for. Here are some statistics for you to look at:

http://www.cityofboise.org/Departmen...Population.pdf

We have a family in our subdivision that is a mixed couple- their daughter is african american and they seem to be just fine here. I believe that they've been in the neighborhod for around 8 years. Very nice people. I think you're family would be just fine here, but obviously from the statistics it might not be diverse enough for what you're looking for.

[Sandpointian]

1. Beauty? Here, you'll get far more on a daily basis.
2. KC is 96% White (2005 #s), although a fairly diverse group of Whites
3. Tolerance: Here the term is defined far differently. Your daughter will be different, exotic, and novel. In many parts of the US, this defintion is tantamount to racism...which is of course ludicrous. But the people here are very friendly. Zero nasty comments? Not only is that impossible to promise, it is not perhaps desired. The real world can get nasty. Expecting a Normal Rockwell world would not be how I would want my daughter to go through life.
BTW, not having any nasty comments in NorCal is very lucky. Stay longer and the ignorant will surface. All other cities I mention here have far more racism than CDA and NID. Why? They are major cities with institutionalized racism. Here in CDA, such issues simply do not exist. While there are racists out here, the racism we see here does not have the historical component that is so devastating elsewhere. Look at Boise, it is handling great increases in minorities quite well.
4. Room with View. Seattle? SF? NYC? Boston? Europe? College Towns? CDA has a bit of that and will get more with Riverstone. $275K-$300k? Surely you jest. You could not get that in any city named above, though CDA beings you close. West Seattle is nice. But need $450K+.
5. Flamenco? Go to Sevilla. You will not see it in California except at special fairs or restaurants. Why bother? Save up and go to Andalucia every now and then!
6. Good schools? Hmm...public schools in NYC are horrible, as they are in Boston and SF. Great public schools are in the affluent burbs where you need $800K to $1.5m depending on location. Schools here are not bad...though without the very high end stuff.

Bottom line, and take no offense, but I would start doing a lot of traveling to see the US. If you have such a background you will see that the world you seek does not exist...anywhere. In some places, you have to up the ante to $1m homes. In others, the culture does not exist. Still in others, they are devoid of natural beauty. In all honesty, the closest match you can find is...Europe, where racism is rife but closer to the vest.

CDA is a small city of 40K. The County is 131K. Ain;t very big. However, IMHO, very tolerant and independent. Not a place if you expect and demand allowances for yourself. Beautiful and with housing within your price range. Do not expect Sidewalk cafes, although the area's sophistication will surprise you.

Best of luck.

[FunkyPioneer]

I really don't see a lot a of cultrual diversity were we live either and we're in a college town. I have seen a total of three people of different cultural back grounds here and thats if you count the couple who own the Chinese joint. I don't think you have to worry about tollerence though.

[mortgageboss]

It sounds like your best bet would be Boise, but I dont know if you'll find everything on your wish list. The university also provides a cultural aspect that you might find useful.
I've lived here 6 years and wouldnt consider anyplace else.