post 15

Review of the interview 1

1- Who scored highest?

a)  Mattson, Valerie

b) Liu,Yipeng

d) Ahmed Alabbas

2- I liked the inreview for Mattson, Valerie, beause it has a lot information. I learned a lot of inofromation from her interview.

Here is the score card

post 14

Ali Alshaikhahmed

Interview #1 

10/22/13

Eng 191- 28

My first interview with Guyanne

     1-    Preparations

Description of preparations:

     

      Two weeks ago before the interview I wrote objective about the interview in the class, the objective was about, why did I want to do the interview, with whom do I want to do the interview, and how do I intend to do it. I also wrote some questions. Then as a class we came up with ten core question for the interview. After that, I added some questions of my own to the questions that we came up with as a class.

How did I approach people?

      I start looking for international interviewee to do the project. I live near from the campus. I was talking to my friend about this project. Then I asked my friend if his girlfriend could do the interview with me. She is an international student. She is from Africa, and her name is Guyanne. He told he is going to ask her, because she works and he does not know if she has time to do it. After, he asked her if she can do it, she wanted to know how long, and when did I want to do the interview. The he gave me her number, I called her, and I told her that the interview would be forty-five minutes long. She agreed and she seemed happy about it.

When, where, and how did I conduct the interview?

      I conducted the interview with Guyanne on Friday, October 18^th we met at the campus in her dorm Shoemaker Hall. I went there five minutes earlier before our schedule meeting time. The place seemed quite. She came on time, and we sat in the lounge. We talk a little bit, and had some snacks. I explained more information about the interview to her. I told her that I am doing it for my class, and I am going to submit it my blog, I asked her if it was okay. She said it was fine. Then I asked for her approval to record the conversation, so I would to transcript it later, and she approved it.  I began the interview by simply telling her, that I have some questions to ask you. I asked her if she was ready, and she say yes. I turn on the recorder. We started the interview and it was about forty minutes. Then I turn off the recorder, and I told her that I was going to my friend’s house and she was going there too. We walked from the dorm, and while we were walking she mentioned some new information, I wrote the information on my note to add them to the information I already had on the recorder.

Whom did I interview?

I interviewed with Guyanne. Guyanne is from Burundi in Eastern Africa. Her major is nursing.  She came here in 2009, and when she came she studied at the Intensive English Center in level five. She liked America, but she does not like Saint Cloud, because it cold. She said Saint Cloud State University is much easier than the Universities in Burundi, she said the universities in her country is require 21 or 23 credit, but here its only twelve credit. She like to assist people that why she choose nursing major. She likes sports such as football, volleyball, and working out. She also likes traveling a lot. She said studying abroad is not easy thing because you have to live by your self, and she mentioned that if you come here and you do not speak English very well that is very challenge problem. She said her friend was not good at English, and she had many problems because of that.  She is going to graduate from Saint Cloud State University in 2015. She said she might continue studying here for master degree. She wants to stay in the United state of America, even after she graduate from the university.

What surprised me?

            I was surprised about that there are Muslims in Burundi. I thought Eastern African all Christians. She said there are about five percent of Muslims in Burundi, but the main religion is Christians. I did some research before the meeting for the interview, so I would know if there is some thing that I should not say, or ask about anything that might make interviewee uncomfortable. So beside the religion thing everything went very well. 

2- Interview report

Description of the interview:  

            While I was doing the interview, I made sure that I pay attention to what she is going to say. So she would know that I was interesting about it, and she would want to give me more information. I made sure that I give the interviewee time to talk as long as she wanted about any points. While I was doing the interview with her, I was trying to not just asking her questions, but I tried to make as open conversation. The best thing that made interview went very well, because the interviewee was comfortable and interesting in doing it

            I asked all the questions and cover a lot of topics.  The interviewee was so interesting talking about her country. So I learned a lot of things about Burundi, and Africa. She talked about the culture and the religion.  The main religion is Christian, and there are some Muslims. There are like twelve public holidays in Burundi, and she said there are like two holidays but there are not public. It was easy for me to learn and understand everything she said while I was interviewing her, because she talked specifically and coherently. So that’s allowed me to get and understand the information easily.

            When I met the interviewee at the dorm last week we talked about forty minutes. I though my first interview went very well.

3-Country report

Burundi is a small country, which is located in the East of Africa. To those who might know it, it is next to Rwanda, Congo, and Tanzania. It is a poor country and it has political problems. It all started in 1993 with the genocide of Tutsis by Hutus. After that there were small internal conflicts but it is fine now. Eight years ago the new president got elected by taking the power with his rebellion and instead of working on the development of the country he just goes around planting avocados and playing soccer.

On a social basis, Burundians are people who love to have fun. Anything calls for celebration. Meeting new people, entering a house, there are three celebrations for welcoming a baby, two celebrations before a wedding, three ceremonies for the death of person and one lasts a whole week. There are also the public holidays, which are a lot too. In Burundi there is no drinking age. By the time you have the money you can do whatever you want. Burundians are also have drinkers, not all of them but most of them. You can deduce that by the fact that the only prosperous company is the brewery: BRARUDI. The beer is consumed on a regular basis and at a fast speed that they almost compete with Germans. Another thing there is to now about Burundi is that the weather is hot and the beaches are amazing. The tropical whether call for amazing events happening mostly during the summer since everyone is in holiday back home. It is a really good place to visit.

            The language, there are tow main languages in Burundi Kirundi and French. Some people speak English, but it is not there native language. Also, there are educations for the deaf and they use American Sign Language (ASL). The education in Burundi, University of Burundi is the biggest university in Burundi.

Worked cited

"Burundi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 Oct. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.

"Languages of Burundi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Apr. 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.

"BURUNDI." Burundi Map / Geography of Burundi / Map of Burundi. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.

 

4-  Interview transcriptions of my interview with “Guyanne”

Ali= A

Guyanne= G

A: Hi, I have an assignment for my English class and I am doing the interview with you for that.

G: Hi, I am glad you have asked, I would be happy to help you.

A: Are you ready to start?

G: Yes, let begin.

A: Can you tell me about your self?

G: I am from Burundi, and I have been here for three years. This is my sixth semester in Saint Cloud State University. My major is nursing, and after I graduate I might continue my master degree, and I want to live here and find job here.

A: How do communicate with each other in your home country?

G: In my home, we communicate with each other by phone, e-mail, but these communication ways are not the traditional way to communicate. The traditional way is meet each other, for example friends meet each other at evening, and families visit each other in the weekend.

A: Is English a common spoken language in your home country?

G: No, English is not a common spoken language in Burundi, but recently it became a common spoken language. English is not a native language in my country, but we study English in school, so it became a spoken language in my country.

A: What is the clothing style for men and women?

G: In my home country, there are two types of styles. First, people who live in the big cities, their style is not different than the style here in America. Second, the style in the small town men like to wear suit and ties, and women dress up in western clothes.

A: How are women and men treated differently?

G:  Men and women treating each other a little bit different than here in the United Sate. The men take all responsibility for buying stuff for the house, and school tuition for the kids. Women take the responsibility in the house, like cooking, take care of the children, and stuff like that. 

A: How has your experience here helped you interpret and respect culture differences?

G:  I gained a lot of information since I came here, and I got very good experience about respecting other people’s culture. For example, when I first came here I did not like the American holidays. Then I made so many American’s friends and I saw how the holidays was important to them, and they celebrate the holiday. After that, the American’s holidays become my holiday too, because I am living here now. The thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  

A: Do you enjoy speaking with other exchange students?

G: Yes, I like to make new friends, and learn new thing about new countries and culture. I have friends from Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Russia. I meet them everyday and I enjoy hanging out with them and talk to them.

A: have you been able to visit other part of the United State?

G: Yes, I like to travel a lot especially in the summer. My sister studying in Portland, Oregon, and my father went to visit her in the end of the spring semester. So after I finished the spring semester I went to Portland, and I like it there. I think I am going to Denver, Colorado. My cousin lives there. 

A: What are your home country’s major religions?

G: Actually the major religion in my home country is Christi, and I am Christians. There are Muslims, but they are just about five to ten percent of them. Also there are about five to ten percent having different religion or they do not have religion at all.

Interviewer: What influenced you to come to the United State? Especially, Saint Cloud state?

G: What influenced me to come the United State is that the education here in America is much better that in my home county, it is easier. For example in my home country we have at least to take twenty-one credit, but here it’s just twelve. In addition I like to travel. Why Saint Cloud State University? I choose to study here because my sister was studying here, but she transferred to Portland.

A: What do you like the most about Saint Cloud?

G: In Saint Cloud I like the weather during the summer, and the fall. The weather in the winter is to frizzing; we cannot go outside sometimes, because of the snow.   

A: In your society how many children can one couple have?

G: In our society it depends on the couple how many they want. The average, they usually have three children.     

A: Do you have any questions for me? I have asked so many of you?

G: Yes, I have one question for you. After you graduate from Saint Cloud Sate University, are going back to your home country or you will stay here?

A:  I am not sure about that, but I think I would go back to my home country.

A: Do you have anything else to ask?

G: No, that the only question I had for you.

A: Thank you for doing the interview with. I really appreciate your help.

G: I am glad that I had a chance to help you.   

post 13

 Rework objective

Objective:

           

            First of all, I will interview three people and that will allow me to, know about, different cultures, and education. I want to learn about the life in different countries.  It is important to know and earn about new religion, and people lifestyle in different countries.

            Second, I will record all the three conversation, and after the interviews I want compare my country, and my culture and other’s counties culture.   

            Finally, after I finish the interview I am going to transcript the conversation.

What I want to ask:

1-      Why did you choose to come to the United States of America?

2-      How long have you been in the United States?

3-      What do you like the most about United States?

4-      What are the most things that you miss about your country?

5-      How many types of religion do you have in your society?

6-      What is the most popular religion in your country?

7-      What are the biggest differences you see between the school experience here and in your home country?

8-      What is the biggest experience have been challenging you in the United States?

9-      Has your experience here helped you learn to respect cultural differences? If so, can you tell some examples?

10-  After you graduate, do you want to go back to your country or do you want to stay here?

      11- What is your traditional food? 

post 12

Mahmoud aboaljadaiel,

Ali Mosa

Yipeng Liu

We group chose this a good paper of the Challenges and benefits of interviewing an international student:

Did you ever want to know how people from different cultural backgrounds shape their beliefs, values, and personalities? The benefit of meet an international students and talk to them. First, you allow yourself to learn more about other’s culture. You can see what the difference between your culture and other’s culture. Make friends from all over countries, religion and culture. Get experiences from other’s people and deal with people from different country. That also will allow you to think carefully about other’s religion and culture. In addition more known to your life experience. Different countries have different belief systems that are based on their own cultures. In order to highlight these differences, I would like to write about challenges and benefits of international student’s daily lives. My microsystem as a child greatly influenced the personality, values, and beliefs that I have today, but if I had grown up in the microsystem of international students my values and beliefs would likely be very different. That is to say when we want to learn a second language we not only have to makes sense of words and grammar but also to understand the deeper meaning; slang like that the professor heard when he first came to America makes that especially hard.I think an international student doesn’t lose our language identity and culture when international students study aboard. The difficulty of learning a second language is also caused by the language rules, combining that all, learning a second language is the enculturation; we might change boundary fits to adjust to cultures, and this is included in language.

International students and I come from different cultures, so we had very different childhood microsystems. We discussed how to challenges different cultural principles work in family, classroom, and traditions with other countries people. Every country is completely different culture models. The biggest cultural differences between the two countries are especially evident when analyzing the family, classroom, tradition. Power distance is a concept from intercultural communications that highlights these differences. I discuss this topic with international for a long time. I really learned a lot of information about different countries’ culture of power distance and culture background. I think it is good for the families to treat children equally. However, it also depends on the cultural background and society. Language and culture is very important in the world; and I will continue to learn a lot about language from people of other cultures. In this way, I can have a good time when communicating with people and make a lot of friends. I think that cultural communication plays an important role in my life. For this essay, I can learn more skills about how to learn a second language, and give many ideas on how to communicate better with people from different cultural backgrounds.

post 11

 Objective:

           

            First, I will interview three people and that will allow me to, know about, different cultures, and education. I want to learn about the life in different countries.  It is important to know and earn about new religion, and people lifestyle in different countries.

            Second, I will record all the three conversation, and after the interviews I want compare my country, and my culture and other’s counties culture.   

 

What I want to ask:

 

1-      Why did you choose to come to the United States of America?

2-      How long have you been in the United States?

3-      What do you like the most about United States?

4-      What are the most things that you miss about your country?

5-      How many types of religion do you have in your society?

6-      What is the most popular religion in your country?

7-      What are the biggest differences you see between the school experience here and in your home country?

8-      What is the biggest experience have been challenging you in the United States?

9-      Has your experience here helped you learn to respect cultural differences? If so, can you tell some examples?

10-  After you graduate, do you want to go back to your country or do you want to stay here?

 

post 10

Mine Research 

          In page 15 of the book The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander discusses the issue about African American community.  Doubting about the claims made a warranted. The Important differences things among the prison, Jim Crow, and bondage. These are the main radicalized system of control adopted in the United States. The author discusses the issue about how the system was based on race. It impossible to thought a lot committed to cancel racial chain of command, and talk as the state-sponsored racial system is not exists any more.  If we tell ourselves that the problem of mass incarceration is big or small for us, we should instead direct our energies to battles that maybe won. “A human rights nightmare is occurring on our watch”. (Pg.15)

            While I was summarizing page 15 of the book The New Jim Crow, I expand on the ideas with some additional resources.  I found Medical Apartheid by Harriet, Washington. According to the book, many blacks are used in the treatments and help to establish them, but then are unable to use them themselves due to expense and other reasons. Another aspect the media should have covered was the correlation between the people experimented on, not as each individual story.

            Furthermore I found the book African American Literature Beyond Race edited by Gene Andrew Jarrett. This book also discusses the issue about race.

            In addition I found in the website global issue. It discusses that racism is exists and there are many racial groups.  People believe that racism is exists and everywhere.

            While I was searching for racial issue in the Internet Martin Luther king’s speech grab my attention. I found a speech that called “I have a dream”. Martin Luther wished to live in a world where no one will be treated by race, or skin color.

In conclusion, African American has been dealing with racism long time ago and still dealing with it. I hope that one day people will stop treating each other by race or skin color.  

Works cited

Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. New York, NY: New, 2012. Print.  

Washington, Harriet A. Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial times to the Present. New York: Harlem Moon, 2006. Print.

Jarrett, Gene Andrew. African American Literature beyond Race: An Alternative Reader. New York: New York UP, 2006. Print.

"Global Issues." : Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All -. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2013.

News, ABC. "Martin Luther King's Speech: 'I Have a Dream' - The Full Text." ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2013.