cleorabbit Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 I'm writing my disseration on the Vietnamese communities and their shopping centers right now. I will be using Houston/Gulf Coast as one of my case sites.In answer to why there are so many Vietnamese in Houston, this is a pretty helpful article:http://www.houstonculture.org/cultures/viet.htmlMost of what you see is internal migration. Many Vietnamese refugees were fishermen in their former lives. Through word of mouth, they learned that the Gulf Coast would be an ideal place in terms of climate and livliehood. As they became more wealthy, they were able to move inland to Houston and set up shops that cater to the community's needs. They chose an area (Midtown) that was relatively low-rent. Now they are more clustered in the Bellaire area, due in part to gentrification.After Hurricane Katrina, many of the evacuees came to Houston, as I'm sure you are all aware of (I live in Boston, so I didn't experience this phenomenon first hand). Many of them have settled in Houston, others have scattered throughout Texas, and not as many have tried to return to their homes. Therefore, you will likely see a huge jump in population since then.As for accents, I am a second generation Korean American, born in Los Angeles, raised in Long Beach. I do not speak Korean. My accent has been described as 'very' so Cal. My cousin, who was born in New York but raised in New Jersey, has a very strong 'Jersey' accent. Her parents do not speak English. She is fluent in both Korean and English. So, I don't think it takes very long at all! Little children are pretty good at mimicking whatever they hear around them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icon7 Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 The answer to why there are so many Asians in the SW and Sugar Land is simple...that is where the schools are good (except aleif is in the crapper now) I am the perfect example of the migration. My family and I came her in the early 70's. My dad worked in the oil industry and my mom in the medical field. We moved from the med center to Alief because they had good schools in the 80's to early 90's. As they (we) moved up in income, they followed earlier folks that started to make more $$ into to Sugar Land. Sugar Land is now known as one of the few cities with a very Afluent Asian population. Now fast forward to today... I Work in the Oil industry (engineer) and my wife works in the medical field (physician)...I guess some things never change I think we have cornered the market in these professions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxDave Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 Houston is fortunate to have such a large and diverse international community. Most people in this country don't realize how diverse Houston really is. The city should promote this info at every turn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnieyen Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Houston is fortunate to have such a large and diverse international community. Most people in this country don't realize how diverse Houston really is. The city should promote this info at every turn! Diverse, but i still don't see many different groups mingling/hanging out together much considering how large this city really is. Very disappointing. Out of towners will notice this also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donnieyen Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 The cost of living and warm weather are two of the biggest reasons why many Vietnamese stay here. Also, the job or business opportunities aren't so bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amdave Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 The Indian population in Sugar Land is well established. There are all kind of Indian stores, restaurants, movie theaters, temples, etc. there. Plus the area is safe, well developed, fairly wealthy etc.When I visit family in India, they have all heard of Sugar Land. So, when Indians come to Houston that is the first place they look to settle if they are well to do. Hillcroft is ok, but most would not want to live there. I think Indians are just more confortable in SL b/c of the availability of everything right down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinoda28107 Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 A major reason is the University of Houston, which spews out thousands of international Asians into the Houston job market each year. Also our medical industry helps retains graduates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 A major reason is the University of Houston, which spews out thousands of international Asians into the Houston job market each year. Also our medical industry helps retains graduatesSpews? That's an interesting choice of words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinoda28107 Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Spews? That's an interesting choice of words.I usually say that about any group that represent large portions of universities. I sometimes say that about UT spewing engineers into Austin's economy. lol.I meant that in the most inoffensive manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I think Houston is attractive to Asians because of word of mouth. What else could it be? Houston doesn't really advertise itself does it? I also think that Houston really is a land of opportunity. You can see it with all the successful businesses here regardless of race. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifuwong Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I think Houston is attractive to Asians because of word of mouth. What else could it be? Houston doesn't really advertise itself does it? I also think that Houston really is a land of opportunity. You can see it with all the successful businesses here regardless of race.Wanna know a little dirty secret? Houston is a hotbed of illegal Asians because of the 'city of opportunity'. Hispanics get all the negative publicity about illegals, but there is a growing illegal Asian population in Houston. It is worse in California. It has been going on for several years when i first heard about it. It is pretty discreet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 wow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptarmigan Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I am Asian and many come to Houston because of the cost of living and climate. Also, it is a major port city. The reason why Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 That's a LONG way to ride in a shipping container. I wonder if some (most?) are sneaking in by way of Canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 That's a LONG way to ride in a shipping container. I wonder if some (most?) are sneaking in by way of Canada?And just how are they getting to Canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 And just how are they getting to Canada?Oh, I dunno ... flying carpets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desirous Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 That's a LONG way to ride in a shipping container. I wonder if some (most?) are sneaking in by way of Canada?A lot of them come legally and overstay their visas. I've met a good number of them over the years. In many restaurants, the waitstaff is just as likely to be illegal as the kitchen staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifuwong Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 I am Asian and many come to Houston because of the cost of living and climate. Also, it is a major port city. The reason why many settle on the western part of Houston area is the schools. That is very true. In fact I have heard many stories that many Koreans are here illegally. Some of them were here for years. Hispanics cross the border, which is right next to America. Asians have to cross the ocean, mostly by ships.I am Asian and many come to Houston because of the cost of living and climate. Also, it is a major port city. The reason why many settle on the western part of Houston area is the schools. That is very true. In fact I have heard many stories that many Koreans are here illegally. Some of them were here for years. Hispanics cross the border, which is right next to America. Asians have to cross the ocean, mostly by ships.Actually, they are not coming by ships. They are overstaying their visas..disappearing into the population or your local Asian restaurants, nail salons, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifuwong Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Many Asians are moving to other parts of Houston besides the southwest side to get away from Asians. They will just commute into the southwest side(Bellaire & Beltway 8) to grocery shop. However, there is a growing Asian community in the northwest side(Veterans Memorial & ..) of Houston with Asian grocery stores, restaurants, etc., so they will most likely not drive to southwest. Sugarland has its own Asian supermarket, but still lacking in good Asian restaurants, varieties of Asian dishes. The supermarket is not exactly stellar either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metro Matt Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Many Asians are moving to other parts of Houston besides the southwest side to get away from Asians. They will just commute into the southwest side(Bellaire & Beltway 8) to grocery shop. However, there is a growing Asian community in the northwest side(Veterans Memorial & ..) of Houston with Asian grocery stores, restaurants, etc., so they will most likely not drive to southwest. Sugarland has its own Asian supermarket, but still lacking in good Asian restaurants, varieties of Asian dishes. The supermarket is not exactly stellar either.Theres been a fairly large Vietnamese community around Veterans Memorial & Jersey Village for quite some time now. Those are the two oldest Asian areas on the NW side of Houston. Many of those who lived there are moving to newly developing areas like Cypress on the far, far northwest side. I have a friend that moved to Cypress from the Veterans Memorial area back in 2002 when Cypress was really just starting to take off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnhw2 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I asked this question on another forum, but got very little feedback. So I am pretty much copying and pasting it over here since there are probably more people here that can answer my question.Do you think Houston's Asian population will represent what Hispanics are to the city now? Just from someone living here I do not think that anyone even has to look for stats to know that the city has one of the fastest growing Asian populations in the states.Houston is in no way a convenient city for Asians to locate to because of its location far from the east and west coast. What is it that makes Asians take the extra step to make it to the city? Houston's Asian population probably represents 6-7% of the city by now, but the population seems concentrated southwest of downtown all the way out to Sugar Land where Asians are the largest group after Anglos. The Asian population out that way is at 25% for crying out loud. Not saying it is a bad thing, but I am just curious.No one really thinks of the north side or east side having a high Asian popualtion, making the southwest side of town probably the most diverse traces of land in the country. Houston city proper even has the highest number of Viatnamese out of any major city in the country by raw numbers and percentages I believe. What is the attraction?I agree with many who have responded. The cost of living, climate are often mentioned. My wife taught english as a second language in the memorial area. Several chinese natives in her class had moved here because of the open society here...including limited hurdles to jump when buying a property. Several came with money to buy motels and apartments. They indicated a low trust level for large instituations (may do they look right in this environment with banks and ponzi schemes in the news) and liked being able to purchase property here without over regulation of their business as in other citiies.I have seen a dot map of the US showing concentrations of hispanics, asians and blacks across the country. Houston 's diversity can be seen on such maps with our large concentrations of all three groups. Critical mass will help us grow going forward as sees shopping, etc consistent with their needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Let's face it. Houston is an attractive city to a lot of people, not just Asians. Personally, I am glad to see any/all legal immigrants move here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudemeister Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Actually the Gulf Coast in general is very popular with Vietnamese immigrants from Houston, to Baton Rouge, and New Orleans East due to the shrimping industry which attracted alot of vietnamese displaced from the Vietnam War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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