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One reason I want to relocate is ---It seems like the NY metro area belongs to the immigrants. On any given day I'm apt to hear five different languages besides Spanish. I like diversity but when a citizen starts to feel like a foreigner in the midst of a majority immigrant population thats just crazy. Who else out there has felt like this? I know the south is a different culture from the north but in my area it gets difficult to remember what American culture is at all.
Almost all of us are descendants of immigrants. Some were our great-great-great-great grandfathers, others much sooner than that. Don't hate on it... diversity is a great thing.
The abundance of immigrants in the NYC area IS American culture. You'll miss it when you don't have it so near.
Cliche.
America has its own culture. Its not this new nation that was formed here 5 years ago with people from all over the world. A nation without its own unique identity is not a nation. I think the orignal post was alluding to that while she is living in America, there is no assimilation to the American identity. Walking down the street and never hearing your native tongue spoke can be disheartening.
For me, hearing all the foreign languages was exhilerating. What I could not stand was when signage & stuff was beginning to be in one foreign language, it was sort of annoying. It was annoying b/c there seemed to be no wish on the part of that group to become American in any way, which is their right, but then, we were supposed to bend to them. That was a drag. As time went on I was less angry with that group and more angry with the powers that be who created the situation. I felt bad for the people in that particular group b/c we seemed to be giving them a crutch that would really chain them to low level jobs.
For me, hearing all the foreign languages was exhilerating. What I could not stand was when signage & stuff was beginning to be in one foreign language, it was sort of annoying. It was annoying b/c there seemed to be no wish on the part of that group to become American in any way, which is their right, but then, we were supposed to bend to them. That was a drag. As time went on I was less angry with that group and more angry with the powers that be who created the situation. I felt bad for the people in that particular group b/c we seemed to be giving them a crutch that would really chain them to low level jobs.
That is so true! So often our efforts to "help" people backfire, if the help given keeps them from having to learn and grow. Most of the immigrants I know want to learn English, but the desire is not pressing as long as everything they need is available in Spanish.
One reason I want to relocate is ---It seems like the NY metro area belongs to the immigrants. On any given day I'm apt to hear five different languages besides Spanish. I like diversity but when a citizen starts to feel like a foreigner in the midst of a majority immigrant population thats just crazy. Who else out there has felt like this? I know the south is a different culture from the north but in my area it gets difficult to remember what American culture is at all.
I'm actually the opposite. Cultural isolation ( to me) means being with people who speak and believe the same as myself. I speak several languages fluently, and like to interract with people from other countries. I'm looking forward to moving to a diverse area with people from other countries and languages.
I CAN understand how it feels to live in an area where one does not feel is "right". For that reason, I most definitely hope that you find a place that resonates with you, and what you like. Life is too short to live in an area that feels wrong. I wish you all the best in the future!
Robin in Oregon, I can understand what you are saying. I came from Eastern Europe in 1968 at 6 years of age. I learned English in a year. I work with people that Speak Spanish (home-based business), and while they speak English very well, a FEW have some sort of entitlement attitude, where not "enough" is in the Spanish language. So when they start pulling that on me, I just start speaking my native language, because we can all play that game. Then when none of us understand each other, we can go back to speaking English. P.S. I am on the way to learning Spanish; simply for the fact that no matter whether we like it or not, it is a necessary language to learn for business. I am a marketer (former public accountant), and the better I can communicate with people, the better that I do. Take care everyone.
You are certaily not alone!! The trouble is most of the people who are craving less diversity come to a great place,bring their politics with them and change it to exactly like the place they fled from.
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