Judy Mai, 15, spends her Saturday mornings studying with a friend at the Flushing branch of Queens Public Library. She is currently a sophomore at Stuyvesant High School and mentioned during the interview most of her friends are Asian (mostly because the school has a majority of Asian students). She was born in Sunnyside but has been living in Flushing for nearly ten years. During the interview, Judy revealed that she used to be more Chinese and high school has influenced her to become more American. However, she hopes to be more in touch with her Chinese culture in the future by learning Cantonese.

Q: What language(s) do you speak at home? Which one do you use most frequently?

I can speak some Cantonese Chinese. But, my sister and I mostly speak English at home with our parents and each other.

Q: Do you have any religious/cultural traditions you celebrate?

I celebrate Chinese New Year with the rest of my family. My parents are Buddhist so we have a small temple at home. We don’t use the temple or pray a lot except on some special occasions. I’m not religious so I usually only pray to the temple when my mom tells me to.

Q: From your personal experience, what do you believe is the most commonly held misconception about the people of your culture?

A lot of people, even my friends who are not Asian, assume I speak Chinese. I actually don’t understand the language that well. But that just makes me want to learn the language and become more Chinese.

Q: What are your plans for college? Do you plan to stay in the city or attend an out-of-state college?

I don’t plan on attending college in New York [city]. I want to move out and I would like explore the world a bit.

Q: We know Flushing is known for its huge Asian population (not just Chinese or Korean, but Asian in general). But are there any areas in Flushing that are specific to a certain nationality (ex. Chinese)?

Back there (gestures to the front of the Library and beyond) is Korean Flushing. Here, at the library and behind it, is Chinese Flushing.

Q: How do you feel the economy of Flushing has changed in the past several years?

Well, it [the economy] is not as prosperous as it used to be. A lot of the stores are closing.

Also at the library (which is very busy on Saturday mornings), we met Weiwei Allen, 35. She is a recent migrant to Flushing and had been living with her husband in Florida for the past two years. During the interview, Weiwei mentions she was an engineer in China but chose a teaching profession when she moved to the United States two years ago. She has enjoyed living in Flushing for the past few months because of the accessibility to Chinese goods and describes the library as “awesome.” She hopes to express herself more accurately by improving her English.

Q: How long have you been living in Flushing?

I moved here in the beginning of this year. I live with my friend for now. I am waiting for my husband to sell the house and move here. He found work here [in New York City].

Q: What do you like about Flushing?

I think this experience [living in Flushing] in my life is good. I find Chinese people. It is easy to find what I want. It is nice to shop in the Chinese supermarkets and it is also very cheap. Also, there are so many Chinese restaurants. I can eat all day!

Q: What did you enjoy about living in Florida? Where do you prefer to live?

It is a different life, here and there. I can drive around and see nobody. I like both, but I think Florida is better for a vacation.

Q: Did you ever experience any racism in Florida or Flushing because of your ethnicity?

No. Everyone here is really nice. I had Hispanic neighbors in Florida and they were very nice and friendly. We get along well and I want to learn Spanish.

Q: Do you consider yourself American or Chinese?

I am both.

While exploring New Century M. Mall, we interviewed Jya Hung, 17, at a gift booth. She has been working at the gift booth for almost two months and mentions most of her customers are Asian. Most of the signs of the mall are in Mandarin Chinese and therefore, cater to the large Chinese community in Flushing. Indeed, we could not find the name of the shopping center until after we had left the mall and found the name underneath its equivalent in Chinese letters. She migrated to the United States at four years from Taiwan and did not convey any sorrow towards the move with the exception of a hard time adapting to life in New York (especially due to the language barrier). She enjoys her life in Flushing and plans to remain with her family through college.  

Q: Who are most of your customers?

Most of the people who visit here are Asian. I don’t see a lot of other customers who are not Chinese.

Q: Which high school do you attend? What are your plans for college?

I am a senior at John Bowne High School. I want to go to college in New York so I can stay with my parents.

Q: Where do you hang out with your friends?

My parents are strict, so I hang out with my friends in Flushing. Sometimes, we go to Queens Center Mall or go shopping in Manhattan.

Q: Do you consider English your first language?

Shakes head. No. My first language is Chinese. I have a hard time learning English because of that. But still, I would want my children to learn both languages.

Q: How often do you visit your country? Why?

I have not been back home [Taiwan] for almost 13 years. Most of my family, except my grandfather, lives in New York.

Q: Are there a lot of crime-related issues in Flushing?

No, I feel safe here. I have been here for a long time and nothing bad has happened so far.

While observing the colorful, foreign signs and busy shops along Main Street, we met Kelly Yu, 34, who was speaking to a man advertising New York Life Insurance in a conversation that was completely in Mandarin Chinese. During the interview, she stated that she lived in Floral Park but worked in a shop on Main Street. However, Kelly does most of her shopping in Flushing, especially grocery shopping. The supermarkets sell products at a bargain price. Kelly states, “You can get a lot in quantity for a small price.”

Q: How long have you been living here?

I have been living in Queens for 16 years, ever since I moved to America from China. I went to York College and received my Bachelor of Arts.

Q: Do you speak English or Mandarin more frequently? What language do you      teach your children?

Mostly Mandarin. Most of my customers are Chinese. I want my children to be fluent in English and Mandarin, so I teach them both.

Q: Why do you like Flushing, excluding the fact that your job is here?

Everything is very cheap in Flushing. I do most of the shopping here, especially the grocery shopping. The supermarkets have everything and you can get a lot of stuff for a cheap price.

Q: Does the neighborhood have a lot of crime-related issues?

It is very safe in Flushing. There is very little crime.