Is Northern VA too ethnically diverse? (Vienna: credit, neighborhoods, pros and cons)

[Weekend Traveler]

Is the DC just to ethnically diverse and broken down into small groups based on ethnic group identification and color?

When I return to visit my family in the medium sized town in the Midwest, I notice that there is some diversity even in the relatively homogeneous towns of the States of Iowa and Minnesota. I give lots of credit to the immigrant trailblazers from a wide variety of countries who were the first people to move to the previously ethnically homogeneous towns.

But I still can't really understand the people here in Northern VA. People are so ethnically and culturally diverse here that what happens is EVERYONE may feel like an outsider. On the street I live on here in Northern VA about seventy percent of the people speak English as a second language. Most struggle with their English and pretty much stick with people from their own country to socialize. None of the neighbors really talk to each other because we are to different. The Koreans do not inteact with the Chinese and the Hispanics do not interact with the Arabs, or the people from Turkey do not interact with the Indians. Each only socializes with people from their own country.

Back where my family lives in the Midwest, the neighborhoods and towns are friendlier if you are a white English speaking person, but less friendly if you are not. Because everyone on the various relatives streets back in the Midwest is a white English speaking person, they talk more and have more social activities. But the immigrants perspective and diversity of ideas are not brought out like here in Northern VA.

What do you think seriously about the immigrant domination of Northern VA?

[horseplayer]

Other than that, how do you like Prince William County?

[michgc]

I for one like it, although I probably wouldn't want to live where I am an ethnic or race minority or where everyone is one thing and I am another. I grew up in a very homogeneous area, too (in Pennsylvania) where 97% or more of the people were white. If a black person came into the neighborhood, one would probably assume it is the cleaning person or someone who shouldn't be there. Here in Vienna, which I'll admit is more homogeneous than other places in NoVA, I wouldn't think twice about someone of color moving next door to me. And while my neighborhood is primarly white, there are plenty of Asians, Middle Easterns, and Hispanics around to make everyone feel comfortable or at least not feel too different. I think my children will grow up to be more tolerant of other races and cultures, much more so than I did. I think that is the beauty of this place. I think there are not many areas in the country that are just like it.

[Weekend Traveler]

I am not looking for a specific point of view but I hope there is not alot of posting saying how wonderful it is that there is so much ethnic diversity in NOVA. That has all been said over and over all over this board. Instead it would be great if there is an intellectual discussion of both the pros and cons of living in an area with incredible social, cultural and ethnic diversity, vs an area like PA where people are more similar. Lets hear the pros as well as the cons.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by michgc

I for one like it, although I probably wouldn't want to live where I am an ethnic or race minority or where everyone is one thing and I am another. I grew up in a very homogeneous area, too (in Pennsylvania) where 97% or more of the people were white. If a black person came into the neighborhood, one would probably assume it is the cleaning person or someone who shouldn't be there. Here in Vienna, which I'll admit is more homogeneous than other places in NoVA, I wouldn't think twice about someone of color moving next door to me. And while my neighborhood is primarly white, there are plenty of Asians, Middle Easterns, and Hispanics around to make everyone feel comfortable or at least not feel too different. I think my children will grow up to be more tolerant of other races and cultures, much more so than I did. I think that is the beauty of this place. I think there are not many areas in the country that are just like it.

I'll echo everything you said. I, too, hail from a very non-diverse area of Pennsylvania, and it has been refreshing to meet so many of different cultures and ethnicities down here. Here in NoVA I've had the pleasure of sampling several delicious ethnic eateries opened by immigrant families, have tried to have a conversation with someone in Spanish, putting my five years of Espanol instruction to good use, and have seen more openly-gay couples than you could shake a stick at. People down here truly embrace the "melting pot." NEPA, on the other hand...

[normie]

Pros:
More interesting to live in a diverse community. Better variety of foods in grocery stores, in fact better variety of all sorts of merchandise. All sorts of different restaurants. Easier to learn foreign languages when you live among people who speak them. The people who live in my neighborhood and who came from another country spend a lot of $$$ while they're here. They tend to be highly educated and interesting to talk with. They know how to do all sorts of things that I don't know (last week the pakistani family down the street got rid of a nest of snakes using whistles--I had never seen that done before but it was extremely effective without using poison).

And the best reason of all.... Bigots see how diverse the culture here is and don't bother moving here. That's great by me!

Cons:
No real cons IMO. I like living in a diverse area.

[normie]

Originally Posted by Weekend Traveler

I am not looking for a specific point of view but I hope there is not alot of posting saying how wonderful it is that there is so much ethnic diversity in NOVA. That has all been said over and over all over this board.

If something has been said over and over, it seems to me the reason is because it's not an issue. What's the point of trying create an issue when none really exists. You find the truth boring so you are deliberately requesting us to say something other than the truth about how we feel? That's dumb. Sorry, I don't feel like playing along just to get you a little excitement.

Wow, you must really be bored if you've got nothing better to do than try to stir a non-existent pot on some internet forum.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by Weekend Traveler

I am not looking for a specific point of view but I hope there is not alot of posting saying how wonderful it is that there is so much ethnic diversity in NOVA. That has all been said over and over all over this board. Instead it would be great if there is an intellectual discussion of both the pros and cons of living in an area with incredible social, cultural and ethnic diversity, vs an area like PA where people are more similar. Lets hear the pros as well as the cons.

Okay, dingler, I mean, Weekend Traveler. I'll bite. (Anyone who wants an explanation DM me.)

Pros: you learn about other parts of the world w/o opening a history book.
Ethnic food.
Immigration brings some of the most beautiful women in the world.

Cons: You are bound to get frustrated with the accents and sometimes lack of english skills.
Immigration brings some of the ugliest women in the world.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by normie

Wow, you must really be bored if you've got nothing better to do than try to stir a non-existent pot on some internet forum.

Let him have at it! The less people who hate ME the better!

[normie]

Originally Posted by Alanboy395

Okay, dingler, I mean, Weekend Traveler. I'll bite. (Anyone who wants an explanation DM me.)

LOL, nothing gets by you. Hey, I like your subtitle--I'll vote for you for Governor, especially if you get our metro rail completed.