Process Description:
1. Describe the preparations.
Before I did my third interview, I took more time to prepare for it. I have already done two interviews, so I got chance to gain a lot of information about China. Each of my interviewees have had some differences in answers for the same question. So in this final interview, I wanted to know more about China's culture,how to study well or speak English well, and their experience in study abroad. In the previous interviews, I did not prepare enough questions and my questions were not as clear in this third interview, I wanted to make sure all of it is all very clear and there are enough details so the person I am asking will know exactly what I am talking about. I needed to think of the questions to ask an international student. I am an international student too, so I thought about all things that were difficult for me or that I thought was weird about America and SCSU and created questions about them. Some things I thought of first for example were "How does the climate in your home country compare to here?" and "How do you celebrate your tradition festivals here." In the first interview, the questions weren't very clear. So in the third interview, I divided the questions into five parts: personal information, experience and life in the U.S, home country, plans for the future, and how to study English well. I chose 7 question from 10 questions list which have include into five parts. Then I made twenty questions more to interview. In the last two interviews, I chose a girl and a boy who are from China to interview. In this third interview, I chose a girl more because it is easier for me to talk with girls. Before the interview, I sent the questions of interview to her by email because I wanted her to know what kind of questions there were before I met her. She did not like to record, so I prepared a notebook to write down everything that she said. On the interview, I printed off two copies of all my questions, I gave one to her when we met and I kept one myself.
2. How did you approach people?
I needed to find a girl who is from China to interview, so I asked my friend who is my classmate from my ESL class a few semesters ago. I called her to ask her help me with this interview. She agreed, so she and I chose a day to interview.
3. When, where ?
I made an appointment at 8:00pm, March 31 at second floor of the library. I went to the library about a half hour early to choose a quiet place on the second floor, then I called her to meet me there.
4. How did you conduct and record the interview?
She did not like to record, so I wrote down all of the questions and answers in my notebook. After the interview, I did fully understand some of her answers, so I called her to explain more to me.
5. Whom did you interview?
Lanqiu Wu, a junior Chinese student that is studying at SCSU. Her hometown is Hunan, South of China. Her major is accounting. She does not have any sisters or brothers. She is very friendly and a good student. She got A in all classes in every semester. When I did not understand my accounting class, I asked her for help on my homework. We were friends before this interview, so in this interview we were very comfortable talking to each other.
Describe the interview. What did surprise you? How did the interview unfold? Interview report
In this interview, like last two interviews, I was surprised about how the weather in China which is very different depending on the area. About the age married in China, I was very surprise about her answer because Lanqiu gave a different answer than the students from the two interviews. She said for men, they always get married at 26-30; for women, 23-27. For the third I interviewed Lanqiu Wu who is an international student from China. The interview was about 35 minutes. The interview with went very well like the last two interviews. She was happy to answer all of my questions, and she enjoyed talking about her home country, her personal information and her experience in the US. I learned more things about Chinese culture, such as food, festival, clothes.
I also was happy that she had some of the same experiences as me, because I am also an international student. Like she is homesick like me and she learns English the same as me. And how many times American people don't understand some things her say when she first come here to Minnesota.
After the third interview, I recognized Lanqiu seldom hangs out with her friend. She usually only studys in the library so her grades are very good. Her father is a professor at the University of China, so she has a high education via her parents. Lanqiu recognized that it will be difficult for her to get a job in the U.S. She wants to work here to gain experience from other people. And, in the third interview, I have a lot of information that I didn't have in the last two interviews. Moreover, I was able to talk better with Lanqiu, and asked more questions than the last two interviews.
Country Report
China is located in the Eastern Hemisphere with a population of "1.3 billion"(fco.gov.uk) people, and area is 9,596,960 km2 (wikitravel.org). The type of the government is Socialist Republic. The capital is Beijing, and the official language of China is Mandarin, but many people also speak Cantonese. According the website fco.gov.uk, Han Chinese are around 92% of the population. 8% is comprised of 55 minority ethnic groups.
Most people in America know China for its historical structure, The Great Wall of China, which was build by the Emperor Qin to keep other tribes away. But it also has other historical landmarks like The Forbidden City of the Ming Dynasty in the 1400s which was home to many Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasty.
The weather in China is very different depending on the area. Northern China has long and cold winters from December through March, summer is very hot and rather humid from May through the end August. Southern China has high temperature, winter is short from January to March, and April through September is very rainy. Central China has cold winters too, but not as long as Northern China. It also has very hot and humid summers.
China has five important holidays such as: National Day (October 1), Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (the end January or mid-February), Labor Day (May 1), Dragon Boat Festival ( 5th day of the 5th lunar month, boat races and eating zongzi are a traditional parts of the celebration), and Mid-Autumn Day (15th day of the 8th lunar month, this is also call the Moon Cake Festival. People will meet outside and put food on tables, then they look up at the full harvest moon)
China and other countries in Asia have a different Zodiac and New Years than America because they use a lunar calendar. The New Years happens around February and there is a big festival for about one week where they celebrate and nobody needs to go to work or school. It is similar to the vacation we get for Christmas. People clean up and decorate their house around one month before the New Year. They also buy new clothes, shoes, presents, and get new hair cuts before New Year. In the New Year, almost all the stores are closed in the first, second, and third day of celebration. People wear new clothes when they visit their family to wish them a Happy New Year. The children receive a red envelop which has lucky money inside from their parents or their relatives. People have a big dinner together with their parents and their relatives.
About government, according the website fco.gov.uk , there are 4 major hierarchies in China country as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the National People's Congress, the government and the military. "The supreme decision-making body in China is the CCP Politburo and its 9-member Standing Committee, which acts as a kind of 'inner cabinet', and is headed by the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. The National People's Congress (NPC) is China's legislative body. It has a 5-year membership and meets once a year in plenary session. However, in practice it is the CCP who takes all key decisions."
About membership of internation group, according the website fco.gov.uk, membership of internation group are Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations, World Trade Organisation (WTO), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation;
Interview transcription
Course: English 191
Interviewer: Thao Vo Herman, Vietnamese
Interviewee: Lanqiu Wu, Chinese
Time: 8:00pm, March 31 at second floor of the library
Thao: Good evening. How are you?
Lanqiu: I'm fine, Thao. How are you?
Thao: I'm good. How is your classes?
Lanqiu: My classes are good. I'm trying to review for all my finals.
Thao: That is very good. I'm trying to too. Hey Lanqiu, did you get my email about the questions?
Lanqiu: Yes, I got them. I'm excited to answer your questions, haha.
Thao: That is cool. Thanks Lanqiu.
Thao: I have two copies of all the questions. You can have one, I will keep one.
Lanqiu: Thank you.
Thao: Where are your from? Please tell me a some information about your hometown?
Lanqiu: I'm from Hunan, China, South of China. Do you know it?
Thao: Yes, I looked on google I knew something about your hometown. It is great.
Lanqiu: Yes, it is great hometown. I miss it.
Thao: I know your major is accoutning and we often disscuss about it. How is accoutning 292 going for you?
Lanqiu: It is so much more difficult than accouting 291. You will know how it is when you register for this class, haha.
Thao: Yes, I will register it in Fall semester. What is your professor's name?
Lanqiu: I only know his name is Smith. He is so nice.
Thao: Yes, I know about him. He is also my professor accounting 291.
Lanqiu: Do you have any more problems with this class?
Thao: No, thank you for helping me with this class.
Lanqiu: You are welcome Thao.
Thao: How was your spring break? Did you go to any places?
Lanqiu: I just stayed in my dorm.
Thao: We have known each other for a long time but I forgot to ask you. How many people are there in your family?
Lanqiu: Three, my father is a professor at the University of China, my mother is an accountant.
Thao:Oh, haha. I know now the reason why you study so well. Your parents have high educations.
Lanqiu: Yes, I'm proud of my parents.
Thao: For your tuition fees, who takes care of it in your family?
Lanqiu: Both of them. They are so nice. They give me anything if I want.
Thao: How long have you have been here?
Lanqiu: Maybe one and half year.
Thao: Are you a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior?
Lanqiu: I'm a junior student.
Thao: Why did you choose this major?
Lanqiu: I just like it, I like money, haha.
Thao: Me too. Why did you choose SCSU?
Lanqiu: It has a cooperation relationship with my prior university, when I graduate from here, I can get two diplomas from these two universities.
Thao: How do you celebrate your tradition festivals here?
Lanqiu: I have a party with Chinese friends.
Thao: What were your preconceptions about the US before coming here and how have they changed?
Lanqiu: Nope..
Thao: What surprises you the most about this school?
Lanqiu: Here there are a lot of international students, especially Chinese students
Thao: What is the most difficult situation you have faced when you live in the U.S?
Lanqiui: It is hard to find a job.
Thao: What was the hardest thing about transitioning to the U.S.? (Culture shock)
Lanqiu: Loneliness. My friends and my relatives are all in china.
Thao: Me too. How often do you call your family? What do you do when you are homesick?
Lanqiu: I often call them in the weekend. When I am homesick, I listen to Chinese music.
Thao: Could you please tell me something about your country?
Lanqiu: It has a long history and diverse cultures, friendly people, and delicious food.
Thao: What are some cultural differences between your country and here?
Lanqiu: The food in my hometown is spicy.
Thao: At what age do men and women spend private time and at what age do they consider marriage?
Lanqiu: For men, they always get married at 26-30; for women, 23-27.
Thao: How does the climate in your home country compare to here?
Lanqiu: It is much warmer than here
Thao: Why did you decide to come to SCSU instead of studying or working in your own country?
Lanqiu: I wanted to gain my experience and improve myself.
Thao: What is the most interesting event you like in this school?
Lanqiu: I like after dark; cultural night. They helped me know culture each other and I know more friends
Thao: Is religion more open in your country? Explain.
Lanqiu: It is not that open. Some people believe in Buddhist.
Thao: Do you think it will be easy to find a job after college?
Lanqiu: Maybe easy when I go back home, and I hope it can be easy to find a job here when I graduate.
Thao: What will you do for fun in your free time in China?
Lanqiu: Twice a week. I always watch some Chinese TV shows and listen to Chinese songs, or talk with my family and Chinese friends.
Thao: When you graduated from SCSU, what will you do? Do you have any plans?
Lanqiu: I will study for my masters degree in another university in the U.S.
Thao: Could you describe your life now?
Lanqiu: Full of challenges, but i like it so far.
Thao: How do you improve your English?
Lanqiu: I'm going to the write place, and talk more with English-spoken students.
Thao: Thank you so much. I have a lot of your information so I can now do my assignment.
Lanqiu: You are welcome
Thao: You are so nice. See you later.
Lanqiu: See you. Have a good night.
Thao: Good night.
