Questions about El Paso (offices, education, work)

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by lalo2378

i myself have wondered the same thing, but and no offense to anyone here but how does the military treat mexican nacionals? i know that el paso has a military base near the city. does that hinder or help race relations in the city?

Being a border town has a bigger impact on El Paso than Ft Bliss does. If anything, the question is how do Mexicans treat military personal. For the most part, everyone gets along great. Even with the massive expansion to Ft Bliss, El Paso will never be strictly a military town. The military will be welcomed with open arms and accepted in every part of town but they wont be the majority here.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by MeeptJeep

Haha! Walk across the bridge if you can. If you're driving you could be waiting for hours! Especially if its around times that work starts (morning rush hour) or gets out (afternoon).

I would say yes, it is dangerous to go over to Juarez although I know people that cross back and forth everyday for work or family. So I guess I would say its a matter of opinion. Honestly if you don't have work or family over in Juarez there is probably no reason to cross the border. All the shopping you need is in EP. Check out downtown on the weekends. You'll feel like you're in Mexico. Great shopping, great prices and tons of people out enjoying the day.

I was a small town, white girl from MN that moved to EP. I went through my culture shock phase as I had never lived in a racially/culturally mixed city. But I got over it quick! The people and the mexican culture are amazing! They take you in with open arms! I didn't know a lick of spanish when I moved there. But from working daily with spanish speaking individuals I found I was quickly picking up the dialect. It was a great experience. EP will always have a special place in my heart. Go for it. You'll love it!

The only thing - El Paso is actually quite homogenous racially/culturally compared with most other cities. 82% of the population is one culture/race which predominates. Something like 3% blacks, fewer Asians and Middle Easterners and the rest are a very few other white ethnic backgrounds. That's not exactly diverse or mixed. Every place else I've lived has far more diversity, far more variety and mix.

[mistabinks]

I wonder why it is not an issue when a city or town is 80% or more white yet some people have a problem with El Paso being predominantly Hispanic?

[malamute]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

I wonder why it is not an issue when a city or town is 80% or more white yet some people have a problem with El Paso being predominantly Hispanic?

El Paso is 82% Mexican heritage, there isn't a large city in the USA that is 82% Polish, 82% Italian, 82% Irish or 82% Haitian. El Paso is about the least diverse when you get right down to what ethnic diversity means but within 18% of the people here, yes there is some good diversity.

Lumping all "whites" into one group and denying all other heritages is one of the problems here. Not that I'm into ethnic heritage in the first place because I think everyone who lives in this great country should want to become American and speak the language of this country. If someone is really hung up on the old country and their particular ethnicity, then they should go back and I'd say that to someone from any country.

It's just that whenever someone praises El Paso for it's diversity and variety and mix, you have to wonder how they can consider 82% pure anything to be some kind of mix or diversity. It's like saying Chinatown in San Francisco is a ethnically diverse, mixed town.

[mistabinks]

I consider El Paso to be diverse because EP is far ahead of the curve as far as integration. We can pick any number we want regarding the percentage of Hispanics in El Paso. Your point about Whites actually makes my point here.

Just becase someone in El Paso is Hispanic does not mean both of their parents are Hispanics from Mexico. Not every Hispanic is new to America and fresh from Mexico. There are a lot of Hispanics in El Paso with only one Hispanic parent.

Just as you said, lumping all Hispanics into one group and denying all other heritages is a problem. It works both ways.

[madonnifyme]

your concern should be whether or not you feel comfortable in an area that is stagnant compared to other cities. The public transit system is a disaster, recycling is still a novel idea, and having babies is considered a status symbol among the teenagers. It is a large sprawling town with an ancient mindset. I've had friends who worked as nurses here (who worked in Hawaii and DC before moving here) who told me "Promise me you'll never have your baby in El Paso". That's how behind they are as far as using technology etc. The sad thing is that it is like the Emperor's New Clothes--no one in the govt here seems to bring attention to the fact that EP is in the dark ages...

[madonnifyme]

But, to be fair, most of the people are really nice, the food is great, and the weather is just fantastic!!!

[malamute]

Now I would have to disagree with some of that - I don't think it's so backward here that you shouldn't have a baby here, El Paso doctors can definitely handle childbirth and C-sections, postnatal care. Maybe not liver transplants but technology here is not all that bad.

The public transportation is not worse or better than cities of similar size -- but we don't match NY City or Chicago. One problem here is that once people get a car, they never want to ride a bus or walk again, and most people here have managed to get a car.

I think the people here are nice enough but people everywhere seem pretty nice. Some places have friendlier people, some places have less friendly people. The food is great as long as you are craving Mexican food, otherwise it's so-so.

Yes the weather is fantastic - but this weather is a bit hotter than usual. I'll be glad to see it in the 90's where it should be again.

[Caltep]

Wonder if all of the Planned Parenthood offices closing will impact the teen pregnancy rate. I wondered about the teen pregnancy thing. Maybe I was not aware of it anywhere else, but I did notice this among the young folks here. I have met several students at UTEP who have stopped because they had a child in their 18-21 age range and stay out for 1 or more years..many times while they are out, they have one or two more. These are young people who are a little more intelligent, driven, and informed so I am amazed at how many still become pregnant and disrupt their education because of this. But, it does not see so tramautic here. Maybe it's because of the observation you made in your post...a source of pride.

Originally Posted by madonnifyme

your concern should be whether or not you feel comfortable in an area that is stagnant compared to other cities. The public transit system is a disaster, recycling is still a novel idea, and having babies is considered a status symbol among the teenagers. It is a large sprawling town with an ancient mindset. I've had friends who worked as nurses here (who worked in Hawaii and DC before moving here) who told me "Promise me you'll never have your baby in El Paso". That's how behind they are as far as using technology etc. The sad thing is that it is like the Emperor's New Clothes--no one in the govt here seems to bring attention to the fact that EP is in the dark ages...

[lipbalm]

Originally Posted by Caltep

Wonder if all of the Planned Parenthood offices closing will impact the teen pregnancy rate. I wondered about the teen pregnancy thing. Maybe I was not aware of it anywhere else, but I did notice this among the young folks here. I have met several students at UTEP who have stopped because they had a child in their 18-21 age range and stay out for 1 or more years..many times while they are out, they have one or two more. These are young people who are a little more intelligent, driven, and informed so I am amazed at how many still become pregnant and disrupt their education because of this. But, it does not see so tramautic here. Maybe it's because of the observation you made in your post...a source of pride.

Not so much pride as it is low expectations. I hope this mindset changes for the better.