Since this is my third interview a lot of the preparations were already completed. The first thing I did to get ready for this interview was contact Susan Lu. She introduced me to another one of her friends that were willing to be interviewed. I contacted Fe Xue Gao to set a time and place for the interview.
The day before the interview, I charged my laptop and tested the recording program. I also needed to make another copy of the questions. Before this interview I did not feel that it was necessary to change any of my interview questions.
When I arrived at the interview, I turned on my laptop. When Fe Xue Gao arrived I introduced myself and explained why I was conducting the interview. I also asked if I could record the interview and after she agreed I made sure the microphone on the laptop was pointing towards her. I started the interview with small talk concerning how her day was going. I began asking my interview questions with questions concerning where she was from.
2. Interview Report:
On March 25, 2011, I interviewed Fe Xue Gao. She is an international student from Shanghai, China. This interview last approximately 35 minutes. I enjoyed the interview. Fe Xue seemed very comfortable being interviewed.
All three interviews that I conducted were different even though the same questions were being asked. Many answers to the questions I asked surprised me because they were so different from the other responses I have received. One of the objectives I had for my interviews was to learn about a new culture. During the third interview, I gained a lot of information concerning education in China. I was surprised when Fe Xue told me that in order to go to college they need to take a test. This test is the most important in their whole lives because they only get on chance a year to pass it.
Another objective I had was to conduct a successful interview that obtains good information. I feel that I reached this objective, but there is always room for improvement. I am open to feedback that will help improvement my interviews.
I also thought the part of the interview where we talked about how the United States is viewed in China was very interesting. Fe Xue explained how knowing another language will help her get a higher salary job in China. She also explained how difficult it was for her to learn another language besides English. Fe Xue started to learn Japanese but stopped because she felt it was too difficult.
3. Country Report:
China is located in eastern Asia and is home to 1,330,141,295 as of July 2010 according to the World Factbook. China has unique climates, an interesting form of government, a changing economy, and rich history.
Firstly, China is slightly smaller then the United States with concern to area. From the U.S. Department of State, China has 9,596,961 square kilometers which makes it the fourth largest country in the world. A few of the natural resources that China has include coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, lead and zinc. The climate varies between north, central, south, and northwest China. In northern China the winters can be extremely cold and the summers bring a lot of rain. In central China the summers are humid and the winters can become as cold as northern China. While the south receives typhoons in the summer and the winters tend to be short. Lastly, northwest China has hot, dry summers with little rain and the winters severely cold.
Next, the form of government for the People’s Republic of China is the Communist Party. China’s capital is Beijing. According to The World Factbook, China received their independence on October 1st, 1949. This day has become a national holiday in China.
Like almost every other country, China’s economy is constantly changing. “In 2010 China became the world’s largest exporter.” (The World Factbook) This shows that China is working to expand their economy, especially since they have changed their economy to be market-oriented. China has been striving to play a more major role in the global economy.
China is full of rich history and many traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation. Unlike the United States, China is an ancient civilization and country. They have thousands of years of history that has helped for the country China is today. They strive to remember and practice ancient Chinese myths and cultural traditions in their everyday lives.
Essentially, China has a very rich history that has been growing for thousands of years. They also have a booming economy and a Communist Party as government. China is also a fairly large country with many natural resources.
"CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html
"China." U.S. Department of State. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. http://www.state.gov/p/eap/ci/ch/
"China's Climate." China Travel Tour Guide - China Travel Guide, Information & Tips. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. http://www.china-travel-tour-guide.com/about-china/index.shtml
4. Transcription:
N: What part of China are you from?
F: I'm from Shanghai.
N: What was the hardest part about transitioning to the United States?
F: Actually the people were the most different. The western people are out going and they express their feelings about Asian girls and Asian people. They are more shy. Sometimes when I stay with American guys they always feel i'm too shy and maybe don't want to talk to me because they feel maybe they will hurt me, actually I like to interact with them but just feel shy sometimes. Its hard to make friends with Americans.
N: How does the climate in your home country compare to here?
F: Shanghai is pretty warm in the winter. St. Cloud its not. Last week I thought spring was coming but its snow again. I feel, where is the spring? When will spring come? I feel its longer this year. I will live in Shanghai and maybe every winter just one or two times i can see snow, so when my father told me i can come to a place where there is always I felt, yeah good, but after I came here I just though too much. Indoors temperatures here are pretty good though.
N: Why did you decide to come to St Cloud State?
F: In China people like to go to other countries to have experience over seas. If I, like come here and get the experience, then when I go back to china its easier for me to find a job. The companies like the employee to have more experience. I came here to study English so it will be better. I can have a higher salary job then.
N: Whats your major?
F: MBA program Master of Business Administration. I went to school in China for four years before I came here.
N: What are some cultural differences between here and China?
F: Theres a lot, they're totally different. There are different dress styles and leisure times. I enjoy the life in America.
N: Who takes care of the finances in your family?
F: My father only in my family. Thats because my mom is ill so she can't work. But its normal in China, especially in Shanghai, that the man and the woman both work.
N: Who lives with you in your house?
F: Only my parents and a younger brother. My grandparents don't live with us.
N: At what age do people start to date?
F: It depends, they start at like 18 years old. The marriage depends on the cities. Maybe in some bigger cities they will be older maybe they think about marriage around 26 to 28 years old. In some smaller cities they are 22 to 24. We can date whoever we want but if we consider about marriage, I will think about my parents advice a lot. It'll affect it a lot.
N: Have you had any experience with racism since you have been here?
F: Not really, I like Minnesota. The people here are much friendlier then other states. Like in spring break when I went to Chicago, we traveled to a big city with people from places all over.
N: Have you been to any other places besides Chicago?
F: Not yet but i'm thinking about it. I feel st. cloud has more peace and more quiet then Chicago which is better for me. Chicago is such a big city and more loud and the buildings are pretty tall and it sometimes feels stressful and a bit too much for me.
N: How is the media different from here and in China?
F: I don't feel a too much different. The internet is really easy for us to use.
N: What are some traditions that you grew up with?
F: Spring festival is the most important. During that time it is just like christmas where we prepare a lot of food and stay with family and we talk and visit people like friends and relatives.
N: What are popular types of communications between younger people?
F: Texting and something like Facebook in China but not Facebook. Its a copycat. It looks the same. Its actually not too different. Its only in China. Do you know we can't get Facebook in china?
N: Why not?
F: Thats because, I don't know maybe government. In china sometimes government can choose things like that, but thats ok.
N: How is the United Sates viewed in China?
F: In our minds the united states is the most powerful country in the world. Especially if I have a study experience here it will be much better then in another country. If a product is made in the USA it will be better. Before I came here I thought all the cities were like Chicago and New York, but after I came here I thought, wow nice. Its so peace and so quiet a place and I like it. Well because shanghai is like Chicago and I don't like that so much.
N: How are the houses different from here and shanghai?
F: They are totally different. I like them here.
N: How are the schools different here and in China?
F: I prefer here. Like, in china the population is so huge so maybe in one class room there are more then 100 students and one teacher in front of the class room lecturing. Its hard for me to focus on the professor. Sometimes students just do whatever they want to. Its not so efficient. Here there are small class rooms and I can drink and eat in the classroom if I did not eat breakfast but its not allowed in china. Theres more culture in the classrooms here.
N: What were the schools like when you were younger?
F: Well when I was learning english, I started when I was 13 years old in middle school, but now my younger brother has started to learn english when he was three or four years old. Every child has to learn, its not optional, its mandatory. its as important as the chinese own language and culture, but I don't like it. its hard for me to learn another language in my own country. After I came here I can feel like I can talk and listen and feel the other cultures. I'm not good at learning language. I was trying to learn Japanese also but I found that language is hard to me. In china parents and their teachers push you to learn. You have to learn and there maybe are only a few options. Before I go to a university there is an exam that is the biggest exam in our life and we only have one chance to take that, but its unfair because sometimes if you feel nervous the person will fail it. If you want to take it again you have to wait until next year. So before that parents and teachers always push you to study hard and do your homework. Its a tough time and a different experience.
N: Is it common for students to have jobs in high school?
F: No its not common to us to find a job at that age and even when we go to a university. We try to find a job after we are graduated. We can choose our career whenever we want but its also hard for the graduate students to find a job after graduation because china is a big population. Its really hard, thats why I came here.
N: What foods do you have in china that aren't popular here?
F: The foods are totally different. We might mix a lot of different kinds of food together and fire them. It was one of the hardest things about the culture shock I was eating here in my first semester here during that time my stomach did not feel good. They are totally different.
N: How are the sports compared to here and in china?
F: The people here like sports more then in china. I don't know how the guys feel but in china girls don't like sports but when I came here I thought, wow the girls go play soccer. One of my guy friends said "that in china if I ask a girl to to do some sports she will feel like you are trying to kill her." In china I do just a little bit of yoga. I don't like sports like football and soccer I never touch. I have no idea about guys and sports.
N: Were there sports in your High School?
F: We had some sports but I didn't join any.
N: What do you do for fun on the weekends in china?
F: I go out with my friends, sing karaoke, eat something, go to the gym sometimes, shopping, chatting with friends, watch a movie that kind of stuff.
N: What do you do for fun on the weekends here?
F: Stay at home, go to gym, watch a movie, go out with friends, its like the same, not too much different.
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