Steinbach

My last name is actually Steinbach

I live here, but I don’t recommend that anyone come here unless you already have very, very close relatives and/or friends living here already, AND already abide by traditions, values, and rules that envelop this city.

I lived here for awhile as a teen, unfortunately, and quit school to work more than full time at McDonald’s to get out of that place. To visit it might be quaint. To be a secular kid coming into that environment was hell! The public schools still use public prayer despite the fact that in every other public school I’ve ever been to (and I moved a lot as a kid) that is illegal. The town got together and changed a lot of laws… they don’t even sell alcohol of any sort within city limits. The place has 5,000 people, not 10,000 like the visitor said, and more than 30 churches. You do the math. And the people can be fanatical. Most, of course, were hudderite, mennonite and amish and until I came along I don’t think most of the kids knew that other people could be athiests… the kids in that town were isolated and would parrot back whatever they were told, and one little mennonite child I saw at McDonald’s one day was so badly beaten I was amazed she was walking around (black eyes, belt loop marks, the whole nine yards and I doubt she was 2)....

In short, if you have seen the movie “Children of the Corn” you will understand the creepiness factor (unless you’re a fundamentalist Christian or just passing through, then it’s “cute”)... except that in Steinbach, if the kids had actually gone around and killed the adults, at least I wouldn’t have been so dreadfully bored… Believe me, the quaint red and white gingham checked table cloths and children with bonnets on gets old when you CAN’T LEAVE, it’s 45 below zero, and they don’t get half the television stations that Winnipeg gets…

Worst place I ever, ever lived in and I’ve lived or visited quite a few places…

Lex