Sounds like the start of a joke, n'est pas? 
Had to make a stop at the local enormous department-store sized Kroger last night, and it was overrun with ... Amish or possibly Mennonites. Very strange thing to see here, we don't usually get those kinds of visitors to this area, since it's sort of the antithesis of rural and "the simple life".
About 8 of them shopping, older couple (60's), several couples in their 30's maybe, and a couple of young men, probably college aged. They definitely stood out among the crowd, especially the women in their bonnets and floor-length dresses.
The couple of young guys were right behind me in line, bought ... a box of Nestle Drumstricks. Then followed me out of the store to a van parked a few spots over from where I was ... driven by a guy who I would say was NOT part of their order - he had no beard and a striped polo shirt. Maybe a hired driver?
The two young guys got in and sat there and started to eat their ice cream as I loaded up the groceries. They didn't seem to have much interaction with the driver, nor did they seem to offer to share.
Definitely NOT something I see in this part of Michigan ... a few families of traditional Mormons from time to time, also the women/girls in the long dresses, but not quite as "old fashioned". We have a lot of "traditionally" dressed people from other religions - Orthodox Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs.
I wonder if they feel self-conscious when out among the "English"? Although my area is so ethnically/culturally diverse and has a large immigrant population that there aren't too many traditional "English" as the Amish would define them - one hears as much Arabic, Spanish, Korean, and Hindi/Indian Subcontinent languages spoken in public as English, they may feel they blend into the crowds.
Very interesting culture, but I know I couldn't live that way - I love all of the "tech gear" that makes life easier and far more complicated now.
Had to make a stop at the local enormous department-store sized Kroger last night, and it was overrun with ... Amish or possibly Mennonites. Very strange thing to see here, we don't usually get those kinds of visitors to this area, since it's sort of the antithesis of rural and "the simple life".
About 8 of them shopping, older couple (60's), several couples in their 30's maybe, and a couple of young men, probably college aged. They definitely stood out among the crowd, especially the women in their bonnets and floor-length dresses.
The couple of young guys were right behind me in line, bought ... a box of Nestle Drumstricks. Then followed me out of the store to a van parked a few spots over from where I was ... driven by a guy who I would say was NOT part of their order - he had no beard and a striped polo shirt. Maybe a hired driver?
The two young guys got in and sat there and started to eat their ice cream as I loaded up the groceries. They didn't seem to have much interaction with the driver, nor did they seem to offer to share.
Definitely NOT something I see in this part of Michigan ... a few families of traditional Mormons from time to time, also the women/girls in the long dresses, but not quite as "old fashioned". We have a lot of "traditionally" dressed people from other religions - Orthodox Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs.
I wonder if they feel self-conscious when out among the "English"? Although my area is so ethnically/culturally diverse and has a large immigrant population that there aren't too many traditional "English" as the Amish would define them - one hears as much Arabic, Spanish, Korean, and Hindi/Indian Subcontinent languages spoken in public as English, they may feel they blend into the crowds.
Very interesting culture, but I know I couldn't live that way - I love all of the "tech gear" that makes life easier and far more complicated now.
