The Marmot’s Hole

In the WaPo, Pamela Constable goes to Fairfax, where older Korean immigrants are learning English, while their American-born children are learning Korean:

The Washington region’s large Korean American community, long one of the area’s most organized and affluent immigrant groups, is moving belatedly but aggressively to break through its final barrier to successful immersion in American society. After years of living, working and shopping in suburban ethnic enclaves where they have little need to master English, many older Koreans are flocking to English classes across the region.
[...]
“When I came here 33 years ago, I was not able to speak English at all. Now my daughter is doing the opposite and learning Korean,” David Park, a 43-year-old Internet developer, said as he picked up his 6-year-old after class. “We speak only English at home, but people in my generation are starting to look back toward their native culture. I want to be able to take her to Korea to meet her cousins. We need to keep those relations strong.”

Interesting little piece — give it a read.

(HT to reader)