My
Fourth Interview
Preparations for the interview
In preparation for this interview I decided to formulate
a topic based on the cultural differences between countries. After much
deliberation I settled on the country of China, because I believe there are
some interesting facts and conclusions to extract from such a topic. In order
to conduct the interview properly I acquired a tape recorder for my purposes
from a good friend who borrowed it to me. I then formulated the questions that
I would ask of my interviewee, and decided that they should all revolve around
the cultural differences between China and the United States, since I found
China to be a culturally attractive place. I decided to get in touch with a
friend of mine called K whom I have known for several years now, and as we
often find ourselves in the same company of friends I decided he would not be
too apprehensive about helping me for the interview. I contacted him via
Facebook and asked if he was free to meet for coffee and conduct the interview
needed for my class. He gladly agreed and we scheduled the meeting for a Friday
at noon at the Atwood at Saint Cloud State University. When we met at our
appointed location we said our hellos, ordered coffees to go and took our seats
on a nearby bench. After introducing him to my topic, we proceeded to casually
discuss some of the questions which I had prepared, all the while recording our
conversation for later transcription. I also carried a notebook with me, in
order to write down additional important information that I thought would be
necessary for the interview later on, such as peculiar facts and statistics
which I could research and reference on the internet.
During the interview I was glad to see that K was
enjoying the topic of our discussion. He really got involved in the discussion
and shared a lot of insightful information with me. I was surprised at how he
opened up about certain topics, considering we haven’t done much speaking
before even though we’ve met and hung out many times. The whole interview and
discussion lasted just a little over an hour, and we managed to discuss
everything pertaining to the interview. Our conversation was very relaxed and
we avoided any formalities just because we were recording. This resulted in us
often straying from some topics which I later had to cut out of the recorded
interview because they were of no use. Even though I was interviewing him, some
of the questions were interesting enough for him to pose them to me as well, so
our interview often turned two-way. All in all, I can say that the interview
was successful and we both found it to be rewarding and insightful. When the
tape recorded finally ran out of recording space we decided to conclude our
interview. We had exhausted most of our topics and I just added a few more
things in my notebook. I thanked K for his time and help in my assignment, to
which he said that it was no problem at all and that he genuinely found it
interesting. I vowed to return the favor if needed, after which we said our
goodbyes.
Country Report – China
China is a country situated in Eastern Asia, and it is
one of the most populous countries in the world, with a population of an
astounding 1.3 billion people. The area of China is almost ten million square
meters which makes it the second largest country in the world by its territory,
superseded only by Russia. China also has one of the largest economies in the
world and it is an important player in international relations. The capital of
China is Beijing, while the largest city is Shanghai. The Chinese government is
made up of a one party system and has been controlled by the Communist Party
for the past sixty years. As such, it is the only communist country in the
world that rivals other larger superpowers and economies. The official language
is Chinese, but there are also other languages in use such as Mongolian,
Tibetan, Uyghur and others. The country is mostly homogenous in its ethnic
composition, with about 91% of the population being Han, and the other 9% being
composed of about 55 different minorities.
The Chinese culture is influenced heavily by the
Confucian doctrine and many other Eastern philosophies. The Chinese culture is
very developed with heavy emphasis on all forms of art, which is shaped and
heavily influenced by China’s long and rich history, dating all the way back to
the Han Dynasty. Some say that the arrival of the Communist rule in 1949 has
damaged China’s long standing cultural traditions by seeking to impose new
communist values. However, despite this China remains a peculiar nation and
culture which varies greatly from the Western lifestyles, and it is worth
looking into some of the cultural differences that set the country apart.
The interview
Me: Thank you for doing
this interview K, shall we begin?
K: Yes of course, I am
glad to be here.
Me: As you know, there
are many peculiar cultural differences between China and the West. Have you had
firsthand experience with this?
K: Certainly. There are
many striking differences in the way people behave here and in China,
particularly among the younger people.
Me: Are there any
differences in terms of communication? How do people communicate with each
other in China?
K: Hmm, people in China
tend to be a little more closed than people here in the West. Here, people are
more open about certain topics and their private lives, while the Chinese are
much more reserved in this regard.
Me: Would you say there
is a big difference in the way people dress in China?
K: Well, the older
generations tend to dress more conservatively, while the young people are very
influenced by images from the West and they try to be more creative in their
clothing habits. Here, everyone dresses very colorfully!
Me: I see. What about
the relations between men and women? Are they treated differently?
K: There is certainly
much less gender equality than here in the West. Men tend to much more
dominating in Chinese culture, so they usually hold the higher power positions
in society, unlike here where women more or less have the same position as men.
Me: How has your
experience here helped you interpret and respect cultural differences?
K: My experience here
has been very rewarding and it has helped me realize that there is an
unbelievable variety in the way people live and behave, and that we should
strive to learn about each other as much as possible.
Me: I am glad to hear
that. Do you enjoy speaking with other exchange students.
K: I most certainly do.
Even though it can be a little difficult to communicate with each other at
times, it is still a rewarding experience every time.
Me: So how long have
you been in the United States now?
K: I have been here for
three years now, but I regularly visit my home country.
Me: Have you been able
to visit any other parts of the United States?
K: Yes! Last year I
visited New York which was one of my highlights during my stay here.
Me: Yes, it is a very
interesting city. Now tell me, are people religious in China? What are the
major religions?
K: Religion is not so
widespread in China and many people are atheists because of the Communist rule.
However, there are still many people who practice Buddhism or the Confucian
doctrine in everyday life.
Me: What exactly
influenced you to come to the United States? And more specifically, Saint Cloud
State?
K: It has always been a
dream of mine to visit America and experience the rich variety it has to offer
and which I have seen in so many films. Saint Cloud University seemed like a
good choice based on what I read, so here I am!
Me: Do you live with
your family?
K: When I am in China,
yes I do. Here I live alone with a roommate who is also from China. This makes
it easier to help each other.
Me: How many people are
there in your family?
K: My father, mother,
and two brothers.
Me: Are you the
youngest of them?
K: No, I am the oldest
son in the family.
Me: What kind of
transportation do you have here?
K: I mostly use public
transportation so I don’t need a car. I also own a bike which helps me get to
where I need to.
Me: How do you like the
food here? What is your favorite cuisine?
K: I am fond of my home
country’s cuisine, and sometimes I miss it. However, there is also an enormous
choice of foods here, and I enjoy trying a little from everything. Sometimes I
will visit Mexican, Thai, Indian and even Chinese restaurants just to spice up
my menu.
Me: Interesting. Well,
we are nearing the end of our interview. Do you have anything you would like to
ask me?
K: Yes, as a matter of
fact I do. Do you enjoy the United States? Do you plan to stay here forever or
would you like to go someplace different?
Me: I really love this
country and everything it has to offer, but I am not sure if I have my mind set
on staying here. I would like to travel as much as possible and experience many
different cultures while I am still young, and America is not the only place
you can do this.
K: Yes I agree. I also
plan to travel some more, especially Europe which can also be a fascinating
place in terms of its culture.
Me: Definitely, it is a
must-go destination. K, thank you very much for your time and for helping me
out with this interview, I hope I have not inconvenienced you too much!
K: Absolutely no
problem at all, it was my pleasure and I found it very enjoyable and
insightful. I am glad I could help!
-End
of interview -
