Oak
  Terrace

 Boston's
   Chinatown

Living at Oak Terrace

An Interview with the Yu Family

Ying Na Yu, 43 (mother)

Traditional Chinese painting in the Yu family apartment.

I came to the U.S. from Kaiping, a small town in southern China, in Guangdong Province. I came here in April 1983. A lot of my relatives had come to the U.S. before me. My mother and my sisters came here first.

After I came here, I went back to China to marry my husband. And once he came here and became a citizen, he applied to have his mother come here too. She came here 12 years ago from Kaiping.

Panoramic view of Oak Terrace

I live here with my husband, my two sons, and my mother-in-law. I've lived in Oak Terrace for almost seven years — from the day it opened. I used to walk by here almost every day when it was being built.

At that time I worked at Advanced Electronics in Chinatown. I knew that the building would be opening soon because I had read about it in the newspaper.

Before we came to Oak Terrace, we lived in Tent City, near Copley Square. When we were living in Tent City, we didn't get Section 8. The rent was getting higher every year because there were no controls for us.

When my husband got laid off from his job in the restaurant, I talked to the housing officer. I asked him if they could lower our rent. They said, "No, because you don't have Section 8."

We had to pay more than $500 a month, but our income was almost nothing after my husband got laid off. We couldn't afford the $500 rent.

Then we moved here and got Section 8. It was much better when we got Section 8. After we moved here I got sick and had surgery. I had to quit my job, so I didn't have any income. I talked to the housing officer, and they lowered our rent. If our income gets lower, our rent gets lower too.

At Oak Terrace we also have an extra bedroom. In Tent City, we had only two bedrooms, but in Oak Terrace, we have three. So I'm happy to live here.

Glen Yu in his room at Oak Terrace.

Before they built Oak Terrace, there wasn't anything here. There weren't many people; there was a lot of crime, too, because it was always dark. Now, there are more people around here. This place used to be pretty scary.

I like living in this part of Chinatown — the outside part. I don't like living inside Chinatown (the commercial section) because it's too crowded and busy. We really don't consider this to be Chinatown. We're right on the outskirts, so it's pretty good.

We don't know everyone by name here, but we know most of the faces. We know each other well enough to say hi. Most of the people have lived here for a long time. There are mostly regular families like us living here, but there are also some students, some doctors who work at the New England Medical Center. A lot of the people probably work in the Chinese restaurants.

Evan Yu, 14

I go to Boston Latin School now. It's been good growing up here. A lot of people know each other in this neighborhood. There's a courtyard right outside. There are a couple of playgrounds around here too.

Xiu Zhen Huang, 84 (grandmother)

I like living here because there are a lot of Chinese people I can speak with here.

Evan Yu

There are stores where she (his grandmother) can buy things. She doesn't have that many friends, but she knows a few neighbors. It's usually just relatives who come here to see her. Sometimes she goes out to buy Chinese newspapers or to take a walk in the neighborhood.

Rong Chu Yu, 49 (father)

I was very happy to move here too. It was convenient. It's close to the subway and the Chinese market (the 88 Supermarket). There are a lot of Chinese people living here, so the language is convenient.

Everything here is better than it was in the old place. That was a nice place too, but we only had two bedrooms. It wasn't big enough.

(From left) Glen, Evan, Ying Na, and Rong Chu Yu with Xiu Zhen Hunag.

Now I work in a Chinese restaurant in Newton. I either drive or someone gives me a ride. At the restaurant, I help the cooks make the soups; I make dim sum (Chinese appetizers).

In Tent City, even if I lost my job, they could raise the rent and I would still have to pay. But now, if my restaurant closes and I have no work, I will pay a lower rent.

Before they built Oak Terrace, this area was very, very dark. There was no light — so terrible. It was very good that they built the new apartments.

Ying Na Yu (mother)

But it would be good if I could have a four-bedroom apartment. My two sons are fighting all the time (she laughs). When they were small the one bedroom was good. There wasn't any problem. But now that they're all grown up, they're like this (gestures with her hands). "This is my table. This is my bed."

Rong Chu Yu (father)

In China I repaired machines. I went to school for about 11 years. When it came time to go to college, I had a problem with my leg; I had hurt it playing basketball, so I lost my chance to get more education.

When I first came here, I learned English at the Quincy School, just across the street. After work, my wife would go to the school and I would take care of Evan. After she came back, I would go to school and she would take care of Evan.

I think living in the United States is better than living in China. You have more chances to do something here than in China.
But when I came here in 1985, it was very hard to find a job. I worked in the restaurants — I only work in the restaurants.

Working in the restaurant is hard, but I have no choice. I have to work. It's hard to say what I'd prefer to be doing. My English is not good, so it's hard for me to find another job. Restaurant work is hard because you never stop working. When you come in to work every day, all you do is work, work, work — just work!

Ying Na Yu (mother)

I want the boys to study hard.

Rong Chu Yu (father)

Evan wants to be an engineer. He likes cars. But whatever they want to do is OK with me. No problem! I just want them to finish college. They have to think about what kind of job they would like to do.

Ying Na Yu (mother)

He's almost crazy about cars. He knows all the cars. If you ask him any question about cars, he can answer you. It sounds crazy, but he knows everything. If you want to buy a new car, ask him. Most of the teachers ask him. They say,"Evan, I want to buy a car. Which car is a good one?"