Northfield
Northfield itself plays a crucial role in our study and in the lives of our storytellers. For some of them, this pleasant town has always been home. But for others, it has only recently become one. Being a small Midwest town that houses two liberal arts colleges, Northfield sets a very unique stage for its Asian residences. Although it has kept a respectable distance from major cities, it is known for embracing diversity and new ideas. Change will no doubt continue to be a part of Northfield’s future, with an increasingly visible Asian American population, yet it will always be home to “Cows, Colleges, and Contentment” for many.
Ameeta Sony – “I’ve had mostly good experiences here. I just accept Northfield as it is. I know it’s growing and I know that there’ll be other challenges and all. But I think people here are very accepting of diversity.”
Ameeta Sony Transcription
The appealing part about Northfield community is that we, as I said, we have the two colleges, so there’s lots of activities that one could attend which I try to make the most of. Also, downtown there’s lots of, you know, events there. I take part in those events, you know, because that’s, to me, it’s just interesting I’m just curious to learn about, you know, things here too. So I do, do that. And I think people here are kind of friendly too. If I go to, like, California I can feel the difference right away and I want to come back. You know, so, people are friendlier and… helpful and I’ve had mostly good experiences here. I just accept Northfield as it is. I know it’s growing and I know that there will be other challenges and all, but I think people here are very accepting of diversity. I don’t know about other towns, but I think here because there’s so many international students who, and they host so many events too. It’s kinda nice. And in fact, I like Northfield so much that I actually asked my nephew to apply to St. Olaf. So he will be a student at St. Olaf next year.
Caroline Ticarro-Parker – “I think one of the things about Northfield… is that everything’s predictable here… but there’s also… the diversity that you could have by going to either campuses, Carleton or St. Olaf that no one takes advantage of.”
Caroline Ticarro-Parker Transcription
I don’t think there would be anything that I would change. I think people come to Northfield for what it is. Certainly, people like my husband love Northfield for the small town that it is. If I wanted something changed and I wasn’t married and didn’t have kids I wouldn’t live here, because it just doesn’t have the business that I would enjoy. But that’s just me. I don’t think there’s anything that you could change about Northfield that if you, wanted it you could have it. You could have your resources, you could have your different events, cultural events. You could have all that if you wanted it. I think one of the things about Northfield that’s safe is that everything’s predictable here. Like, you know, Target’s in almost Dundas because it doesn’t want to be Northfield. You know, that there’s ten pizza shops that all have the exact same menu. There’s safety in a small town, but there’s also, you know, there’s also the diversity that you could have by going to either campuses, Carleton or St. Olaf that no one takes advantage of.
Hsiang-Lin Shih – “I would say Northfield is very surprising to me in that we are lucky to meet with good neighbors, but [it is] also a good community.“
Hsiang-Lin Shih Transcription
Northfield is a very interesting place. We have neighbors who are mostly retired people, and we were so lucky that we moved… So we originally live in another community and now moved to the current one. Though both, in those two communities, we met with very good neighbors. I think good neighbors make everything easier. So they’re elder people, caring people, showing us around, like where to go for like car repair; where to go for a good festival event. Even when we think about where to send our children for schools. they said, they were so excited to say, “Our grandchildren went to certain schools”. And they’re… very happy there, and we are very proud to be a parent or grandparent of certain like a school. So I would say Northfield is very surprising to me in that we are lucky to meet with good neighbors, but also a good community.