by Das Govind

Created on: July 30, 2010   Last Updated: July 31, 2010

Would you move into a neighbourhood if you were the only person of your race living there?

No, I would not move into a neighbourhood if you were the only person of your race living there. I am of Asian descent, and sometimes people of other races have a very limited understanding of Asian people.  Westerners feel that all Asian people are Muslims and are planning to become suicide bombers. This is not all Westerners, but there are many people who feel quite suspicious of all Asian people.

It is important to have a sense of belonging. It is very hard to adjust, and behave like other people who are not of our race. People feel more comfortable when they are closer to people who have the same type of background. Many people like the support that they get from having immediate neighbours. It is not always easy to have the same neighbourly love of a person who is from a very different background as yourself. There is bound to be some kind of a misunderstanding, as many people find it hard to communicate on a deeper level with a person from a different race group.

It is not uncommon to find people of the same races occuping the same neighbourhoods. Most of these people find it easier to relate to one another, and they speak the same language, eat the same food, wear the same clothes, and practise the same religions. These things are quite important to some people, and it makes them feel at home when they have familiar faces to see.

I, personally cannot be near people who cannot understand me. I, prefer to move into a neighbourhood where I am familiar with the way that the people live. Sometimes Asian people like having relatives and friends around. The parties can get quite loud and noisy, and some people of other race groups do not like the noise levels to be too loud after a certain time.  Asian people also like to cook, and they sometimes cook outside on wood when there are large family gatherings taking place. Asian people often have a very close family network, and other race groups may not understand why Asian people live in extended families.

There is nothing wrong with living in a neighbourhood where there is other race groups, but many people need to realize that at some point people do want to be around their own kind, as they tend to relate more to their own race groups.

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