Moving to Chicago (Aurora, Naperville, Rock Island: townhome, neighborhood, school district)

[raina starling]

Originally Posted by Gaylord_Focker

People are comfortable among their own, and this isn't just an Asian thing. But you get the best of both worlds. You get to explore a large city and be insulated among your own folks. And tbh, if I were Indian, I would kind of want to be among my own as well.

The person being addressed happened to be Indian but that is it.

And you would do the same--well, I wouldn't brag much about that. It sounds like you are afraid of differences.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by raina starling

And just because some Americans do the same does not make it a good practice. My mom is technically American but came from overseas and she always was able to make friends from different cultures rather than staying with her own kind. That sort of thing makes no sense unless you have no interest in those who are different than you and just want a carbon copy. Also, some immigrants actually look down on Americans and want nothing to do with them.

Then why are they here anyway ? My reference is real, its way too late to retrace Ellis Island as did my Grandparents in 1907.coming over from Germany in steerage , the low fare ride. Companies like US Steel brought many boatloads over from Poland to work in the mills.The great exodus from Europe from 1860 to 1925 was all about people coming to the new land, the wide open spaces no one in Europe could understand, These people were poor mostly, they did not speak the English , hence they often lived in clusters in the big city, Chicago is the best example , others like my Grandparents moved to the Midwest and became farmers. Till the day She died my Grandmother.never became a US citizen. She felt inferior and seldom left the farm, My Grandfather did everything well, he became a US Citizen early on. Grandma always said : He won't take me to get my citizenship, as she never drove a car....some of that maybe true some may not. Unless you live in a family like mine where we all spoke German in private and on the farms you will never understand , you should try however, its all about American History, we lived it !

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by raina starling

The person being addressed happened to be Indian but that is it.

And you would do the same--well, I wouldn't brag much about that. It sounds like you are afraid of differences.

I'm actually agreeing with the OP. Reread my post please.

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by raina starling

And just because some Americans do the same does not make it a good practice. My mom is technically American but came from overseas and she always was able to make friends from different cultures rather than staying with her own kind. That sort of thing makes no sense unless you have no interest in those who are different than you and just want a carbon copy. Also, some immigrants actually look down on Americans and want nothing to do with them.

It actually makes perfect sense. Let's flip it around and assume that a born and raised American were relocated to India. One of the first things they would do is seek out an area where other Americans were concentrated so they would feel more at home and be surrounded by those that share their language and culture. Nothing wrong with that, it's just human nature...

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

It actually makes perfect sense. Let's flip it around and assume that a born and raised American were relocated to India. One of the first things they would do is seek out an area where other Americans were concentrated so they would feel more at home and be surrounded by those that share their language and culture. Nothing wrong with that, it's just human nature...

That's all I meant as well. If I were a white guy traveling in China or Africa, it may be a good idea to reach out to someone that can relate to you. It's like a security blanket.

[candycarr]

There is a big difference between Naperville and Aurora. Aurora is another extension of the crime ridden city of Chicago. I have family there and they hate it. Stay with Naperville.
You could look on Craigslist but beware of the scammers who try to get your information and get you to send them money online.
YOu could also try coldwellbankeronline.com to find rentals. Although you will probably pay less if you go directly through a landlord and not deal with a realtor since they tend to charge market rents and a landlord with a vacancy will rent to you very quickly.
Either way I would stay far away from Aurora! Too much crime. Keep in mind just because a neighborhood has beautiful houses doesn't mean it is a nice area. Over priced Logan Square is proof of that.
And as far as living amongst your own people, that is your choice, don't let the holier than thou politically correct make you feel bad about it.
And the South Loop sucks especially if you have children. Who wants to pay for parking and pay for private schools since Chicago public schools suck. I live near Park Ridge, still in Chicago but in a neighborhood with one of the few highly rated public schools.
Moving to a new place can be scary especially with children. Be smart about it and be safe. And yes I am aware I am not supposed to start my sentences with and, just want to give the negative trollers something to talk about as they bash others for being honest. Have a great day!

[raina starling]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

It actually makes perfect sense. Let's flip it around and assume that a born and raised American were relocated to India. One of the first things they would do is seek out an area where other Americans were concentrated so they would feel more at home and be surrounded by those that share their language and culture. Nothing wrong with that, it's just human nature...

I never said it was "wrong," but I find that nowadays it seems more common for immigrants to set up shop here and stay with their own kind versus assimilating with the dominant culture. I find that it creates a huge chasm and there is also less incentive to learn English in those who come from countries where they didn't already know it.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by raina starling

I never said it was "wrong," but I find that nowadays it seems more common for immigrants to set up shop here and stay with their own kind versus assimilating with the dominant culture. I find that it creates a huge chasm and there is also less incentive to learn English in those who come from countries where they didn't already know it.

Even today, modern day NYC and Chicago, there is Greektown, Chinatown, etc. This isn't exclusive of any race. WE all do it.


As for your last sentence, do you have empirical data of this Public signs in Singapore, China, Thailand, etc often include English. Now, who is being exclusionary?

The dominant culture here hundreds of years ago were the Indians. Being able to have a Chinatown, or Polish town, etc is what's great about country and if you haven't noticed, many visitors to the ethnic towns are other ethnicities.

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by raina starling

I never said it was "wrong," but I find that nowadays it seems more common for immigrants to set up shop here and stay with their own kind versus assimilating with the dominant culture. I find that it creates a huge chasm and there is also less incentive to learn English in those who come from countries where they didn't already know it.

What's your source for this other than your own opinion? That's not my experience. I don't see any evidence for a change in recent decades in the immigrants I've known from India, the Mideast, Asia, or Latin America. To me, they're no more or less likely to want to live near others from their culture or learn English than the Mexican immigrants in my neighborhood when I was growing up in the 1950s. Most immigrants I've known are not separatists (like for example the Aztlan/La Raza crew). It's just that the separatists tend to get the press.

The first generation tends to stay around their culture because they miss the old country. Less so for the second generation. I've also seen this in the South, where Northern immigrants tend to live near and hang around other Northerners, and seek out food that reminds them of the "Old Country". In fact, Cary, NC is sometimes said to stand for "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees". As others have pointed out, this is just human nature.

By the way, English has been a second language in India for centuries, and Indian immigrants seem to be assimilating rapidly ... There are two Indian-American governers and many Indians involved in state and local politics; see:

List of Indian Americans - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[nana053]

Originally Posted by raina starling

I never said it was "wrong," but I find that nowadays it seems more common for immigrants to set up shop here and stay with their own kind versus assimilating with the dominant culture. I find that it creates a huge chasm and there is also less incentive to learn English in those who come from countries where they didn't already know it.

Most of the Indians who migrate to the US already know English. It's is quite normal though to want to be around others of your own culture at least in the beginning. Others who migrated ahead of you can point you in the right direction for the things you need.

Also, in Chicago, there are certain areas that have Hindu Temples and if you want to worship, you don't have as much choice as Christians do, so that is another reason to congregate with other Indians (if you are Hindu).