Resources

Tuesday, November 30, 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.

Monday, November 22, 2010

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.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

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.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

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>

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

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>