Asians in Orange County (Garden Grove, Irvine: neighborhood, schools, gated)

[johnny1313]

We are currently considering a move to Orange County and have a question about the community. We note that many of the schools have a very large Asian population, especially in Irvine....typically 40% Asian, 35% white, and the remaining 25% the rest (black, hispanic..etc). Do the Asian families tend to assimilate into the community creating one big happy family, or are things somewhat segregated when it comes to neighborhood social activities.

We have friends with small children who moved into a Korean dominated community in New Jersey and it was very difficult for the kids to make friends. Is this a total non-issue in Orange County? I know a typical answer would be some do and some don't assilimate, but just wondering if there is a general vibe in the community at large. Thanks!

[ccm123]

I would say that it depends specifically on how long the Asians in the community have been in the US. American born Asians (Asian Americans) tend to assimilate pretty well into the community, while recent immigrants generally do not (language and cultural barriers) and generally will socialize within their own race.

[Cheektowaga_Chester]

Originally Posted by johnny1313

We are currently considering a move to Orange County and have a question about the community. We note that many of the schools have a very large Asian population, especially in Irvine....typically 40% Asian, 35% white, and the remaining 25% the rest (black, hispanic..etc). Do the Asian families tend to assimilate into the community creating one big happy family, or are things somewhat segregated when it comes to neighborhood social activities.

We have friends with small children who moved into a Korean dominated community in New Jersey and it was very difficult for the kids to make friends. Is this a total non-issue in Orange County? I know a typical answer would be some do and some don't assilimate, but just wondering if there is a general vibe in the community at large. Thanks!

What exactly are you looking for? Do you want a heavily Asian community to live in? If so, that is available. Would you prefer a majority Hispanic or majority White neighborhood? Those are available too.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by johnny1313

We are currently considering a move to Orange County and have a question about the community. We note that many of the schools have a very large Asian population, especially in Irvine....typically 40% Asian, 35% white, and the remaining 25% the rest (black, hispanic..etc). Do the Asian families tend to assimilate into the community creating one big happy family, or are things somewhat segregated when it comes to neighborhood social activities.

We have friends with small children who moved into a Korean dominated community in New Jersey and it was very difficult for the kids to make friends. Is this a total non-issue in Orange County? I know a typical answer would be some do and some don't assilimate, but just wondering if there is a general vibe in the community at large. Thanks!

I don't really follow you either. If you are asking if most OC communities are majority Asian, then the answer is no.

[ragnarkar]

I think the Asian communities in OC are a lot more integrated into the community as a whole than, say, the San Gabriel Valley.

[Fran66]

Little Saigon, which is the largest Vietnamese community in The US, is in Westminster. The older Vietnamese -- the ones who were old when they arrived in The US -- tend to live in and around there. (You have to go eat there sometime -- the restaurants are SO good. And the parades and celebrations -- you have to go at least once to one of them!)

I worked for 30 years along side Vietnamese in OC. They were good, honest, ethical, SMART, welcoming people, who were very much assimilated (or they were in the process of assimilating, rather easily it seemed to me). They just tend to be better workers and better students with higher grades.

Your children are going to do fine in Irvine. [Like any big city/county, there are poor areas in OC and with poor schools -- but that has little to do with ethnicity.]

[mr bolo]

it also depends which asian ethnic group your family is from? because asians dont all get along, they also have prejudice among different asian groups

a korean probably wouldnt want to associate with a refugee or someone they consider a lower class asian

they all stay separated and have their own shopping areas

[red4ce]

It's as if you have to live next to Asians, there are plenty of cities that are predominately white or Hispanic. In fact I think only Irvine, Westminster, and Garden Grove are in that 40% Asian range.

[rainmand]

All the kids seems to get along well with each other in Irvine, regardless of their race.

[DewDropInn]

Originally Posted by johnny1313

Do the Asian families tend to assimilate into the community creating one big happy family, or are things somewhat segregated when it comes to neighborhood social activities.

If you're looking for one big happy family that's a pie in the sky dream.

If you're looking for a place where Asian children have non-Asian friends from school and the neighborhood, Irvine has been a place where that happens since the late 70's. If your kids are nice kids they'll make friends. Cross-cultural dating and marrying is very common in Orange County, BTW.