Looking for best metro area for European-Americans (Atlanta, Alpharetta: mover, home)

[SouthAfricanMover]

My wife and I are currently living in Johannesburg. South Africa has really gotten out of control in the last 15 years and we are leaving. My wife got a job in Atlanta, so we are moving there! I am just wondering the best place for a European-American to live, as we would prefer an area that is mostly European-American. Thanks so much.

[kaday]

Atlanta is a very mixed bag. You won't find any communities that are primarily Europeans. The question is a little strange. Are you looking for areas with people of European descent (white)?

[George Chong]

Agreed, Atlanta is a melting pot of people from all over. I can tell you about a restaurant that will keep you connected to South Africa.

10 DEGREES SOUTH::::SOUTH AFRICAN CUISINE::::

I would try to look for a home close to your work.

[SouthAfricanMover]

Originally Posted by kaday

Atlanta is a very mixed bag. You won't find any communities that are primarily Europeans. The question is a little strange. Are you looking for areas with people of European descent (white)?

Yes. Sorry it is confusing. I just see everyone on American forums saying African-Americans so I thought this was used in common American English to identify white people too! Im sorry. I feel like such a foreigner!

Yes, just wonering where most of the whites in Atlanta live?

[ramblinwreck17]

We probably need to know where you guys are working, whether or not you have kids, whether you like city life or something more low key etc etc.

[nature's message]

I agree with kaday. Atlanta is pretty mixed. However, you'll see a lot of the white's in the northern part of Atlanta and northern suburbs.

[amd1588]

Maybe you should move out to Forsyth County, Cherokee, or East Cobb to be around "whites".

[Tdiddy0027]

just a cultural tip: it's no longer socially acceptable in the US to publicly announce any desire to stay away from those that aren't your race. Granted, people still do it- that's why there are majority white, black, hispanic, asian areas of a city- but asking to live in a white area paintsn a picture of racism and discrimination that most people will fault you for. I don't know if you've ever lived in the US before, but our race relations are tricky here, maybe even trickier than they are in South Africa. Don't be surprised if your comments are taken the wrong way.

PS: There are actually some very nice areas of metro Atlanta that are racially mixed or even majority black! Check them out as well

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by SouthAfricanMover

Yes. Sorry it is confusing. I just see everyone on American forums saying African-Americans so I thought this was used in common American English to identify white people too! Im sorry. I feel like such a foreigner!

Yes, just wonering where most of the whites in Atlanta live?

You're stepping into a mine field here. Be careful!

No, as you well know, different cultures have different taboos about referring to these things. And being from South Africa I'm sure you've got stories and experiences to stack up against any American. You'll learn as you get further into this.

Americans typically have indirect ways of getting at the same thing here, being very uncomfortable openly admitting they want to live near (or think they should live near) people mainly of the same race. Generally it's taboo for Americans to claim membership to the group of 'European' descendents per se. Maybe for specific historical reasons, Americans simply think in terms of 'white' and 'black' (or African American).

But you'll get a sense of these as you explore more.

Good luck.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by Tdiddy0027

just a cultural tip: it's no longer socially acceptable in the US to publicly announce any desire to stay away from those that aren't your race. Granted, people still do it- that's why there are majority white, black, hispanic, asian areas of a city- but asking to live in a white area paintsn a picture of racism and discrimination that most people will fault you for.

However, since we regularly have had people coming in asking where nice majority-black areas are, or majority-Asian, or majority-Jewish, etc etc.. we DO allow the "majority-white" question, so long as it is asked in a nice way, without racist overtones. As was the case with the original post, so, no problems.

But yes, America is a vastly large country, and attitudes about how people discuss race openly vary greatly by region from the "hush - we don't talk about that" in the Pacific Northwest, to daily conversations about it in the deep South, to everything in-between. Just remember, it's not necessarily what you say, it's HOW you say it here. The freedoms we have here allow you to seek out a very mixed community if you wish to enrich yourself into a variety of cultures, or, to seek out a more homogeneous area and just "visit" those areas - whichever you are more comfortable with.

Areas to look at depending on where you find a job, as you'll find you want to live as close to work as possible due to our traffic:

North of the City: Alpharetta, John's Creek
NorthEast of the City: Suwanee (suburban yuppie-somewhat)
NorthWest of the City: Kennesaw (upper-middle income somewhat multi-cultural in some areas, white yuppie in others)
South of the City: Peachtree City