2014.036.021 Oral History Interview with May Ling
In this interview, May Ling discusses her life as a Chinese immigrant in Brooklyn, New York. Ling talks about her personal life, family, job, 9/11, Chinatown, New York City, and cultural barriers that she faced when coming to America. She talks about her Chinese and American identity as well as her occupation as a teacher.

0:08 - Classes she teaches, ESL, basic literature, changes with students, Hong Kong, literacy skills, blue-collar workers, hardships, 9/11, counseling, smoke, towers, social worker, hatred, feelings, experience, free lunch, assistance programs, pollution, health effects, air quality

Play segment Segment link

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords:

Subjects:

0:10 - Immigration, occupation, born in Hong Kong, father’s job, restaurant, growing up in Brooklyn, not knowing English, Chinese school, American school, reading books from library, childhood, speaking Cantonese, waiter and seamstress, parents’ occupations, siblings, not many Chinese growing up, Chinatown, dim sum, family in America, gambling, Canton, college, Brooklyn College, first-generation Chinese, Asians, NYU, diverse backgrounds, education, post-college, being a teacher, kindergarten, master’s

Play segment Segment link

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords:

Subjects:

30:45 - [Distorted Audio] Parents immigrating, childhood, Nixon presidency, sponsored, Taishan, opportunities, going back to China, tourist, becoming American, considering herself as Chinese, students

Play segment Segment link

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords:

Subjects:

46:01 - Cultural differences, blending in, being mature, rebellion, independence, running away, being good, studying hard, listening to parents, dating, secrecy, teenage years, having a boyfriend, dating Chinese people, convenience, commonality, Chinese and Russian, opening restaurants, immigrants

Play segment Segment link

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords:

Subjects:

66:02 - Her generation, speaking the language, food, cooking Chinese food, eating habits, McDonalds, saving money for rent, going out to eat, apartment, moving into a house in high school, savings, making parents happier, memories, patriotism, post-9/11, jury duty, concluding statements

Play segment Segment link

Partial Transcript:

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords:

Subjects:


Search This Index
Search Clear