Flushing Here v. There
From Decoding New York
Residents of Flushing appear to be proud of their culture without indulging in it. A very important component of this pride and Flushing's character is the use of Mandarin, spoken everywhere. Since the first Chinese community, Chinatown, evolved as a Cantonese-speaking enclave, Mandarin-speakers created a new community in order to feel more at home. While signs are often in Chinese, Korean, English and Spanish, the Chinese community generally recognizes only Mandarin as part of the mother tongue.
Flushing has managed to successfully maintain its authenticity as an ethnic enclave. Goods sold in stores are exactly what one would find in China or Taiwan, food served in restaurants is exactly what one could eat, and dialects spoken on the street are undiluted. Flushing and Eighth Avenue have replaced Chinatown as the first stop for Chinese immigrants, which directly contributed to the level of authenticity in those neighborhoods.
