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I am considering a really good job opportunity in Nashua, NH but I have a few concerns and I hope you guys can help me out.
I was born and raised outside of the US, but I lived in the US for 10 years and then moved out of the country. I now have a job offer on the table in which the company is willing to give me a very nice raise and will pay for all of my moving expenses. I am of Hispanic origin, although I am a US Citizen, I dealt with a lot of racism during the 10 years I lived in the upper Midwest.
I read forums regarding Nashua, NH and it seems as though there are a lot of racist people in that area, completely blaming all types of crimes in minority groups and some even going as far as saying that they freak out if a "non-white" person even looks at them or says Hello to them.
I personally don't pay too much attention to that sort of thing but things are different now, I now have 2 young children who of course are of Hispanic origin. They have never been exposed to racism or prejudice where we live now but I would be crushed if they come home crying or upset if they feel discriminated against. My wife is Caucasian so there's no issue there but she too is worried that our children (and I) will be treated differently (badly).
I just would like to know if everything that I am reading in online forums is just a small sample and not representative of how people feel about "non-whites". I would be moving somewhere around Nashua, NH, probably within 30-45 miles from Nashua but not in Nashua itself.
There's also the issue of cost of living, Yikes it's expensive to rent a house there!!! I wasn't interested in buying but I may have to because renting is not a good deal there! What's up with those high prices!?
We are fine where we are, we live in the tropics which allows us to be outside year-round and do things like running and going to the beach whether it's July or January. So going back to having to deal with winters would kind of suck. LOL
Keep in mind though that this would be a pretty good job opportunity in which I could truly shine and I do have a couple of friends up there. I am just worried that we would be discriminated against (especially the kids) and not feel "at home" like we do here.
If any.
There is no racism in NH then in any other parts of US.
Cost of living.
NH relies mostly on real estate home house land property tax for most expenses. Therefore houses whether owned or rented tend to cost more then some other parts of country that rely on other types of state taxes.
Inner city whether Nashua, Manchester, Lawrence, or Lowell can have some of the same issues that any inner city has anywhere in US.
So there are not a lot of minorities in NH, flat out- they are just not a lot living here. As for racism though I'd say there is a lot less than many other parts of the country and it's exhibited differently- in particular I'd say that the "type" of racism many folks here may exhibit is almost immediately cancelled out by the appearance/actions of the individual. For example- when there is a crime in the part of town that has more poor Hispanics, you'll get the comments you see. But if a Hispanic guy dressed normally walks into a restaurant- no one would give it a second thought...ie- overall appearance outweighs any stigma associated with the race. To me this is a big departure from the deep seated racism of many locations in the south, west, etc. I hope that makes some sense. As for kids I don't really know how they'd react, I know friends of ours (black) love the schools in Hollis though- I suspect this would mean they haven't had many issues.
As for cost of living- it is high. I would say if you can afford a home in the $275-$400k range you will not be overwhelmed with the cost of living. There are PLENTY of cheaper places to live- but that's just my opinion since you can get a nice (not huge or top of the line, but nice and well cared for) home for that price range. Gas is $3.50/gallon, eggs are $2/dozen, etc...not sure if that helps at all. Nashua, Hollis, Amherst, Merrimack- would all be towns worth looking at. Hollis is the most rural/expensive...Amherst second...but both are very nice towns with great schools. Merrimack is cheaper and has a lot of 1970s era homes- but decent schools/good area as well. Nashua is more of a big town than a city; there are some great suburban development areas, etc. Most of the crime is in one small area of town and even then- much less crime than most places.
So there are not a lot of minorities in NH, flat out- they are just not a lot living here. As for racism though I'd say there is a lot less than many other parts of the country and it's exhibited differently- in particular I'd say that the "type" of racism many folks here may exhibit is almost immediately cancelled out by the appearance/actions of the individual. For example- when there is a crime in the part of town that has more poor Hispanics, you'll get the comments you see. But if a Hispanic guy dressed normally walks into a restaurant- no one would give it a second thought...ie- overall appearance outweighs any stigma associated with the race.
^This post is right on^
I live in fairly dense neighborhood in Nashua. We're white. There are Hispanics, Asians, Africans, Indians all on my block. No big deal. The problems we've had were from some white NY and MA transplants and renters.
The only form of racism I've seen (keep in mind I'm white) is when a bunch of white guys get together and start laughing at racist jokes.
I see this more racist tensions with people that live in cities. I went to school in Lowell, MA and there was a lot of racial tension in school during the 90's.
Rent is high because of supply/demand. A lot of people lost their houses in the crash and are forced to rent. Supply is also limited. Nashua is almost full in terms of land development, though there are plans for apartments in South Nashua and at the new Merrimack Outlets.
I'm interested in what company this job is with. I'd love to find a good paying job with a good company in Nashua but haven't had any luck in 20-years. Most good jobs are in MA. Send me a private msg if you don't mind.
I'm also interested in what online forums you are reading about Nashua.
of course you will racism here in NH, here's a clue..EVERYONE is a racist to a certain degree.. Black, White, Asian. Hispanic..whatever. Most people realize what they are, where their prejudices are at and deal with over coming them.. heck I even hear some folks are prejudiced against long haired toothless old white bikers... mmmmmm
But.. you live in the tropics you say?
.. do you really think you are going to feel at "home" here when those cold Nor'East winds blow up your Bermuda shorts?
But.. you live in the tropics you say?
.. do you really think you are going to feel at "home" here when those cold Nor'East winds blow up your Bermuda shorts?
I strongly suggest a February visit...just to make sure you're ok with the climate.
...based on your lengthy e-mail, you are VERY concerned about this issue.
If you want to live in the 3rd whitest state in America (Maine is the 1st, Vermont is 2nd) , feel free to do so, but you can't live worrying all the time; it'll drive you crazy. You'll start to assume things that just may not be true; for example and to generalize, New Hampshirites can be perceived as cold and unfriendly because they are reserved and keep to themselves and don't strike up a conversation at every passing. This doesn't mean that they are racist or mean, it's just the way they/we are.
Just because one culture/people are outgoing and friendly doesn't mean that is the standard for "niceness" in America. I hated living in South Florida because everybody was too talkative and very touchy-feely with hello kisses all the time. I couldn't stand it, but if that is culturally normal for the area, so be it.... just don't expect others to fit into your definition of "nice" when you move to their part of town.
Maine tops the nation with 96.9 percent of its population described as white, while 96.7 percent of Vermont and 96 percent of New Hampshire are white, according to the census. All three were at least 98 percent white in the 1990 census.
Here is the thing about racism - it's not about them, it's about you. Know who you are, be proud of it and teach your kids the same.
Yes, I am white. Yes, I know very well first hand what it feels like to be discriminated against. Yes, I've dealt with it as a child and a little bit as an adult.
I wasn't born in US, I traveled a lot. I've lived in two other states before moving to NH. One of them was VERY diverse. Guess what? It was much more racist and people were nasty and rude. So far, (I've only been in NH for 2 yrs) people in NH are crazy nice. Not in your face fake-nice, just nice.
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