Exploring the neighborhoods where Southeast Asians live and work not only provides glimpses of various aspects of Southeast Asian cultures transplanted to the U.S. It also provides a sense of the new challenges Southeast Asian immigrants have had to meet, often by adapting and sometimes transforming their cultural heritage.

Philadelphia's Chinatown is probably the most accessible and generally desirable neighborhood of Southeast Asian residence and commerce, one of course shared with Chinese- Americans, and, to a lesser extent, Koreans. Its ability to grow (and the visitor's ability to find a parking space) has been limited by the new Philadelphia Convention Center, known in the community as the "Chinese Wall." Bounded by 9th and 11th Streets and Arch and Vine Streets, Chinatown bustles at almost all hours. Avoid the tourist shops and explore instead the little grocery stores, the antique shops, the book and video stores, and of course the Southeast Asian restaurants (maybe dividing your meal among more than one). Try to focus on signs of specifically Southeast Asian life and culture, remembering at the same time that Chinese presence and influence is substantial throughout Southeast Asia as well.

The Italian Market Area in South Philadelphia is no longer just Italian; it is home to a growing and thriving Southeast Asian community. Visit the area on a Saturday morning and see how diverse the crowds are. Ninth Street between Christian and Washington is still predominantly Italian, but one block over, Eighth Street has become known as "little Saigon," and Ninth Street turns partly Cambodian north and south of Christian. Washington Avenue and several sidestreets have a number of Southeast Asian shops and offices. Pay attention to the store signs and don't be bashful about going inside to explore.

The Logan/Olney section of North Philadelphia highlights the enormous obstacles many Southeast Asian immigrants must contend with. Partly because of their poverty and partly because of government refugee settlement policies, many Southeast Asian immigrants have ended up living in some of the poorest and dangerous neighborhoods in American cities. The Logan section of Olney in Northeast Philadelphia was once a stable, predominantly-German community. African-Americans and Hispanics then became the predominant groups, and in recent years Asians have been moving in, along with recent Russian and Ukranian immigrants. An area of urban decay and sometimes racial tension, Logan is certainly not on the tourist circuit. But if you're bold and you want to witness the conditions of existence of refugees and poorer Asian immigrants, go to the 4900 block of Old York Road (one block over from Broad Street); you'll find here as well the Indochinese American Council.   Several blocks away, around Fifth and Olney Avenues, there are some Southeast Asian establishments, but Korean businesses predominate (note the difference in the Korean characters). This area shows some signs of reemerging prosperity.

updated: October 5, 2002