what to expect in Alexandria, LA? (Baton Rouge, Lafayette: house, neighborhood, school)

[JetFuel36]

My husband and I are early 30s, married, with a non school age child. My husband is considering a job in the Alexandria area. I know it's a pretty small town and I am thinking I might be ok with that. I do have a small concern (or big concern?) We are an interracial couple. My husband is black, I am white and our baby is mixed. will we get just a few looks? couple mean comments? or will it be hard for someone to even accept an offer on a house from us, in a well to do neighborhood? what will school life be like for my child in the future? I don't want to offend anyone with my questions, please don't take it the wrong way.

[Innotech]

Louisiana is chock full of interracial couples.

[annie_himself]

You will be fine. We do have lots of interracial couples here. Even I dated a few white girls.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

The Alex metropolitan area is over 250, 000 people, not exactly small.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

The Alex metropolitan area is over 250, 000 people, not exactly small.

That is pretty small. I consider Baton Rouge small at over 800,000 people.

[009811]

Originally Posted by JetFuel36

My husband and I are early 30s, married, with a non school age child. My husband is considering a job in the Alexandria area. I know it's a pretty small town and I am thinking I might be ok with that. I do have a small concern (or big concern?) We are an interracial couple. My husband is black, I am white and our baby is mixed. will we get just a few looks? couple mean comments? or will it be hard for someone to even accept an offer on a house from us, in a well to do neighborhood? what will school life be like for my child in the future? I don't want to offend anyone with my questions, please don't take it the wrong way.

You family will be fine in Louisiana for interracial marriage.

But seriously, if your husband cannot get a promotion or a management level job (like a managmenet job in GE plant), I recommend you looking for somewhere else (I assume you locate at Southeast Ohio in the profile). Alexandria will be a very very boring town and it is hard to get another job in somewhere else. Everything is small.

[Roboturner913]

I grew up in Alexandria and miss it terribly. I would agree with others in that it's not the easiest town to find a good career.

I am biased but I think Alexandria is the perfect mix of small town and big town. There are plenty of things to do and see but you don't get the insane traffic snarl of a town like Lafayette. Cost of living is surprisingly high, though, and some areas are crime-ridden.

Look at Pineville across the Red River for a nice alternative.

Plenty of interracial couples in the area. Alexandria is roughly 50% white, 50% black, so you can do the math on the way that goes. I know the South in general gets this whole rep for racism but I've lived in Illinois and Indiana for the last 5 years and I've heard way more blatant racism in that time than I ever heard growing up in Central La.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Roboturner913

I grew up in Alexandria and miss it terribly. I would agree with others in that it's not the easiest town to find a good career.

I am biased but I think Alexandria is the perfect mix of small town and big town. There are plenty of things to do and see but you don't get the insane traffic snarl of a town like Lafayette. Cost of living is surprisingly high, though, and some areas are crime-ridden.

Look at Pineville across the Red River for a nice alternative.

Plenty of interracial couples in the area. Alexandria is roughly 50% white, 50% black, so you can do the math on the way that goes. I know the South in general gets this whole rep for racism but I've lived in Illinois and Indiana for the last 5 years and I've heard way more blatant racism in that time than I ever heard growing up in Central La.

That's a very subjective statement. My head would explode if I had to live there.

[Forummer]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

That is pretty small. I consider Baton Rouge small at over 800,000 people.

That's crazy talk. Anything with a number close to one million is not small!

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Forummer

That's crazy talk. Anything with a number close to one million is not small!

When compared to other cities it can be called small. After living in Houston, which is over 6 million people, it does seem small.