Years ago there was an episode of The Simpsons where Homer and his pals visit Winnipeg to buy cheap prescription drugs. The sign at the edge of town said “Welcome to Winnipeg: We Were Born Here, What’s Your Excuse?” Ouch! It does raise an interesting question, though. Some of us were born in areas surrounded by Mennonites, the same areas our ancestors lived perhaps. Others might be the only Mennonite in town. So, ideally, if you could live absolutely anywhere, where would that be? There are Mennos all over the world. This quiz will help you figure out where you should live! Let’s see the results!
On a scale of one to five (one being very liberal and five being horse-and-buggy) how conservative are you?
What is your idea of a fun weekend?
Of the choices below, which is your favourite movie?
How spicy do you like your food?
What size of community do you prefer to live in?
What season do you like the best?
What is your favourite Mennonite dish?
What language would you prefer to speak in day-to-day conversation?
Of the following fictional places, where would you most like to live?
What's your opinion on Donald Trump?
Quiz: Where Should You Actually Live? (For Mennonites)
Neubergthal, Manitoba
Neubergthal, Manitoba, a National Historic Site of Canada, is a small village near Altona, known for its traditional Mennonite housebarns and barn loft concerts.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba (population 705, 244) is the capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba and home to the largest urban Mennonite population in the world. Winnipeg is known for its proximity to lakes, thriving arts scene, and fierce winters.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania (population 59,322) is well known for the large horse-and-buggy Mennonite and Amish populations in the nearby county.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands (population 872,680) is known for its beautiful canals, high standard of living, and liberal social values. It's also the historic home for many Mennonites, and still has a small Mennonite population today.
Filadelfia, Paraguay
Filadelfia, Paraguay (population 20,000) is the largest Mennonite community in Paraguay. Situated in the Gran Chaco region, this area of Paraguay was first settled by conservative Mennonites who left Canada for Paraguay in the 1920s fleeing persecution and the assimilationist policies of the Canadian government at that time.
Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico
Although relatively few Mennonites reside in the city itself, the surrounding area near Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua (population 168,482) is home to many Mennonites, the largest colony being the Manitoba Colony, which is just north of the city.
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford, British Columbia (population 141,397) is known for its sizeable Mennonite population, temperate winters (by Canadian standards) and access to mountains and berry farms.
Goshen, Indiana
Goshen, Indiana (population 31,719) is the county seat of Elkhart County, known for a large Mennonite population. It is also home to Goshen College, a liberal arts college associated with Mennonite Church USA.
Bishoftu, Ethiopia
Ethiopia is home to the largest Mennonite population in Africa. The small city of Bishotfu (population 171,115) is home to the Meserete Kristos College, a college associated with the Meserete Kristos Church, the largest Anabaptist conference in the world.
Dhamtari, India
The Mennonite Church in India is headquartered in Dhamtari, home of the bishop. Dhamtari (population 101,677) is located in Chhattisgarh, home to waterfalls, caves, and beautiful temples (Jatmai Mata) as pictured above.
(photo credits: QHSADAB, winnipeg’s grump old man, dllu, ahabvader, Randolph Carney, Ninaras, Isoluna/ CC)
