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.
Phuong Nguyen – “I really love it in Northfield too. Northfield is really nice… really nice people.”
Phuong Nguyen Transcription
I really love it in Northfield too. Northfield is really nice, it have a really nice town. Really nice people. I go everywhere in the town. Really nice every people. I want something to help everything, everything somebody says “OK, I am there for you. You don’t know how bout something, I did for you something, I did for you something.” I don’t know did have another town. I don’t know where did another… where have town. It really nice. I really love Northfield, really love the country. I don’t know another town. I live in town here for 22 years. I really love it, Northfield. It’s really nice in Northfield. Northfield really nice and live in Northfield really nice people in Northfield. But lot of Vietnamese in Northfield. Really nice for me too. Really nice to have your family too. Everything that I have need something. Your family in Vietnam, your family didn’t have every your family, your family didn’t have for me something. Didn’t have a big family for my mom. But for my mom 100%, your family didn’t have 90%. Yeah, everybody here for me. I need something, everybody here for me. I want something, somebody says “OK, I do it, I’m here for you, everything.” I love your family in Vietnam too, my mom, and I love my mom too. I love living here in Northfield. And St. Olaf and … everything, somebody help, everything. I want something, everybody help for me.
Hongyuan Lang and Dick Bodman – “Maybe if we have lived on the West Coast and been a part of an Asian community, we would have felt more of that conflict with the larger community. But here, perhaps because the Asians are not so numerous, it’s easier to get along with other people.”
Hongyuan Lang and Dick Bodman Transcription
Hongyuan: This little town is… rather cordial, perhaps because there aren’t many people. Anyway, when you come across someone on the street, even though you don’t really know them, you will say hi. It won’t be like that in larger places, right!? People here, they… each other … like if you are on the road, and you stop for a moment, people will also stop and ask whether you need help, or something like that, it’s quite good… this place. Dick: At least people have courtesy on the surface. Hongyuan: At… hum… here… the feeling after I came here is that people don’t discriminate against others, like black people, or someone like that. Even in China, people might think black people aren’t all that, or white people are superior; people might think like this. But after coming here, I feel people indeed care about equality, and put more emphasis on non discrimination. Dick: Or maybe if we have lived on the West Coast and been a part of an Asian community, we would have felt more of that conflict with the larger community. But here, perhaps because the Asians are not so numerous, it’s easier to get along with other people.
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.