Which is larger in the Houston Area: Vietnamese or Chinese communities?

[ipuck]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

Funny, because I think all the chinese vietnamese in NYC can speak cantonese. I have been in some vietnamese restaurants in chinatown, and Flushing, and I hear the waiters speaking cantonese.

And also, the old chinatown, where they built the BBVA Compass Arena, was that cantonese or originally also vietnamese?

There is a small Viet/Chinese population in NYC, mainly on Canal St and the few Vietnamese restaurants in the various Chinatowns. Some of them speak Cantonese as that is where their family came from, but they mainly speak Vietnamese and probably identify more as Vietnamese than Chinese as they been in Vietnam for so long.

[ipuck]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Why is it that nobody ever asks Chinese immigrants to "assimilate" and instead encourage them to build China towns?

Because moving into a different country is hard enough already. You don't speak the language, you don't know the rules or customs, what would you do here? How you going to live?

Until that infrastructure was built, Houston was not known as an first stop Asian immigration city till now.

The Chinatown is what allowed new immigrants to come here.

[NYC_transplant_in_Houston]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Why is it that nobody ever asks Chinese immigrants to "assimilate" and instead encourage them to build China towns?

Assimilate, such as going to the Rodeo, Monster Truck shows, Rockets games, Texans games, eating at BBQ joints, etc ... ? Because I see them there. Most of their children also have "Americanized" names. I can appreciate setting up enclaves where people can hold onto their heritage, it makes this country much more interesting. Almost all ethnicities do it, including Europeans.

[texas7]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Why is it that nobody ever asks Chinese immigrants to "assimilate" and instead encourage them to build China towns?

Probably because you don't see too many of them in gangs, loitering around parking lots unemployed or expecting others to learn their ways, and tend to be employed. Many already speak English when they arrive because they tend to be multi lingual in education. Often the very elderly aren't bilingual. I met a Chinese man in an esl volunteer program I was involved with. His kids wanted their parents here because the kids all moved here. He and his wife opted to go home -- at their age it was difficult for them to want to learn a new language, he missed their friends that they saw daily, couldn't understand tv shows, and they couldn't understand the few neighbors who did try to speak to them, etc. despite his kids being here -- he missed home and seemed to be mostly due to language and cultural barriers.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Originally Posted by NYC_transplant_in_Houston

Assimilate, such as going to the Rodeo, Monster Truck shows, Rockets games, Texans games, eating at BBQ joints, etc ... ? Because I see them there. Most of their children also have "Americanized" names. I can appreciate setting up enclaves where people can hold onto their heritage, it makes this country much more interesting. Almost all ethnicities do it, including Europeans.

These enclaves though are nothing more than supermarkets and restaurants. If anything I am sure the owners will love if Whites and Blacks and Hispanics developed a love for Chinese and vietnamese food, and start shopping there.

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by texas7

Probably because you don't see too many of them in gangs, loitering around parking lots unemployed or expecting others to learn their ways, and tend to be employed. Many already speak English when they arrive because they tend to be multi lingual in education. Often the very elderly aren't bilingual. I met a Chinese man in an esl volunteer program I was involved with. His kids wanted their parents here because the kids all moved here. He and his wife opted to go home -- at their age it was difficult for them to want to learn a new language, he missed their friends that they saw daily, couldn't understand tv shows, and they couldn't understand the few neighbors who did try to speak to them, etc. despite his kids being here -- he missed home and seemed to be mostly due to language and cultural barriers.

SHOTS FIRED!

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by texas7

Probably because you don't see too many of them in gangs, loitering around parking lots unemployed or expecting others to learn their ways, and tend to be employed.

Gee...no generalizations at all.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Seem to have gotten a little side tracked.

Anyways what percentage of the vietnamese in Houston are Hoa or ethnic chinese would you guess?

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

These enclaves though are nothing more than supermarkets and restaurants. If anything I am sure the owners will love if Whites and Blacks and Hispanics developed a love for Chinese and vietnamese food, and start shopping there.

And they do