Iranian-American moving to CDA? (Boise, Coeur d'Alene: house, college, to live in)

[LionFamily]

Originally Posted by Shaner

Another one of these posts, I just dont get it.

Word.

I'm always tempted to respond, "Well, once you get used to the mandatory Klan meetings and cross-burnings, it's really quite nice."

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

Shoot, when I give directions to my place, I say, "When you hear banjos, go another 10 miles". In my experience the smaller and more remote the town, the more welcoming and inviting the people are. The CDA area is still nice, but it's growing to the point that it feels like most any other mid-sized city-sterile and impersonal.

If you can hear banjos, you've arrived at my place. There's always a banjoist or two hanging out in my place.

Welcome! Come in, sit down and let me play you some new tunes! Don't mind what your mamma said about banjo players and fiddlers. We really aren't in league with the devil, except if you hate the sound of the banjo.

Despite their reputation, banjo players are actually some of the most sociable musicians there are. We have to be because there are so few of us.

We are like musical commandos- always surrounded and outnumbered by guitar pickers. And we like it that way.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Originally Posted by americannomad

........... I just want to know if being Iranian-American would make me...I don't know, discriminated against? ...........

Just mild curiosity, because I don't really care a whole lot, but just how does anyone know that you are Iranian-American? Do you stick out your hand when you first meet people and day "Hi. I am Americannomad and I am a Persian from Iran."?

Because otherwise, why would anyone know you are Persian and not Greek, or Jewish, or Italian, or East Indian, or Cherokee-black Irish?

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by banjomike

If you can hear banjos, you've arrived at my place. There's always a banjoist or two hanging out in my place.

Welcome! Come in, sit down and let me play you some new tunes! Don't mind what your mamma said about banjo players and fiddlers. We really aren't in league with the devil, except if you hate the sound of the banjo.

Despite their reputation, banjo players are actually some of the most sociable musicians there are. We have to be because there are so few of us.

We are like musical commandos- always surrounded and outnumbered by guitar pickers. And we like it that way.

Have you ever been in Yellowpine? It's one of my favorite towns in the state-probably 30 miles from the nearest paved road. The people are very friendly (I think some of that comes from the desperation of having someone different to talk to!). I've been there a couple times, once the day of the big harmonica festival. Unfortunately we had a lot of miles to put on and couldn't stay, need to get back again.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

Have you ever been in Yellowpine? It's one of my favorite towns in the state-probably 30 miles from the nearest paved road. The people are very friendly (I think some of that comes from the desperation of having someone different to talk to!). I've been there a couple times, once the day of the big harmonica festival. Unfortunately we had a lot of miles to put on and couldn't stay, need to get back again.

No. I've known about it forever, but I've never attended.

The harmonica is one of my favorite instruments; I carry one around in the jockey box of my car, and like to use it while stuck in traffic or something as a way to pass the time.

I'm not good on them, but there's nothing better to hear than someone who is good. I'm a huge fan of Toots Thielmans, who recently passed on at age 91. Toots played on a lot of sound tracks and in commercials, and played as a sideman for just about everyone who ever used a harmonica on a record. He also made a lot of jazz recordings on his own, playing both the harmonica and the guitar, until he had a stroke in the 1990s.

That ended his guitar playing, and slowed his abilities on the harmonica, but he sounded just as good on slow songs as fast ones, and his later recordings are just as good as his early stuff. He was a very emotional player and really used his instrument to get a poignancy from it that few can get, but is the essence of the harmonica. He could play killer blues, but really shined on the old jazz standards the best of all.

Great road music. If you haven't heard him, check him out. He played a lot with everyone from Paul Simon to all the cats from NYC, so his stuff is very easy to find. One of his most famous tracks was the theme from Midnight Cowboy.

Now you have me thinking of hitting Yellow Pine this year! Some really good players show up there.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

https://www.facebook.com/events/1202544076477152/

http://www.yellowpinefestival.org/news

I should make a trip down there. Love that country, some great riding in the area.

[Syringaloid]

So, how is americannomad doing? No response thus far......

[Sandpointian]

Originally Posted by americannomad

Hello everyone!

This is my first post on ANY City-Data forum so I'm not quite sure how to do this but we'll see how it goes I guess

I was born and raised on Whidbey Island, WA. I've lived here all 18 years of my life, and it's SMALL. My graduating class had 120 kids, max. Everyone knows everyone around here, to the point where every time I go to the grocery store I see a friend, a friend's parent, a friend of a friend, or someone's aunt/uncle/cousin/grandparent. You get my drift. So, I'm moving to Coeur d'Alene on Saturday to start school at NIC, and I couldn't be more excited to move to such an amazingly beautiful part of the country.

One thing that I'm sort of concerned about is the fact that of ALL ethnic origins, I'm a middle eastern girl (Persian, to be more specific). Don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of my heritage. But in a time where every news story seems to involve ISIS, terrorism, just bad things commonly associated with the middle east, and keeping in mind that Idaho is historically a red state, would I be safe? I know that Northern Idaho has little to no racial diversity, but I'm used to that, having grown up in a place where about 90% of the population is white.

I have visited the area many times and I love everything about it - people, scenery, and all. I think I picked NIC out of all colleges because of the fact that I wasn't ready for a small town to "big city" transition. Nothing will stop me from making the move, and I know that this is probably a very stupid question, I just want to know if being Iranian-American would make me...I don't know, discriminated against? Idahoans are great people, I love y'all to death, I'm just aware of the fact that there are some bad apples everywhere so in my defense, I'm being cautious.

God bless!

-americannomad

feel free to message me at anytime if any part of your move leaves you feeling at odds with being accepted.

S.

[americannomad]

Hi guys! I'm alive. Sorry I haven't been able to individually respond to every single one of you, but I have been in CDA for three weeks now. I've been settling in, with school going on and such, so I have had very limited social media time! Anyways, I am adapting to Northern Idaho very well. The 10 degree lows we had on the week of the 8th were kind of a...harsh welcome for someone who's used to it being 50 and rainy all the time, but I enjoy weather in the 30s and snowy, being an avid skier and all. Thankfully, I brought about 5 Carhartts.
As soon as I moved here, I realized I had nothing to worry about as far as the whole race thing goes. People are usually curious when they first meet me, as there's not a lot of diversity up here, but it's not out of negativity. I have made lots of wonderful friends in only a few weeks. Y'all really aren't lying when you say that some of the best people in the world live up here. Idahoans are a bunch of cool cats.

[americannomad]

banjomike: That's funny, because I actually play several instruments INCLUDING the banjo! I grew up in a very musical household. We had 15 acres, and we'd host these massive gatherings with people just playing music and having a great time.

oregonwoodsmoke: I have a very, very unusual name. It's one of those names that upon hearing it you immediately think "huh." So when introducing myself, that topic usually comes up