From all my conversations with people, I feel that Silver Spring, Maryland and Omaha, Nebraska has some of the strongest Nepali communities currently in the States.

In both of those communities, whenever people have found out that new Nepalis have come to the state, they go out of the way to be hospitable to them. I have found both of those communities to be also accepting of Nepalis with different strengths. There are a lot of people in both those States that came in the late 80's, early 90's. So they have had time to mature and be established. Many of these people are now reaching out and giving back to their Nepali communities. I have heard many people who just come to the state speak very positively about both the Nebraska and Maryland.

In terms of job networking and Nepalis reaching out to help someone in need, many people talk about just calling a few members in this community and that people have come to help them. This type of response in a foreign country is invaluable. Instead of being dragged down and judged, getting this type of support from the Nepalese community is a big relief.

Across many years, both of these Nepali communities in Maryland and Nebraska have managed to maintain a unity without engaging in divisive politics. This is admirable and attests to the maturity and broad mindedness of the Nepalese in those communities. I think that Nepali communities across the United States can learn from these healthy examples. It is amazing how they have been able to reach out and involve people and bring them out from behind locked doors and shut windows. It is not fun to be isolated in a foreign country. It takes active leaders in foreign countries to draw people out of their exile/isolation.
Reaching out is infectious. It represents the essence of Nepali culture.

As far as Nepalese greeting Bhutanese refugees is concerned, I think that the community in Florida is also very strong. There is a very responsive community that has done a lot for the Nepali Bhutanese who have come as refugees.