I read that 300 evacuees are arriving at Dulles every 2 hours, some repatriated Americans and some Afganis. Welcome home!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is many are relocating to this area. Why OP?

I am worried about schools, FCPS specifically. Maybe the number of refugees is not that high, but for the amount of posts asking for donations on my Facebook page and nextdoor, Iam worried about the impact on FCPS resources - class size, ESOL, etc.

If this isn't the northern Virginia suburban mindset in a nutshell. Likely to consider yourself rich and liberal but desperately guarding your slice of the resource pie and viewing any brown person as a threat to your children.

Yep, yep, yep! She is already having nightmares thinking her grandkids might not be lily-white!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is many are relocating to this area. Why OP?

I am worried about schools, FCPS specifically. Maybe the number of refugees is not that high, but for the amount of posts asking for donations on my Facebook page and nextdoor, Iam worried about the impact on FCPS resources - class size, ESOL, etc.

Being brown is not contagious! But, to you, of course, it is, you are already worried about your kids dating and reproducing with brown kids.

How about “who are these thousands of people continuously illegally crossing the southern border that are not vetted what so ever?”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's 100% our fault they are in this mess,

No it isn't. We were there to help them, not the other way around. Because of the US, they got 20 years without the Taliban.

Because of our Cold War they got the Taliban.

I thought it was due to religious zealotry.

Then you need to read up on your history.

Literally the whole middle east is a cesspool of muslim extremism. 80% of egyptians in a survey some years back think that leaving Islam should result in DEATH. Yes DEATH. It only gets worse from there. But yeah, the whole reason the middle east is stuck in the middle ages is because America went in for oil. Sure.

You do know that Egypt is not in Afghanistan, right Christine?

Anonymous wrote:Is there somewhere in Montgomery county that is taking donations of clean, used clothing, household items in great condition? A nonprofit or maybe a house of worship?

Just toss your nasty used sheets already. Funny that you’re mad at Afghan refugees because the organization working to resettle them refused to take your garbage, just like the 10 charities you already tried.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is many are relocating to this area. Why OP?

I am worried about schools, FCPS specifically. Maybe the number of refugees is not that high, but for the amount of posts asking for donations on my Facebook page and nextdoor, Iam worried about the impact on FCPS resources - class size, ESOL, etc.

Oh goodness. Seriously? They are being sent to other locations and most would be a boon to any community — perhaps people like you might discover the act of EMPATHY and COMPASSION

Happy to have them relocate here. Have some compassion. If you want to walk in another person's shoes - specifically refugees such as these (and learn something about our refugee system) please read After the Last Border - Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America by Jessica Goudeau. It's fantastic.

I can't even imagine what it must be like to have lost everything including their homeland. I live in NJ near a base where they have started arriving. I hope I can help in some way. My heart aches for anyone having to live through something like this.

Thanks for the book suggestion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a huge Afghani population that already lives & thrives in Nova. They are more likely to thrive here where they have a long standing community that speaks their languages and can help them navigate US bureaucracy, find jobs, learn English, etc. If you plop them in the middle of rural Nebraska, they will have a very difficult time adapting and assimilating.

It is easier to assimilate if they do not have a huge Afghani population. Then there is less need to learn English or American culture.
A little different for Afghanistan with Taliban banning everything, but you can just watch foreign satellite service TV and read foreign language newspapers while shopping at groceries that cater to your food style.

I have to ask.. how welcoming would the folks in the middle of NE be to a bunch of Afghan refugees who may be Muslims?

Also, as a child of immigrants, I can tell you that it's really hard for older people to eat foods that are completely foreign to them. Do you think they can find food in the middle of NE that fits their Afghani palates? And the local grocery store probably wouldn't carry the same things that Afghanis are used to. I know when my parents came to the US, they found grocery shopping difficult at the local American store. they eventually found a tiny (and I mean tiny) store that catered to that ethnic group.

I recall a movie based on a true story with Tommy Lee Jones playing a Vietnam War vet with his Vietnamese wife whom he brings to the states. His family serve a huge American meal, one that is considered "normal", peas, carrots, mash potatos, and the Vietnamese wife and kid just stare at it, and find it hard to eat.

Imagine if you went to some strange place and had to eat only the local food there. You would find it hard. My white ILs lived in the middle east for a while, and they did all their food shopping at the compound grocery store that sold western goods. They would have found it very difficult to shop at the local grocery store.

This is one of the reasons why the refugee resettlement agencies resettle refugees in groups across the country. They are also provided with community supports the most immigrants don’t have, like a non-proselytizing church or synagogue that sponsors them and makes sure they are set up with stuff they need.
From my experience working with refugee families and immigrant families that I know (including my own grandparents), people who are young (under 20) “assimilate” easily and pretty quickly. That’s not to say that they lose their native culture or that they don’t face discrimination but they usually can blend in with native Americans pretty completely. Old folks (over 60 or so) have a lot of trouble learning a new language, even if they want to, and often have trouble with new foods. That’s usually not a problem because they are old , people make allowances for them, and they can hang out with other old people or help with grandkids. People in middle life 20-60 can have a whole range of experiences—some folks are just good at adapting and learning new things, others just aren’t, as a matter of personality and aptitude. I think it can be hardest for adults that are by nature not adaptable or good with change, who can sometimes become unhappy or resentful, in part because they may struggle to pass the citizenship test or find meaningful employment. But that’s just an observation, not a reason to exclude people that need refuge. I fully admit that if I had to move to a totally different country—even someplace like Germany or Paraguay that isn’t that different—at this stage in my life, I would probably be deeply depressed and I don’t know how well I would adjust.

Anonymous wrote:There’s a huge Afghani population that already lives & thrives in Nova. They are more likely to thrive here where they have a long standing community that speaks their languages and can help them navigate US bureaucracy, find jobs, learn English, etc. If you plop them in the middle of rural Nebraska, they will have a very difficult time adapting and assimilating.

+1

They are likely to be settled in places where there are established Afghani communities, which includes Nova and California (a big group around Sacramento and Fremont).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is many are relocating to this area. Why OP?

I am worried about schools, FCPS specifically. Maybe the number of refugees is not that high, but for the amount of posts asking for donations on my Facebook page and nextdoor, Iam worried about the impact on FCPS resources - class size, ESOL, etc.

ESOL ? I doubt it- after 20 years of US occupation / UN presence I bet every Afghan kid speaks English, German and some French

Don't you travel at all?? You should know this.

That and the fact that - given an opportunity most Afghan kids will be filling the magnet STEM classes in your public

Then you all will be complaining about those Afghan Asians, those Indian Asians, and those Asian Asians being robots and STEM nerds that take up too many slots in AAP and TJ.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is many are relocating to this area. Why OP?

I am worried about schools, FCPS specifically. Maybe the number of refugees is not that high, but for the amount of posts asking for donations on my Facebook page and nextdoor, Iam worried about the impact on FCPS resources - class size, ESOL, etc.

FCPS resources are already strained to the limits.

This influx of non-English speaking school age kids (up to age 21 in some cases) could break the system.

I agree but then you shouldn’t be worrying about this particular group of immigrants. And I’m Latino so yes I am calling my people out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s a huge Afghani population that already lives & thrives in Nova. They are more likely to thrive here where they have a long standing community that speaks their languages and can help them navigate US bureaucracy, find jobs, learn English, etc. If you plop them in the middle of rural Nebraska, they will have a very difficult time adapting and assimilating.

It is easier to assimilate if they do not have a huge Afghani population. Then there is less need to learn English or American culture.
A little different for Afghanistan with Taliban banning everything, but you can just watch foreign satellite service TV and read foreign language newspapers while shopping at groceries that cater to your food style.

I have to ask.. how welcoming would the folks in the middle of NE be to a bunch of Afghan refugees who may be Muslims?

Also, as a child of immigrants, I can tell you that it's really hard for older people to eat foods that are completely foreign to them. Do you think they can find food in the middle of NE that fits their Afghani palates? And the local grocery store probably wouldn't carry the same things that Afghanis are used to. I know when my parents came to the US, they found grocery shopping difficult at the local American store. they eventually found a tiny (and I mean tiny) store that catered to that ethnic group.

I recall a movie based on a true story with Tommy Lee Jones playing a Vietnam War vet with his Vietnamese wife whom he brings to the states. His family serve a huge American meal, one that is considered "normal", peas, carrots, mash potatos, and the Vietnamese wife and kid just stare at it, and find it hard to eat.

Imagine if you went to some strange place and had to eat only the local food there. You would find it hard. My white ILs lived in the middle east for a while, and they did all their food shopping at the compound grocery store that sold western goods. They would have found it very difficult to shop at the local grocery store.

You don't live in Washington. Why are you on this forum ?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is many are relocating to this area. Why OP?

I am worried about schools, FCPS specifically. Maybe the number of refugees is not that high, but for the amount of posts asking for donations on my Facebook page and nextdoor, Iam worried about the impact on FCPS resources - class size, ESOL, etc.

ESOL ? I doubt it- after 20 years of US occupation / UN presence I bet every Afghan kid speaks English, German and some French

Don't you travel at all?? You should know this.

That and the fact that - given an opportunity most Afghan kids will be filling the magnet STEM classes in your public

Anonymous wrote:Those of you calling OP a troll vastly underestimate how UMC parents freak out over the thought of their kids being around poor/non Asian POC. Go read threads in the school forums. The only acceptable public schools are mostly white and Asian UMC ones. Support refugees, BLM, and immigrants? Sure yeah but not in my kids’ school!

Asians are over rated in UMc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's 100% our fault they are in this mess,

No it isn't. We were there to help them, not the other way around. Because of the US, they got 20 years without the Taliban.

Because of our Cold War they got the Taliban.

I thought it was due to religious zealotry.

Then you need to read up on your history.

Literally the whole middle east is a cesspool of muslim extremism. 80% of egyptians in a survey some years back think that leaving Islam should result in DEATH. Yes DEATH. It only gets worse from there. But yeah, the whole reason the middle east is stuck in the middle ages is because America went in for oil. Sure.