JOyce's part

Sorry for the late post, Raymond.
I know this is very bad. I write base on the interviews and fied observations.
There is still one interview from the Luthern Church I need to do today.
So I will add it on my part asap.

On Sunday, March 6^th, 2011, at 10:20am, I go to Noriega Street to do field observation. The majority of people are Asians, mostly speaking Chinese, more elderly than any other age group, some are women and children. The majority of businesses are small business, many with Chinese names on the signs. From 19^th street to 48^th street, the street with most and almost all Chinese names on the signs is between 31^st and 32^nd. As I head more west, the more non-Asian businesses are there. Most often, I see restaurants, banks, grocery stores, and some medical centers, churches, and beauty and hair salons. There are a lot small café and restaurants, not many big or fancy restaurants there. The average prices of the restaurants range from 8- 12 dollars per person, it is affordable, though it is cheaper if shopping in the grocery stores, and that’s maybe the reason why most people I see on the street are going into the grocery stores and with many bags in their hands. This gives me an impression that the residents in the area are middle class people, and they dress very casual. I rarely see any white people there. And when I see some, they are usually older middle-age people and elderly. I think that’s because as more and more Asian Americans are moving into the area, fewer whites are moving in, only the elderly white are staying there. Another interesting observation is that, I see many whites are in Japanese restaurants and bars, but almost none in the Chinese food restaurants. I think that makes the Chinese restaurants more unique, for they are aiming only to serve the Chinese. This can be seen in the Chinese restaurants where there are Chinese first, then English menus. So many of the Asian Americans are Chinese who speaks Cantonese. I think that they are immigrants.

                On April 21^st , 2011, I interview Rosita Fong, who is a resident on 36^th Street. She and her husband own the two-story house. She is living with her families and relatives including; her husband, two children, one 14, another one 16, her mother and father, younger sister’s family. In total, there are 10 people living in the same house. Before I ask her about the community she lives in, she tells me a lot about herself and how she lives. I learn that she immigrates to the U.S. from Hong Kong in 2001, years after Hong Kong returns to China. Like most people think, she thinks it is best for her children. She dislikes the education in Hong Kong, and she hears from her younger sister that who is living in the U.S. there are better opportunities for her children to have higher education. Her younger sister, who immigrates to the U.S. in early 1990’s, has been asking Mrs. Fong to come to the U.S. and live with them. I think that because Chinese have strong family value, they usually follow their families foot step to come to the U.S., and live together to help each other out. I think that is another reason why the Asian American Community is growing so fast, beside the fact that people from Chinatown and other areas are moving into the Sunset District; also people are immigrating into the U.S. When I ask Mrs. Fong about how she likes about Noriega, she says the people are nice here and she makes a lot of friends who are from different part of China, and very convenience that everything she needs for living is there. I think it is interesting when she says she likes to live around in the Sunset community, but at the same time, she feels strongly about wanting her children to go to a school that has more white people because she thinks those schools have better teachers. She even says “I wish no more Chinese people are moving in.” Afterward, I found out that, because she dislikes her children learning English too slowly because their friends and people at school and around the area all speak Chinese. Personally I think it is hard, for both the parents and children to get familiar with American culture and to use English, for they are both 1^st generation of Asian Americans, and especially in today, living in an area with more and more Chinese influence. It is also funny when I ask her if she would like a bigger house, she replies “this is a big house! (comparing to the house she lives in Hong Kong)” .

                I found out that Polly Ann Ice Cream was originally white owners, but starting from early 1980’s it is Chinese owners. I found out on facebook that Todd had worked in Polly Ann Ice Cream from 1975 - 1981, I wonder if he knows more about the community there. Then I found out he used to but no longer lives in the Sunset. I think he is one example of white flight.