Easley 6, Mon

I came back Easley after one week fall break. It was a little busier and more fun for both me and the kids here. The place is full of halloween environment with all kind of  costume decorations in the hallway also in some room. It was so fun working with their homework and we also did some chit chat about the Halloween coming up. Some are excited, some are not sure, and some are not really into it at all. To award the kids with good behavior, Mrs. Kinsey drawn the names to get pumpkin take home. After helping with their homework as usual, I stayed a little bit longer to talk and help them pick out the good pumpkins and write down their names on their pumpkins. As usual, I leaf with happy and can't wait to come back again!

Chat board discussion

I am so surprised how easy, convienient, and helpful these sources are. We have learn today by searching and looking into some blogs, chat board, forum disscussion, etc. I have found there are bunch of variety in sources and differents aspects other people have put in in the discussion. My focus point is what some opinion, discussion people have on young immigrant population life and how they asssimilate, or scope with different culture. I have found a helpful forum that focuses on different things this immigrant population dealing with in new culture. http://www.topix.com/forum/asian-american/TT220FI2VQLCTHGTM/p3 There are a great interaction here in this forum from outsider and insider. I hope this forum will add to my research some great information to looking out to see other perspectives through computer, as fast and convienient as I never thought it would be.

Easley 5, Tues

As usually, I got into the job right after I signed in. I know these kids want to get their work done early so they can't go out and play or talk on the phone with their friends ( It's surprising me that most of the kids here have their own cellphones, and some are smart phone!) There are few kids in the room today. I'm guessing they're all done with the homework either home or at school so they can be free and play today. Next week is their fall break, so there're more kids try to get things done beforehand. I think they have developed such a good habit in young age. The tutor was done quick. I only have one girl trying to do her spelling homework. She asked me if I can hang out with her in the track after she's done. So we did. I felt so much comfortable with her as my own sister or family members. I talked to me about her friendship at school, her future career, etc. It was a fun talk. If I didn't have to leave for my next class, we would have been talking for longer time. She said farewell and asked me when I'm going to come back next time. I told her the monday after the break, she was so excited and told me goodbye. As always, I left with a smile on my face.

Easley 4 Mon

This is my forth time here at Easley so I felt  much more confident and comfortable with the kids and staffs here. I was thirty minutes  early today since my class got out early. I hope I could spend more time on the kids homework since it's monday. As I have experienced, kids usually have more homework to do on monday or tuesday rather than later in the week. As I have expected, every one of them were so excited to see me and to get help from their homework. I was so happy that they also still remember my name. Some of the kids were arguing to have me as their tutor. I was really happy to tutor for both that day, at the same time, as they wish. The materials of their homework don't struggle me at all since I'm really good with math problems. As I tutored here, it helps me not to learn how to educate kids but also help me to use my knowledge back in high school more frequently so I won't forget. I've signed up for 1 hour today, but the kids got me so busy, I have stayed almost 2 hours without noticing the time. I just realized how fascinated tutoring can be! Can't wait to come back to see these kids again.

languages and cultures

I have been observing in the nail salon for couple days and finding some really interesting terms that technitians used with each other. At first, I was so confused of what they were talking about. The purpose of speaking in this spercific terminology to secure their information from customers or other profession. They explained sometime things need to be clarified between techinitians to have a better service, but using the original terms would not be as polite and professional in front of customers.
mani: manicure
pedi: pedicure
T-money: tip money
chao: owner, ownership
3 papers: $30
5/5: paying method 50% to owner, 50% to worker depending on customer service
4/6: same as above, 40% and 60%, 3/7 30 % and 70%
coverage: covered paycheck does not depend on customer service
full book: busy, packed
turns: turns of workers cycle schedule, they're available by turns and in order.

Project connection

As a member of this Asian immigrant group, I have found myself deeply connected to this project in term of searching throuhgout my experiences aspects and others. To learn from others is another way for me to learn more about myself and coping trategy in this community. This project will give me deeper look as insider and outsider to my backgrounds and expectations of others. Being a part of this community, I have been leaning how to assimilate and cope in life from supporting of my family and friends. With this project, I want to share my forturne to others by learning about their culture, discourse and try to help them connect to the society. Coming from other country is hard, to live in different country is even harder. For this reason, I want to highlight some important of understanding these culture in our society. With economic growth and increasing in national exchange, this population have been raised almost doubles for the last couple years. We tends to interact with more population in our local and community. Therefore, it's a need to looking into their culture, discourse to learn about others and even yourself in term of social interaction.

Paper interview

I have an interview with a manager in Fulin Asian Cuisine, one of the restaurant where this population was significant.
Me: What are the components of employees here in term of race and ethnicity?
B.L: It's about 50/50 of American and Asian. There are about 50/50 Asian who are coming here recently and growing up here. Most of the immigrant Asian here are chefs and couples are servers. We're doing a Chinese asian cuisine, so it's a necessary to have excellent, expertise in traditional Chinese cooking who still have the traditional tastes rather than those who grown up here, they are already assimilated to American culture, therefore, their expertise in cooking wouldn't be at great.
Me: What are some difficulty in training new server especially with Asian immigrants group?
B.L: There are some difficulties but it wasn't impossible. For the chefs, it's not too hard for them to learn since they don't do much communication and interaction with customers. They are more focus in the kitchen. For the server, the priority for the training is the language. They are not fluent in English so it makes it difficult to learn the menu and serve customers who are mostly American. Secondly I would say the cultures are different. To keep the restaurant in a professional business, we need to train the new people to serve in American style which is more polite, straightforward and respectful.
Me: What are some learning process and time wide for new servers?
B.L: It depends. Usually it takes them couple weeks to get used with the work tasks and to learn the menu. After that couple weeks, they will serve under manager's attention to gain experiences and to get familiar with the jobs. They will be assigned to work in less area than other servers. If they have any concerns throughout working, it's a great time to learn and adjust those mistakes if there are any.
Me: How are these employees interact with others?
B.L: Most of the immigrants group, they are really quiet and isolated in their own group. But overtime, they become more open, and interact more with others in term of learning, helping each other out, and friendship wide. I can tell that when they are more open to the environment, the faster they will learn things around and it becomes handy in working environment also I think it would help them to be more interactive in new community.

The interview was ended right when the restaurant started to get busier because it's opened for dinner. The manager was really friendly and welcome. He told me if I need more information or if I need any help toward this project, I can come back anytime, just let him know in advance.

In-Class interview

Me: Do you often see or interact with Asian immigrant in your local  or where you live now?
A: I have not  seen a lot of this population in my area. I have seen some, really small population in Belmont campus.  It seems like this population seems to be hidden in particular location. I know they're exist but rarely run into them in public.
Me: What are some specific places you have seen them?
A:  I have seen them in couple small business such as International market, restaurant, nail salons, etc. Comparing to Belmont, Vanderbilt seems to have larger of this population due to the international program and study abroad Vandy offers I think.
Me: What are some negative or positive impact you think this population have place in U.S?
A: I would think there are more diversity in term of culture and tradition in U.S. I think they are really hard working so that American have being taken over in term of jobs and labor. However, I have known a lot American who stay and work in Asia too, so I think it would consider as labor exchange rather than a job competition"

Easley 3 Tues

I was at section from 3:00-4:00 today but I didn't get out till 4:30. I got to tutor a lot of kids today. I think because it's the beginning in the week so kids have more homework compare to the end of the week. I was tutoring these two girls for writing and science. They are really sweet and hard working. One of the girl asked me for more homework. She said she wanted to practice more with her math. She needed to do more problems so she will be able to get good grade for her tests. Such a intelligent kid. The other two girls told me that they want to know more about college so that they will be prepared when they grow up. I have an interesting conversation with them about their future. At the end of my section, one of the girl wanted to walk me to the door and waived at me when I left, makes me so happy and excited. I can't stop smiling and thinking about these kids on my way home. I'm so happy for this involving in community I get to do for this class.

Easley 2 Tues

The second day I came back, I feel more confidence, at least I know where to sign in and sign out. I feel more familiar to the schedule and some of the kids here. My section is early today from 3:00-4:00 so I got to tutor the kids right when they got there. It was so quiet before they were here, but the environment was changing right at the second when they came in the door. I felt so happy to see those kids, especially those I was tutor last time. I start to tutor math for a group including 2 girls and 1 boy. They're all in different age and class. I was really busy with this group that day. They are so bright and fast learning. I was so amazed of how these kids develop self-learning in such a young age. I signed up for only 1 hour that day, but these kids really kept me busy , so I didn't get out 1 hour and half that day. I was so happy the kids remember my name and ask me about my schedule. They are so welcome here.

Easley 1 Mon

It was my first day at Easley community center. I was really nervous and excited at the same time. I've been working with kids before either at home or in community, but this community is new to me, so I wasn't sure if I can make  it the best. My section was 4:00-5:00. When I came in, most of the kids were done with their homework, so I didn't get to tutor the whole lot. The first expression is that kids here are so friendly and adorable. They ask a lot to get to know me personally. It shortens the distance from the kids to me. After the section, I felt so much comfortable tutoring here for the rest of this semester. The staffs are great. They are really open and helpful. I'm so grateful for their welcome toward me that day.