How do people in Oregon feel about immigrants in general? (Portland: rent, insurance)

[alexxiz]

Honest question... I'm an immigrant from Eastern Europe of 15 years--still have very thick accent when I speak (having facial paralysis doesn't help here). I wonder would I feel "different" and not accepted in Oregon? I visited OR on two occasions. I LOVE Oregon... I met wonderful people in OR, people I loved to be around--all of them weren't native Oregonians though, but rather students who moved from Midwest or South, mostly. (I couldn't meet one "native Oregonian" at all--everyone seemed to be from somewhere else!) I did notice lack of ethnic diversity and immigrants (I am used to very ethnically diverse cities, such as NYC, LA and SF, where I lived most of my life). Wonder about facing possible discrimination at work/hiring if I moved to OR, to Portland specifically...and would I feel some kind of glass ceiling eventually. I want honest answer, hopefully from someone who's similar to myself, who had immigrated to the US and moved to OR.

[jjpop]

I'm not an eastern European (although my ancestry is), so I don't have first-hand experience. But I don't think it would be an issue. I work with 2 women from eastern Europe. Additionally, my son goes to school with a kid whose parents emigrated from the Czech Republic, both of whom are gainfully employed and doing quite well. Each of these individuals has an accent, and it hasn't appeared to hinder them career-wise.

[alexxiz]

Whenever I'm in OR, I got a weird feeling that I'm back to E. Europe --vegetation/weather gives me this feeling I guess... and people, perhaps. Sometimes I look at someone and--gasp....they look like they came straight from "home". Where I came from, there were no ethnic diversity at all, and everyone was of the same race and ethnicity--"outsiders" got and are still getting a very tough time there... I guess I'm drawing parallels in my mind whenever I think about this.

[Minervah]

My grandparents came from Lithuania and Latvia.

I recently worked for a large insurance company in Portland that had many Eastern European employees. Some had accents but all spoke English well. Jobs are not all that plentiful for anyone but I really do not believe your ethnic background will be a problem. It will have more to do with what your skills are than anything else.

And you will probably not have a problem with people accepting your background as far as being friendly goes.

[Silverfall]

Oregon has a large Ukrainian/Russian population and many have thick accents. I don't see you having any issues here.

[TechmanOR]

There's a vast difference between legal and illegal aliens, akin to guests of your house vs intruders.

I think guests are fine. Intruders are not. Illegal aliens ought to be captured and deported as you would to intruders of your house.

[Hawk J]

Bro, i grew up as an Army brat, fortunately living in many beautiful states fer a year or two.I have friends from all over. I also had a wonderful time living three years by Mannheim, Germany. Have many great happy memories.

Travelled to many american high schools in germany, playing different school sports. Got to see many parts of Germany, Austria, Italy.


Welcome to Oregon.

[alexxiz]

I don't think of myself as a "guest" here--I'm no more of a guest than any other American visiting Oregon. Had been speaking to an American Indian recently who feels that almost all who live here are "illegal immigrants" ;X. Assumptions are a dangerous thing. In my professional field, engineering, most people speak with accent anyway, so I shouldn't worry I guess, unless I want to take up teaching English Lit... Yeah, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Poland.. those are places from childhood; who could think of ending up here... I had no trouble meeting new people in the Northwest and found people to be very social, open and talkative... Portland seemed like good parts of NYC before total gentrification, huh. I could imagine "native Oregonians" being a little overwhelmed with everyone trying to come, buy property, etc--land prices and rent obviously had been driven up, but that's another topic.

[Nell Plotts]

All but the Native Americans are immigrants if you just peal back a couple generations (although many ignore this reality) and I agree that the European settlers where, effectively, illegals from the POV of the folks who lived here earlier.

I don't think many Oregonians give a hoot although undocumented residents are a concern of many.

[TechmanOR]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

I don't think many Oregonians give a hoot although undocumented residents are a concern of many.

There are many groups of many. One of such being family members of illegal aliens and there are enough of them to make up the loose definition of many.

You're right; many don't, but many do as well. I for one, do give a hoot. I think they've ought to be charged with felony, finger printed and DNA cataloged and deported. The anchor baby's citizenship should be revoked as well as soon as the scandal is uncovered.