How do you stick to your cultural roots when you move to a new place?

When I moved to United States, especially in this neighborhood, City Heights neighborhood, I go to church every week, I wear my traditional clothes, I also talk to my friends in my own language, and I talk to my parents in my language. So I feel very connected to my culture, and I also have friends who are willing to try new things, so they even try on my traditional clothes, which I feel very proud of.

What was it like, moving to your new neighborhood?

To me it was great, because when I was in Thailand, a refugee camp, everything was totally different. So, if I compared the refugee camp and here, my life here in this neighborhood was very, I am better off here, even though other people may say that City Heights is very ghetto but to me, it was very valuable to me because when I move, I just came here, and I see all those wonderful people, different color, and different background, and they are very welcome and they accept who I am.

What kind of vibe do you get off the neighborhood?

So like I said, the vibe that I get off the neighborhood, like my friends, or just people around our neighborhood, you know? They are [laughs] I feel like when I walk out, they feel welcome, like I am welcome in this neighborhood. 

So like, you work at Karen organization, right? 

Yes

So, what's your experience like?

So I work for the Karen Organization of San Diego as a youth program coordinator and a caseworker, so I like it here because I get to help all refugees from Burma, which I was once a refugee, Thailand refugee camp, and I share the same experience, so I am very proud of that I work here.

How do you feel when your people like when, the newcomers?

I feel good that they finally made it to here, because not many people actually get the chance to come to this country, and they're willing to sacrifice their life for their children and they're willing to go through with the struggle that they would face so I'm very proud of them. I'm very proud that I get to help them to make their dreams, or make their lives better here.

For people that have never been to City Heights, what would you tell them about City Heights?

City Heights is a great place if you want to experience international experience, you can come here. There's a variety of food from different country, and a wonderful community, diversity of people, so yeah.

Can you give me an example of an experience you've had?

Experience I have here in City Heights, so since I moved into the United States, I got resettled here in City Heights, and I was, I met a lot of friends from different countries, and they're also refugees themselves, and I also have friends that's an immigrant from Mexico, which is really good, and we become very close friend, so many people may think of us, that we are not, I don't know. But we, I don't know, maybe they stereotype us in a certain way, but you know, if you come into City Heights and you get to meet one of us, you might change your world.

So like when you said stereotype, what do you mean by that?

Because, I'm Asian myself, and I hang out with Mexican friends, black, or African-American friends, so there's a lot of stereotype within that. So, but, I always look at it on the bright side of you know, our friendships, so it's good, we get to learn each other culture, and we are very close friends, but from other people, when they look at us, they might think something, but, yeah.