Are people friendly where you live? (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne: amusement parks, condo, how much)

[deathdragon111]

don't go to sullivan or vigo county

[VillageLife]

A while ago,I asked about if there were any asians living there,I ddin't get any response. I have a friend that wants to move there,she has 1 child.She thinks it's more conservatave and good for the family.

[domergurl]

You can always check out the demographics at the mothership, www.city-data.com

[cottom]

Originally Posted by mjcten

Tell me where the most friendly people in Indiana are.Where do people just say hi and wave to one another.Kind and caring people.People on a more personal level.Any place like this around?If so please tell me of it!Thanks to all.

I have always lived by a saying of my grandfather; something I think is from the Bible. "He who has friends must be friendly first."

The friendliest people in Indiana that I know of are our Amish/Mennonite folks. Kind, gentle, never in a rush, always ready to help, in fact, they make me rather envious of their lifestyle.

[cottom]

Originally Posted by dragonten

A while ago,I asked about if there were any asians living there,I ddin't get any response. I have a friend that wants to move there,she has 1 child.She thinks it's more conservatave and good for the family.

An Asian family just purchased a new 2-story home across the street from me, their parents stay the summers, returning to California in the winter. The couple has a small business and does quite well here in Terre Haute.

[VillageLife]

Thank for the respose! She wants her kids to be brought up right!

[ChickeyDuck]

Originally Posted by syntaxburn

Ive lived in Monroe County all my life and have had extensive experience in the rural aspects of south-central indiana. There is what I call "country etiquette", where you dont wave at a passing truck, you just briefly raise your fingers from the wheel of your vehicle..its that sort of thing that pervades. Hoosier hospitality is witnessed when your truck breaks down on the side of the road, or if you knock on a strangers door to use their phone..people help you almost without question in those situations...but like domegirl said, folks arent giddy with pleasantries just for the sake of it. A poster added that some small towns are "clanish:, which is a pretty outrageous statement imo..yes, southern indiana has its southern-style culture with rebel flags fairly common on truck antenna's and such, but it is no different than any other homogenous society in the world in that they cling to some sort of singular identity which is palpable and real..outsiders generally feel crapped on because there are so few other cultures represented, not because they are not welcome, but because they dont have a history in the region..Like I said, if you know how to operate within the culture, you will not have any problems, but if you insist on turning everyone on to some outside ideal, then you will not be very welcomed..thats not to say you cannot practice your own life style, but just dont expect to garner friendships in the field of 16th century british literature if you arent willing to learn how to bait and hook a chicken liver when catfishing...a little give and take..if you show even a little interest in local customs or lifestyles (even just for curiosity), the folks will listen to what you have to say as well...

Very well said and accurate, in my opinion!

[Seekeraftertruth]

[quote=domergurl;1179321]You have to keep in mind that most Hoosiers are of German descent. Being the daughter of a German, I was raised that you are not overtly friendly to those you do not know well. Aloof is a good word.

There are also geographic considerations. In very small towns where there aren't many outsiders, i.e., you, your parents and grandparents and beyond have all lived there, there may be some lack of acceptance. I grew up in a small town like that. To this day, even though my parents have lived there since 1969, they are still seen as outsiders ... that's annoying. quote]

In Seymour, the base population is about 50/50 German and Scotch-Irish. In my experience, they aren't aloof. They are shy. Remember the kids in school who were considered snobbish and stand-offish when they just lacked the social skills to overcome their self-consciousness? Same thing. The older generations who didn't travel widely, didn't move, didn't deal with a lot of strangers in strange situations, never developed the ability to mix well. They stayed in their extended family and lifelong friend groupings out of a deep-seated fear of being looked down on. I saw this in TN, too, the apologizing for everything being so ordinary, for being just folks, for being themselves. Although it was what THEY enjoyed, they didn't seriously believe YOU would.

Seymour is terrible for singles. After a certain age most singles leave town. The marrieds go right home from work to their families. They simply prefer to be with their loved ones and spend all their free time with them. It's touching, but it means singles better be good at gardening, reading books, or dining out alone because they are going to have a lot of time on their hands.

The whole demographic is changing before our eyes. Seymour now has a United Nations of immigrants. I personally have taught ESL classes with people from Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Honduras, and Puerto Rico. That is just a fraction of the nationalities one can run across in places like manicure/beauty schools, public schools, and factories. The next generation is much more accepting, less fearful, more sophisticated, less racist. They can stay at home and the world will come to them. They will truly be able to say that some of their best friends are Czech or Russian or Guatemalan. It might even ease up the single problem as people date across ethnic lines. I can see that starting already.

If you want to fit in, volunteer. You will be loved and appreciated and given as much work as you can possibly handle. No pay but lots of perks. If you want a decent wage, lotsa luck! If you want a soul-satisfying adventure with like-minded people, it's all around you for the taking. September 7th is Put Your Nose in a Book day and I'll be reading to preschoolers. I think it will be great fun!

Now...if we could only persuade the Vietnamese to go into restaurant work instead of manicuring...I really did love the eggrolls my student's aunt made for me. What a wonderful cuisine. Sigh.

I recommend the restaurant/store on O'Brien north of Tipton and the railroad tracks called Taco Mix. If you want food the way they make it in Mexico for rock bottom prices, while a big tv blares a Spanish language station in the corner, that's the place to go. (It helps if you know the words for "cheese" or "no cheese.") Personally, I like the Azteca soft taco which has cactus. One of my students took me there and now I take everyone else there. I'm sure the other Mexican restaurants and stores in town are also wonderful but I'm going to loyally patronize this one.

[Ronzou]

Where I live is kind of like that, however it's always mixed. You get the nice people that will look at you smile and say hello. Then you get the people that if you make eye contact with them they glare at you like you've just given them heat ray eyes and are trying to melt them. All in all I would say people are mainly decent in Northeastern Indiana.

[ChickeyDuck]

People are nice in Tippecanoe County