My Final Project

Final Project

English 191

Qian Wang                                                 

                                                Chinese Culture

As we known, China has a strong power from her history and culture. Chinese culture developed from dynasty by dynasty and generation by generation, the affection of this culture cannot be ignored neither. Chinese culture is generally thought as traditional Chinese culture, which have already accompanied by Chinese five thousands history. It can be seen as the soul of Chinese people and the whole of Chinese nations.

Chinese Lunar New Year is a grateful window to show Chinese culture, which mean people can deeply be in touch with Chinese life through spending the Lunar New Year with Chinese, especially.  People named Chinese New Year as “Lunar New Year” is because according to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, that Chinese count the date base on lunar phase. (Wikipedia, Chinese New Year) As the king important festival, Lunar New Year has magic to let all Chinese be delight. During Lunar New Year, there is a jocund circumstance among people. (Food in Chinese Culture, Page297)

Firstly, it is a time for Chinese people get together with their family; there are three public holidays with two weekend days, stacking up to seven holidays to thanks the good life with family. We can also feel how significance of Lunar New Year from how many proportion of public holiday for Lunar New Year. Seven important festivals and ten public holidays, Lunar New Year takes place three out of ten. Secondly, because of it is a holiday, people gain plenty of free time without work, everyone are rest and have fun. Thirdly, people will gain the happiness of changing into new one.  As the old tradition, Chinese would better get everything new from head to feet. For example, people had best buy the new clothes; get hair cut before New Year Eve’s; renovate or upholster the house and decorate or rid up the house. Everything is preparation for the new, because Chinese think after New Year is a beginning of a new year, people need to abandon the useless and unluckiness of old things and get a great start to achieve your pursuing. Fourthly, it is ritual fanfare to ancestral spirits. Although this point is dying year by year, we can experience the ritual fanfare ancestral spirits through a number of objects during this festival. Such as sacrificing ancestor or the dead people of family (in this way, we can see that food is not important for the living alone, it also for sacrificing forefather. People will put the food like sweet desserts and fruits in front of spirit tablet or gravestone); burning false paper money to offering to the dead, which hope them have a better life in the other world.

Chinese spend Lunar New Year usually contain these three parts, before New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Eve, feast which beginning with New Year’s Day.  Before New Year’s Eve, Chinese usually will go shopping not only for new dress but also for nian huo, “New Year goods”. During these days, streets are always crowded, shops are supplemented by this temporary markets; people are busy buying fresh and dry food, to hoard during festival because the price of food will rise exponentially. Generally, people will make sausages, kippers and prepare abundant meat or vegetable for the New Year dinner.  In the old days, for relatively poor family, they will have four to six dishes for the New Year dinner. But there are eight dishes for the better standard family, which contain four or six cold plates and one or two entrees. (Food in Chinese Culture)Usually, Chinese will start the New Year dinner from five o’clock, before they start dinner, most people will worship their ancestors. Since everyone get ready sitting around the round table, the oldest senior will eat firstly and then other people are allowed to begin to eat. This is a way to respect the senior who did significant contribution to the family, and this is also a way to show filialness of Chinese culture. Just as red stands for happiness and good luck in China, there are plenty of symbols in Chinese food for the New Year’s Eve dinner. For instant, poultry such as the whole chicken or duck represent unity and wholeness; soup as the bird’s nest soup stands for long life and youthfulness; Fish, which has the similar pronunciation with “Yu”, in Chinese, meaning abundance and remain, so put the fish dish in the end of dinner, symbolizing keeping the good luck all the year. (Buzzle.com, the Chinese New Year Dinner)So generally, soup, chicken or duck, fish, spring roll, meatballs (we call “lions head”, obviously, it’s not real lion’s meat, and it’s just pork meat) will be cooked for the New Year dinner. After dinner, it’s time for junior family members pay ceremonial respects to their seniors. Children will receive small monetary gifts from adults like their uncles or aunts, grandparents and their parents.
According to traditional Chinese legend, there was an extraordinarily fierce and cruel monster called Nian, which just ate human beings. Nian slept the whole year except the New Year’s Eve, so people were afraid of Nian and hided inside of house. However, one day a gray hair man was brave to stand outside and found the secret of Nian, that Nian was fear of red things and exploding firecrackers!  From then on, people began got everything red around them, dressing red clothes on; sticking red banners (usually with good luck words on the banners) on the doors; decorating house with red things and so on. This is why Chinese people like red when they spending New Year, in legend, and red also stands for good luck and future.

Moreover, spending New Year in Chinese is “Guo Nian”, which means passing of year, year is Nian in Chinese. (Chinatownconnection.com, Chinese New Year Legend) Therefore, in the middle night, Chinese start exploding firecrackers, which bring the lively busy atmosphere into the New Year’s Eve.  After New Year’s Eve, the feast begins with New Year’s Day. People will visit relatives’ and friends’ places, to send their best wishes to them. When people visit the place, house owner will set his or her snacks for the visitors. The snacks are from the Nian Huo (New Year goods), and “in form of watermelon seeds, sesame candy and other sweets, roasted peanuts, fruits such as pears and oranges, and cakes are available at all times”. (Food in Chinese Culture, page 299) New Year feast is a great time for people to reinforce the relationship with others and strengthen the family relationship. Chinese people gain plenty of fun from the Lunar New Year festival either.

When talking about Chinese New Year, people cannot do not mention the animals of years. In China, there are twelve animals in the Chinese animal zodiac, which are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. (C-c-c.org, Chinese Culture Center’s Zodiac Page) These twelve animals constitute a cycle, each animal represents a year. It works as transmigration. For example, 1989 was snake year, after twelve years, 2001 was snake year again. During the New Year festival, you can see there are a number of beautiful light candles which are in the shape of the animal of New Year.  Additionally, there are also peddlers who can make animal candy within one minute by using hot syrup drawing the animals, and using one thin and short cudgel to stick with the hot syrup. When the hot syrup cools down, customers can hold the animal candy and eat. Usually, people would like to play the turn plate to decide to pay for which animal candy, from the Chinese animal zodiac. However, nowadays, the drawing animal candy is nearly disappeared. The drawing animal candy skill is losing, just as other traditional Chinese workmanship craft skills, like Chinese traditional wood carving skills, which were in fashion among old Chinese dynasties like Ming dynasty (news.folk.com, Gaozhou traditional Burmese Eggplant carving handicraft disappearing);  traditional skill of making silver, which were prevalent through the Miao minority of China (0755zb.com, Traditional silver).

Disappearing of the traditional craft techniques, shows intangible culture heritage is slacking down from modern China. On the one hand, it is because the developing of economic. People do not want to learn the traditional techniques, which are behind the times and difficult to be proficient at this art. On the other hand, Chinese people are lacking the sense of protect either intangible culture heritages or material culture heritages. The Chinese Cultural Revolution is an example of destroying the material culture heritages and interdicting the inheriting of some traditional culture. From 1966 to 1976, this culture revolution bogged down China development, the important domestic political campaign was totally a wrong domestic war. “That it was great may be seen from the fact that it shook the Party and the country to their foundations, closed schools and universities, slowed production, and virtually shut down all diplomatic activity.” (Its History and Culture, page215) During 1966 and 1967, owing to iconoclasm swept folk and the ultra personality cult of Chairman Mao, there was extraordinarily large-scale destroying of traditional material, such as culture relics. “In Beijing alone, at least 4,922 of the capital’s 6,843 officially classified historical sites were damaged or destroyed from mid-August to September 1966.” (The Chinese Culture Revolution as History, page 64-65) Under the slogan “smash, burn, fry, and scorch” a mass of culture relics disappeared, people of that time insolently wrecked the precious legacy which forefathers left to us. And they thought they did the right thing, to perish the “feudal old culture”. “Turn the old world upside down, smash it to pieces, pulverize it, create chaos and make a tremendous mess, the bigger the better.” (Mao‘s China and After: A History of the People’s Republic, page 321)

Although, the Cultural Revolution let China suffer heavy losses of her splendid culture, it penetrate deeply into Chinese people’s mind that we should protect and treasure our culture from now on. Specially, when China fought for the ownership of the Dragon Boat Festival with South Korea, China began pay more attention on protect her own intangible culture heritages. South Korea registered Dragon Boat Festival as their intangible culture heritage in 2008, and South Koreans disputed Chinese on Dragon Boat Festival a lot of times. (chinahush.com, Sinida Zongzi Gate) Who’s Dragon Boat Festival? It became the hot topic during 2008. From this issue, Chinese do not treasure the traditional festival firstly, when they lose it, they became treasure it. However, from other aspect, we can see that China has a strong impact on other countries’ culture, specially the countries near her.

As the the capital of Sinic civilization area, China plays a significant role among East Asia by her brilliant and gorgeous culture. Countries like Japan, Korea and Vietnam were profoundly influenced by China’s culture. Japan, who has strong culture history and economic today, cannot develop without China especially in the culture area. Tracing back to the seventh and eighth centuries, Japanese brought plenty of wealth from China to Japan, that including “Tang dynasty’s dominant religion, Buddhism, and its Confucian values, as well as its basic political principles, forms of government organization, patterns of bureaucratic administration, and codes of law”(China and the Major Powers in East Asia, page 89). Japanese not only cited the culture of China, but also adapted it for their own use. They developed Chinese bureaucracy into feudal system, and created “a miniature Japanese version of Chinese society” (China and the Major Powers in East Asia, page 89). By the way, Japanese borrowed Chinese writing system and then brought about Japanese, which is one reason why a lot of Chinese can understand what the subjects are in Japanese, though they even never learn Japanese. On the other hand, Korea gained affection from Chinese culture too. For instance, Korean Confucianism which gave substantial inflation to Korea is another side of Confucianism developing from China. (Wikipedia.org, Korean Confucianism)

Chinese culture is the riches to China, Asia, Western countries and even the whole world. By the remote historical spreading, more and more people know and want to know much about it. Resplendent Chinese culture cannot just is exuviating object, we can gain a number of benefits from it. So respect it and treasure it, people may be better from learn Chinese culture.

References

From books

Barnett, A. Doak. (1977) China and the Major Powers in East Asia. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution.

Morton, W. Scoot (2005) China its history and culture. United States of America: McGrew-Hill.

Esberick, W. Joseph; Pickowicz, G. Paul; Walder, G. Andrew (2006) The Chinese Cultural Revolution as History. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.

Chang, C.K. (1979) Food in Chinese Culture. Great Britain, Europe, Africa, and Asia (except Japan): Yale University Press, Ltd, London.

From Internet

Ray, Ritchey. (2010) The Chinese New Year Dinner http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-chinese-new-year-dinner.html [accessed 12/11/2010]

BBC News. (1 February, 2003) Asia welcomes Lunar New Year http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2712567.stm [accessed 12/11/2010]

Jason, Huang. (?) Chinese New Year Legend http://www.chinatownconnection.com/chinese-new-year-legend.htm [accessed 12/12/2010]

Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. (?) The Chinese Animal Zodiac http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/zodiac/zodiac.html [accessed 12/12/2010]

Finical Times. (23 June, 2008) Traditional Silver http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-US&dl=en&lp=ZH-CHS_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.0755zb.com%2fTexts%2f2008%2f6%2f23%2f11373.html [accessed 12/12/2010]

Sheng, Liang. (13 April, 2009) Gaozhou Traditional Burmese Eggplant Carving Handicraft disappearing http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-US&dl=en&lp=ZH-CHS_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2fnews.folkw.com%2fwww%2fdongtaizixun%2f152159685.html [accessed 12/12/2010]

Key. (16 June, 2010) Simida Zongzi Gate: dispute over Dragon Boat Festival between China and South Korea http://www.chinahush.com/2010/06/16/simida-zongzi-gate-dispute-over-dragon-boat-festival-between-china-and-south-korea/ [accessed 12/12/2010]

Wikipedia. (2010) Korean Confucianism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Confucianism [accessed 12/15/2010]

Outline of final paper

           Chinese Culture     

    I.          Introduction of Chinese Culture

Chinese culture is generally thought as traditional Chinese culture, which have already accompanied by Chinese five thousands history. It can be seen as the soul of Chinese people and the whole of Chinese nations.

    II.          Chinese Culture

1.      Culture of China

Festival; Metaphor ( food, animal, plant) ; Customs 
2.  The change of Chinese culture
The change of traditional culture and introduction of new Chinese culture

   III.          The influence of Chinese Culture

1.     To Asia

Japan; Korea; Southeast Asia

  

  IV.          Current Issue

Dismiss traditional Chinese Culture; Copy right of traditional Chinese Culture

   

  V.          Conclusion

              Chinese culture is the riches to China, Asia, Western countries and even the whole world. By the remote historical spreading, more and more people know and want to know much about it. Resplendent Chinese culture cannot just is exuviating object, we can gain a number of benefits from it. So respect it and treasure it, people may be better from learn Chinese culture.

My final project

I decided to write my country's culture on my final paper that mean I want to introduce the Chinese culture to others. With introducing my country culture and I will also compare some differences culture according to my interviews. So I will put out my outline on December 2nd and finish my final project before December 16th.

the third interview winner

1. Score Card: Here

2. Explanation of criterion:
Preparation --- how well you prepare that includes when, where you will interview and how you get the people.
Interview Process --- if your report includes preparation, description, country report (and transcribe), you will get full marks.
Country Report --- If you don't just copy from the resource and write down the references formally, you will get full marks.
Interview Questions and Answers --- How well your questions and answers.
Blog Presentation --- If you complete the whole interview process and your report is clarity and has few errors, you will get full marks.

3. Best Paper
Name: Schleif, Emily A

First of all,  the preparation part of Emily's report is great that she made an interview objectives list and explained how she approached the people; described when, where and how she conduct the people; introduced the interviewee.

And then she wrote the describing of the interview, which on the other hand seems like a summery of the interview. Emily also wrote the interview transcribing, it is very clearly. From the transcribing, I can see that Emily preferred to ask the questions about religion and interviewee's daily life. The answers from the interviewee also contained a lot of information, which were interesting. Emily did the interview with Haily, there were more people when interview, so the atmosphere was harmony. Maybe it's one reason which make the interviewee become talkative and make the interview become successful. We can get the information which we want to get before the interview.

When moving to the country report part, it is really good that Emily used her own words to describe the country instant of making a copy of other resource. Although her country report was not so good that it need more objectives not just geography, population and economic, her references were formal.

Over all, Emily's the third interview report contains all the things which are required, and her interview also interesting. It is a successful interview report.

Interview 2, Review

1. Score Card: Here

2. Explanation of criterion:

•  Preparation --- how well you prepare that includes when, where you will interview and how you get the people.
• Interview Process --- if your report includes preparation, description, country report (and transcribe), you will get full marks.
• Country Report --- If you don't just copy from the resource and write down the references formally, you will get full marks.
•  Interview Questions and Answers --- How well your questions and answers.
• Blog Presentation --- If you complete the whole interview process and your report is clarity and has few errors, you will get full marks.

3. Best Paper

  Name: Lee, Pa Kou
          

           

              Over view the second interview reports, I find that Lee's report is the best one according to my standard. (However, according to the rule, no transcribe cannot rate highly)

             The preparation part and country report part of Lee's report are really great. She tells people how she prepared the second interview in details, for instance, how did she approach people; when, where and how did she contact with the interviewee; and then she also introduces her interviewee. From the preparation, I can feel that Lee worked hard on the interview and it's a good beginning. As reviewing the country report part, I find that a lot of people just copied the information from websites. They didn't use their own words to report the countries, even a lot of people instead of write the references in formal way, and they just put the websites at the end of country report. Lee's country report contains the formal reference and she uses quotation marks when she uses the references. Respecting others work is important to a writer.

            From Lee's report, I'm very interesting in the interviewee's answers. Lee focus on the culture of Africa, she asks a lot about religion, wedding, diet and so on. Her interview answers are great, however, in the transcribe part; she seems "forget" writing down her questions. If she can clearly write down her question on the transcribe part, it will be better.

           Finally, Lee's second interview report contains the whole parts, which including preparation, description, and country report and transcribe. And she does few errors too.

interview report no.3

Preparation
In my previous plan, I wanted to interview an Korean and I had already contacted with an Korean gay. However, when the interview day came he said that he didn't have free time these days, so I had to change my interviewee and began to get a new plan. So I contacted with one of my Human Relationship classmates, his name is Marlon Soriano. I found his e-mail from my class D2L, and I sent e-mail to him asking that would he help me with the interview from my English 191 class. He replied me with positive answer. So we decided to get the interview meeting after our class, as planning after class, we walked with talk until we got Atwood second floor. And then, we found a set of available chairs and table, when we got sites, I passed a question list to Marlon asking him that did him mind I record this interview. He thought it's no big deal, so I used my phone to record the whole interview

Interview Describe
 I started the interview by asking my interviewee's name, I was very surprising when I asked where Marlon were from, he said he born in Canada. I thought he was from Asia as international student. But he told me that he born in Canada and came to the U.S. in 1998, so he got education in America. Then I thought he could use English expertly, because he grown up in the U.S... However, I got the different information that he had to take ESL class which mean English is the Second Language, because he was lack of reading and writing skills in English. When I asked him that how did he think of making friends with Americans, he also thought that making friends with Americans were difficult, even though his language was no problem and he grown up in the USA, there was still different culture barrage lying between him and Americans. So he told me that most of his friends were second generation Asian-Americans, and he was the third generation. Marlon now lives with his family, so he said that he usually ate Philippines food which his parent cooked. And he learns the Philippines culture from what his parent told him, he also watches movies which about Philippines and reads the books. He learns and knows his original country by these. When be asked did he think of coming back to Philippine, Marlon said that he wanted to back to Canada and visited Philippine. He told me that he liked Canada more than other countries as USA, because there were a lot of Philippines committees, so living in Canada had a feeling of home, but he didn't want to back to Philippine. When Marlon identified himself, he also said that he thought he was Canadian not Philippine or Americans, even though he lives in the environment that surrounded Philippines culture and American culture.

(q=me, m=Marlon Soriano)
q- Can I know your name?
m- My name is Marlon Soriano.
q- Where are you from?
m- Emu, I was born in Canada, so I got the Canadian citizenship. But my parent is from Philippines.
q- So you are the second generation, right?
m- No, the third. My grandparent was first one.
q- So can you speak Philippines?
m- I can't speak but I can understand. My parent speak Philippines in the family, but I talk
English back to them. I just know a little bit how to speak Philippines.

q- When did you come to the USA?
m- I came here 1998.
q- What kind of Philippines festival did you spend in the USA?
m- It is the same as USA. But I usually spend Christmas with my parent.
q- What's festival you like the best?
m- It is Philippines Christmas; there are more decorations and Philippines songs and dancing.
q- Do you have New Year festival?
m- Yea, but it's similar as USA, family get together and eat dinner. But parents will drop money and children will pick them up.
q- What kind of food do you usually eat?
m- Philippines food.
q- How about American food?
m- I like Philippines food better, because my parent usually cooks Philippines food.
q- Do you like Garvey?
m- No, I don't like it; the food there is bad for your health.
q- Do you like go to restaurant? What restaurants do you like to go to?
m- I usually go to Italian and American restaurants with my parent.
q-How do you spend your free time?
m- I usually hang out with my friends, sometimes play soccer and basketball.
q- Do you like Hockey or football?
m- No I don't like Hockey and American football.
q- How do you think your life in the USA?
m- It's OK.
q- Can you compare with life in the Canada?
m- It's like the same thing, but Canada is colder.
q- How's your friendship?
m- Most of my friends from Asia, but they live in the U.S. too, like the second generation.
q- Do you think it is hard to make friends with Americans?
m- Yea.
q- Although the language is not problem and you born here education here and grown here, is it still?
m- Yea, everyone is different. I have some education problem, like I have to go to ESL; English is the second language, though English is my first language.
q- Why? I think you don't need go to ESL.
m- Because my reading and writing are not as good as Americans.
q- Do you have any plan about future?
m- No, just be normal life is OK.
q- Have you thought of coming back Philippines?
m- Emu, I want to move back Canada and visit Philippines.
q- Why do you want to back to Canada?
m- I like Canada better. There are more Philippines and Philippines committees.
q- How many children in your family?
m- I have two sister and one twin brother.
q- How do you think your family when compare with American family?
m- My family is much different than American family; my family is more likely Philippines family with Philippines culture.
q- So what's difference?
m- We eat different food, we have different manner.
q- Do you know how many religions in Philippines?
m- There are two, Christian and Islam.
q- Do Philippines have different rules of eye contact and body language in your country?
m- We usually have eye-contact when we talk with others, and we usually use hand language.
q- Do you learn Philippines culture?
m- I learn Philippines culture from my parent, they tell me their experience in Philippines; I also learn from Philippines movies and books.
q- Can you simply identify yourself? Like are you more likely Philippines or Canadian?
m- I think is Canadian, but nowadays Philippines are more likely Americans and Canadians, you know that English is the main language in Philippine.
q- Thank you very much! It's really a great time.
m- Yep.

Country report 
(geography, population, language, religion, cuisine)
 Republic of the Philippines is the full name of Philippines; it is in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. "The Philippine islands are an archipelago of over 7,000 islands lying about 500 mi (805 km) off the southeast coast of Asia."(www.infoplease.com). Philippines culture is influenced by Malay, China, and it is a combination of Eastern and Western culture (en. wikipedia. org). Philippine was occupied by Spanish, Japan, U.S... The population of Philippines is around ninety-two million, which is the world's 12th most populous country. "According to the 2000 census 28.1% of Filipinos are Tagalog, 13.1% Cebuano, 9% Ilocano, 7.6% Bisaya/Binisaya, 7.5% Hiligaynon Ilonggo, 6% Bikol, 3.4% Waray, and 25.3% are classified as other."(en.wikipedia.org)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkDmtCLFaBPRfAGcW3061uo4MaVx6rOuE6f8Sc_vVUg3L8ZZDZ40NEq78ZMdC-vOVAmyGoNa6-dE24dVFMiaMszbaNmzchwNlQzPsDJ2xOO1GpQ_P5Olhk5LDwkJV3buEmPzFV1l4QG0/s1600/mphilipp.gif

In Philippines, there were more than 170 individual languages, 171 of them still living but four of them no more people speak now. However Filipino and English are the official languages.

In Philippines, more than 90% populations are Christians, and around 80% of them belong to the Roman Catholic Church; 10% of them belong to other Christian denomination. There are between 5% to 10% Filipinos believe Muslim, and most Muslim Filipinos practice Shafii, a form of Sunni Islam.

Philippines cuisines are a combination of Hispanic, Chinese, American and other Asian influence. Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the elaborate. Unlike many of their Asian counterparts, Filipinos do not eat with chopsticks; they use western cutlery. However, possibly due to rice being the primary staple food and the popularity of a large number of stews and main dishes with broth in Philippine cuisine, the main pairing of utensils seen as the Filipino dining table is that of spoon and fork, not knife and fork.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOWGLuGdCtl-GCkXXILweHTqj4QmXsQC4XzXa4KqbOMrPqpS0Ti3I-D8u2_e3xPBB9kxuOMxDMGdoCUX4-f-kFJZsk9ZL7h5TqrCm6aV_rlrSUDmKC4PPqa4wdeVxfDcvI8LcwAJeljc/s1600/philippine-food1-296x300.jpg

"The National Statistics Office reports a simple literacy rate of 93.4% and a functional literacy  rate of 84.1% for 2003. Literacy is about equal for males and females."

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/UST_Main_Bldg_Facade.jpg
Work Sited

"Wikipedia- Philippine". Wikipiedia. Wed. November 10, 2010. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/UST_Main_Bldg_Facade.jpg>

“Infoplease-Word- Country- Philippines”Infopleas. Web. November 10, 2010. <http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107887.html?pageno=1>

my first interview results

my first interview results

interview report no.2

Burundi, East Africa
Preparation

As I didn't find the next Korean, I found that I wanted to know more about African country. Because there are large number of Africans around campus, I usually don't have chance to talk more or deeply with them. So I want to interview an African and know more detail of what he/she thinks of his or her culture and life in the USA. In this way, I choose one of my African peers to interview, his name is Mike. I asked him would him like to be interviewed about international students, for my English 191 class. He said no problem, and then gave me his e-mail address to connect. We decided the time and place through e-mail, so we met at first floor of Library, October 22, 2010. When we met, we start talking by small talk, such as "How's your day?” When we got seat, I also asked him did he mind me record the interview by my phone. He had no protest. Then, I passed my interview questions list to him, told him that I might ask him these questions and when he went through the list, I wanted to know did him have any more questions, he had no more question. After everything was all right, we started the interview.




Describing of the interview
I stared interview by asking when him came to the USA. Mike told me that he came here two years age that's 2008, and at the first time he came his English was not good enough, so he were enrolled  by the IEC( Intensive English Center) program. After one semester's hard work, Mike went to the undergraduate program. He said that when he came to the USA at the first time, he was very shy to speak English, because he was always afraid of making mistake and didn't want others laughing at him. It's uncomfortable to him to speak without mistake. And Mike didn't adapt the Minnesota accent, so he had a hard time to listen and speak; during this time he usually stayed with his friends and spoke French, his first language. However, he said that he got over these language obstacles by watching American TV show and English songs, he learned a lot from that.
I asked him where he came from. He told me that he came from Burundi the east Africa. And I got to know that he had some friends who came from the same place with him, they usually hanged out and got together, the small group just liked a big family. Then, I asked him about the festivals, American festivals and Burundi festivals. He said that there were differences about the festivals between these two countries. They usually celebrate Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter, because the majority religion is Christ in Burundi. So Mike didn't spend Thinks Giving Day in his country, and Christmas was his favorite festival, he said that it meant family and he loved his country. However, Mike also mentioned that he thought nowadays more and more festivals lost their meaning, the festival was more likely a day to hold parties. When talked about the similarities or differences between Burundi and USA, Mike said that these two countries had really different cultures. In his country, people are polite and they have different way to talk with elder people, they respect elder people very much. For example, if you see the elder people who don't have seat in the bus, you have to give your seat to them. I was really surprised when I heard that, and Mike showed his kindness when he talked. Mike also told me that he felt shame when he saw the students showing their disrespectful attitude to their professors, he didn't like just call professors their names, and he thought it's rude.
When we mention life in the USA, Mike showed his likeness. He likes American food though he misses the food from his own country. He usually hangs out with his friends and plays soccer during his free time. Furthermore, Mike gets a job on campus, when he told this news to his parent, they couldn't believe it. Mike fits life in the USA, though it's hard for him at the first time. He said that children in his country did nothing; parents would do everything, such as cooking, washing dishes, doing the laundry. But Mike had to do all the things by himself and he had to learn to be responsible for himself and his little sister who was with him now. Mike had a thanking heart; he earned money to pay for his rent fees, Internet fees and so on. He said he wanted to help his parent and just wanted them to pay for the tuition fee for him. Mike got a big change in the USA, he said USA was really good place for children to learn to be adult; learn to be responsible and independent. He thanks his parent that sent him to the USA. Mike also mentioned the different environment and resource between Burundi and USA University. He told me in Burundi there was no enough resource, small room contained large number of students, no computer lab, no new books, low quality teachers and limited particular learning. So he opened his mind when he study in the USA, he appreciated it. Mike even planed after master degree, he wanted to get few years working experience in the USA, and then came back to Burundi, trying his best to help his country to become stronger.
Through the interview, I could see that Mike really loved his family and respect his family and elder people; he keeps the good manner in the USA. He said that even he argued with his parent, he still argued with respective. Don't like some American children, yelling their parents or even hit their parents. Mike thought our parents gave us birth and life, so we had to respect them, especially when they were old; we need to take care of them more.
During the interview, we enjoyed talking and I learned a lot from Mike. This was a great time.


 Transcribe of the interview (q=me, m=Mike)
q- When did you come to the USA?
m- I came to the USA two years ago, it was September 2008.
q- 2008?
m- Yea, when I came here, I took IEC the English classes first. After four mouths, I went the collage program that's 2009.
q- So what's your major?
m- My major is Finance and if everything goes smoothly, I will be enrolled in my major.
q- How about the first time you came here, how was your English? Not good?
m- Yea, when I came USA, I was shy to speak English; I was afraid to make mistake and I didn't want people laughing at me. So I didn't want to make mistake when I talked, that's really uncomfortable. Specially, people from Minnesota have different accent, it's hard for me to understand them with my African accent. But TV and music were really helpful, like I learned a lot from songs and TV shows like "Friends" and "Family Guys".
q- So how long did the hard time be taken?
m- I would say one semester. After that, I began to talk more in English and felt more comfortable with English. Before that, I usually spoke French, my first language.
q- Oh, so where are you come from? I mean which part of Africa?
w- I come from Burundi, east Africa.
q- So do St. Cloud State has students from the same country as you?
w- Not too many, just 20. It can't be compared with the country like China, but that's enough for us. We usually hang out together or have party together, that's good, just like a big family.
q- During this time, what national festival you spent in USA?
m- We don't have many same festivals as USA, we celebrate Christmas and Easter. We don't have Thanks Giving Day. Because most of us are Christian, so we celebrate Christian festival.
q- How did you spend your own country festival?
m- We prepare the dinner, and invite the old family. We hang out together, eat together, and talk with each other. It's very sad that nowadays the festival lose their meaning, like Independence Day or other festival just a time for people get together drink and eat.
q- So which one you like more about the festival?
m- I have to say my country; I have to stand in my country's side to support my country. Although I have been USA two years, I really miss my country.
q- Which festival you like best?
m- I would love to say Christmas. Because Christmas is all about family, I really enjoy the Christmas dinner with my family.
 q- Do you think your country and USA are similar?
 m- No, we have very different culture. The differences, for example, in my country people are very polite. We have different way to talk with elder people and younger people; we have to speak in special way to elder people to show our respect. There is one example, if you see the elder people don't have seat in the bus, you have to give your seat to them.
q- So how about younger people?
m- That depends on you; if you are kind you can do that. I have been USA two years, every time I see the way Americans talk to the professors, I will feel shame.
q- Because you have been USA two years, how about your way to your professors? Is that changed too?
m- I respect my professors, and I just show my admiration. I never talk to others, text or play cell phone, use my laptop and sleep during the class. I don't eat in the class. And I call my professors with Ms/Mrs. /Mr.; I don't just call their name.
q- So you still keep your traditional manner in USA.
m- Yea.
q- Do you miss the food of your country?
m- Yea, I miss the food of my country. I found some food here, but they were very different from the food of my country, because the taste and quality of the food is bad. Although I cook by myself, you know is far more not good as the food mother or cookers cook.
q- What do you usually cook?
m- I cook meat like beef and chicken.
q- Do you like Garvey?
m- No, the food is not good not taste. But I think Garvey is just a place to meet people and get new friends.
q- How about go to outside restaurants?
m- Yea, I like going to restaurants, the food is good. I like the way the waiter and waitress treat people, they are nice and friendly. In my country, the waiter and waitress are not so friendly, and they just ask people what do you want, that's all. They don't greet people. I was very surprise American way of serving. Americans will ask “how are you?", “how’s the day?” something like these. That's the thing I want to teach the people from my country, to teach them you have to be kind to customers like USA “customers are God". If you don't take care of or respect your customers, you will lose your business.
q- Do you like American food?
m- Yea, I really like American food. There are a lot of American foods supporting in my country, like pizza, hamburgs.
q- How do you spend your free time?
 m- During my free time, I visit my friends, play soccer.
q- Soccer?  That's good. So how do you think of American football?
m- I don't like it, I think it can't be called football; they don't use foot at all. I like playing soccer, soccer is very popular in my country. I enjoy play soccer with my friends, but I like hanging out with people most, I like taking to people and laughing with them.
q- That's good. So how do you think life in USA?
m- When I was in my country, I had my parent, they helped me to pay for all the bills, and they cooked for me when I was back, they would wash the dishes after eating and they would do the laundry. So I didn't need worry about everything, but when I came America, I have to do everything, like I have to cook, wash dishes, and do laundry. I have to do everything and I have to take the responsibility. I have a younger sister here, so I also have to be responsible to my sister and take care of her. Yea, I also have job too. I want to help my parent, and I get a job just want to pay for me tuition fee. You know, I my country, I just sit down and do nothing. But now I do a lot.
q- So you change a lot.
m- Yea.  It's really hard at the beginning, I have to think as an adult not a kid, I have to take responsibility of myself. It's one part of life.
q- How your parents think of you about this?
m-They could believe it, when I told them I got a job at Pizza Hut. Because back home, kids don't do anything just play, they don't work. So I'm appreciating for my parent that sent me to USA. USA is a place to learn how to live, to learn how to be independence and responsible. Although it's challenge, I like life in USA.
q- How about you friendship in USA?
m- I have to say that I have a lot of international friends. Because we have the similar situation, we have the same topic to talk.
q- Do you think it's hard to make American friends?
m- At the first time, I was often care about what the Americans thinking about me, so I thought it's hard to make friends with Americans. However, I found that they were normal people too, so I just need to be myself and make friends in normal way with Americans.
q- Do you have any plan about future?
m- Yea, I want to continue my master degree in USA after graduating. And then, I will work few years in USA to get experience of working. After that, I want to come back to my country, because my country is not rich, so I want to try my best to help her developing.
q- Can I know how many children in your family?
m- There are four children; I have one younger sister and one younger brother, one elder sister.
q- So what's the common number in one family in your country?
m- it depends on people, but usually five.
q- How do you think you the university of your country, could you please compare with USA?
m- Actually I didn't go the University of my Country, but according to what I know and what my friends told me, the condition is not good in my country. It likes small room containing a large number of people, there is not enough material, and they don't have computer labs and good books. The things we learn are different too. For example, I can learn a lot of parts from the Ten Goals in my general years, like to improve my writing skills and presentation skills, but in my country people just learn one part particularly. So study in USA really opens my mind.
q- How's difference do you think the family between your country and USA?
m- We really respect our parents, even when we arguing with them. But I saw there were American children who didn't not respect their parents, they yelling at their parents and even hit their parents. That's really bad! Our parents give us birth, we have to respect them, especially when they are old, and we have to take care of them.
q- Do you have different rules of eye-contact and body language in your country?
m- It depends on people, like my sister is close to my father, so she usually does eye-contact and body language to my farther. But I don't.
q- All right, that's my last question. Thank you so much!
m-You are welcome.


Report on country
(Location, population, language, religion)

Burundi is a landlocked country at Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo. The total area of Burundi is 27,830 sq/km and it is slightly smaller than Maryland. (www.cia.gov)
The total population of Burundi is over ninety millions, population growth rate is 3.561%. And birth rate is 41.43 births/ 1,000 populations. People who are 65 years and over take small part of total population, just 2.5%. In Burundi there are one million people living with HIV/AIDS, which take 44th place in country comparison to the world. "Burundi is one of the world's poorest nations, is emerging from a 12-year, ethnic-based civil war." (webcache.googleusercontent.com)
The official languages are French and Kirundi in Burundi. There are 59.3% of total populations people can read and write, which means low literacy rate. Ten years school life expectancy totally. In Burundi, there are just 201 Internet hosts and 65,000 Internet users.
There are most Christian holidays are celebrated in Burundi, and Christmas is the largest one. July 1st is Burundian Independence Day.
In Burundi, Roman Catholic takes the first place of religion with 62% proportion. The percentage of the other religions such as Indigenous, Islam and Protestant are as follow: 23%, 10% and 5%.(en.wikipedia.org)

Work Sited
 "Burundi". Central Intelligence Agency/Library/Publication/The World Factbook. October 27, 2010. Web. November 03, 2010. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/by.html#>

"Wikipedia- Burundi, religion". Wikipedia. Web. November 03, 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burundi#Religion>

" Burundi country profile". BBC News: News Front Page/Africa. October 06, 2010. Web. November 03, 2010. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1068873.stm>

interview report no.1

 South Korea
Preparation
Firstly, I wanted to know more information about the countries which have the similar culture with China, and I wanted to know what's the culture difference between that country and China from interviews. Secondly, when I was the volunteer of  international peer adviser of 2010 fall, I met some Koreans. So I e-mail one of the Korean girls, said that could I interview her for my English 191 class. She said that she would love to. So we decided  to get the interview at Caribou which was a comfortable place and we could drink coffee during the interview. In this way, we met at Caribou at 3:00 pm October 18th.
Before interview, I printed my interview questions with two copies, one was for her one was for me. When we met, we got a small talk, and both of us were happy to meet again and get a chance to talk deeply. I past my list to her, she was really serious to this interview and asked me to wait for a while for reading the questions. 




Describing of the interview
With asking when did you come to the USA, I began the interview. Hye Lim came here in August 2010. During these time, she spent her Korean Thanks Giving Day. Unlike American Thanks Giving Day, there was Korean rice cake and other Korean food to celebrate the festival instead of turkey. And she spent Korean Thanks Giving Day with her Korean friends, they met together and had dig dinner to celebrate it. Because of the to different way to celebrate the Thanks Giving Day and Hye Lim did not spend American one, so she could not compare what's difference between these two festivals. The same as a lot of country, Hye Lim said they had New year festival which was her favorite one. But it was not the same as China New Year Festival, because it was January 1st. As Christian, Hye Lim said that she usually went to church with her parent at Christmas, but there was no festival of Christmas just holiday. When talking about the food, Hye Lim said she missed Korean food, however, she liked American food too. So she adapted to the food of USA, and she usually went to Garvy enjoying the food there. Sometimes she would hang out with friends going to the restaurants, but she never cooked, just bought some instant food.
Hye Lim told me that she usually spent free time on playing piano and shopping, and she loved the life in the USA. Because there were good environment and a lot of free time which she could planed the time by herself. When talking about the friendship in the USA, what Hye Lim said was in my prediction that she the main friendship were made up by Koreans and she usually hang out with them; and then were international friends, and Americans. Although she joined one Christian organization which contained a lot of Americans, and they were very kind and friendly to her, Hye Lim said that she still had problem with them, because of language. The language was the major limited to make friends with Americans and then was different culture background, she cloud not join the talk because of the topic what Americans were talking about.
There was one thing which Hye Lim said surprised me a lot ,that she said usually when Koreans met new people, " How old are you?" was the first question. In my mind, age was an rare topic when we talking to the new friends, specially to women. However, Hye Lim said age was really important in Korea and she repeated twice. By thinking of the generation separate in Korea, I could understand why people wanted to ask the age of their people at the first time.
As what Hye Lim said, in normal Korean family, there were two children in the family, so she had one younger brother. Government encouraged people to get more children, if a couple have over three children, they could get support money from government. The low birth rate was the reason of that phenomenon. Usually Hye Lim connected with her family twice a week, though the Skype. And she thought that the family between Korea and USA were different, it was specially showing at the relationship between parents and children. She told me that in Korea children never could call parents' names, it's really not respectful. Hye Lim told me that she had a dream that she could live in the USA, and she had the thought that marry an American gay.
At last, she said that eye-contact was rude in Korea, specially when she talking with her parent, teachers and elder people; she seldom did body language in Korea. But now was different, I saw that during the interview, almost time she kept the eye-contact with me. She also told me that she learned some body language since she came to the USA.  This was enjoyable interview both Hye Lim and me had a great time.

Transcribe of the interview
(q=me, h= Hye Lim) 
q- when did you come to USA?
h- I came here this August.
q- During these time, what national festivals you spent in USA? What your own country festivals you spent in USA? Can you compare them?
h- I spent festival in Minnesota field, and my country's festival is thanks giving day. Because our thanks giving day is different day from here.
q- oh, so when is your thanks giving day?
h- maybe September the third week? I'm checking my schedule... wait wait... I'm going to call my friend..and make it sure..
q- hehe..
h- they are not same thing so I cloud not compare them.
(calling no answer)
q-That's fine. So how did you spend your thanks giving day?
h- em, in my country?
q- yea, did you eat turkey?
 h- no, we have different Korean traditional food. It likes small sticky rice cake with yellow bean mixed with honey or sugar. Oh, and it is similar with a kind of Chinese food.
q-  steam one?
h- yea..
q- oh, I know it. and do you have some performances or do your family watch the TV together during the festival?
h- no, we some relatives get together and talk and eat, it's the part as USA.
q- yea, and how about your trip in Minnesota Field? Is it similar field as Korean one?
h- I took the roller coaster and it was funny. But it isn't similar as Korea, we don't have field, we just have museum parks. So it's the difference.
q- are there a lot of festivals in Korea?
h- no, we just have the holiday, thanks giving day, new year day...
q- how about Christmas?
h- we have holiday during the Christmas, and I usually spend Christmas in the church with my family.
q- oh, that's good. So what are some religious?
h- we have Buddhist, Christ and Catholic. That, we serve Jesus, but Catholic also serve Mother Mary the mother of Jesus.
q- how about Muslim?
h- we don't have Muslim, maybe there are some but very few. We think they are very rare and strange.
q- oh, so Christ is the main religious in Korea, and there are a lot of churches..
h- yea, really a lot of churches. And more than here.
q- oh, so how about cultural customs in your country? it likes the traditional dress...
h- oh, it case by case, but usually Korean girls like to wear high heels, skirts and jeans similar like these.
q- will you wear traditional clothes during the festivals like new year?
h- no, but on the special days like I go to downtown with my friends, I will wear the traditional dress. Koreans put traditional culture in very important place. For me, I have to wear traditional clothes or formal suits to teach my students. But usually, Koreans dress casually.
q- I heard that in Korea, the elders and youngers have to be separated.
h- Yea, the same generation play with the same generation friends. You know, we have a lot of different generations in Korea.
q- So the generations are separated by age and social estate?
h- Yea, and in Korea, the age is really important.
q- So is the same as the relationship between man and woman?
h- no, maybe ten years before, elder man date with younger woman. But because of the influence of resent Korean dramas, it is popular that younger man date with elder woman. However, parents don't like it.  And you know, we use a lot of difference sentences between elder people and younger people, so age is really important.
q- Is it rude to ask people how old are they?
h- no. It's common and it's the first question. Every time we meet new people, we
say 'nice to meet you' and then ' how old are you'.
q- That's interesting. What do you usually eat?
h- Garvey, I like it only if they have rice. Rice is Korean main food. We usually eat soup too.
q- How often do you go to outside restaurants? Or you cook by yourself?
h- I go to restaurants once or twice a week with friends, but I never cook, just buy the instant food.
q- How do you spend your free time? Do you like your life in the USA?
h- I love here, there are great environment and friendly people. I have a lot of free time and I can plan my time here is better than I was in Korea. And you know, I play piano so I usually spend time to play piano and I like shopping too.
q- How's your friendship in USA? like international friends or American friends?
h- I have a lot of Korean friends and I usually hang out with them. And I also have a lot of international friends like Chinese, Saudi Arabia and Africans. I have a few American friends. You know I am Christian, and I join the CRU, so I met a lot of American Christians, but we still have limited language to talk. For example, I went to eat pizza with them, after church. I always just eat when they talk, because I can't join their topic.
q- That's true, I have the same feeling too. Can I know how many child in your family?
h- I have a younger brother, so it's two.
q- Oh, that's good. So Korean family usually has two children?
h- Yea, usually two. If parents have three or four, they will think that too many. However, because  Korean birth rate is too low, government will give money to the family, if they have over three children.
q- How often do you connect with your family? And how do you connect with them?
h- I usually call my parent twice a week by Sykpe. And sometime we will have face to face talk on the line.
q- Do you think there are some difference about family between Korea and USA? And what's that?
h- Yea, I think there are some differences. For example, American children sometime call their parents' names,  but we never do that, it's not respect. And the relationship between parent and children are very different, like American parents can treat the children as friends, but we don't.
q- Have you ever think of living in USA or marry an American?
h- Yea, the environment of USA is really good, and I like St. Cloud. I really want live at USA and the easiest way to live here is to marry an American gay.
q- Do you have different rules of eye-contact and body language in Korea?
h- Yea, Americans like eye-contact, but it's rude in Korea, specially when you talk to parent and teachers or elder people. And in Korea, we seldom use body language, but now I use some like this(she is shrugging her shoulder). It means I don't know.
q- Yea. All right, that's my last question. Thank you so much, I really enjoy this talking.
h- Me too!



Report on country
( population, religions, languages, family values)South Korea, Republic of Korea, is a little bit larger than Indiana, it locates at south of Korean peninsula. Seoul is the capital of South Korea which has 10.5 million people, the total population reported by 2010 is 48,636,068. And the annual population growth rate is 0.258% and the birth rate is 8.72 births/1,000 population. The age structure of South Korea is as follow, 0-14 years (16.8%), 15-64 years (72.3%), 65 years and over (10.8%).(www.cia.gov) "Korea's population is one of the most ethnically and liguistically homgenous in the world"(www.state.gov),northwest, southeast, and plains south of the Seoul-Incheon area are the major population centers. Emigration rate in South Korea is really high, the first immigration country is China (2.4 million) and then the USA (2.1 million).
The main ethnic group is Korean and there is small Chinese minority about 20,000. The religions in Korea are Christianity, Buddhism, Shamanism, Confucianism, Chondogyo.In South Korea, religion is freedom, almost half of the South Koreans take part in religion activities. Christianity is most popular talking 29.2% of the population, and Buddhism (22.8%).
Korean is the main language in South Korea, and English is widely taught in Junior high and high school( which is the same as China). There are around 1,300 Chinese characters used in modern Korean and the Korean language is related to Japanese and Mogolian. So Chinses and Japanese are also widely taught at secondary schools. In South Korea, there is 97.9% total population can read and write at age 15 and over.
In South Korea, family values take a significant place in their culture and Koreans' life. Korean will think family benefits first more than individual one. And father is an important role in one family, with traditional culture, father is the home-making, he has to support food, clothes and shelter, and the marriage of family members have to be agreed by father. "Members of the family are tied to each other because the actions of one family member reflect on the rest of the family. In many cases the family register can trace a family's history, through male ancestors, for over 500 years." (webcache.googleusercontent.com)

Work Sited 
"Background Note: South Korea".  U.S. Department of State / Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. 28 May. 2010. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2800.htm>

"East & Southeast Asia: Korea, South". Central Intelligence Agency/ Library/ The World Factbook. 27 Oct. 2010. Web. 31 Oct 2010. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html>

"South Korea - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette". Kwintessentail. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. <http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/south-korea-country-profile.html >