As we ventured in Flushing, we interviewed three additional people, and asked all three of them the same set of questions. The three interviewees were all Asians: two teenagers, and one older adult. All three are males. Following is the set of questions and their answers to these questions, put here in order though they were not necessarily asked in this order.
Interview One
Q: What is your name?
A: Alvin Chong
Q: Do you live in Flushing?
A: I live in Flushing
Q: Where are you from?
A: I am from the United States but I grew up in Malaysia.
Q: Why did you decide to come back to the US?
A: I came back here for college
Q: What was your occupation in your home country?
A: I was a student back in Malaysia
Q: Do you have family living in Flushing?
A: Yes, most of my cousins live in Flushing.
Q: Has the Flushing community helped you to assimilate? How or how not?
A: No, because I spend most of my time in school and work.
Q: How long have you lived in Flushing?
A: I have lived in flushing for 4 years.
Q: How have you seen the neighborhood change?
A: The population of immigrants is increasing.
Q: How would you describe the cultural environment in Flushing?
A: In school people come from all kind of ethnicities and economic levels and at work most of my co-workers are Asians and they are students. It’s like a foreign country
Q: Are most people who work in Flushing from Flushing, in your observation?
A: Yes, from my point of view, many of these working people are from either Flushing or other parts of Queens.
Q: How do you see this neighborhood develop?
A: The rent for houses is increasing as more immigrants are trying to reside in Flushing.
Interview Two
Q: What is your name?
A: Andrew Gan
Q: Do you live in Flushing?
A: Yes, I do
Q: Where are you from?
A: Malaysia
Q: Why did you come here?
A: To study and because of my parents
Q: What was your occupation back home?
A: I was a student, have never worked before in my entire life
Q: Can you talk a little bit about your family and its situation?
A: I am in a family of three. Everything is currently going smooth in my family.
Q: Why did you decide to live in Flushing?
A: It wasn’t my decision, I live with my parents; therefore, I have no rights of choosing where to live.
Q: Then, why did your family decide to immigrate here?
A: I am not sure, but I guess they were seeking a better job.
Q: Has the Flushing community helped you to assimilate? How or how not?
A: Yes, because the majority of the population is Chinese, and I am so used to Chinese background and culture.
Q: How long have you lived in Flushing?
A: 4 years
Q: How have you seen the neighborhood change?
A: More places to shop, more crowded because there is more Chinese people now.
Q: How would you describe the cultural environment in Flushing?
A: It is very diverse and there are many varieties of nationalities.
Q: Are most people who work in Flushing from Flushing, in your observation?
A: Yes, most of the people I believe work and live in flushing, for example, my mother’s friends work and live here.
Q: How do you see this neighborhood developing?
A: There are more places to eat and go shopping than in the past.
Q: What about gentrification, the idea that a neighborhood is getting richer or of a higher class?
A: Most apartments are becoming more expensive. So people need to have more money to live here I guess.
Interview Three
Q: What is your name?
A: Raymond Lu
Q: Do you live in Flushing?
A: Yes
Q: Where are you from?
A: Taiwan
Q: Why did you come to the US?
A: For better education and future
Q: What was your occupation back home?
A: I was a student
Q: Do you have family living with you?
A: My mom and my brother. But they are both away now.
Q: Then, where are they now?
A: My mom is working in another state, and my brother is studying and living in Stony Brook. He is getting his Ph. D.
Q: Why did you decide to live in Flushing?
A: I decided to live in Flushing is because of its convenience
Q: Has the Flushing community helped you to assimilate?
A: Yes and no. I am very American in some situations, and very Chinese in others. So I really don’t know.
Q: How long have you been in Flushing?
A: 5 years
Q: How have you seen the neighborhood change?
A: The economy is getting better? I mean, 5 years ago there were no shopping malls at all. Now, there is Queens Crossing, New World Mall, Sky View Center.
Q: What institutions do you spend the most time in?
A: I go to Ktvs, bars, and lounge a lot
Q: In those institutions, people of what ethnicities and economic levels spend the most time there?
A: Mostly Asians, teenagers, and middle class economic level
Q: How would you describe the cultural environment in Flushing?
A: It is like modern Chinese culture
Q: Are most people who work in Flushing from Flushing, in your observation?
A: Yes
Q: How do you see this neighborhood developing?
A: As I said before, the economy is getting better.
