Boise Travel Forum

Dear Travel Forum,
Recently i've been reading as much info about Boise Idaho as I can.
I've read many good things about the town and people, yet I've also read some disturbing facts about racism and hate groups.
I'm concerned because I'm a person of color .
I might want to move to Bosie, and feel some concern.

Can anyone offer some REAL advice and helpful information about the city.

What is the feeling of the place, the people, the surroundings?
Will I feel a friendly society or cold shoulder one?

How is the economy and jobs?

I always put my best forward and people like me, so I'm not too worried, though I want as much information as I can get.

I may take a trip out to there first.
my email is annavetla@yahoo.co.uk

or annavetla@gmail.com

Best to All,
Alan

I've lived in Boise for the past ten years or so, and love it. I'm white, but there are some other races here. It's definitely a huge white majority, but because of that, people only think twice when they see someone different, and don't care. Definitely in Boise, and generally in the rest of the state, you'll feel a part of the community and nothing else.
The Boise community is SO friendly. It's great. The economy and jobs are doing well too. After 9/11, it took a hit, of course, but now it's coming back. DirecTV is hiring new people, new small businesses are being created, downtown's being developed at a pretty fast pace, and HP and Micron employ tons of people. Not sure what line of work you're looking into though...
If you're friendly in Boise, and forget you're different than the rest of the Boiseans, you'll do great here.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

Thanks a lot Jeff for your positive feedback about Boise Idaho!

Happy Holidays!
Alan

Hint: If you feel more comfortable calling yourself "person of color" instead of "black" or "black man", then you may not like it, and we may not like you(unless you live in one of the few liberal enclaves). But you may just use those terms because you've been under pressure to.

Idaho blacks are different than the average black. They have to be to not go nuts. Idaho is very conservative, most of us hate PC crap, and we believe in the content of your character, and are annoyed when people use their color as an excuse or to their advantage. We slashed welfare roles by over 70% a few years ago. Everyone has guns, so crime is very low. Drive-by shootings only happen in one town, the one that has the greatest concentration of hispanics, but by california standards, even that town is mellow.

Don't move here and insist on more gov't services and higher taxes. If you like to take care of yourself, and wish everyone would do the same, then Idaho can be a great place with friendly people. Try to turn it into California (or the UK) and they won't be so friendly.

There are more undercover FBI agents pretending to be skinheads than there are skinheads.
In 2000, 19% of Idaho Republicans voted for Alan Keyes in the primary, over Bush. In case you don't know, Alan is very black and very conservative. 90% of us think Jesse Jackson is an a##, and the same amount think Maggie Thatcher has more guts than all the French combined.

Alan, I'm a Brit living in Boise, and I've yet to have anyone walk up to me and say, "You bleedin' English git!" OK, one-liner over, couldn't resist. :o)

"racism and hate groups?"
That is/was northern Idaho Alan. Arayan Nations and all them. That region is at least a 7 hour drive from Boise. Fret ye not.

"What is the feeling of the place?"
Like a big town rather than a city.

"the people?"
Except for the Brits, all very friendly. :o) There is a large Hispanic populous, plus Basque and others. I belong to the Idaho Welsh Society so watch out for us wayward Druids!

"the surroundings?"
Boise sits on the edge of the Snake River Plain [desert], but mountain ranges rise in most directions. The are plenty of mountain communities to escape to for whatever game you play.

"Will I feel a friendly society or cold shoulder one?"
In general, friendly, but there are the 'misguided' in every town as you might guess.

How is the economy and jobs?
I'm self-employed, but if the building boom is any guide it's very healthy depending upon your field of expertise.

All the best!

John