Ms. Xu l 80

Ms. Xu moved to San Francisco for work in 1993. She is known for her love of singing and dancing. She has enough in terms of adequate food, housing, and friends, and describes being content. She gets joy from volunteering every day to deliver meals to others in her building. She loves that San Francisco has a large community of Chinese-speaking people, but she is also frightened by the increase in attacks on Asian people.

This interview is in Cantonese and a translation is below.

Interview date: 8/6/21

Interviewed by: Cherry Sze

Referred by: Wanda Liu

Translation of Interview

by Linguaficient

Interviewer: Ms. Xu

Ms. Xu: Ok go ahead

Interviewer: Ms. Xu, what is your age this year?

Ms. Xu: I just turned 80 this year.

Interviewer: Wow, you are 80. You have a very youthful voice. How would you describe yourself to others, usually? What are the descriptive words you would use?

Ms. Xu: Huh? I am usually a low-key person. But I do like to joke around sometimes.

Interviewer: Oh, that means you are funny and humorous. What other words can you describe yourself? How would your grandkids, children, or friends describe you?

Ms. Xu: Ha. They always tell me I am very lively, always singing and dancing.

Interviewer: That’s great! You are lively and you sing and dance. So, I bet you like singing. Hmmm… When did you come to San Francisco and why? Do you enjoy living here?

Ms. Xu: I arrived here around 1993.

Interviewer: You came in 93. It’s been quite some time. What were the reasons that brought you here? Some came to look for jobs; some came for their children’s education, and what about you? What brought you here?

Ms. Xu: Ha… I also came here to make a living. My children were older, but I still needed to find work.

Interviewer: What are the things you like about San Francisco?

Ms. Xu: Things I like here…. Many people here are bilingual. There are a good number of Chinese here. These are reasons for me to stay.

Interviewer: I see. You like it here because there is a big population of Chinese, and people speak many languages. What could we do to make the city a better place to live? Anything comes to mind? Anything you would like to see that is not available in San Francisco right now?

Ms. Xu: I am living a very content life right now. I don’t have any special requests or needs. I’m retired; I have enough to live on; and I am able to stay in government housing. I feel very content. That’s it.

Interviewer: Hmmm. Like you said, you are very content. Due to the pandemic, everyone generally has to stay home. When we are not sheltering in place, where are your favorite places to go?

Ms. Xu: Before the pandemic, I enjoyed doing activities in the parks. We have an alumni group, and we have a monthly alumni activity. A few good friends organized a dance troupe and we met once a week.

Interviewer: That sounds very good. A dance troupe! It’s nice that you participated in different activities. What did your typical day look like before the pandemic? Are you still able to continue with those activities you participated in virtually?

Ms. Xu: Yes. Online, I do take classes online. Like computer, singing, and TaiChi. We joined these classes.

Interviewer: You are very active. I am glad you can take classes like computer and TaiChi online. Are there any activities you are not able to participate in now, but really wish you could?

Ms. Xu: Since the pandemic, the government sometimes offers free meals. I volunteer to help distribute the meals.

Interviewer: Oh, you volunteer to distribute meals! What is it like?

Ms. Xu: My company sent a request for the number of meals needed. Every day the boxed meals are delivered downstairs. Us volunteer then distribute the boxed meals to each resident’s home.

Interviewer: Wow, that’s really nice. You really love to help. If I can pick a word to describe you, it will be enthusiastic! Is there anything that has surprised you about how your community is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Ms. Xu: I have not come across anything that really surprised me as you described.

Interviewer: That’s all right. That’s all right. By listening to your sharing, I have learned the meaning of positive senior living. Do you have any advice for young people? You are 80 now, If you can give advice to a younger you, say when you were 40s, 50s. or 60s what would that be?

Ms. Xu: I hope...ah…. I would tell the young people to come out and perform more community service to enrich their life.

Interviewer: Hmm, do more volunteer work. Anything else? Any other comments?

Ms. Xu: Especially us Chinese, we need to be more united, and we need to help one another.

Interviewer: How to be more united and how to help one another?

Ms. Xu: If any one group experiences any trouble, the rest of the Chinese community should be of one mind.

Interviewer: You mean people should be helping each other more when there is trouble. Let’s not split hairs. Did the pandemic bring any surprises to you, while living in San Francisco? What has been surprising to you about getting older? Do you find yourself asking: What’s going on?

Ms. Xu: What I am afraid of now…. Oh…robberies and attacks all over the city. These scare me.

Interviewer: Have you come across any? Have you heard from any friend that these kinds of things happened to them?

Ms. Xu: My friend witnessed it.

Interviewer: Your friend saw something? What happened?

Ms. Xu: I have not seen it myself. Someone was pushed to the ground while walking on the street.

Interviewer: Someone was pushed to the ground? You heard it firsthand?

Ms. Xu: Yes. I heard it from some close friends.

Interviewer: Are you concerned? Do you worry about yourself being in this kind of danger too?

Ms. Xu: Ha, I am not that worried though.

Interviewer: You are not? Because you are quite optimistic.

Ms. Xu: I seldom go out. I don’t go out unnecessarily. I do volunteer work every day. I distribute meals every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. I take computer classes at home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Other than that, I don’t go out much.

Interviewer: In doing so, you are staying safe. Do you think technology and computers have changed your life?

Ms. Xu: Even at my age, I can keep up with the times by using cell phones and computers. I feel very content, lucky and blessed.

Interviewer: For you, happiness lies in contentment! What are the major values that you live by? Do you have any mottos that serve as principles in your life? Will you share with us?

Ms. Xu: Ha… no, I don’t have anything special to say regarding this…. My life is pretty ordinary.

Interviewer: What have you done lately that made you happy?

Ms. Xu: Things I do to make me happy? I am so old and still can get around on my own and help others. This makes me very happy.

Interviewer: Being healthy and helpful makes you happy. For example: distributing meals; and like you mentioned before, helping one another in the Chinese community.

Ms. Xu: Correct

Interviewer:What is the most defining moment in your life? Would you be willing to share with us? In your 80 years of life, what is the most unforgettable, important, and meaningful moment? Will you share that with us?

Ms. Xu: No. I can’t think of anything right now.

Interviewer: For example: when your children or grandkids were born, or your experience through distinct events? Have you had any of these moments? Not yet?

Ms. Xu: All my grandkids are grown up now. The youngest one is in second year of college. I have one granddaughter who is already married. I have also become a great- grandma.

Interviewer: How joyous! How many children do you have?

Ms. Xu: I have 3 children, 6 grandkids.

Interviewer: Wow, 9 in total. Number 9 signifies long lasting!

Ms. Xu: Thank you. Thank you.

Interviewer: Very well. I know you have to hurry to your class. Thank you for doing this interview today.

Interviewer and Ms. Xu Wishing you good health. Thank you. Bye bye.