Process Description
For my second interview, I used the following flow chart to prepare for my interview.
After conducting the interview, I transcribed the interview the day before the assignment was due to be uploaded on the blog. It was a very time consuming process but I managed to power through the process. Since my interviewee was from the same country as my first interviewee, I used the same country report for both of the interviews.
Personal Review of The Interview:
I think my second interview went very smoothly. Both Nimesh ( my interviewee) and I were very comfortable and casual through out the interview. Nimesh some of the hardships he has faced in the United States in the form racism. He was not shy to keep his story about him being assaulted to himself. He is a person who has a philosophical outlook on life.
After the interview, I have realized that Nimesh is not driven by the greed of money. He wants to lead a good life and would like to travel to other parts of the world to find out about the different cultures that exist all over the world. He has his own principles. some of which are very strong, and he is not afraid to share it with the rest of the world.
After interviewing Nimesh, I have the view that Sri Lanka has a very social culture. Everyone is willing to get to know others on a personal level. Moreover, although the culture is starting to change in Sri Lanka, people are very much aware of its change and are still trying t o hold on to their traditional culture.
The thing that I found most surprising about Sri Lanka is that all education from high-school onwards is free for everyone. I come from a country very close to Sri Lanka but I regret to say that our education system is nothing like that of Sri Lanka's.
Country Report:
Sri Lanka is a small country in South-East Asia. I took advantage of the World Fact Book to find out information about Sri Lanka. From the article in the World Fact Book, I have learned that the country is also an island in the Indian Ocean and is located south of India. It is believed that the first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka in the 6th century B.C. from northern India. Buddhism started to spread in Sri Lanka in the middle of the third century. A Tamil kingdom was established in Sri Lanka in the 14th century and coastal areas of the island where under the control in the 16th century. The Dutch came to control the coastal areas in the early 17th century. The country was under the rule of the British Empire during the late 17th century. The country was formerly known as Ceylon and became an independent country in 1948. The country was renamed as Sri Lanka in 1972. A war started to take shape between the Sinhalese, the majority of the population, and the Tamil separatists in 1983. Norway catalyzed peace negotiations and the two groups decided to give effect to a cease fire in 2002. However, war resumed in 2006 and the Sri Lankan military finally overthrew Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam, in 2009.
The article further goes on to mention that the capital city of Sri Lanka is Colombo. The country is also divided into nine different provinces: Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, and Western. The currency of Sri Lanka is Sri Lankan Rupee (SLP). Human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation is a high profile issue in Sri Lanka. Most of the time young children are the victims of human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.
Note: ( Source World fact Book (1))
Sri Lanka was severely affected by the tsunami on 26 December 2004, which killed some 40,000 people and displaced 400 – 500 thousand people along two thirds of the north-east, south and south-west coastline. Half the fishing fleet was destroyed, and a quarter of hotels in the affected areas sustained serious damage." (2)
Volleyball is the national sport of Sri Lanka. However, cricket is by far the most popular sport in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s national team won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996 which has certainly helped immensely in making it the most popular sport in the country. The national team also reached the finals of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup but only to lose to the defending World Champions Australia.
References:
(1) Information paraphrased from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html accessed on February 28, 2011
(2) Information retrieved from http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/asia-oceania/sri-lanka?profile=all accessed on February 28, 2011.
Transcript of the Interview
Interviewer: Asif Hussain (AH)
Interviwee: Nimesh Wickramasinghe (NW)
Country: Sri Lanka
AH: Hi, my name is Asif Hussain.
NW:I'm Nimesh Wickramasinghe.
AH: Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to help me out.
NW: No worries.
AH:This is actually a project for my English class. Our professor wants us to interview International students to know more about their culture and the many difficulties they may have faced while transitioning to the United States. Here is a list of questions that I would like to ask you today. Before we start may I get you something to drink. Tea, coffee, or water may be?
NW: No, thank you. I'm good.
AH: So how was your day today?
NW: It was alright. It is a Sunday so last night, which was a Saturday night, we had fun.
AH: Busy week huh?
NW: Yes very busy.
AH: It is getting to that time of the semester right when you have a lot of quizzes?
NW: Yeah. I'm actually lagging behind like always. ( Chuckles)
AH: So what year are you in?
NW: This is actually my last year. I have been here for over three years now and I have only one semester to go.
AH: What is your major?
NW: My major is Aviation Management.
AH: I heard that SCSU is planning on cutting the Aviation department.
NW: Yes, they are. We are actually the last students who will graduate from SCSU in this field.
AH: If it's alright may I start with the questions?
NW: Yes, go ahead.
AH: First off I would like to ask you why you decided to come to the United States and to St. Cloud State University instead of studying or working in your home country?
NW: Back home, I studied in a British high-school. I took the British high school exams which are the Ordinary level exams and the Advanced level exams. With these exams at hand, my options for higher education were in either the United States, Australia, or the United Kingdom. The U.S was the cheapest choice for me and SCSU also offered me a scholarship which let me pay the in-state tuition amount rather than the out-of-state tuition. SCSU also had a Aviation program which i wanted to study. hence, I chose SCSU.
AH: I actually came to SCSU for the reason since I also followed the British education system during my high-school. What was the hardest thing about transitioning to the United States from Sri Lanka?
NW: There is not a lot. Society is quite individualistic here which was kind of a cultural shock for me. Everybody is busy doing their own thing. There is not much of a community upbringing.
AH: How is your life in the United States different from your life in your home country?
NW: As I mentioned before. it's very individualistic. Back home life is structured in a way that even if you are on your own you still get support from everybody else around you. Life here is a lot stressful I would say. You always have to be on your toes and on the edge or else you lose out. It's very competitive. I would say this is the difference.
AH: Would you say that the competition here is a healthy competition or a deconstructive one?
NW: Sometimes the competition is constructive, other times it is not. If a human being does not have a healthy life style it is not good. You can see a lot depression in the United States. If you study the rates of how depression has increased over the past years, I think you would know they are heading in a bad direction.
AH: Have you personally faced any difficulties in school where English is now the dominant language?
NW: Personally, I have not. My mother is an English teacher back home and she was also teaching me to speak Singalese, which is the language of Sri Lanka. Hence it was not a problem for me at all.
AH: What would say about the other students from Sri Lanka face regarding English?
NW: Actually some of my friends, who did not grow up in an English spoken environment, faced some difficulties. However, they are catching on really good. Once you are put in an environment, you always adapt.
AH: What would say about the climate of Sri Lanka compared to the climate here?
NW: It is completely different. However,the summers are pretty much the same. I come form central Sri Lanka where it is not humid but the summers here are very humid.Sri Lanka has the monsoon season. Here, six moths of the year is completely frozen.
AH: Were you able to adjust to the cold here?
NW: Yes. Personally, I was very interested in it because I have never experienced snow. I loved my first winter here. Now I am kind of getting sick of it.
AH: Apart form the individualistic culture here that you have mentioned, what would you say are some of the other cultural differences?
NW: Culture here is very materialistic. It is driven my materialism. The U.S is a mixture of people from all over the world. You have to assimilate into one culture ans shed some of your own cultures. However, I see that the new culture is not made by the people. People did not get together to make their own culture but rather culture is more materialistic where it is more profit-based. Back home there is a lot of culture. However, as the world is becoming more globalized, there is a change coming into the Sri Lankan culture.
AH: The next question that I have for you is my favorite question from my list since it concerns my field of study. Who takes care of the finances in your family?
NW: When I was growing up my father was taking care of the finances. He has his own business. he is a video producer. He took care of all the finances. My mother is am English teacher but she does not make much since she is a public sector worker. She saves most of her pay check since my father takes care of the day to day costs. She saves her money for a rainy day such as when I have to pay for my tuition.
AH: Does you mother have a say in how your father spends his income while covering the day to day expenses?
NW: My mum lets him know whatever has to be done in the house and then he finances these tasks.
AH: How different is the education in Sri Lanka than the education system here in the United States?
NW: Over in Sri Lanka, all education form high-school to P.H.D is free of cost. The universities back home are very good but they only have a few slots open to students. The education system follows the British education system since we were colony of Britain. Back home you cannot pick all your classes in high-school. You pretty much have to study everything.
AH: Have you had any personal experiences with racism after coming here?
NW: Yeah a couple of the. I have heard of it and seen it in movies before but never really what it really was before experiencing it first hand. Nobody will know what racism is until they experience it, and to do that you have to be a minority. The past years anniversary of 9/11, some guys started calling my roommate and I names as we were walking back home. They followed us home and started urinating on our lawn. One of American roommates went down top stop them. he was physically assaulted and while I went to help him out, I faced the same consequences.
AH: What kind of foods did you eat back at home?
NW: Rice is our main food. Then we have a lot dishes made out of coconut. We make a lot of curry. We also eat a lot of Garbanzo beans.
AH: Apart form the cultural food in Sri Lanka , are there any similarities between the food in the United States and Sri Lanka?
NW: Yes, we have the Chinese food and the popular food chains such as Pizza Hut and KFC.
AH: What do you miss the most about your country?
NW: I would like to say the freedom and the lightness of life. Life is light. I like that.
AH: Are teenagers allowed to work back in Sri Lanka where as in the United States teenagers start working very early?
NW: You are legally allowed to work in Sri Lanka when you turn fourteen. However, teenagers do not work. they start working when they are 22 years old or maybe 25.
AH: So do individuals start working after they graduate for University?
NW: Yes, that is when you start working.
AH: Now regarding your parents, how often do you get to talk to them or see them?
NW: I have not seen them for three and a half years but I do get to talk to them over the Internet.
AH: Is this a good substitute to spending time with them in person?
NW: It is never the same but it is the closest you can get.
AH: Have they ever thought of visiting you?
NW: Yes, my mother is planning on coming during next December when I graduate.
AH: What do you plan to do after graduation?
NW: After I graduate, I would like to do an internship. I do not want to start work immediately. I would like to travel first. two of my room mates who are form here, want to go to Sri Lanka as they are film student and my father owns video company. They want to work for him and they want me to go along with them. I also want to do that since it is in me to make films. We want to make a a few documentaries about the recent wars in Sri Lanka.
AH: Was it easy for you to socialize with your room mates who are from the United States?
NW: Fortunately for me, I moved into the house with personally knowing them. We became good friends within a month. As long as people forget all the prejudices, you know that everyone is a human being.
AH: So how would you summarize your stay in the United States so far?
NW: A revolutionary experience.
AH: Could you elaborate on that a little?
NW: It has given me a whole different perspective and made me realize that there could be a billion other perspectives. It has totally revolutionized my mind and they way I think and look at things. It has also made my mind a lot more open. I think it is not only because of the United States. It is because I grew in one country and then moved to a whole different place. i think everyone should travel and live in a place and culture that is different to theirs. That will be a good experience for them.
AH: I would really like to thank you for giving me time. I have also learned a lot from this interview itself. I am sure my professor will also appreciate that you have shared your insights and views about the culture that exists in both Sri Lanka and in the United States. Thanks a lot and hopefully I will see you again.
NW: I wish you good luck with your project.
AH: Thank you.
For my second interview, I used the following flow chart to prepare for my interview.
- Make a flow chart of how to prepare for the interviews
- Set objectives/goals for the interview
- Get hold of a recorder to help conducting the interview
- Come up with questions for the interview
- Make a list of possible interviewees
- Politely ask the interviewee if he is willing to participate in the interview
- Inform the interviewee about the purpose of the interview
- Make arrangements for meeting the interviewee( Work according to his schedule since he is helping me)
- Write a country report of the interviewee's homeland
- Conduct the interview, use the recorder as well
- Go over the recorded interview at home and write the transcript of the interviews
- Write my personal review about the interview
- Thank the interviewee for his time
- Revise the transcript
- Revise citations
- Post the interview on the blog before the due date.
After conducting the interview, I transcribed the interview the day before the assignment was due to be uploaded on the blog. It was a very time consuming process but I managed to power through the process. Since my interviewee was from the same country as my first interviewee, I used the same country report for both of the interviews.
Personal Review of The Interview:
I think my second interview went very smoothly. Both Nimesh ( my interviewee) and I were very comfortable and casual through out the interview. Nimesh some of the hardships he has faced in the United States in the form racism. He was not shy to keep his story about him being assaulted to himself. He is a person who has a philosophical outlook on life.
After the interview, I have realized that Nimesh is not driven by the greed of money. He wants to lead a good life and would like to travel to other parts of the world to find out about the different cultures that exist all over the world. He has his own principles. some of which are very strong, and he is not afraid to share it with the rest of the world.
After interviewing Nimesh, I have the view that Sri Lanka has a very social culture. Everyone is willing to get to know others on a personal level. Moreover, although the culture is starting to change in Sri Lanka, people are very much aware of its change and are still trying t o hold on to their traditional culture.
The thing that I found most surprising about Sri Lanka is that all education from high-school onwards is free for everyone. I come from a country very close to Sri Lanka but I regret to say that our education system is nothing like that of Sri Lanka's.
Country Report:
Sri Lanka is a small country in South-East Asia. I took advantage of the World Fact Book to find out information about Sri Lanka. From the article in the World Fact Book, I have learned that the country is also an island in the Indian Ocean and is located south of India. It is believed that the first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka in the 6th century B.C. from northern India. Buddhism started to spread in Sri Lanka in the middle of the third century. A Tamil kingdom was established in Sri Lanka in the 14th century and coastal areas of the island where under the control in the 16th century. The Dutch came to control the coastal areas in the early 17th century. The country was under the rule of the British Empire during the late 17th century. The country was formerly known as Ceylon and became an independent country in 1948. The country was renamed as Sri Lanka in 1972. A war started to take shape between the Sinhalese, the majority of the population, and the Tamil separatists in 1983. Norway catalyzed peace negotiations and the two groups decided to give effect to a cease fire in 2002. However, war resumed in 2006 and the Sri Lankan military finally overthrew Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam, in 2009.
The article further goes on to mention that the capital city of Sri Lanka is Colombo. The country is also divided into nine different provinces: Central, Eastern, North Central, Northern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, and Western. The currency of Sri Lanka is Sri Lankan Rupee (SLP). Human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation is a high profile issue in Sri Lanka. Most of the time young children are the victims of human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.
Note: ( Source World fact Book (1))
I was also able to retrieve vital information on Sri Lanla from another website. This website mentioned that " Sri Lanka is about half the size of England and lies close to the southern tip of India and near the equator. From the coast, the land rises to a central massif more than 1500 m above sea level. The climate is hot and humid - monsoon from May to September and the north-east monsoon from November to March: rainfall, particularly in the south-west, is heavy.
Sri Lanka was severely affected by the tsunami on 26 December 2004, which killed some 40,000 people and displaced 400 – 500 thousand people along two thirds of the north-east, south and south-west coastline. Half the fishing fleet was destroyed, and a quarter of hotels in the affected areas sustained serious damage." (2)
Volleyball is the national sport of Sri Lanka. However, cricket is by far the most popular sport in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s national team won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1996 which has certainly helped immensely in making it the most popular sport in the country. The national team also reached the finals of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup but only to lose to the defending World Champions Australia.
References:
(1) Information paraphrased from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html accessed on February 28, 2011
(2) Information retrieved from http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/asia-oceania/sri-lanka?profile=all accessed on February 28, 2011.
Transcript of the Interview
Interviewer: Asif Hussain (AH)
Interviwee: Nimesh Wickramasinghe (NW)
Country: Sri Lanka
AH: Hi, my name is Asif Hussain.
NW:I'm Nimesh Wickramasinghe.
AH: Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to help me out.
NW: No worries.
AH:This is actually a project for my English class. Our professor wants us to interview International students to know more about their culture and the many difficulties they may have faced while transitioning to the United States. Here is a list of questions that I would like to ask you today. Before we start may I get you something to drink. Tea, coffee, or water may be?
NW: No, thank you. I'm good.
AH: So how was your day today?
NW: It was alright. It is a Sunday so last night, which was a Saturday night, we had fun.
AH: Busy week huh?
NW: Yes very busy.
AH: It is getting to that time of the semester right when you have a lot of quizzes?
NW: Yeah. I'm actually lagging behind like always. ( Chuckles)
AH: So what year are you in?
NW: This is actually my last year. I have been here for over three years now and I have only one semester to go.
AH: What is your major?
NW: My major is Aviation Management.
AH: I heard that SCSU is planning on cutting the Aviation department.
NW: Yes, they are. We are actually the last students who will graduate from SCSU in this field.
AH: If it's alright may I start with the questions?
NW: Yes, go ahead.
AH: First off I would like to ask you why you decided to come to the United States and to St. Cloud State University instead of studying or working in your home country?
NW: Back home, I studied in a British high-school. I took the British high school exams which are the Ordinary level exams and the Advanced level exams. With these exams at hand, my options for higher education were in either the United States, Australia, or the United Kingdom. The U.S was the cheapest choice for me and SCSU also offered me a scholarship which let me pay the in-state tuition amount rather than the out-of-state tuition. SCSU also had a Aviation program which i wanted to study. hence, I chose SCSU.
AH: I actually came to SCSU for the reason since I also followed the British education system during my high-school. What was the hardest thing about transitioning to the United States from Sri Lanka?
NW: There is not a lot. Society is quite individualistic here which was kind of a cultural shock for me. Everybody is busy doing their own thing. There is not much of a community upbringing.
AH: How is your life in the United States different from your life in your home country?
NW: As I mentioned before. it's very individualistic. Back home life is structured in a way that even if you are on your own you still get support from everybody else around you. Life here is a lot stressful I would say. You always have to be on your toes and on the edge or else you lose out. It's very competitive. I would say this is the difference.
AH: Would you say that the competition here is a healthy competition or a deconstructive one?
NW: Sometimes the competition is constructive, other times it is not. If a human being does not have a healthy life style it is not good. You can see a lot depression in the United States. If you study the rates of how depression has increased over the past years, I think you would know they are heading in a bad direction.
AH: Have you personally faced any difficulties in school where English is now the dominant language?
NW: Personally, I have not. My mother is an English teacher back home and she was also teaching me to speak Singalese, which is the language of Sri Lanka. Hence it was not a problem for me at all.
AH: What would say about the other students from Sri Lanka face regarding English?
NW: Actually some of my friends, who did not grow up in an English spoken environment, faced some difficulties. However, they are catching on really good. Once you are put in an environment, you always adapt.
AH: What would say about the climate of Sri Lanka compared to the climate here?
NW: It is completely different. However,the summers are pretty much the same. I come form central Sri Lanka where it is not humid but the summers here are very humid.Sri Lanka has the monsoon season. Here, six moths of the year is completely frozen.
AH: Were you able to adjust to the cold here?
NW: Yes. Personally, I was very interested in it because I have never experienced snow. I loved my first winter here. Now I am kind of getting sick of it.
AH: Apart form the individualistic culture here that you have mentioned, what would you say are some of the other cultural differences?
NW: Culture here is very materialistic. It is driven my materialism. The U.S is a mixture of people from all over the world. You have to assimilate into one culture ans shed some of your own cultures. However, I see that the new culture is not made by the people. People did not get together to make their own culture but rather culture is more materialistic where it is more profit-based. Back home there is a lot of culture. However, as the world is becoming more globalized, there is a change coming into the Sri Lankan culture.
AH: The next question that I have for you is my favorite question from my list since it concerns my field of study. Who takes care of the finances in your family?
NW: When I was growing up my father was taking care of the finances. He has his own business. he is a video producer. He took care of all the finances. My mother is am English teacher but she does not make much since she is a public sector worker. She saves most of her pay check since my father takes care of the day to day costs. She saves her money for a rainy day such as when I have to pay for my tuition.
AH: Does you mother have a say in how your father spends his income while covering the day to day expenses?
NW: My mum lets him know whatever has to be done in the house and then he finances these tasks.
AH: How different is the education in Sri Lanka than the education system here in the United States?
NW: Over in Sri Lanka, all education form high-school to P.H.D is free of cost. The universities back home are very good but they only have a few slots open to students. The education system follows the British education system since we were colony of Britain. Back home you cannot pick all your classes in high-school. You pretty much have to study everything.
AH: Have you had any personal experiences with racism after coming here?
NW: Yeah a couple of the. I have heard of it and seen it in movies before but never really what it really was before experiencing it first hand. Nobody will know what racism is until they experience it, and to do that you have to be a minority. The past years anniversary of 9/11, some guys started calling my roommate and I names as we were walking back home. They followed us home and started urinating on our lawn. One of American roommates went down top stop them. he was physically assaulted and while I went to help him out, I faced the same consequences.
AH: What kind of foods did you eat back at home?
NW: Rice is our main food. Then we have a lot dishes made out of coconut. We make a lot of curry. We also eat a lot of Garbanzo beans.
AH: Apart form the cultural food in Sri Lanka , are there any similarities between the food in the United States and Sri Lanka?
NW: Yes, we have the Chinese food and the popular food chains such as Pizza Hut and KFC.
AH: What do you miss the most about your country?
NW: I would like to say the freedom and the lightness of life. Life is light. I like that.
AH: Are teenagers allowed to work back in Sri Lanka where as in the United States teenagers start working very early?
NW: You are legally allowed to work in Sri Lanka when you turn fourteen. However, teenagers do not work. they start working when they are 22 years old or maybe 25.
AH: So do individuals start working after they graduate for University?
NW: Yes, that is when you start working.
AH: Now regarding your parents, how often do you get to talk to them or see them?
NW: I have not seen them for three and a half years but I do get to talk to them over the Internet.
AH: Is this a good substitute to spending time with them in person?
NW: It is never the same but it is the closest you can get.
AH: Have they ever thought of visiting you?
NW: Yes, my mother is planning on coming during next December when I graduate.
AH: What do you plan to do after graduation?
NW: After I graduate, I would like to do an internship. I do not want to start work immediately. I would like to travel first. two of my room mates who are form here, want to go to Sri Lanka as they are film student and my father owns video company. They want to work for him and they want me to go along with them. I also want to do that since it is in me to make films. We want to make a a few documentaries about the recent wars in Sri Lanka.
AH: Was it easy for you to socialize with your room mates who are from the United States?
NW: Fortunately for me, I moved into the house with personally knowing them. We became good friends within a month. As long as people forget all the prejudices, you know that everyone is a human being.
AH: So how would you summarize your stay in the United States so far?
NW: A revolutionary experience.
AH: Could you elaborate on that a little?
NW: It has given me a whole different perspective and made me realize that there could be a billion other perspectives. It has totally revolutionized my mind and they way I think and look at things. It has also made my mind a lot more open. I think it is not only because of the United States. It is because I grew in one country and then moved to a whole different place. i think everyone should travel and live in a place and culture that is different to theirs. That will be a good experience for them.
AH: I would really like to thank you for giving me time. I have also learned a lot from this interview itself. I am sure my professor will also appreciate that you have shared your insights and views about the culture that exists in both Sri Lanka and in the United States. Thanks a lot and hopefully I will see you again.
NW: I wish you good luck with your project.
AH: Thank you.
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