According to the Sing Tao Daily, if the "first generation immigrants" are defined as a group of immigrants who were born outside the United States and did not receive higher education in the United States, then those who work all day can be seen everywhere in new york Chinatown, or they are an apt portrayal of their livelihood characteristics. Because of the language and cultural barriers, most of these "first generation" can only live in a corner and support their livelihood with labor. ?
According to a study published by scholars of the University of Maryland in 2119, Chinese businesses in the United States mainly focus on four aspects. The largest number of people are education services (such as various exam review classes), medical and health services and social assistance services (such as employment agencies and immigration services), accounting for 19.9%. Followed by art, entertainment, tourism services, hotels and restaurants, accounting for 15%. Among them, catering industry is still one of the pillar industries for Chinese immigrants to survive in the United States. The third place is manufacturing, accounting for 13.5%. The fourth place is the professional, scientific and management industries, accounting for 13.3%.
In the classification, the "first generation immigrants" mainly occupy blue-collar jobs related to catering. The "first generation" mainly came from southern coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Fujian, and entered the United States by means of immigration or smuggling. The education level of these people is generally low. Even if they own their own businesses, many of them are still at the level of subsistence. Moreover, these Chinese immigrants rarely come into contact with the mainstream society. They are basically "American China people" living in the besieged city.
58-year-old Chen Guoqiang (a pseudonym) is a member of this besieged city. Born in Taishan, Guangdong Province, he came to new york in his twenties. First reporting, and not knowing English, he started his first job in a meat processing factory after being introduced by his relatives. Whether it is warm in spring or cool in autumn, you should wear thick down jackets in the processing room with strong air conditioning. After working for five years, the joints also became sore due to the cold.
Later, Chen Guoqiang worked as a waiter in a restaurant. Working more than ten hours a day is hard and tiring, and the salary is meager, but he also has to bite his teeth. His wife works in a garment factory, and the couple have a pair of children. Mr. Chen thinks about how to make life better. So in 2111, he opened his first roasted meat restaurant.
before long, "911" happened. During those months, people were worried, but Chen Guoqiang and his wife insisted on keeping the store. Fortunately, in the next few years, business was still booming. Chen Shu's two sons and daughters have also finished their studies, working in an American-funded accounting firm and an IT company, with stable incomes and successively married and established businesses.
It was just when life became happy. Suddenly, the financial storm came, and the Chinatown economy became lifeless with the whole environment. The business of Chen Shu's restaurant is also not as good as before. "911" didn't knock him down, but the economic crisis made him want to graduate. "Even if I don't do it, I'm satisfied. After a lifetime, I don't want to be rich, I just want to live a decent life. Now that my children can be self-reliant, my wife and I can also rely on ourselves. I am very comforted. "