00:00:01.309 - 00:00:20.600

OK, so I'm gonna start with some uh like somewhat easier basic questions. Um The first one is uh where did you grow up? Uh I grew up in Shanghai, China, mainland China. Ok. Um Were you in the city or were you in a more suburban or

00:00:20.610 - 00:00:40.779

urban location in the city? Ok. Um Do you remember what, or, or do you remember like what your house was like there or if you lived in an apartment or? Um I, I don't know what's, what, what is in the American terms? It's, it's called, I

00:00:40.790 - 00:01:03.130

guess it's like a apartment like how, yeah, I guess it's, it's an apartment, it's not like uh you know, here housing is like um house by its own. It's like apartment. Ok. So almost like a, a townhouse or a condominium or? Yeah, I guess, I guess

00:01:03.139 - 00:01:20.110

it's kind of like in Shanghai, you know, it's like a big city in China. It's going to be, it's like a New York in too many people in the city. So even today there's not many houses, you know, like the, the definition of house in the

00:01:20.120 - 00:01:39.169

US. So, so what it was kind of like apartment is like, um, ok, 45 or six depends on the, on the layout of the apartment, you know, houses and families on each floor. So that's where we, we live. Yeah. Ok. I guess it apartment I was

00:01:39.180 - 00:01:54.989

in Beijing before so I think I might have seen similar things there. Um, ok, next question is, did you receive your education in China? And if so, like what degree did you attain? And how many years of study did you have there? Oh, my God. I

00:01:55.980 - 00:02:14.820

think it's got a Bachelor of Science. Uh, the, the four years college. Ok. Yeah. Um, just a quick question. Did they have the, the Gaokao around during your time or was that something like the, the test you have to take to get into college that all

00:02:15.179 - 00:02:31.500

Chinese students take currently, or what do you call? Yeah, we do have to take a test. Uh, it's like, uh, it takes, uh, three days, two days. I forgot now. It's like you have to take every subject, I guess, kind of like the sat here. But

00:02:31.509 - 00:02:49.460

if you take it all at once, the entire country, yeah, the, it's like a fixed, uh, two or three days, the entire country take those and then the graduate high school graduates of the, the whole country takes those on the same day at the same time.

00:02:49.550 - 00:03:07.479

Same topic. So nobody can cheat, you know, all this kind of thing. So, it's like one shot you, you know, you do. Well, let's say you don't do well, that's it as well. So, yeah. Yeah, it's called the word, I guess for the, oh, I got

00:03:07.490 - 00:03:30.740

you. I got you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yeah, that's pretty good. Um, ok. And so what, what college did you attend after, after I attend the Shanghai teachers college? Because I wanted to be a teacher. Um, yeah. Ok. Um, what did your parents do

00:03:30.979 - 00:04:00.279

when you were in China? They, they, they, I guess they, my dad is like engineer. Um my mom is like the um um I try to change the terms uh say like the um project manager type. Yeah. OK. OK. Um Did you work in China when

00:04:00.289 - 00:04:25.470

you were there? Yeah, for a very short period of time. Uh for like uh less than six months I taught um middle school. Uh then I came to us. So I came to us uh 66 months after I graduated from college. Um uh What, what type

00:04:25.480 - 00:04:46.019

of lifestyle did you have while living in China? Were you comfortable? Did you live in a, like a nice neighborhood or was there anything more specific? Yeah. Um I guess we are my family. Uh it's just middle class. Uh you know, parents work, you know, uh

00:04:47.429 - 00:05:03.989

but not rich or anything. So just in the middle uh you know, OK. So uh did you ever go to the mall or, or did you, like, go to places to shop during the weekend or, like, what was your, what was your typical weekend? Like, were

00:05:04.000 - 00:05:24.149

you able to, where did you work or did you? Mm. No, it's, it's, um, before I get to college and weekends it's pretty, you know, like, study, you know, because there were a lot of school work in China, you know. So, um, and at the time

00:05:24.160 - 00:05:41.920

there was no more, anything in China yet there is no more, more time. I mean, there's stores, you can go stores but, uh, no, I didn't, uh, sometimes go if I need to buy things but very rarely. Normally what we go is we go to, like

00:05:41.929 - 00:06:02.640

the neighborhood store to get things, things like that. Um, ok. Um, so right before you left, what did you think of the, the political climate in China? Just, what did you think of the, the government and about, um, I wasn't too much involved in this kind

00:06:02.649 - 00:06:22.690

of thing. So, um, I don't, I don't know because I didn't really, um, involved in that kind of thing. So I, I can't say I have much, uh, opinion or comment because I guess, uh, you know, just graduated from college, you know, didn't really, um, involved

00:06:22.700 - 00:06:36.160

in the life, you know, the focus on starting your career. Yeah. Yeah. So, have you really thought about those kind of things? Ok. Um, what did you think of the religious climate? I mean, I know, a lot of Chinese people are, are atheists. What did you,

00:06:36.170 - 00:07:00.010

what did you think about the whole religious climate in China when you were there? The religious environment was not really, um, I don't know, not many people that really have a religion at the time. Um, I, I have a neighbor there religious. I think they're Catholic

00:07:00.019 - 00:07:19.859

or something, you know, but most people, they don't have a religion. So, uh, even in college there was no, you know, at the time there was no talking about those kind of things, you know, this, the, this the there's like, um yeah, this is pretty much

00:07:19.869 - 00:07:34.950

they were talking about those kind of things at the time. I, you know, graduate. I mean, I went to the college or anything work. OK, because, yeah, when you, when you come to rise, there's like there's a Catholic student organization, the Episcopalian, like everything and the

00:07:34.959 - 00:07:59.290

China, it's China. It's pretty, just not, not much is happening there in terms of religion, I guess religion is part of the culture or social life in the, in western. But in China for the, I guess after the, I don't know. And II, I just, I

00:07:59.299 - 00:08:15.750

just can't remember when I, even when I was growing up, there was not a many mention of those, there's just not an environment for it in China, I guess at least when I was there. Sally, let me see what you want. I can take a call.

00:08:16.260 - 00:08:38.880

Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. Uh-huh. Yeah, I'm doing the interview. No, it's nice. Ok. You, you, you can you get up soon after finish interview or would you go do something, pick up my or something? Yeah. Oh, ok. I'll call you when I'm done. Ok. Ok. Bye.

00:08:40.260 - 00:08:53.530

Sorry. Sorry. Are you here? I, I think I was supposed to, she wanted me to text her when you got here just so she knew you were here but now I can cut something, I can cut part of the interview. That's right. That's all right. Um

00:08:54.059 - 00:09:16.239

OK. So what now going to the, the migration part? Um but what year did you emigrate to the United States? From China? It's, it's January 91? OK. Yeah. OK. And um have you obtained citizenship since then? Ok. And uh what year did you obtain citizenship? Oh,

00:09:16.320 - 00:09:46.679

I can't remember. Uh uh maybe around 95 96. I'm not sure exactly because I That's right. That's right. Just like a rough approximation. What was your visa status when you came here? Do you remember what your visa status was? I think it's called F two like

00:09:46.690 - 00:10:03.880

a spouse. My husband, my husband was a student in the college that answers my next question. Did you come over as a spouse? Ok. Um Did you find it difficult to apply for citizenship? Was there anything about the process that you felt was like unjust or

00:10:03.890 - 00:10:29.599

not equitable or? Uh no uh, uh, it was pretty, um, well, it was pretty smooth for me. Yeah. Ok. That's, that's nice. Yeah. Oh, ok. Uh, so what led you to decide to migrate to the United States? Um, I, I mean, for me it was just

00:10:29.609 - 00:10:48.690

enjoying my husband. Right. But I guess for my husband he want, he wanted a better life, more opportunity, you know, to see what the, the world is like outside China, you know, mainly. So did you want like more education or more work opportunity or? Yeah. Yeah,

00:10:49.059 - 00:11:11.690

more education, more work opportunity, you know, um and chance of having better life or different life, you know. Yeah. What, what was it about the the Chinese environment that like maybe stifled that work or the, the desire for more work and education opportunity? Yeah. Uh because

00:11:11.700 - 00:11:33.150

at the, at the time of um China is a is already uh opened the door to the, to the western but not that much difference here compared to today. It was still pretty uh um I can't say isolated but not as much as today, you know,

00:11:33.159 - 00:11:52.409

you go China today is like, you know, to Shanghai, it's you can see as China but you know, the environment and all those is um it's a lot more modern today. But so I guess um and Shanghai looks like a typical modern city from all the

00:11:52.419 - 00:12:10.619

photos I see. Yeah. Yeah. Um so um you know, it, it's a, it's a it's a fact that Western is more advanced, you know, right in uh China. So, you know, as a young man, he wants, you know, to see if he can get the opportunity

00:12:10.630 - 00:12:31.530

to learn more um to be more educated and also see what he can do in environment like this. Yeah. Ok. Um Were you nervous about the move to the United States? Yeah, I guess I was um but since he's here already, so, I, it's a lot

00:12:31.539 - 00:12:45.299

better for me than when he came here first, you know, alone on his own, you know. So I was nervous but he's, he already got, uh, you know, scholarship in college. So it's not as bad, you know, not like when he came here there was no

00:12:45.309 - 00:13:01.940

money, no scholarship, you know, has to borrow money then trying to find a, a teacher assistant or what kind of stuff to support himself. It was a lot tougher on him than on me at the time. Yeah. Ok. So that kind of answers my next question.

00:13:01.950 - 00:13:14.830

Do you have some sort of network in place to help you out? Once you arrived? You have your, yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, I had my husband, he has his friend, you know, that came to us before him. You know, they all help each other

00:13:14.840 - 00:13:28.030

out, you know? Of course they have to work, you know, when the, uh, during the school breaks, the holidays, you know, summer, winter they all go find a job, you know, you know, trying to support themselves. They did a lot of temporary work in order to,

00:13:28.039 - 00:13:44.570

yeah. Yeah. And also trying to talk to professor, trying to find, you know, scholarship during the school year or get tuitions way, you know, because he, he came as a, uh, graduate student. So more opportunities like that than the undergraduate. But still you have to work,

00:13:44.580 - 00:13:59.750

you know, help, do the research for professor and find opportunities, right? So did, did you feel that you like you and your husband started at a disadvantage because of the like relative strength of the dollar to the, the Chinese currency or? Oh, yeah, definitely. I think

00:13:59.760 - 00:14:13.489

at the time it was like a dollar equal to more than ¥8. I was like almost six, right? Yeah, when I was there it was around 6.8. Yeah. Yeah. But at the time was like eight and it's hard to get, you know, you go to the

00:14:13.500 - 00:14:28.530

bank, bank only allow you to get this money this much, you know, you have to go to the, I don't know, black market or somewhere, you know, private resources to get dollars, you know. So, yeah, it was, it was tough but that's the way it goes.

00:14:28.539 - 00:14:45.440

First generation immigrant. It's always a lot tougher. Yeah. Um So when choosing to live where you did? Well, OK, first of all, where did you, where did you move to when you first came to the United States, uh, uh, Mississippi. So, my husband was at, uh,

00:14:46.570 - 00:15:10.890

University of Mississippi. I think it's called, you know. Yeah. Yeah, he was a double E major there, graduate student student. So, at the time was, he graduated in 9 90 91. End of 91. So at the time it was really hard to find a job. Job

00:15:10.900 - 00:15:26.760

market is really bad, you know. So, you know, when he did the job search, you know, send resumes to all over the country, seems like Houston, he got better response from Houston in this area. So that's why I come to Houston. So you only lived in

00:15:26.770 - 00:15:50.169

Mississippi for a very short? Yeah, I lived there for a year. Ok. Uh, when you, uh, when you chose to live, when you moved to Houston, um, did you, did you take into this? Sorry, sorry. Yes. So we have, um, you know, this weekend we have

00:15:50.179 - 00:16:12.210

a go live, you know, at work. That's why I have to carries blackberries, my company blackberry just in case something goes something going on, you know, I get called, um, I mean, great. Ok, sorry about that. Ok. Ok. So when you, when you moved to Houston,

00:16:12.219 - 00:16:26.630

did you take into account the, the racial makeup of those in your neighborhood when you like when you chose where to live? Oh, ok. When we come to Houston, of course, we live in apartments, right? So, uh, we we, yeah, we rent apartments close to Chinatown

00:16:26.640 - 00:16:41.000

because it's a lot more convenient, you know, shopping and it's a lot less expensive than over in this area. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it's, you know, most, a lot of Chinese people over there so it's a lot easier to get help, you know, get a network

00:16:41.010 - 00:16:52.679

and those kind of things. Yeah. So, what, what type of help did you, did you use or did you need when you were, when you first moved to Houston that you had to, when we first moved to Houston? Of course, uh first we find, trying to

00:16:52.690 - 00:17:08.449

find a place to stay, right? You know, so um so my husband had, you know, um uh friends, they were here in Houston graduate from Ole Miss as well. So we stayed with them for a week. He would find apartment, you know, so and then they,

00:17:08.459 - 00:17:28.589

you know, took us to Chinatown, just shoot us around where to go to find things to shopping, this, this kind of stuff. Um Yeah, so that was your first experience with the Houston Chinese community or the Chinese American community? Yeah. Yeah. OK. Um um When like

00:17:28.599 - 00:17:45.420

when you chose to live in China town when you came to Houston, did you feel more secure by having others of your, of your race around you? Wa was it something that made you feel more comfortable? Like? Yeah, I guess the, the it make um Yeah,

00:17:45.430 - 00:18:06.770

made it um made me feel more secure when we um find the church here. You know, there's a lot of church uh that Chinese people goes to. Uh so you see a lot of people, you know, um and you know, you have, you know, so many

00:18:06.780 - 00:18:20.719

people and network in the church here, especially in the Chinatown area. A lot of students, you know, people in income, we see, you know, how people can help, you know, all those because the people be here for a long time established and all those, you know,

00:18:20.729 - 00:18:43.229

they offer you experience, give you a lot of information, you know. Yeah, it, it does feel it did feel a lot um secure, safer, you know, around, around in the environment. Um Let's see. Um So when you, when you moved to Houston into the Chinatown apartment,

00:18:43.239 - 00:18:58.079

you felt, did you feel integrated within the community or like was it really, did you feel, did you feel it was easy to, to become part of that Chinese American culture? Yeah, I mean, you see culture wise, there's not much I I didn't feel a big

00:18:58.089 - 00:19:16.310

difference uh in China or in uh here because uh you know, um of course it's in a way it's very different, right? You know, the way we, you know, we go around, you know, in the car or in China, pretty much we most just walk, you

00:19:16.319 - 00:19:35.550

know, take the bus and here is like, especially in Houston, you drive everywhere, right? That's different. But um culture wise, I, I didn't feel a huge difference or anything. OK. Um Do you currently feel integrated, like in like the last year or so? Do you feel

00:19:35.560 - 00:20:02.170

like you like, you, you've become part of the Chinese American culture and you feel that like, do you feel like everything is, or just do you feel integrated right now um integrated in one way integrated? I mean, that's a good question. II, I guess I do,

00:20:02.180 - 00:20:22.069

I do feel a lot more um I, I guess it, it's, it's the word integrated, it's OK. Uh allow more. Um I, I guess a lot, I feel a lot more being part of the society if that's what you mean. I mean, after so many years

00:20:22.079 - 00:20:47.349

here, you know, I get used to the environment used to the culture, you know, used to um everything happens surrounding me. Um But do I really, really feel that this is my home? You know, I'm going to um you know, um spent my entire life here.

00:20:47.359 - 00:21:03.810

I, I don't know yet. Uh you know, still thinking about maybe I, when I get old I go back to China, you know, so I can't really say I'm um 100% integrated, really consider here is my home home where, where I will end up, you know,

00:21:03.819 - 00:21:19.530

with here. So this is the opportunity I may go back to China, you know. So because uh I think to me it's been, I know growing up there, you know, it's different than, you know, your, in your twenties, move here except, you know, get, get involved,

00:21:19.540 - 00:21:39.280

you know, get used to the environment. But I think my kids' generation that will be different for them because things happen, you know, and all the things that um you remember when you were younger, when you were little, it, it plays a lot uh more important

00:21:39.290 - 00:21:55.890

part than when you grow up when you're an adult. You know, you just pure uh accept, try to adapt. The, the, the influence is just, um, I guess the weight uh it carries is a lot different. I mean, but that's just to me, you know, and

00:21:55.900 - 00:22:13.079

I know to some, to some people they, they come here, they have no problem, love, you know, over here. Um I'm part of the society here, you know, get involved. But, um I think I still miss my country a lot, you know. So, so I guess

00:22:13.089 - 00:22:33.280

it depends on your definition of being integrated, right? So, you still, you still feel a connection to your hometown but you're comfortable living here. Yeah, I'm comfortable with the environment here, you know, and, you know, um, no problem. But, um if I, if I, um do

00:22:33.290 - 00:22:43.290

you have a choice or what, you know, like if you were, if you were told, if you had to spend the rest of your life in America or the rest of your life in China. Yeah. If I have an opportunity to go back to China to

00:22:43.319 - 00:22:57.810

work, you know, doing the kind of work I do things like that. Um, I probably will choose to go back, you know, that, that's what I mean. So, I don't know, I don't know, it depends on your definition of integrated. It's kind of a very open

00:22:57.829 - 00:23:12.469

ended word for a lot of, I don't know, topics in this class. So I guess integrated, you know, in, yeah, I guess you can see integrated because, you know, I work in a, in a big company, you know, my colleagues are all, you know, uh most

00:23:12.479 - 00:23:32.829

of them are American people, you know, there for more than, I mean, 10 years, you know, no problem, you know, just, you know, come here, you know, watch TV, watch sports, all those. Yeah, it's integrated. But, um, there's still part of me it's um, missing the

00:23:32.839 - 00:23:52.579

culture I used to have. Right. OK. Yes. Um So this question is, uh, like how difficult was it to transition to life in America at first? Like, um, what did you have to change about your daily habits? What, what had to change in order for you

00:23:52.589 - 00:24:21.660

to, to get accustomed to living here? Um, and I guess I didn't feel like I changed anything or just like a natural, get adapt, adapt to the environment, whatever is required for me to, uh move on, you know, uh to uh for example, like go to

00:24:21.670 - 00:24:38.219

school, uh um find a job, those kind of things, whatever is required to, I just naturally adapt. OK? This is what you require, require me to do. OK? I, I just do that, you know, it's like kind of like uh like one example, like in China

00:24:38.229 - 00:24:51.089

at the time, you know, uh most of the like, at least when I graduate from college, I, I didn't have to find a job myself because it's like all arranged, you know, the school is tell you, OK, this is where you go to. This is what

00:24:51.160 - 00:25:03.660

you do. Yeah. At the time still the, the college student you don't have to worry about, you have a job or something. Not like today, it's like you have to find your own job, you know, too many people. It's like that they have interview projects now,

00:25:03.670 - 00:25:19.319

you know. Right. It's like here, but at the time there was no, I didn't have to worry about that. So, coming to us, you know, that was the first thing you have to adapt, you know, you have to start making all these choices, you know, you

00:25:19.329 - 00:25:30.400

have to apply, find a job yourself. But it's, it's like a natural process like, OK, this is what you require, this is the world is here. You know, this is what I do. I didn't have to feel like, oh, this is very hard, you know, why

00:25:30.410 - 00:25:47.469

did I have to do this. Um, so kind of just fell into place. Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is a good thing that I was just kind of fresh from college. There was no, um, standard or no, uh, anything already said in my mind and what

00:25:47.479 - 00:26:00.459

it was supposed to be, there was really not a comparison, you know, I didn't compare things, you know, at the time, just like, oh, this is what is needed, what's required, I just do that, you know, move on now. And now a lot of times I

00:26:00.469 - 00:26:13.010

do compare now what it used to be, what, what it should be I think should be what it is now then that's, that will make it a little harder. But at the time did not whatever the cause I do that move on because I, I guess

00:26:13.020 - 00:26:28.979

I was still young, you know, had no expectation or anything, whatever comes, that's the way it is almost made it easier than probably to change this. Yeah, because I, I know if like some people, a lot of older came to us, they already had work experience,

00:26:28.989 - 00:26:47.199

had some kind of uh social status established like they were because a lot of people came here, they were like uh like the like the not, not exactly top like the um leaders or the seniors and where their company used to be, you know, they will

00:26:47.209 - 00:27:01.079

have, they already have a good job in those kind of things. And they have to come to the States to start over again. You know, the, in that case it would be very hard. It's kind of hard for them to adjust, adjust, you know, adapt the

00:27:01.089 - 00:27:18.310

new roles, things like that. I mean, they, they do, they do do that, but in my case, it's, it was a very easy process because there was no, no comparison, I guess. Yeah. So I could, I start fresh from scratch as well. You know, like my

00:27:18.319 - 00:27:32.640

husband, he graduated, he, he came to States before he even graduated. So there was no expectation, you know, no comparison. Oh, I used to be this now I'm here. You know, all he knew is that there was more work and education opportunity in the US. And

00:27:32.650 - 00:27:48.099

so everything else, all like daily lifestyle just kind of fell into place after that. Exactly. Because we were like open minded, you know, it's what you call it, it is what it is, you know, I just accept that, that, that, you know, and that's it. I'm

00:27:48.109 - 00:28:04.010

just naturally uh get, get into it. So there was no struggle or anything. I mean, to, to us. Yeah. Did you find the situation was different with other uh Chinese immigrant families? Yeah. Some, some of them was harder because some of them, you know, they had,

00:28:05.349 - 00:28:19.660

you know, they are already at, um, they are already well positioned in China, you know, um, they have to come here. Start from the lowest level, you know, over again. That would be hard. I can't imagine. Like if, I mean, my 30 forties, you know, come

00:28:19.670 - 00:28:35.969

to here, I'm already like a senior at, in some kind of country with, you know, years of experience. Now I have to come here, start over again, going to school, being, you know, being assistant, you know, teacher assistant and then go find the lowest position in

00:28:35.979 - 00:28:48.859

your company. You know, when everybody is younger than me, I'm older. But actually I have more experience, you know, this kind of thing. You have to prove yourself again. You know, and you are already 30 40 something. It will be really hard, you know, if I

00:28:48.869 - 00:29:03.510

had it kind of like you have to start your life all over again. I mean, to us, our life just started so this was like great timing, you know, there was no, not much struggle. So, so in a way we were very lucky. Ok. Um, was

00:29:03.520 - 00:29:28.989

there anything you were particularly surprised about that or made life difficult for you in the first years? Was there anything that's like, stuck out as being like you didn't expect it at all when you came to the United States? Um, oh, I can't think of anything,

00:29:29.000 - 00:29:43.829

I guess, I guess a big thing for me, um, during those years, um, was like, I had to go find a, find something to work. I support my husband, you know? Um, had to work in a restaurant because that's where the most, you know, at the

00:29:43.839 - 00:29:58.770

time, if I didn't have a US degree, nobody's going to, you know, hire me to do any office work or anything. So most people, students or their spouse or something during the summer time, you know, is the kind of work they trying to find is in

00:29:58.780 - 00:30:11.930

the restaurant, you know, to be a waitress is kind of that. So that was like, ok, I didn't expect that, you know. You know. So that was kind of hard. Did you, did you like that job when you were in that job or was it, was

00:30:11.939 - 00:30:25.079

it just like you, you were, you got through it, you supported your husband? I didn't really think I like it because I knew it's going to be temporary, you know. Right. Just go through it and somebody, you know, it's kind of like this need to be

00:30:25.089 - 00:30:42.609

done and everybody is doing that, you know. So, um, it's just the way it is. So it wasn't, um, didn't make me feel bad or anything. It's just like that was a surprise, kind of different experience. I didn't expect, you know. Yeah, I get the feeling

00:30:42.619 - 00:30:53.839

that if you were, if you already had a senior, like a senior degree or you were at a senior position at the company, then you worked at a, at a restaurant, you might not feel great about that. But if you're you're just starting out, then it,

00:30:53.849 - 00:31:08.859

it makes more sense to, you know, start, start almost to the lower rung and work up. I worked in food service at Sonic Restaurant for a couple of summers. So I, exactly. And especially at the time, it's like, I think people is like, you feel good

00:31:08.869 - 00:31:22.819

or bad. It depends on the environment you're in, you know, and in, and at the time, you know, people in our situation we all do that. It's like, that's the way you just do to support yourself. Right? So it's like you don't feel bad about it.

00:31:22.829 - 00:31:39.430

That's just the way it goes, right. You know, it's kind of like in China, you know, when, when the, um, you know, um, many years ago it was like, not as modern, you know, not, not many. Uh um, it's like the, the, the life is not.

00:31:39.439 - 00:32:02.069

So, um, um, what's the word? Uh, it's not, I guess, I guess the, uh, not like everything is. So, um, right there, you know, so you get, you get limited supplies of everything but people don't feel bad about it because everybody lives like that. That's just

00:32:02.079 - 00:32:13.229

the way it is. You know, once you compare it to the other country or something, oh, they don't have to do that, then you kind of feel bad, you know. So, so you compare to the, you, you live in the environment around you, right? So you

00:32:13.239 - 00:32:25.194

surround me, everybody does that. So I didn't feel bad at all. Now I look back like, oh, I had to do that now. I feel better on something but sometimes you kind of feel, oh, that's what I had to go through, you know, to get where

00:32:25.204 - 00:32:39.520

I am today, you know, and sometimes I tell somebody like, hey, you see, you know, how lucky you are. You know, your mom has to go through that, you know, first, you know, taking it for granted. That's, that's the way it is for first generation immigrants.

00:32:39.530 - 00:32:54.520

But still it was little bit hard because the restaurant works long hours, those kind of things. Right. You know. So, yeah, but not, not, not too bad or anything, you know, looking back, it's like, ok, I went through that as part of my life. You know,

00:32:54.530 - 00:33:13.880

it's kind of experience didn't feel bad or anything, but that was something I expected, you know. Right. You didn't see yourself once you left the, once you left China going into being a waitress, right? It happened and it's a means to an end. Ok, here's a

00:33:13.890 - 00:33:33.969

question about English. Did you learn English prior? Coming to the United States? Yeah, we, we took, you know, we took classes, um, uh, six study in, um, middle school. We, we start taking English classes, um, then all the way through, um, second year in college, I

00:33:33.979 - 00:33:51.569

think, but not only like, uh, I, I think like in high school we had English class, like, every day, uh, 45 minutes a day because, you know, in college it's like, uh, twice a week, once or twice a week, something like that. So, no, no, I

00:33:52.079 - 00:34:11.879

mean, I know the grammar, you know, I know the basics talking things like that. But, um, do you feel that your experience learning English in China helped you when you came over here? Oh, yeah, definitely. Yeah. Ok. Um, do you, uh, do you know how you

00:34:11.889 - 00:34:26.510

compared to, uh, other Chinese immigrants in your English speaking ability? Do you know if you were, if you came here or, like, relatively well prepared to, to speak English or? Oh, I, I guess, um, I, I don't know, I guess I'm in the middle. I'm, I'm

00:34:26.520 - 00:34:44.379

not sure uh, how, uh, because I know people have the same at the same. I went through college, like me, they all, they can all speak English pretty well. But I know there's also people that didn't go through that. So they, they, they, they didn't know

00:34:44.389 - 00:35:05.050

much English, I guess I'm in the middle. Um, is there any particular situation that stands out in which you, you think you were looked down on or marginalized because of, uh, I don't know your accent or because of your race. Can you think of anything or?

00:35:05.250 - 00:35:25.139

Mm. Actually I, I was surprised because, um, when I, I find a job, when I, actually, my first real job I was at the, um, I was hired as a, uh what do you call? Support engineer at compact and not its p, you know, so I

00:35:25.149 - 00:35:37.020

was like, you know, be on the, on the phone if so many customer calls have problem on the phone and helping them, you know, and I, I was not in the desktop, you know, division. I was in the server, basically, the companies use the company. Right.

00:35:37.030 - 00:35:48.550

So those kind of things. So, I was surprised I got hired. I like, hm, I don't think I can do that because you have to start speaking English every day and over the phone with customers. But I got hired. So, I guess, um, and that was

00:35:48.560 - 00:36:09.149

the only we had, uh, because it was in, uh, I was the only, um, no American people in the group at the time, I guess. So, I was a little bit surprised I got hired for the job. No, I, I didn't feel discriminated or anything because

00:36:09.159 - 00:36:23.879

of my race or the ex or anything. I think I was kind of strange. Yeah. So you said you were like a support engineer? Um, so after coming to the, did you get a degree in the US? Oh, yeah. At the time I haven't got my

00:36:23.889 - 00:36:39.479

degree yet. I was like a year into my master's degree. So, um, I guess a support engineer is kind of like at the entry level job. Not really if you are really experienced, you don't want to be on the other side of the phone, just helping

00:36:39.489 - 00:36:53.550

people do those kind of things, right? So you, you want to be really uh you know, doing a real project on your own, you know. So, so I remember at the time, most people in the in the organization are pretty young, you know, start started. I

00:36:53.560 - 00:37:09.969

remember, I still remember my, one of the questions my uh the interviewer asked, asked me, he said, why did you want to uh be a support engineer? So I was like, well, I, I just started, I'm willing to try anything, you know, I really did not

00:37:09.979 - 00:37:25.500

know how it works, you know, and I know it's kind of support but it's a job, you know. Right. So, so you were trying, you were balancing, getting a master's degree and working as a support engineer. Yeah. Yeah, I was working in the master degree is

00:37:25.510 - 00:37:40.149

a little different than the undergraduate because uh you can like the, the school I, I went to, I went to uh clinic uh clinic because um I mean to, to, to us it's like we don't have to go to this like top level schools, anything, all

00:37:40.159 - 00:37:53.330

we need to just degree so we can go look for a professional job in the US, right? You know, getting accepted by the employees here. So, you know, so at the time I, I applied for the US main campus but they because I, my major was

00:37:53.340 - 00:38:05.560

in Phoenix. So I want to go to computer science. They, they say, ok, we accept you but then you have to take, you know, make up like, eight courses or like, oh, that's like a year, you know, and a year time at the time to us

00:38:05.570 - 00:38:19.929

we have to pay our state fees, you know, with a year, like, oh, that's not, it's just degree. Right. I don't, so, so at the time U clinics to allow people to apply because most people have deadlines, like in February or something, you know, I think

00:38:19.939 - 00:38:34.629

it was pretty late at the time, still accept, uh, in applications, you know. So I applied for process control, you know, in the, in the engineering department. I think I didn't have to make up any classes or anything, you know, I got accepted. And so, um,

00:38:34.679 - 00:38:50.449

so that's why, where I went. So I remember I lived at the, at the time my husband found a job close to like 2 90 Northwest area. So I drove all the way over there to 50 miles, one way, 100 miles, both ways, like three times

00:38:50.459 - 00:39:06.209

a week. But I took the class at night because the most, it's a process control major. Most students in the class were all engineers already working at the plant, you know, for big oil and gas company, petrochemical companies, you know. So all my classes at night,

00:39:06.590 - 00:39:24.419

you know, so, so during the day I can work. So that's why, you know, so you were, you were pretty busy during that time? When did, what year did you receive your master's degree? 96? Ok. So, this was just, just five, after five years after coming

00:39:24.429 - 00:39:42.250

to the US, you had already lived in Mississippi, then moved to Houston and got a master's degree. So, you're right. Actually, I, I, yeah, it's like a, you know, I, at the time I had, you know, I, yeah, I, I skipped one semester because I had

00:39:42.260 - 00:39:58.489

so, you know, um, yeah, so by the time I, in 96 I had both my kids, you know, worked in a compact and I got, I don't know if, you know, the M CS E, like the certificate from Microsoft, you know, at the time, the c,

00:39:58.550 - 00:40:14.459

he just came out. So I compact sponsor people to get, you know, train, get certifications, you know, they even sponsor people go to college, you know, things like that. So I've got that. So, um, just like I done a lot of things during those years and

00:40:14.469 - 00:40:34.850

then I left the compact in 96. You know, it's like I worked there for like two, 2.5, two, yeah, two years around two years. Ok. Find another job. Move on. So. Ok. Um, let's see. Um, the next few questions are about jobs, but I think we've

00:40:34.860 - 00:40:50.729

already answered some of the, some of the stuff. Like what type of job did you apply for? After moving to America, you, you became a waitress and then you moved onward. Um Like what, what skills allowed you to transition into an American job? Like once you

00:40:50.739 - 00:41:05.520

came to Houston, what, what, what skills? So, so at the time 91 92 it is like the computer industry, it just started, you know, at the time it was very hard to find a job. So my husband, the job, he's a we engineer, but he found

00:41:05.530 - 00:41:20.560

the job he had is a computer programmer. So the good thing is when he was at the, the college, he was doing the um research for professor was he need, need some computer programming skills. So hence he had the skills and he knew that's the kind

00:41:20.570 - 00:41:34.500

of skill the market is looking for. So he took computer science classes that helped him to get his first job, very first job. It was very hard actually, he was the very first one to find a job among his, you know, friends, you know, uh students

00:41:34.510 - 00:41:53.399

that graduated with him. So, so, so I knew computer is the, the skill that market needs, you know. And um so I, I took, even though my uh uh major with project control, it's really like mass and that kind of kind of stuff. But uh I

00:41:53.409 - 00:42:08.760

took computer science classes, you know, in the EU H clinic. So that helped me in my very first job, you know, because, uh, the company, they basically train you because they, they train their product and they train you with the product. But they also need to

00:42:09.000 - 00:42:25.500

have the background, you know, so they can train you, you know. So that's how I get my very first, um, job, I guess education does help, you know, so they know you have the background, basically you have the ability to learn, you know, then from there,

00:42:25.870 - 00:42:41.370

uh I, I, I got the M CS E certificate at the time, Microsoft just, you know, came out with that certificate. So I was very few that have had that at the time. The M CS E like a Microsoft certified system engineer. So you, you have

00:42:41.379 - 00:42:58.919

to take six class six exams, you pass basically their operating system at the time was still do window just came out, you know. So I took the exam, you know, and then there's uh, like their, the database SQL server, you know, certificate, you know, just, just

00:42:58.929 - 00:43:12.659

their, their product, you know, you have to take six of them to become certified with that title you can only take or you can take one and you become specializing in that one product. So I took six. So that opened the door for me to my

00:43:12.669 - 00:43:29.790

next job and as a, as a DB A, but I took the SQL server, the database certificate, you know. So that's how from there, I moved out, you know, once you have experience, you know, it's a matter of, you know, opportunities, you know, you still, you

00:43:29.800 - 00:43:41.370

still learn, right? You learn a lot still on the job, you know, all those kind of things. But it made it a lot easier because people know you have the background because otherwise you have to show them, you know what you have, otherwise, why do they

00:43:41.379 - 00:43:57.590

hire you? Right. So, so I think the certificate helped me a lot at the time because very few people had it now. It's like almost everybody has it. Everybody work with Microsoft product has it. It's like a must have or something, you know. Yeah. And, uh,

00:43:57.600 - 00:44:26.729

where do, where do you currently work? Me? I work at, uh, at downtown, uh, industries, um, Petro Petrochemical Company. So, being there 15 years now. Wow. Ok. Um, are you involved in any civic or political institutions in Houston, such as churches or, uh, neighborhood organizations? Churches,

00:44:26.739 - 00:44:40.949

uh, used to but not much, uh, now, uh, very, very little. Ok. I mean, you said you, you sometimes went to churches when you first came to Houston in order to, because they were almost like a network to help you out to. But do you feel

00:44:40.959 - 00:45:11.159

like you don't, you don't need that network anymore? Is it because of, like, a change in religious beliefs or? Mm. No, I mean, I still need the network but, um, I guess after, um, I guess it's, it's, it's, it's hard to, um, to explain because there

00:45:11.169 - 00:45:31.800

are some people are very religious but I'm just not that type. So I go to the church. I sit there and listen here, you know, the church I go to is like the Christian church. It just didn't, um, oh, what, what, what's the, what's the word?

00:45:31.810 - 00:45:48.909

Um, I just don't feel like, you know, I'm really, I'm, I'm really, um, it's not just, it's not my true belief, you know. I don't really believe that, that particular, uh, religion, you know. So it's hard when I get older it's harder and harder to get,

00:45:48.919 - 00:46:03.479

sit there listen to the things that you don't, you don't really believe. You know? So I feel like a waste of my time, you know. Um, I respect that the other people but for me it's hard to sit there, you know, because, you know, you go

00:46:03.489 - 00:46:17.350

to church most of the time is the priest talking, you know? You know, I mean, mostly I think most religions I teach you the, the pretty much the same basics, you know, be a good person, be nice, those kind of place. So I kind of feel

00:46:17.360 - 00:46:34.360

like I don't need to go to church, you know, for that, you know. Um, II, I guess in a way, you know, when you were young, when you're young you, uh, you just willing to listen to anything, you know, just go, you know, experience things, but

00:46:34.370 - 00:46:49.949

when you get older, you know what you want, you know, um, you know what you believe you kind of, it's getting, at least for me it's, I am not willing to, um, to do things that I don't really want to do anymore just to, you know,

00:46:51.570 - 00:47:13.189

even for the, for the uh network or socializing all those kind of things, you know, you don't have to go to a church to socialize and all those kind of stuff. So I get, I go to uh church a lot less after um, after a, so

00:47:13.199 - 00:47:30.250

he went to high school, I think, ok, just get uh less and less, you know, so, and eventually I just stopped going because it just, nothing attracts me there anymore. You know, because at the beginning you like, ok, listen to it. Ok. Yeah, you think about

00:47:30.260 - 00:47:45.939

it, you feel like you've already gained what you need to gain from the church, you've already, you feel like they've already helped you out with ethical and moral situations. And so now, right, because, you know, like, like in China there was not really a religious environment

00:47:45.949 - 00:48:02.030

at all. We don't go to church, you know, very, I don't know today there, if there are many churches, I haven't seen many, you know, just, there's no such thing. Right. And so, so I didn't really have a strong religious belief or anything um to come

00:48:02.040 - 00:48:17.489

here, you know, it's like first thing you know, um, students come, you know, the first people, you know, or the first people, your friends or family introduce you to is the church people. You know. So, because it is, they are very helpful and very nice and

00:48:17.500 - 00:48:29.699

all those things. So you, you naturally get involved in those things so they tell you those kind of things. So all those things are new to me, like, oh, ok. Interesting. So, at the beginning, I used to go listen to things like that. Then you start

00:48:29.709 - 00:48:49.010

reading, reading the book, things like that. But I just find it hard to believe, you know, it's very hard for me to accept that kind of face, you know. Um to me it's the, the, the face we have in China, in China, like the Buddhist Buddhism

00:48:49.020 - 00:49:03.020

is a lot easier for me to accept, you know, it's just different. I don't know, a lot of people, they, they are really into uh Christians here, you know, they, they do believe it, but I don't believe it. I don't want to pretend, I believe it

00:49:03.030 - 00:49:16.169

and sitting there, you know, that's another reason I don't want to, I don't go anymore because I feel like that church should not be placed like that because I know some people just treat it as like a social place. You know, some people go for the

00:49:16.179 - 00:49:34.100

network on those kind of things. I, I really don't want to do that, you know. So, so um, but even, even like the, the Buddhism and the church so they have, they don't call, they call the temples. Right. I went several times and I don't go,

00:49:34.110 - 00:49:47.540

it's kind of far, you know, from where I live. But I also, I feel like if you truly believe something, I really don't have to go over there to have the ceremony, you know. You know. So that's just, just me, you know, I mean, I'm kind

00:49:47.550 - 00:50:01.330

of like, uh, quite a lazy person or something and I don't want to just go spend his time to go on anything. I mean, it's, I mean, it's, it's a format if you truly believe it, some people think it, it shows your, uh, believe this kind

00:50:01.340 - 00:50:16.510

of, your sincerity or something. But to me, I, I don't have to do that. I don't feel like I need to do that. So, uh uh so, no, II, I don't get involved in this, this kind of religious things, but I do believe there's some bigger

00:50:16.520 - 00:50:33.290

force force a lot more powerful beyond us, exist in the universe. You know, that's, that's what I believe. But really I'm a one type of religion or something. Um, no, I'm not. And probably because I think I have a lot to do with my background. I

00:50:33.300 - 00:50:48.070

just didn't have that kind of uh background when I grow up. So when I get older it's kind of harder for me to accept those kind of things. Ok. Yeah. I mean, if, if, if I had the kind of education in, when I was little, you

00:50:48.080 - 00:51:00.909

know, tell you those kind of things, you believe, you start believing it as a child. I think it will be a lot more easier, you know, or it became natural to you, you know, you, you became really in your face but I didn't have that. So,

00:51:02.979 - 00:51:23.909

um, how has it been finding community in the United States? Do you have a diverse group of friends? Um, well, I guess church is one way and then the, the parents of my kids, you know? Right. And naturally and then um just, just the, the, the

00:51:23.919 - 00:51:43.459

people just, you know, you go to parties or you go, you know, people, then you, these people know that people, you know, just naturally happens, didn't specifically go looking for friends or try to network and ok, I'm too lazy to do that. Like with the, like,

00:51:43.469 - 00:51:59.770

Sally's people from Sally's high school class. You got, did you, you meet, like, met her parents from her class? And yeah, Sonny's close friends, you know, I met their parents but um Sony is pretty independent so I don't really, he didn't really depend on me for

00:51:59.780 - 00:52:18.479

much, you know, so she knows everything on her own. So, yeah, I just met them, you know, but didn't have much uh network or anything, you know, phone calls or something and mainly are like Chinese uh parents too, you know. So I guess it is a

00:52:18.489 - 00:52:32.090

lot easier to talk in your native language, you know, you have a lot more to talk about, you know? I see when you have people with the same background you automatically, you have a lot more to talk about than people, you have totally different background. You

00:52:32.100 - 00:52:49.429

know, you can only talk about the things both of, you know. You know. Yeah. Um, ok. Go to uh like, what are your current relations with China? Do you visit often? Uh, yeah, I try to, uh, I think every two years I go back to visit

00:52:49.439 - 00:53:06.260

my, uh, my parents, my family. Um uh so you don't feel that you've become, do you feel you've been distanced from China at all by being in the United States? No, not at all. And I still go visit them and now, you know, with, with this

00:53:06.510 - 00:53:23.159

dish network they have a lot of Chinese channels, you know. So that's what I, I watch mainly. I barely watch uh American TV. Si mainly just watch the Chinese TV. S so, yeah, I know. I'm not distant from that environment at all. Do you watch any

00:53:23.169 - 00:53:39.600

Chinese soap operas? Ok. Yeah. When I was in Beijing, that was pretty much all that was on TV, when I was looking. Yeah, I know. Um, so you, you keep, do you, do you keep in contact with family and friends in China? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I

00:53:39.719 - 00:53:53.090

mean phone call, I remember when we, when I first came to the States or the, the phone call is really expensive, like, cost more than a dollar per minute. It was really hard. So, you have to write letters, you know, and the time internet was not

00:53:53.100 - 00:54:08.229

so, you know, not there, you know, the, the internet here, but it's not like China didn't have internet or anything. It's very hard to keep in touch. Then the phone call get, you know, less and less expensive, you know. So, so making phone calls now it's

00:54:08.239 - 00:54:27.669

like, really cheap, right? So with IP phone it's free, you know, so they call investment causes all the time. So it's getting easier and easier to communicate between them. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, let's see. Um, what did you think about the, the Asian American families that

00:54:27.679 - 00:54:48.840

had already lived in the United States for some time when you came here? Did you, did you feel they were almost like your mentor or did you feel that like, they helped get your life started here? Yeah. Um, I guess this, they, they, um, yeah, I,

00:54:48.850 - 00:55:06.250

I see, uh, because a lot when I come here because I like the, the most people that was here already established or many people from Taiwan because I'm from mainland China, right? People, Republic of China. The people from my country mainly are still students because at

00:55:06.260 - 00:55:20.979

the time the door just open, not many people came to us yet. You right. So everybody just studying, you know, studying just got started. But people from Taiwan, they were here for a long time. So like, you know, see how their family is, you know, they

00:55:20.989 - 00:55:35.750

have a house, have kids, go to college, you know, they have good jobs and the big corporation, all those kind of things. So it's kind of like set a example for, hey, this is the, my life is going to be, you know, in the future. Um,

00:55:35.760 - 00:55:51.179

and some of them they do offer you advice, you know how the company is, like how the American corporation works, those kind of things. So do you feel like your life is kind of like those Taiwanese people? Like, do you feel like you're, you kind of

00:55:51.189 - 00:56:08.360

went on the same track as the Taiwanese Americans? I guess it's, it's, that's only natural, right? You, you do what you, what you do at different age, you know, if you look hard, you study when you're 20 something you get, get a job, get, you know,

00:56:08.370 - 00:56:30.209

especially when you're 30 something. So you're, you're in, you, you believe that there's, everyone can be upwardly mobile, everyone can. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, especially that. Yeah, especially, I mean, America is a very open society, you know, they are, um, I guess what, what they call

00:56:30.219 - 00:56:48.469

it like American dream. As long as you work hard, you have the skill set that people need. You can find, um, a place for yourself. I mean, that's, that's the, the word then, you know, things like, come with your hard work, those kind of things. So

00:56:48.479 - 00:57:10.469

everything falls into place naturally. You know, for me, everything just happens naturally. I didn't really specifically looking for something that I really, really, you know, wanted heart or something. You know, it's like just this natural process seems like, yeah, everybody goes through that path. So, um

00:57:10.620 - 00:57:36.340

do you feel like you've had to give up any of your Chinese culture in order to make it in the United States? Um Not, not exactly give up. It's like um how, how, how willing, how um how much are you willing to adapt to the American

00:57:36.350 - 00:57:53.729

uh environment depends on how much you want for yourself. You know, if you don't want the things that would, would take that thing to get, then it's OK as long as you're OK with it yourself, you know. Yeah, I guess I have to give up something

00:57:53.739 - 00:58:18.260

like, it's, I, I think the major, main difference here with my culture is with the American culture is maybe it's the main difference between eastern and western is western is more open, is not exactly the word, it's like open and more competitive, more outgoing, you know.

00:58:18.270 - 00:58:38.260

Uh Easter is like more um it's like, it's not exactly the word like introvert and introvert. It's like, so in, in the, in the America and like in the corporation. It's like you have to speak up for yourself. So if you have, you have an opinion

00:58:38.270 - 00:58:52.929

or anything, you have to talk. So people know, oh you have some opinion in China. It like nobody is like, ok, you know, you, you talk but you don't talk like, OK, I know this, this, this, you know, it's, it's different culture. So we have to

00:58:52.939 - 00:59:14.610

give up something to say. Um you have to adjust, I guess, find a balance of, for example, being humble and being um basically, you have to show yourself, prove yourself, you know, you still have to prove yourself in China, but you prove it by doing it

00:59:15.070 - 00:59:28.320

by doing. You don't have to say much, but here you have to do it. You also have to say a lot, OK, you know, to, for people to know, OK, you know, something otherwise if you just say it, you just do things, people knows, you do

00:59:28.330 - 00:59:47.489

well, but people do think you have um you know, uh leadership, not exactly what if you don't think you have that kind of quality. You can also see things. But to me, I think it's the different cultural difference. You know, it's not like you, we cannot

00:59:47.500 - 01:00:06.770

say things like we don't want to say, we don't feel like it's necessary for us to say things, you know, but here, especially in a, in a um big large corporation, it's like so many levels of, you know, um structured, right? So if you don't try

01:00:06.780 - 01:00:24.850

to stand uh stand out, you know, by, you know, I guess it's everywhere. I mean, China today probably is getting more and more like in the US now. But so it's up to the person, you know, if you want to want to um stick with your

01:00:24.860 - 01:00:39.540

believe, you know, just do your things, you want to say much or you adapt, you know, give that, that part just, you know, whatever it takes, you know, just do it, not doing bad things, but you just kind of like have to adapt the culture, agree

01:00:39.550 - 01:00:51.580

with it. OK? I need to say speak up. So people know that I know things instead of just saying, I know it, I don't really have to say anything. Well, the fact is if you don't see anything, people don't think, you know. Right. I mean, in

01:00:51.590 - 01:01:07.989

a way that makes sense, right? If you say other people choose, you know, you know, but like in China, nobody says anything, right? So they just, they, they, they show by doing here, you, you show by doing a lot of it also depends. You also have

01:01:08.000 - 01:01:23.050

to show by saying it so that people know that, you know, and give you the opportunity. So that's a big thing. II I think my, I personally have to give up um sometimes to, if I want the opportunity I want, I have to speak up say,

01:01:23.060 - 01:01:36.800

hey, you know, I know this, you know, I can do this is love. Like I think if in China, I think there's more chance, I don't have to say anything. You know, your manager will come to say, hey, do you want to do this? You know,

01:01:36.810 - 01:01:50.239

because he think he can do it. But here it's like if there's two people, you can do it, other people can do it too. You don't see anything that other people said it, he got the opportunity. So the leadership or the ability to speak up. Yeah,

01:01:50.250 - 01:02:11.189

because I, I think, um, I, I read some, some article somewhere just, just not looking for it just by, uh, just by chance talking about, um, uh, I forgot her title. The, um, the Secretary of Labor. Is that the, uh, the lady and she's from Taiwan,

01:02:11.199 - 01:02:28.360

I think. Yeah. And I think, um, Secretary of Labor in the UU si, don't know if she still is, uh, has a title. Uh, that's what she said to the biggest adjustment she has to, uh, to make is to speak up in here. It's like in

01:02:28.370 - 01:02:45.949

the US, you have meetings or something, whoever speak up, speak first. People think that's the, that's the lead, that's the one that has the best knowledge. And the, I mean, even today, I mean, where, where the, the group, I mean, we have most American people. So

01:02:45.959 - 01:03:00.709

now we have a couple of Indians too, you know, I, I've been there for a long time but those Indian people and been there two, couple of years, you can see the culture difference. You know, the Asian people are a lot quieter than the American Western

01:03:00.719 - 01:03:13.719

people. You know, most people just talking are not saying they cannot do things but they can. But they also talk a lot more than the eastern people. Do you think it's because of a difference in the educational system? Yeah. I think it's the, it's the culture.

01:03:13.729 - 01:03:28.139

It's because, like, in the, in the eastern way we were taught is, like, be humble, you know, do things well, but be humble. There are always people better than you don't show. Oh, you know, this, you know, that there's no need for that. It's not good.

01:03:28.489 - 01:03:44.500

But here when my kids go to kindergarten, elementary school they were taught. You are the best. You, you're special. I mean, show and tell, you know, so, so different, like show and tell you, go show your talent, you tell your talent in the, in, in, in

01:03:44.510 - 01:03:59.340

China you have talent. You don't say anything. People find it good. If you don't find it, I enjoyed myself. That's, that's the culture we, we brought up. So it's, it's kind of hard for us to, you know, come here adjustment. I just, oh, I'm good. I'm

01:03:59.399 - 01:04:16.639

not, you know. You know, so, so that's, I think that's the biggest adjustment for me. At least I think for most for most people that at my age, but people in China today are different now. They are kind of like western now. They are because the

01:04:16.649 - 01:04:31.090

environment has changed so much, right? You have to do the interview process, all those kind of things. So they have to be the college today I think are preparing, preparing students for that kind of environment too. So, so they are more um it's different now, different

01:04:31.100 - 01:04:47.600

generation Like my parents' generation are even more so than, than us, you know. So we are even more. I think we are, my generation is in the middle, you know, but my previous generation is even even more um introvert, you know, it's like keep everything to

01:04:47.610 - 01:05:00.629

yourself. People sees it, great, people don't see it. I'm not trying to, to show, you know, to get an opportunity, you know, just, just, just not right that, that was the teaching, you know, we were all taught but here it's like you're supposed to show your

01:05:00.639 - 01:05:15.429

leadership, you know, you're supposed to show intel, you know, you're supposed to feel you need, you're special. I mean, nothing wrong with it. It's just different culture. I think that's the, that's why the um that's one reason that is so much more advanced in industry advanced

01:05:15.439 - 01:05:34.370

than Eastern because eastern never look into go, you know, do those kind of things. It's just different thinking different, totally different um cultural environment. I mean, you know, that's why western is so much more, you know, open and advanced, you know, they, you know, it's like

01:05:34.379 - 01:05:51.169

the, the very competitive environment not like because everybody was brought up to be like that. I'm the best. How can you not compete if you think you, you want to be the best, right? You know, it's, it's a competitive mind being brought up, you know, from

01:05:51.179 - 01:06:14.360

very little. So. Um OK, tell me your opinion of Chinatown. Does it remind you of an authentic Chinese culture? Uh No, not, not exactly. Uh here is, here is all Americanized? OK. Is there any, any place in Chinatown that you can point to specifically that you

01:06:14.370 - 01:06:39.689

enjoy going to? Because it uh I mean, the, I like to enjoy go to those gift shops because you see the Chinese uh stuff there, you know. Um yeah, that's, that's, yeah, pretty much and of course we go there every weekend to eat, you know, because

01:06:39.699 - 01:06:55.469

the food is still pretty, some of them, especially in China now is a lot more authentic than the Chinese restaurant, West Hammer, all those places, you know, it's more authentic than other Americanized Chinese restaurants, but it doesn't compare to what you had back home. Yeah. Yeah.

01:06:55.530 - 01:07:13.820

Oh, it's so different. Ok, see I went, I've been to this Peking Duck place in Chinatown and it was, it's really good. But compared to the Peking Duck I had in Beijing, it's uh Beijing was Beijing's was on another level. But um ok, so now this

01:07:13.830 - 01:07:32.639

is getting to your uh your Children. Uh How, how do you try to preserve Chinese culture in your Children? Um Well, to me, I, I didn't really try. I, I'm the kind of person just let it happen naturally, you know, I didn't really look far, look

01:07:32.649 - 01:07:49.120

really hard to preserve anything or because to me there's no good or bad in culture, you know what, in a way I want them to adapt to the American culture because that's where they're going to be, you know, but I guess I, I didn't really try

01:07:49.129 - 01:08:07.629

to preserve it, but I guess it just shows because they're living in a, in a Chinese family, right? We eat Chinese food. We have, you know, um speak Chinese at home a lot less now, you know. But um you know, talking about things happening in China,

01:08:07.639 - 01:08:25.850

we have Chinese holidays, you know, those kind of things and they show them the, the things that the Chinese people make those kind of things. So they, they know, but I didn't really try hard to preserve anything. But um do they go back to China with

01:08:25.859 - 01:08:39.609

you every two years or? Yeah. So, so far because I used to go, my husband go back every year but I try to go every two years, but my parents has been here three times. So, so I'll be skipping sometimes, you know, but after they came

01:08:39.620 - 01:08:54.470

back, I go back every two years to see them. So, so far, every time I go, they go and they actually went more than I do because I think, you know, once or twice I stayed, they went back because they, both my kids, they uh they

01:08:54.479 - 01:09:09.410

grew up in China because they, when they were little like six months old, I sent them back to China spent two years there. Then they came back at 2, 2.5. So they, so they, they, they used to that environment. They like they, they love to go

01:09:09.419 - 01:09:24.589

back, they really enjoy it. So they want, he wants to go back. So, but I think the the it will be harder for them to go back now because you know, they get busier, they could grow up. They don't really have that many holidays anymore. You

01:09:24.600 - 01:09:41.509

know, like this year summer we planning on like five weeks vacation but cannot, can have that long. He can only go back for two weeks or something like that. So, so, so we'll see. Yeah, but yeah, they, they go with us when they can. Ok. So

01:09:41.520 - 01:09:58.490

do you feel so you preserving Chinese culture is like you, you, you try to do it more passively than actively but like is it important to you that they retain some of their Chinese culture or? No? Uh no, I can say it's important I want them

01:09:58.500 - 01:10:20.459

to learn Chinese language but um culture or not, I can't say it's that important to me because I don't think it's, it's part of them but it's not exactly part of them, you know, because they are, they are, they're born here. They grow up here. I

01:10:20.470 - 01:10:38.180

don't think they have to carry that kind of culture. If they want to. They can, if they're interested, you know? Right. I tell them, you know, show them but they're not interested. I'm not trying to preserve anything, you know. Um, yeah. Uh, ok. Um, what are

01:10:38.189 - 01:10:57.790

your goals for your Children and their education and in their, for their future career? Just generally? Um, generally it's good, get good education. Um, find a good job, uh, a job that can, you know, they, like, you know, will also have some, you know, serve some

01:10:57.799 - 01:11:17.459

purpose, you know, uh to the society, you know. Um, I guess that's why I choose the, the medical career because I've always, you know, told them find a job that benefits to you and also to others. So to me, doctor is the most noble career you

01:11:17.470 - 01:11:31.330

can have, you know, especially in the US, you know, not, not that just you're paid well but you also, I mean, not just you, you help others, you also get paid well. Not like in China doctors don't make that much money, you know. So, but they,

01:11:31.339 - 01:11:45.450

they also, I mean, both and her sister, they also actually, they, they said that to me before I even, you know, realized that I said, well, there's a lot more ways to make job. They make money than being a doctor. Doctor really is a hard job.

01:11:45.459 - 01:12:02.709

You can't go into a, want to be a physician just because of money. That's not gonna work, you know. So they, so they understand that. I mean, so, um, um, you know, that, like, like, like had the opportunity to go to a really good schools, you

01:12:02.720 - 01:12:15.259

know, other than rice, those kind of things and she choose not to, she should stay with the p because she was like, I want to be a doctor. I don't see making money for a big corporation. How much meaningful is that. And then being a doctor,

01:12:15.270 - 01:12:27.169

you know, even though she knows doctor is going to be very hard career for her, you know, a lot of pressure, another six or seven years of school after college. Yeah, exactly. It's a, it's a long pass but she chose, choose to stay with it. I

01:12:27.180 - 01:12:41.109

think that has something to do with what I always, you know, telling her you want, not just want to make money, you also want something that you feel like it's meaningful. You know, you feel good about, you know, you know, you like to do so it

01:12:41.120 - 01:12:58.370

has to be a good balance. You know, to me, a doctor is a, is a perfect choice if you like it. So she likes me. I can't because I'm afraid of blood. Right. So, my, my, my younger one, she's like, uh, um, sophomore in high school

01:12:58.379 - 01:13:14.520

now so she can decide what she wants to do. I was like, well, you know, it's up to you. Right. If you don't resist, don't dislike being a doctor, then I think doctor is a good career to go to. Even though in the US today with

01:13:14.529 - 01:13:28.549

all the Medicare reform, all those kind of things, you never know what's gonna happen. But I think, you know, you go into that career, not just for money also, you know, you're helping others to do something really meaningful and something you like, you know, so you

01:13:28.560 - 01:13:41.180

have to like it, especially when it's a, when it's a hard job, you have to like it otherwise it's going to be miserable for them. If you have to do that thing you don't like for their entire life, that's gonna be really painful. So, yeah. So,

01:13:41.189 - 01:13:56.100

so I guess my, my, what I tell them is find a good balance, what you want to do and also something useful, you know, meaningful. So, um ok, I kind of already asked this question but uh do you ever think of returning to China and what

01:13:56.109 - 01:14:16.149

are some factors that could convince you to return in the future? Yeah. II I always think about that. Uh just uh just, just the, the, just to feel at home, you know, really at home. Uh Even though it, there's no comparison still, you know, because the

01:14:16.160 - 01:14:30.000

pollution, all those kind of things. So that's still, it's always on my mind to go back to China. Even not if, even if it's not China, maybe some Asian country close to China, you know, so one thing I can take care of my parents, you know,

01:14:30.009 - 01:14:46.069

when they get old, you know. Right, get closer. And also it's just a more eastern environment that I'm familiar with, you know. So, ok, so maybe to take care of your parents, that would be one reason why you would return. Yeah. And also I think, um

01:14:47.200 - 01:15:07.240

just for myself is I, I feel more comfortable after I stay. I grew up when I was little, you know. So, yeah. Ok. Let's see. Um Yeah, well, that concludes the interview and uh let's see.