I would like to react to Heide's observation on "less contact - more prejudice".
I was in Upstate New York, across the river from Albany. I was the only
"foreigner" in school. What made it worse, the teachers didn't know what to
do with me. During High School my principal tried to kick me out. I had a
wonderful guidance councilor who talked my parents into letting me stay so I
did graduate and b elieve it or not, I actually went to college and ended up
with a Masters in Education. We were a small group, 75 students. What
didn't help, we moved frequently between '54 and 57. So I was in 5
different school. High school I did in one. Upstate, being so rural, they
had less contact with immigrants. You in New Jersey had more. Heide
Things were much the same in France. Down South they didn't have German occupation as long as in the North but people were real German eaters after the war. Many French prisoners who worked for years on German farms came back there after the war and friendships lasted and still do.
Just at the moment the US authorities seem pretty paranoiac about foreigners. I know an elderly Dutch couple who lived abroad (Africa, Asia) for almost their whole married life. For the last 15 years or so they have lived in France, and for a few months every year, in Florida, where they own a house. Two of their children founded families in the States. - The lady has an illness which is better in Florida, so they tried to live there most of the year, and only came back for two months each year. So they could keep the French National Health cover, go to see her specialist etc. - Since Sept 11th, they can't do that any more. They have to spend at least 6 months outside the US per year. And when they come back, they are never sure to be actually able to get back into the country. Their neighbour, 80 years old, a foreign resident of long standing, was turned back at the airport after an 8 hour flight. - No comment.
Colette
www.llorca.ovh.org