Review of interview 1

My scorecard

Short Review

When I finished the review, I think these three interviews are better than other interviews.

The best one is Kina, Elena V-20 points. She came up with 12core questions and also added and changed some of them. Before I saw the interview, I just know the Nepal is poor country because China has humanitarian aids and grants worker for Nepal. But now, I know a lot of new information about the Nepal. In addition, she showed some pictures that can help me know it effective.  

The second one is Carroll-Anderson,Nicholas S – 20 points. When I saw the interview, I can feel he prepare well. He set up his questions, objectives before the interviewing. Actually, his points is same as Kina Elena V, they both do a good job, but Nick is second because didn’t show some picture, some points I didn’t really understand.

The third one is Zhang Enli – 19 points. He did well. The blog presentation is good. But also has a problem that is didn’t show the picture resource.

The First Interview

 

 

 

The First Interview

Yiming Zhang

10/22/2012

Preparations for the interview

Before I interview, I look for some information about Saudi, such as where is it, how many population, and some culture. The most impotent thing is avoid some controversial subjects. My interview objective is comparing the difference and similarity between the culture in Saudi, China and the U.S. In addition, I want to know more about perception and daily life of Saudi Arabia.

How did you approach people?

The first interviewee is my friend, his name is Alhumoud Mohammed. We were classmate in IEC.

 

When, where, and how did you Conduct the Interview?

We have same class at Tuesday and Thursday morning. I asked him, if he has time to help me. We met in the library on Friday at 7pm. During the interview, I used the I-phone to record our conversation.

 

Whom did you interview?

I interviewed Alhumoud Mohammed. He is from Saudi Arabia. His major is Mechanical Engineering.

 

.Interview report:

I think we did well. For the beginning, I was very tense, but I preserved an appearance of nonchalance. In our conversation, we gradually get over the tense. During the interview, I know a lot of new information about Saudi.

 

Country Report

 

 

Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula, near to the Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Desert accounts for about half of the country's surface area. “The total land area is 2,250,000 km², The population of Saudi Arabia as of July 2010 is estimated to be 25,731,776 including 5,576,076 non-nationals.(1)”Saudi Arabia is divided into 13 provinces.

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia

 

 

The interview:

Yiming: hi, how are you?

Alhumoud Mohammed: I’m good. How about you?

Yiming: good. My name is Yiming Zhang. Thank you for you coming to help me.

A: Welcome.

Y: Could you tell me about yourself? Like what is your name?

A: My name is Alhumoud Mohammed, I am from Saudi Arabia.

Y: Saudi Arabia, this is nice county. Could you please tell me about your county? Where is it?

A: My country is in the southwest of Asia, and near to the Kuwait, Oman, and Yemen. Also, we have a lot of oil, so some people will call my country is “Oil Kingdom” because the oil reserves and production rank is first in the world.

Y: yeah. I know it. Rich country. So I have question that is, your country is very rich, but also has many students study abroad, is your national education bad? Or other reason?  What is the difference in educational systems between your country and America?

A: oh, actually, we have oil, but not meaning we are rich. In my country, the government attaches importance to the education and training of personnel, also the introduction of free education. In addition, the government will give the allowances for college students who studying in Saudi or abroad. But a lot of schools themselves remain underfunded, and the quality of education remains poor.  In America, we can obtain free and high quality education resources and gain the capability to localize. In addition, various education resources are available to help us learn useful information in more systematic and deliberate way.

Y: I see. You know in my country, the educational system is Spoon-feed, too many teachers just Spoon-feed their students, so students like computer, then teachers Spoon-feed information to the computer. How long have you been in U.S?

A: I have been study in U.S 2 years.

Y: what is your major?

A: Mechanical Engineering.

Y: Your major is so difficulty to learn. And why did you choose to study at St. Cloud University?

A: Oh… because the IEC. You know it?

Y: yes.

A: My English is not good before I came to the U.S. So I studied the English skills in IEC. Also I have a bother and some friends studied and live here.

Y: I see. And what are you planning to do after school?

A: I will play soccer. You know? In Saudi Arabia, we will play soccer when we have free time. Soccer is most popular sport in Saudi Arabia. If during AFC or the Soccer World Cup time, we will spend a lot of time to watch competitions that is important to us. We also like play handball.

Y: Alhumoud, you know? Before the interview, I heard some culture about Saudi. In Saudi, does a man can marry with four women?

A: Yes. Usually, a man will marry one or two wife. This depends on the man is rich or not, because the husband must be fair to each wife. For example, if the husband has four wives, when he buys a car to a wife then he must buy other three same cars to other three wives. But if he does not buy other cars, he will be criminal.

Y: You know? In China, marriage is based on monogamy. If the people are polygamist, they will be criminal, and one family just can have one child.

A: Real? In my country, family can have unlimited children.

Y: Oh. I also have other question that is why all of the Saudi women clothing the kerchief?

A: because of the Islam Religion. In Saudi, women cannot contact with strange men, and when they outing, they need to wear black Abaya and veils. In addition, the young men and women are marriage by their parents. And young cannot found girlfriend or boyfriend in the past. But for now, some people’s mind is open, so they agree that is young can find their girlfriend or boyfriend, also when they want marry, they need parent’s consent.

Y: So the Islam Religion is major religion in your country?

A: yes.

Y: what are major holidays in your country?

A: Eid al-Fitr is major holiday in my country on all of the September.

Y: Could tell me something about the holiday?

A: We will change our eating habit on Ramadan.

Y: Excuse me. What did you say? What R@#~%^*(Ramadan)?

A: Ramadan. R-A-M-A-D-A-N. We will change our eating habit on Ramadan. Muslims dine before the sunrise and after sunset. Muslims cannot eating, drinking, and sex between sunrise and sunset. After sunset, everything is returned to normal.

Y: thank you. Is there anything you would like to add before we end our interview?

A: no.

Y: Thank you for your coming. Have a good day.

A: you too.

Comparing three essays in my group

The document is Here

Challenges and benefits of interviewing an international student

          Interview is a conversation with or questioning of a person, it is can be a formal discussion. During the interview, people usually conducted for television, radio, or a newspaper. For interviewing an intentional student, that mean is talk or compare the differences and similarity things between the two counties. Of cause, during the interview, we will get some challenges and benefits.

            Let’s me talk about the benefits about interviewing an international student.  All over the world becoming to be a home, if you like a country, but you little opportunity to go there, interviewing an international student is a good chance. During the interviewing, people can learn and know a lot of cultures about the country; also people can compare the difference and similarity cultures between their countries. In my experience, I never know that Saudi man can marry with four women at most. By the other hand, people usually will use the English for interviewing, so that is helpful to our English skills.

            For my first interview, the language is my biggest problem.  If the interviewee couldn’t understand what is I say, we nothing can do. Good English will improve the interaction with us; interviewee becomes open while discussing issues with interviewer. Before the interview, I need to learn and know some culture or knowledge about their country. In addition, controversial subject is other challenge; in that case, I will stay calm and politely explain, and keep up our chatty demeanor and tone to help them relax.

Challenges and benefits of interviewing an international student (or an US student)

Challenges:

1.       We need to find and make sure what is our interview objectives,

2.       How to make start, which part is good to talk and continue.

3.       Before the interview, we need to learn and know some culture or knowledge about the country.

4.       Maybe some interviewees are shy.

5.       If we have a controversial subject, how should do? Keep up our chatty demeanor and tone to help them relax.

6.       Language problems.

7.       Interviewee and interviewer need an interaction.

Benefits:

1.       We can learn and know more culture about this country

2.       Helpful  to our English skills

3.       Make a new friend

4.       We can compare the difference and similarity between the cultures in these counties.

5.       to know some new meals

6.       gain experience

Homework for First Interviewee

My interview objective is comparing the difference and similarity between the culture in Saudi and the U.S. In addition, I want to know more about perception and daily life of Saudi Arabia.

The core twelve questions for my interview:

1.      Could you tell me about yourself?(your name, home country)

2.      What are you planning to do after school?

3.      Why did you choose to study at St. Cloud University?

4.      What is the difference in educational systems between your country and America?

5.      Could you tell me about your country's traditional process regarding marriage?

6.      Can you tell me about activities that young people like to do in your country?

7.      What are major holidays in your country?

8.       What is your traditional food?

9.      What are your country's major religions?

10.  What do you perceive as differences between your culture and the American culture?

11.  Is there anything you would like to add before we end our interview?

12.  Do you have any questions for me, now that I have had the pleasure of asking you about so many things?

Country Report

In 21 century, we can visit many counties, when we want, because all over the world is like a home. However, different country has different culture. We need know and respect diversity of civilizations for each country. Saudi and China become to be powerful countries in these years, and they have a lot of travel attractions, they also have different culture. Then I will compare their culture which include family, sport, and what things are allowed or not.

A lot of people think family is easy and common, but it’s not true. Family in different culture is different. For instance there are lot of different things between the Saudi and China when talking of family. In Saudi, a Saudi man can marry with four women at most. Usually, a Saudi man will marry with one or two wives. It depends on the man if he rich or not. Because, the husband must be fair to each wife. For example, if the husband has four wives, when he buys a car to a wife then he must buy other three the same cars to other wives. But if he doesn’t buy other cars, he will be crime. In China, marriage is monogamy. If who polygamist, he will be crime. Also, in China, one family just can have one child, if who has more children, the family need pay money to government for each child. In Saudi, family can have unlimited children, and children will live with parents together. When children get marry, most children will live parents then live with their wife or husband. In Saudi and China, if teenagers marry and live with their wives or husbands, the down-payment is paid by their parent. These are different family things compared between Saudi and China.

Ever countries have their popular sports. In Saudi, most people will play soccer when they have free time. People like play soccer which is popular sport in Saudi. During AFC or the Soccer World Cup time, Saudi people will spend a lot of time to watch competitions which is important to them. Actually soccer is immensely popular in Saudi and Eastern Europe, in fact, nearly everywhere. In Saudi, people also like paly handball that is popular the same as soccer. In China, basketball and Ping-Pong are very popular to Chinese. Chinese are interested in playing basketball and Ping-Pong which is the same as Saudi people love playing soccer and handball. However, the common point among these sports is that soccer, handball, basketball, and Ping-Pong can teach us two things which are discipline and teamwork.

Moreover, I will compare three little things, what are allowed and what are not allowed between Saudi and China. First of all, in Saudi, because of religion and culture, people can’t drink alcoholic. In China, people can drink alcoholic everywhere and age control is loosely. Secondly, in China people are free to chose their lovers when they want to marry, they just need parent’s agree. But in Saudi, for a few years ago, husband or wife is chosen by their family, and younger adults can’t find girlfriends or boyfriends. Now, part of parents have open mind which are influenced by other culture, so they agree younger adults can find their girlfriends or boyfriends, also when they want to marry, they need parent’s agree. Thirdly, in Saudi and China, they both have law about smoke or tobacco, but people do not care about it. For example, people cannot buy and smoke when they under 18 years old. But nobody care it. Children think smoking is cool, shops want money, and governments think that this isn’t important. Above all are three little things about allowed or not between Saudi and China.

After comparing family, sport, alcoholic, marrying, and smoking between Saudi and China, we can see both these two culture are diverse. However all over the world becoming to be a home, such as us, Saudi and Chinese students study together, maybe we have culture bumps some times, and so we must learn and know about culture each other. Respect diversity of civilizations will not only benefit us, but will also bring about enduring stability and peace for humankind. 

Day 6 Library work

1.      I share http://en191f12s28mostafaa.blogspot.com/. From Alsadaqi, Mostafa A. The title is Mythologies of the World. The authors name Michael McKenzie et al. The book was printed in 1940, 1968, and 1982. It printed in Italy in 2001. “The myths that explained them have passed away with their authors, and all we are left with as to their purpose is conjecture.”

2.      I share http://nhriver.blogspot.com/2012/09/we-are-in-library-lets-use-it.html. From Chen Zeyu. The title is The Opium War. The authors name is Peter Ward Fay. It printed in 1975. ”The south China city of  Canton lies in the latitude of Calcutta, Mecca, and  Havana, on the left bank of the Canton River seventy-five miles from the sea.”

3.      I share http://en191f12s28yanjunli.blogspot.com/2012/09/we-are-in-library-lets-use-it.html. From Li Yanjun. The title is Last Shot. The authors name is Alfred A. Knopf. The book printed in Random House, New York, in 2005 first edition. “He turned and there was Dick ‘Hoops’ Weiss, who had been a legend at the Philadelphia Daily News for years before moving to the New York Daily News.”

4.      I share http://shaohuasun.blogspot.com/2012/09/we-are-in-library-lets-use-it.html. From Sun Shaohua. The title is Sharks, the Super Fish. The text copyright is by Helen Roney Sattler and illustrations copyright is by Jean Zallinger. The book was printed in New York 1986. “Sharks are among the best hunters in the world.”

5.      I share http://en191f12s28bingzhe.blogspot.com/2012/09/an-interesting-book.html.  From Bingzhe Xu. The title is The Rise of Modern China. The authors name is Immanuel C. Y. HSU. It was printed in the United States of America in 1970. “While no consensus has been reached, there seems to be some tentative agreement among a majority of them on the question of periodization: 1) the period of the invasion of foreign capitalism and of peasant revolution, 1840-64; (2) the period of semi feudalism, 1864-95; (3) the period of deepening national crises and the emergence of patriotic movements, 1895-1905; and (4) the period of the rise and fall of the bourgeois revolution, 1905-19.”

HW for We are in the library - let's use it

en191f12s28yifuchen

This person chose their book because of where she is from. Her book “South Asia” is about the reasons and wonders of people becoming more interested in South Asia. The author of the book talks about paces he has been to and his findings behind American tourism in South Asia. The reference for this book: Caldwell,J.C(1960). South Asia.page 9. Lowell,Vermonet: john day company

en191f12s28yanjunli.blogspot.com
He chose the book called "Last Shot" he selected this book because the topic attracted him so much. he likes basketball and also this book is also talked about mystery.
The reference of his book: John Feinstein, “Last Shot”, published by Alfred A. Knopf. In Random House, New York, 2005, page 11

http://en191f12s28bingzhe.blogspot.com/

This book's name is "The Rise of MODERN CHINA". from the title we can easy found talk about China's history and different between the first one is this book talk China is how to rise.IMMAUEL C. Y. HUS “The Rise of MODERN CHINA”, The Oxford University Press Inc, New York 1970.

http://enlizhang191f12s28.blogspot.com/

He chose this book “Admiral of the Pacific” wrote by John Dwane Potter mainly talked about a famous admiral during The Second World War. I think he like the history very much and he want to study more about information and details about The Second World War

http://en191fl12s28mohamedto.blogspot.com/2012/09/my-book-islam-without-fear-92512.html

He is Muslim and feels like his religion is being misunderstood by many people because of extremism and lacking of knowledge about Islam