Final Paper

Everyone has gone through or experienced something in their life that has changed them in some major way. It could be a dramatic experience such as losing someone close to them or a more positive one such as having a child or getting the promotion they’ve worked so hard for. For me it was my experience in the military or even more specific my 13 month tour in Iraq. During this experience I learned a lot about life in general, bonds that can be created during intense situations, and I also learned a descent amount about the Iraqi culture and their views towards American Troops. So I’d like to briefly talk about what made me decide to enlist in the military, the experiences that lead up to my deployment, my deployment to Iraq, and just how it over all affected me once it was all said and done.

First to start off there are many parts to play when it came to my final decision to enlist in the US Army right out of high school. Everyone really has different reasons to enlist. Some people did it for the money due to these rough economic times, others out of pure patriotism, some for the college fund, and for some being a soldier was just something that was in their blood. Now for me on the other hand I’d say it was a little bit of all of these reasons. First off I love this country for many reasons. I grew up taking advantage of my amazing lifestyle and various opportunities that I had at my disposal in which many people in this world don’t have. To a certain extend I always felt that it was important to put in my time and pay my dues to the country that has given me and my family so much. So being patriotic was one of the reasons I decided to join the military.

It also felt like all of my buddies from high school had their lives planned out months before we were out of school and there I sat in the dust. Not sure what I wanted to do, whether it be go on to school or go right to finding a job. How would I pay for school if that was the direction I decided to pursue? So I talked to a recruiter and he told me about all the benefits of enlisting in the military and at the time it felt like the right path to follow.

Not to mention one of the most influential people in my life growing up would be my Grandpa Zeis. He was an infantryman in the US Army and served in the Korean War.  He saw more things than he wanted to during his time in the military so therefore he was wary about me becoming an Infantryman during this time conflict. Although he tried to convince me not to enlist I could always tell he was proud of my decision. After my tour in Iraq he opened up and told me many stories about his time in Korea.

Next, I feel that I can’t just tell talk about my experiences in Iraq without talking about my military experiences that led up to it. First off there was the brutal experience that was basic training. When I was in the majority of all infantry was trained at Ft. Benning GA where in which I spent four consecutive months of my life training. It was an eye opener that I could never have been ready for. Going from a great life with loving family and friends to a place where you know nobody was a big part of the harshness that was basic. And then there was the training. Four months of grueling training with no contact from the outside world other than using snail mail. So after the four months of being treated poorly with little sleep and hygiene we all got separated and thrown into our units that we would continue to train with up until our first deployment.

I was stationed in Ft. Hood Texas and assigned to the Fourth Infantry Division which was mechanized. So over the next year and a half life was balanced with training and the occasional good time. Suffered through a lot of experiences with the same people for a very long time which made us all very close friends.  Then our orders came down to deploy around March of 2008. During this time there were a lot of mixed feelings about the upcoming tour. For us newer soldiers at the time not knowing what to expect led to a lot of anxiety, but the only comforting thought was we were all going to face the upcoming challenges together.

So eventually the time came to pack up and say good bye to our families/ wives/ children or whatever the case was. As you could imagine it wasn’t a good feeling. We ended up flying in to Kuwait where we would prepare our vehicles and equipment to go into Iraq where we would spend the next year running missions. Kuwait in its self was a shocker to me. It was a very hot country and was the very definition of a desert. One day when we were there we went out to a shooting range and there were wild camels roaming the country side. That was quite the sight for a small town Minnesota boy.

Next, the day came for us to grab our gear and climb into the C-17 that would take us to Baghdad Iraq. This was one uncomfortable but exhilarating flight to say the least. We ended up touching down in the green zone a few hours later where we would wait to be choppered in to the shit hole they called FOB (forward operation base) Rustimaya.

Once we got to our final destination it really hit home that we were in a worn torn country. Even though our initial experience wasn’t outside the wire everything was different from home. There was the smell, climate, and the people that kind of put me in a type of shock. It was still winter and it was 90 some degrees that first day we arrived and the smell was horrendous.

When we first got there we are kind of given a week or so to get settled in and during this time the Unit that is handing off their AO (Area of Operation) to us goes over all the details with our leadership. During this first week on FOB Rustimaya we were mortared continuously so our leadership had us fortify our areas with many sandbags. It felt like a solid week of bagging sand in the 100 plus degree temperatures.

Then there was our first mission that we rolled outside of the wire into the unknown. It was just an eye opener seeing how the Iraqi people in that area lived. It was a poorer part of Iraq so it was just cluttered with garbage and wild dogs roaming the street. So with all of this clutter it was hard to look for one of the biggest killers of American troops during this time, EFPs and IEDs. Two types of roadside bombs that could be very devastating to our Humvees and MRAPS. So during this first experience outside the wire we take random small arms fire and an RPG attack. It was a very hostile time of the year so at this point we were all a little nervous about the next 11 months to come.

Eventually during our tour we (the mortar platoon, roughly 26 people) was sent to a COP (Combat Outpost) which was basically a spaghetti factory that we occupied within the Iraqi population so we could respond to situations quicker. Here many of our amenities were limited including food and showers. We were stuck with eating meals in a bag (MRE’s) and showered once every couple of weeks. Which wasn’t very fun considering it hit 120 almost every day during the summer so as you could imagine we all smelled wonderfully. Not to mention we also had to burn out own fecal matter which was a real treat on those hot days.

Despite all of the harsh conditions, getting blown up and shot at, it was interesting to move around in the country of Iraq. It would have been more interesting if we didn’t have to wear body armor and carry weapons but still something to see none the less.

There were many ways we experienced the culture but the food was something that really interested me. An example of this was when we were at the COP our interpreter, on occasion, would go out among the Iraqi population and bring us back some of their bread. I forgot what they called it exactly but it was a really delicious type of flat bread.  We learned about the dos and don’ts of the Iraqi culture, how their families were set up, and about their religion. Obviously after living in the country for about a year you’re going to pick up on a few things.

Overall I’d say 50 percent of Iraqis were welcoming and interested in us. Then you’d have the 45 percent of people who were indifferent about us being there or hated us but didn’t act on it. Then obviously you had the five percent that made the tour the nightmare that it was. When you’re over there you always hear specific reasons we’re supposed to be over there… Such as “Because CNN and Fox News Channel personnel positioned the troops as heroes battling a tyrannical regime to liberate an oppressed people, it was crucial to the war narrative to have evidence that the Iraqi reception of coalition troops was positive.” (Jaramillo, 2009) The truth is what it boils down to his your friends to the right and left of you. I’ve heard that expression before but it wasn’t until I lived it that it meant anything to me.

To sum it up this was clearly an experience that will stick with me for the rest of my life. There are many ways in which my experiences in the military have changed my life. For example after going through everything I went through there isn’t much these days that I get worked up about. I’m a lot happier about the little things I have in life versus focusing on the things I don’t have. I especially try and keep my family and friends close because you never know what life may throw at you. Something else I’m very excited about is now I have a shot at getting a good education thanks to the military. Even though I severely got out of the groove of school I’m going to keep pushing myself through it. Although currently my time in the military is over I constantly am thinking about what I went through over there and what my friends are currently going through. Seeing headlines like these remind me of some of those moments “Iraq expects reprisals after Bin Laden killing.” My thoughts are always with our troops overseas.

Everyone during their lifetime will come upon experiences that will change them forever. I had mine at a younger age and I feel it has shaped me into the person that I am today. There is really no way I could sum up all of my military experiences in this paper but the main point I wanted to get across was it had a huge impact on me. I made many close friends during those four years and got experience life in ways many people never will. Although I wouldn’t want to repeat my tour in Iraq I really did learn a lot when I was there.

Sources

Jaramillo, D.L. (2009). Ugly war pretty package. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.

Book Source for Final Paper

I'm going to find a quote from this book in addition to online sources and cite it in my final paper. Also if I can find my exact military orders sending me to Iraq I was going to cite information from there as well.


Jaramillo, D.L. (2009). Ugly war pretty package. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.

Final Paper Outline

Everyone has gone through or experienced something in their life that has changed them in some major way. It could be a dramatic experience such as losing someone close to them or a more positive one such as having a child or getting the promotion they’ve worked so hard for. For me it was my experience in the military or even more specific my 13 month tour in Iraq. During this experience I learned a lot about life in general, bonds that can be created during intense situations, and I also learned a descent amount about the Iraqi culture and their views towards American Troops. So I’d like to briefly talk about what made me decide to enlist in the military, the experiences that lead up to my deployment, my deployment to Iraq, and just how it over all affected me once it was all said and done.

1)      To start off there are many parts to play when it came to my final decision to enlist in the US Army right out of high school.

a)      Everyone really has different reasons to enlist. Some people did it for the money due to these rough economic times, others out of pure patriotism, some for the college fund, and for some being a soldier was just something that was in their blood. Now for me on the other hand I’d say it was a little bit of all of these reasons. First off I love this country for many reasons. I grew up taking advantage of my amazing lifestyle and various opportunities that I had at my disposal in which many people in this world don’t have. To a certain extend I always felt that it was important to put in my time and pay my dues to the country that has given me and my family so much. So being patriotic was one of the reasons I decided to join the military

b)      It also felt like all of my buddies from high school had their lives planned out months before we were out of school and there I sat in the dust. Not sure what I wanted to do, whether it be go on to school or go right to finding a job. How would I pay for school if that was the direction I decided to pursue? So I talked to a recruiter and he told me about all the benefits of enlisting in the military and at the time it felt like the right path to follow.

c)       Finally one of the most influential people in my life growing up would be my Grandpa Zeis. He was an infantryman in the US Army and served in the Korean War.  He saw more things than he wanted to during his time in the military so therefore he was wary about me becoming an Infantryman during this time conflict. Although he tried to convince me not to enlist I could always tell he was proud of my decision. After my tour in Iraq he opened up and told me many stories about his time in Korea.

2)      I feel that I can’t just tell talk about my experiences in Iraq without talking about my military experiences that led up to it.

a)      First off there was the brutal experience that was basic training. When I was in the majority of all infantry was trained at Ft. Benning GA where in which I spent four consecutive months of my life training.

i)        It was an eye opener that I could never have been ready for. Going from a great life with loving family and friends to a place where you know nobody was a big part of the harshness that was basic. And then there was the training. Four months of grueling training with no contact from the outside world other than using snail mail. So after the four months of being treated poorly with little sleep and hygiene we all got separated and thrown into our units that we would continue to train with up until our first deployment.

ii)       I was stationed in Ft. Hood Texas and assigned to the Fourth Infantry Division which was mechanized. So over the next year and a half life was balanced with training and the occasional good time. Suffered through a lot of experiences with the same people for a very long time which made us all very close friends.  Then our orders came down to deploy around March of 2008. During this time there were a lot of mixed feelings about the upcoming tour. For us newer soldiers at the time not knowing what to expect led to a lot of anxiety, but the only comforting thought was we were all going to face the upcoming challenges together.

iii)     So eventually the time came to pack up and say good bye to our families/ wives/ children or whatever the case was. As you could imagine it wasn’t a good feeling. We ended up flying in to Kuwait where we would prepare our vehicles and equipment to go into Iraq where we would spend the next year running missions. Kuwait in its self was a shocker to me. It was a very hot country and was the very definition of a desert. One day when we were there we went out to a shooting range and there were wild camels roaming the country side. That was quite the sight for a small town Minnesota boy.

iv)     Finally the day came for us to grab our gear and climb into the C-17 (I believe that was the plane anyways) that would take us to Baghdad Iraq. That was one uncomfortable but exhilarating flight to say the least. We ended up touching down in the green zone a few hours later where we would wait to be choppered in to the shit hole they called FOB (forward operation base) Rustimaya.

b)      Once we got to our final destination it really hit home that we were in a worn torn country. Even though our initial experience wasn’t outside the wire everything was different from home. The smell, the climate, the people. It was still winter and it was 90 some degrees that first day we arrived and the smell was horrendous.

i)        When we first got there we are kind of given a week or so to get settled in and during this time the Unit that is handing off their AO (Area of Operation) to us goes over all the details with our leadership. During this first week on FOB Rustimaya we were mortared continuously so our leadership had us fortify our areas with many sandbags. It felt like a solid week of bagging sand in the 100 plus degree temperatures.

ii)       Then there was our first mission that we rolled outside of the wire into the unknown. It was just an eye opener seeing how the Iraqi people in that area lived. It was a poorer part of Iraq so it was just cluttered with garbage and wild dogs roaming the street. So with all of this clutter it was hard to look for one of the biggest killer of American troops during this time, EFPs and IEDs. Two types of roadside bombs that could be very devastating to our Humvees and MRAPS. So during this first experience outside the wire we take random small arms fire and an RPG attack. It was a very hostile time of the year so at this point we were all a little nervous about the next 11 months to come.

iii)     Eventually during our tour we (the mortar platoon, roughly 26 people) was sent to a COP (Combat Outpost) which was basically a spaghetti factory that we occupied within the Iraqi population so we could respond to situations quicker. Here many of our amenities were limited including food and showers. We were stuck with eating meals in a bag (MRE’s)and showered once every couple of weeks. Which wasn’t very fun considering it hit 120 almost every day during the summer so as you could imagine we all smelled wonderfully. Not to mention we also had to burn out own fecal matter which was a real treat on those hot days.

iv)     Despite all of the harsh conditions, getting blown up and shot at, it was interesting to move around in the country of Iraq. It would have been more interesting if we didn’t have to wear body armor and carry weapons but still something to see none the less.

v)      When we were at the COP on occasions our interpreters would go out and get us some of the Iraqi bread which was delicious. I forgot what they called it exactly but it was a really delicious type of flat bread.  We learned about the dos and don’ts of the Iraqi culture, how their families were set up, and about their religion. Obviously after living in the country for about a year you’re going to pick up on a few things.

vi)     Overall I’d say 50 percent of Iraqis were welcoming and interested in us. Then you’d have the 45 percent of people who were indifferent about us being there or hated us but didn’t act on it. Then obviously you had the five percent that made the tour the nightmare that it was.

c)       This was clearly an experience that will stick with me for the rest of my life. There are many ways in which my experiences in the military have changed my life.

i)        After going through everything I went through there isn’t much these days that I get worked up about. I’m a lot happier about the little things I have in life versus focusing on the things I don’t have.

ii)       I try and keep my family and friends close because you never know what life may throw at you.

iii)     I have a shot at getting a good education thanks to the military. Even though I severely got out of the groove that is school I’m going to keep pushing myself through it.

Everyone during their lifetime will come upon experiences that will change them forever. I had mine at a younger age and I feel it has shaped me into the person that I am today. There is really no way I could sum up all of my military experiences in this paper but the main point I wanted to get across was it had a huge impact on me. I made many close friends during those four years and got experience life in ways many people never will. Although I wouldn’t want to repeat my tour in Iraq I really did learn a lot when I was there.

Third Interview Winners

1. Louks, Kyle

2. Klaphake, Christopher

3. Lu, Shan

Spreadsheet for Third Interview

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvuFeS-a3H77dEhDUkN3NWxOeEdkMjNrWWpkT25zQWc&hl=en&authkey=CLzRrO0D

My Third Interview

Process Description

            The process in completing my third interview was very similar to the first two, other than the fact I had more experience. The foremost important part was finding another interviewee which ended up happening just a little later than planned. Then there was the matter of the recording devise in which I used my Android phone again with the appropriate App. I already had my interview goals which were pretty similar to the first two interviews as well which are listed below.

1.      I’d like to communicate efficiently with an international student despite the language barrier.

2.      I’d like to get a better view/ broaden my horizons from a student who grew up in a different part of the world.

3.      I’d like to understand his or her culture, compare it to my own, and from there analyze the major differences.

4.      I’d like to learn and experience the basic fundamentals on holding an interview.

5.      Improve my communicating skills, get to know, and learn from this person.

The next step was arranging the meeting with the interviewee which went really smooth because he was pretty flexible with his time which was nice. So then I met up with him at the time we decided and I conducted the interview which went really smoothly being this was my third one so I definitely knew what to expect. I used the same 14 questions as the first two interview as guidelines for the interview with Yanbing. Once that was done I transcribed the interview and as soon as I finish up with this portion I’ll post it on my blog.

Personal Review

            Personally I thought the third interview went really well. Being this was my third one I was more relaxed as the interviewer which I thought helped the overall success of the interview and also put the interviewee at more ease. I also thought it was very interesting interviewing another Chinese International Student because it was fun comparing this interview with the first two. I found there was a lot of similarities going off of the questions I asked but each interview I learned something new which made it really interesting. Also just like the first interview I interviewed Yanbing at his apartment which I kind of liked better than the library because I think it puts the interviewee more at ease because it doesn’t seem quite as formal. Plus then you don’t have to worry about disrupting anybody else in a library setting or vice versa. So now that the last interview has been completed I think the overall experience was very interesting. Got to meet some pretty cool people and learn a lot about the Chinese culture!

Interview Transcription

Jordan: Alright well lets get this started! How do you pronounce your name again? Yanbing?

Yanbing: Yes that is correct.

Jordan: Good stuff! Is that alright if I record you during this interview? 

Yanbing: Record? Yeah that is ok.

Jordan: Alright well I guess I have some random questions for you that I already showed you earlier. They are for the most part just a guideline I’m really interviewing you to learn about you and your culture so if we stray from this that is ok.

Yanbing: Ok. 

Jordan: The first question I have on here is what did you find the hardest about transitioning to the US?

Yanbing: There was two parts and the first part was the language. When I first came to the US it was hard to understand the words because everyone spoke very quickly. And the second thing was like the culture shock. I came here for like one week and I missed my home.

Jordan: I suppose because it was just so much different huh? So you said the language was one of the toughest things but are you getting use to it now or does it still give you a lot of trouble?

Yanbing: I think now it’s much much better. But sometimes there is still some problems like in Major classes there are still some words that are hard to understand.

Jordan: Yeah I can imagine that being tough. You’re still trying to get a good grasp on the English language plus you have to comprehend what the teachers are trying to teach you. That’s very impressive.

Yanbing: Sometimes if the teacher speaks really fast I have to use a recorder and translate their meaning later on.

Jordan: Yeah I suppose that could be tough to do, but using a recorder is a good idea! The next question is what are some of the major cultural differences between your culture and this culture?

Yanbing: In America it is different because my American friends constantly invite me to do things and here it is more acceptable to decline an offer where as in China if you do this the person inviting you will take it more personally and be sad.

Jordan: I suppose that could be different and something that would be hard to get use to… Just telling a friend that you know man I really don’t care to hang out today! I understand what you mean completely.

Yanbing: So yeah because of the culture I really can only get away with saying no in a situation like that here, not in China.

Jordan: Oh ok. So that’s kind of one of the biggest cultural differences you noticed then?

Yanbing: No there are also some other things. Like in China if you see a beautiful girl you can’t tell her. That is considered so rude. In the US I think if you see a beautiful girl it is more acceptable to give her the compliment.

Jordan: Oh ok yeah I know what you mean!

Yanbing: Yeah so in China that would be really rude.

Jordan: Yeah I suppose it can be rude here too it just depends on how you go about doing it. Ok ok So another question would be in your family in China who would generally take care of the finances?

Yanbing: You mean who supports me?

Jordan: Yeah exactly. Who supports you or takes care of the bills sorta deal.

Yanbing: My father supports me.

Jordan: Oh ok did your Mom ever work at all?

Yanbing: Yeah my mom also worked but my father has the bigger family income.

Jordan: Is it in China pretty common for the wife to hold a job? Like a dual income family?

Yanbing: There are a lot of different family set ups in China. Sometimes if the man can get a lot of money the woman will kind of be like a housewife. But in certain cases where the man can’t make enough money the woman will also have to get a job.

Jordan: So it sounds pretty similar to the United States then in a way I guess. But then again it has changed a lot here. Back in the day it was more common for the wife to stay at home and be the home maker but today it’s not like that at all. 

Yanbing: But one thing in China is that it is very important for the man to make more money than the woman. It’s just looked down upon if it’s the other way around.

Jordan: Oh ok that’s pretty interesting. The other question is since you’ve been in the United States… Wait you’ve been here for three years right?

Yanbing: Uh yes three years.

Jordan: Oh ok, since you’ve been here have you had any personal experiences with racism at all?

Yanbing: I don’t think I really had any experience with this at all since I’ve been here but I do feel that one of my teachers don’t care for me that much because I am an international student.

Jordan: Oh ok do you think he grades you a little unfairly?

Yanbing: No not on the grading he is not unfair. But he always says I make mistakes and it just seems like he gives me a little harder of a time.

Jordan: Well that is kind of crappy but it is good you haven’t really experienced any other types of racism. I interviewed two other Asian students and they pretty much said the same thing, that they didn’t not experience any sort of racism since they’ve been here. Which is real good and that goes to show that times are changing or have changed a lot already. Alright number five is kind of a complicated question but what were some of your preconceptions about the US before coming here and how did they end up changing? Like when you were in China what did you think the US would be like and how did those views change since you’ve been here?

Yanbing: In China I was under the impression that it was very dangerous here in America because everyone has a gun. But when I came here I didn’t think it was this way. On campus you are not allowed to bring a gun I think right?

Jordan: Oh yeah for sure not. I would hope not anyways.

Yanbing: And plus I just feel St. Cloud is safe.

Jordan: Oh yeah for sure it’s not like a bigger city with super dangerous parts of town.

Yanbing: There was this guy that was going to give me a ride to Cash Wise and when we get out of the car to go in the person did not lock his car. And I asked up about this and he says it’s Minnesota, it’s ok.

Jordan: That’s funny. I don’t know if I would agree with that logic but that’s pretty interesting.  

Yanbing: I was also afraid and thought that there were going to be some Americans that would not like us being there. Like the racism you spoke of earlier but it hasn’t been like that at all. Everyone so far has been really friendly. Some of my friends are studying in Britian and they said they have experienced negative people quite often over there.

Jordan: Yeah for sure.  I think times are really changing over here. Years back it was quite common to find racist people everywhere but I think our generation and younger it is very uncommon to find racism these days. But that is my opinion.  But I also suppose it depends on where you go in the country. I’m sure there is more racist people out in smaller backwood towns versus bigger citys.

Yanbing: You told me you went to Iraq? So were the people racist towards you there?

Jordan: Ha Well they did shoot at us and try blowing us up so I don’t know if that’s considered racism or not. But nahh I’d say it was five percent of the population that hated us and would act on that hate in a violent manner. The other 95 percent were indifferent or liked us. I hated being there under the circumstances but it was cool to experience the culture. Being there without 60lbs worth of gear and a gun and for a shorter amount of time would have been more ideal but what do you do. Two of the other people I interviewed said that in China you’re not allowed to have guns right?

Yanbing: Well you know in China we have like 1.4 billion people and if we could of guns that would make that amount of people more dangerous.

Jordan: Yeah that makes sense. I guess I don’t know how to look at that issue. I suppose in China it is comforting for you to know that no one else has a gun on them, legally at least. But here I like going to target range and shooting for fun. But it’s not like I carry one on me but I enjoy owning guns I guess is what I’m trying to say. Overall I just thought it was interesting that you guys aren’t allowed to own guns.

Yanbing: I think in most countries it is this way?

Jordan: Really I guess I didn’t know that, something to look into I guess. Alright well what’s your opinion on the American diet once you first moved here? Like what people eat here versus in China, how’s it different.

Yanbing: Like in America I’ve noticed lots of food has cheese on it or in it and I don’t like that very much. I don’t like cheese and it’s on pretty much everything.

Jordan: Gotcha, in China do you think you guys eat healthier than here in America? You know here there is a lot of Fast Food chains and such.

Yanbing: I think in China the people eat a little healthier. Yeah I believe that. Yeah American food will make the people that eat fatter quicker. I think for the Chinese men this food is ok but it would drive the woman kind of crazy. In China and other asian countries they believe that if the woman is more thin that will make her beautiful.  And when they come to the US and see the food they will not want anything to do with it.

Jordan: Oh I suppose that makes sense. Why did you decide to study at an American University versus a college in China?

Yanbing: I guess the main reason is because I like the way it’s set up. In China there is no GPA it’s pretty much just pass and fail and I don’t really care for that. In China it’s hard to get into the University but it’s easy to graduate for the reason that it is set up like a pass or fail sort of thing. So in China we have this saying that getting a D is good enough.

Jordan: That’s kind of funny because there is a phrase or saying that C’s get degrees. Kind of the same deal.

Yanbing: Also I like it here because I can choose what I want to study. I get to pick my classes and set up how I like where as in China they kind of choose for you what you will learn.

Jordan: Yeah I suppose that makes sense. Here you have more diversity and you can pick and choose what sounds the most interesting to you. The next question is more about language. Were you forced to learn to speak English or could you of chose a different language to learn?

Yanbing: Yes I was forced to study English and if I wanted to learn another language it would have to be my third language. I started learning English when I was seven. When learning English in China they really focus on grammar and such things. So there are many Chinese students who can read and write in English but they have trouble speaking it.

Jordan: I suppose that’s  one way to go I guess. But no, my hats off to you that you can speak two languages.  Alright the next question is what did you do in China for fun or to pass the time?

Yanbing: I enjoy playing videogames so I would do that, hang out with my friends and go do Karaoke or play some basketball. And when I was younger sometimes I would go to the club. But now I have the girl friend so I don’t go anymore.

Jordan: Ha Oh she kind of keeps you in line then huh? I understand.

Yanbing: So in the US does a girlfriend allow a boy friend to go to the club/pub?

Jordan: Well I guess it all depends on the relationship. When I was dating my ex there were nights here and there that we would go different ways and she would hang out with her friends at a bar or something and I would be doing the same. I guess that all boils down to trust.

Yanbing: In most Chinese opinion you go to the club to meet and hook up with the opposite sex. They don’t think you go there to hang out with your friends. You go there to find a girl.

Jordan: I guess that’s a pretty big part of it if you’re single here but around where I live it is pretty common for good friends to get together and go to a bar and have a few drinks just to socialize. But I see you’re point. How is family valued differently between China and the US?

Yanbing: In China it is usually just smaller family’s that live together where in America they have bigger families right?

(  MY RECORDER WENT PARTIALLY BAD FROM THIS POINT ON) 

Jordan: What do you think about the climate here in MN compared to where you’re from in China?

Yanbing: Where I’m from we have all the seasons but it don’t get as cold in the winter. You rarely see snow so it was pretty cool coming to MN and seeing this. I prefer colder weather to warmer weather. Sweating is no fun.

Jordan: Well I’m surprised to hear that. I enjoy winter for the first three weeks and then I’m already looking forward to summer but that is cool. Well anyways I suppose that concludes our interview. Thanks you so much for sacrificing some of your time for this interview. I really appreciate it.

Yanbing: You’re welcome.

China Country Report

China is clearly one of the oldest civilizations that is present today. This is shown by their vast amount of history, culture, and art that thrived very well before the 19^th century.  China is located in eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, and Vietnam.  With the total area relationship being slightly smaller than the United States with a total of 9,596,961 sq km, it has the highest population over any country in the world at 1,336,718,015. The standard language of The Peoples Republic of China (AKA China) is Mandarin.     

China's geography causes an uneven population distribution; 94 percent live in the eastern third of the country. The coastal areas of China tend to be the most economically developed and because of this many poorer people from bigger cites tend to migrate there in hopes to find work and prosperity.

The Han Dynasty (206 A.D.-226 B.C.) seems to be when the country of China flourished. Due to their military power and advancements at the time they created an amazing age of art, politics, and technology. Many ethnic Chinese still refer to themselves as the "People of Han," and Han Chinese consist of roughly 92 percent of the total country's population.

There aren’t many cities in America or many other countries where you can’t find delicious Chinese food of some sort.  Rice is a major food source for the Chinese people.  Other than to be eaten as a solid the Chinese also use rice to make beers, wines, and vinegars.  In northern China people heavily rely more so on flour based food such as noodles, breads, dumplings, and steamed buns. Noodles are a symbol of longevity and good health according to their traditions. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that between 2001 and 2003 12% of the total population was malnourished.

Although religion is not banned by the constitution of Peoples Republic of China, it is not encouraged. The three most commonly practiced religions are Taoist, Buddhist, and Muslim.

The capital of China is Beijing with a total population of 10,849,000. Also the power or government lies within the Chinese Communist Party.

            China is such a huge country with so much culture and history it’s hard to hit any of the main points thoroughly without writing a novel. The GDP of this country quadrupled between 1978 and 1998 so going off of this trend I suspect as the years go by, China is going to have a very large influence on this world. This is definitely a country I hope to visit someday.

Sources

 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/china-facts/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/china.html

Cultural Report for China

By: Stephanie Van Houtan, Natalie Sevenson, Chris Klaphake, Jordan Meyer, Thao Vo 

China Report

1) Brief Description of China- Jordan
a. One of oldest civilizations
   i. Vast amount of history, culture, art- before 19th century
b. Located in Eastern Asia
   i. Total area slightly smaller than the U.S.
   ii. Highest population over any other country
   iii. 94% of the population lives in the eastern third of country.
   iv. Coastal areas most economically developed.
c. Government is the Chinese Communist Party.
d. Hans
   i. Flourished China
   ii. Due to military power and advancements at the time they created an amazing age of art, politics and technology.

   iii. Han Chinese consists of roughly 92% of the total country’s population.

2) Classes in English- Chris
a. Only take twelve credits
   i. Intensive English classes year round.
   ii. Never talked to a native speaker.
b. Spend a lot of time in the library.
   i. Takes 4 hours for one class.
   ii. Spends 3 times as much time in the library here.
   iii. Come to the library on weekends
   iv. Often has to look up definitions of words.
c. Came here to get a Masters Degree.
   i. Better job opportunities.

   ii. Work here first.

3) Religion- Thao
a. Chinese government does not allow freedom of religion.
   i. In China, all religious organizations have to be authorized by the government.
   ii. They are run by a dictator or by government.
       1. Tibetan Buddhism are against the Chinese government, so the Chinese government are fighting and want to destroy them
   iii. China’s government are afraid that if they allow freedom of religion, it will destroy their progress.
   iv. You are not allowed to demonstrate in public. People cannot have a rally in public.
      1. Catholics in China cannot communicate with the Pope. We rarely hear about the Pope visiting China.

4) Communication- Natalie
a. The different types of communication that is popular in China.

   i. Texting
   ii. A form of facebook
b. Clip

5) Food- Stephanie
a. Authentic Chinese food is different from the American Chinese food.
   i. Jay explained that it’s a whole different taste.
   ii. Natalie’s experience in Chinatown.
   iii. American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by many Chinese restaurants in the United States. This type of cooking typically caters to western tastes, and differs significantly from the original Chinese cuisine.
   iv. American Chinese food typically treats vegetables and garnish as while cuisines of China emphasize vegetables.
   v. Native Chinese cuisine makes frequent use of Asian leafy vegetables like bok choy and kai-lan and puts a greater emphasis on fresh meat and seafood.
      1. Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Chinese_cuisine visited 3/29/11

Second Interview Winners

1. Walcheski, Lukus J

2. Hussain, Asif

3. Wei, Beibei

Scorecard for Second Interview

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvuFeS-a3H77dGdPaXBwNExzVUNXLUhXa196WE1UZlE&hl=en&authkey=CNL06NwP

My Second Interview

Process Description

The process of completing this interview was very similar to my first completed interview. To start off I had to find an interviewee who was willing to give up some of their time and be interviewed. This ended up working out really well again with the help of one of our fellow classmates. She introduced me to one of her friends and the interview ended up turning out really well. Last interview I met the interviewee at his apartment but his time we completed the interview in the library during a time that worked out for the interviewee.  I ended up using my smart phone to use as the recording device again which worked flawlessly this time versus last time where I had issues with it. Like last time as well I used the same 14 questions which consisted of 7 core questions and then 7 of my own questions. This time around the 14 questions easily made way for enough conversation to complete this interview which actually lasted 30 plus minutes. I had the same learning objectives as last interview but this time I had more interviewing experience versus my first interview which helped out a lot.

1.      I’d like to communicate efficiently with an international student despite the language barrier.

2.      I’d like to get a better view/ broaden my horizons from a student who grew up in a different part of the world.

3.      I’d like to understand his or her culture, compare it to my own, and from there analyze the major differences.

4.      I’d like to learn and experience the basic fundamentals on holding an interview.

5.      Improve my communicating skills, get to know, and learn from this person.

Like I mentioned my interview with Zoey went very smoothly. Once that was complete I transcribed the interview which took a few hours and then put all the pieces together and posted the interview on my blog

Personal Review

I thought the interview went really well. My first interview was also successful if it wasn’t for my recorder not working so swell which didn’t end up happening this time around. I think it definitely helped having experience and knowing what to expect more so being we already completed one interview. This gives me the confidence that my third and final interview should be successful as well. On top of all this I got to compare John and Zoey’s perspective on their Chinese culture and their new experiences/ thoughts on the United States so far. I’m looking forward to the next interview.

Interview Transcription

Jordan: Alright I suppose we could get this started. So you’re name is Zoey right? Sorry my memory isn’t all that great.  But alright is that ok if I record you for this interview?

Zoey: Yeah sure.

Jordan: Awesome. Alright well I already showed you the list of questions that I wanted to ask you. But really they’re just guidelines and don’t need to be followed to a T. I really just want to learn about you and your cultural background. So anything that is on your mind go ahead and say it. That would be awesome.

Zoey: Ok. 

Jordan: Alright the first question that is on this sheet is what did you find hardest about transitioning to the US? Was there a culture shock? 

Zoey: Well you know people are different in the western and eastern countries. It seems like western people are more outgoing where as in eastern countries like china we are more shy. We don’t express our mind to often. For example when I interact with American guys they may feel I’m scared or I don’t want to speak with them or any activities like that. But I’m fine just a little bit shy sometimes.

Jordan: Well I can be shy quite often as well so don’t feel bad. That’s interesting, so the biggest difference you noticed was how different it is for eastern compared to western people expressing themselves socially. Interesting. Was there any other big culture shocks for you?

Zoey: Not that I can think of.

Jordan: Ok well we can move onto the next question. What are some cultural differences between your culture and here? I know we kind of just covered that but was there anything else that you can think of?

Zoey: Ha The food is the biggest one. Like the first semester I was eating at Garvey and I feel like stomach…

Jordan: So it didn’t agree with your stomach? 

Zoey: Yeah it was like pretty bad.

Jordan: Yeah I suppose it’s greasier or fattier food.

Zoey: Yes.  And I gained a lot of weight when I first moved here.

Jordan: Crazy. Yeah I can kind of relate. When I was in the military we were always moving and working out and what not. And then when I came back to MN four years later I ended up putting on quite a bit of weight myself.  So food is kind of one of the biggest cultural difference that comes to mind then?

Zoey: But yeah it’s fine now…

Jordan: Oh so you got use to the food after a while?

Zoey: Yup.

Jordan: That’s good! I guess this isn’t one of the questions but how long are you going to stay in the United States? You going to finish school here and then?

Zoey: In more than one year I’m going to graduate from here.

Jordan: So when you graduate do you think you’re going to go back to… You’re from China right?

Zoey: Yes.  Ya I prefer to go back to China when I’m done with school?

Jordan: Oh really?

Zoey: Here is really nice but I don’t want to stay away from my family. Family is pretty important to me. 

Jordan: Yeah I suppose that makes sense, it would be hard to leave. I guess the next question on here is in your family who takes care of the finances?

Zoey: Oh my father.

Jordan: You’re father does?

Zoey: Yes.

Jordan: Ok cool, I interviewed another person from China earlier. Do both of your parents work? Like bring in an income?

Zoey: Yeah at first they both worked but then after a while my Mom got sick so she didn’t work.

Jordan: Oh sorry to hear that…  Is she doing better now?

Zoey: Uhh I think so. 

Jordan: Alright good. Is it kind of common for women to have jobs over in China?

Zoey: Well I live in Shang Hi and it’s common there. It depends. In big cities it’s common but in certain areas it’s only the men that still work.

Jordan: Sounds quite similar to the United States I guess. About twenty years ago it was pretty common for just the guy to have a job where the woman typically stayed home and took care of the family. It’s definitely not that way anymore though. I guess question number four is have you had any personal experiences with racism since you’ve been in the United States?

Zoey: Ummm No?

Jordan: Ok so no racism, everybody has been nice since you’ve been here? Awesome! That’s actually what John the other person I interviewed said.  He said one of his friends experienced something with it but other than that everything has been pretty good. Good to hear.

Zoey: And I went to Chicago over Spring break and I found that people in St. Cloud tend to be more nice than people in Chicago.

Jordan: Really? I suppose huh… It’s kind of a bigger city so I suppose people may be a little more on edge. 

Zoey: So I prefer being in St. Cloud. 

Jordan: So did you just go to Chicago for fun or?

Zoey: Yeah we just went for fun over spring break.

Jordan: So did you drive there or?

Zoey: Nope we went by air.

Jordan: So you guys flew then?

Zoey: Yep by air.

Jordan: Actually my godmother or Aunt moved to Chicago for job purposes. Alright well another question is what were your preconceptions about the US before coming here and how have they changed? 

Zoey: Like when I was in China I saw movies of big cities and all the buildings were tall and people were all pretty busy and crowded. But after I came here I found that it is more peaceful here.

Jordan: A little more relaxed than those videos you saw huh? 

Zoey: Yeah and I prefer this kind…

Jordan: So I suppose Chicago was more like those videos you saw in China then?

Zoey: Yeah yeah.

Jordan: That makes since… So you said you’re from where again?

Zoey: Shang Hi. 

Jordan: That’s kind of a big city too isn’t it?

Zoey: Yes it’s kind of like Chicago but it’s too crowded to me. All of the people in Shang Hi are always in a rush and it’s very busy.

Jordan: Yeah I believe that. That’s kind of funny cause I grew up in a small town of 500 people and then when I went into the military it was like night and day. A whole bunch of different kind of people so interact with so I suppose it’s almost in a way like you’re experience with movie from Shang Hi to St. Cloud in a way.

Zoey: And in a small town all people know each other. It’s pretty nice.  When I lived in Shang Hi you just go home and lock the door. You don’t know the neighbors.

Jordan: Yeah I suppose that would kind of be different. You were right in a smaller town you do tend to know everyone in the town and pretty much all that goes on. That’s how it is where I grew up anyways and I kind of liked living like that I guess. I guess the next question kind of talks about food again. So what is your opinion of the American diet? How does it differ from your home country? I guess what were some common things you ate in China?

Zoey: They’re totally different. We like to fire the food together, kind of like mix them up. I don’t know how to say it. We mix a bunch of different vegetables and meats together to make as one dish. Where the Americans make one individual dish where you can put it together but separately with other foods. Jordan: Sounds delicious to me! I guess this next question kind of relates to school. Do you think you’ll have difficulty finding a job when you finish college? Why and why not.

Zoey: Yes I think so.

Jordan: So you’re going to have a degree from the US and then you’re going to go back to China. Do employers like that or would they prefer you to have a degree from China?

Zoey: Yes they prefer that I have a degree from here because then I have a different experiences versus just having a degree from China.

Jordan:  Awesome so you will kind of have a heads up on a lot of people then because of your US degree.

Zoey: Yes that is one of the main reasons why I came here.

Jordan: So that’s the biggest reason why you came here then? For the educational background?

Zoey: Yes. For the educational background and Chinese people like America. It’s hard to explain but if they know something is from America Chinese people will feel better about it.

Jordan: That’s interesting. Number eight kind of talks about language. So what languages do you know? Chinese and English then? 

Zoey: Yes I only know these two languages.

Jordan: Oh ok well I’m impressed either way. I only know how to speak one language so my hats off to you! So was speaking English your decision or was it kind of pushed on you and your school system?

Zoey: I suppose I was kind of pushed to learn English. In China I was learning English when I was ten years old already. But now I have a younger brother and he was starting to learn English when he was three or four years old.

Jordan: Oh wow.

Zoey: Because in China we think English is very important so we can communicate and deal with international trade. But I don’t like language because I find it really hard. But we did have the option to learn more languages if we wanted besides English.

Jordan: Well either way I’m still very impressed because your English is very good.

Zoey: Well thank you. And learning English is kind of pushed by society because if you can’t speak English you will of troubles finding a good job.

Jordan: Oh ok very interesting. You said you have a little brother right?

Zoey: Yes. 

Jordan: I thought in China a couple is only suppose to have on child?

Zoey: Yeah yeah. In China it is our policy that one couple just have on child. But if the mother gets pregnant despite of birth control they won’t make you get rid of the baby. But there may be fines for such a thing.

Jordan: Well that worked out very well for you then I guess. You have a little brother.

Zoey: Yes I appreciated that because it is very very lonely when there is only one child in a family. And then their grandparents and other family members focus all their attention on this one child and they get spoiled.

Jordan: That makes sense. I guess that would be kind of hard for me as well because I have a fairly large family. Three brothers and two sisters and I’m really close to them all and it would be hard to imagine what my life would have been like without them around. But that’s cool you have a little brother.

Zoey: Yeah just a few people my age have a brother or sister.

Jordan: Do you by chance know about how long that rule has been in place where a couple can only have one child?

Zoey: Yeah I think it was roughly 10 or 15 years or so.

Jordan: So it’s kind of new then?

Zoey: So people older than me may have younger siblings.

Jordan: Oh ok… Well just out of curiosity how old are you?

Zoey: Oh sorry I’m 23.

Jordan: Oh really? Ok I’m 23 as well.  Cool. Ok well to the next question. How essential is having a college degree? Or like a post high school degree type of thing?

Zoey: Well it is important but not everyone goes to school. After high school every student has to take a very important exam. And how you do on this exam decides what level of education you will go onto. So it is very important and a lot of pressure…

Jordan: Wow that does sound like it would a lot of pressure.

Zoey: Yes and I don’t think it is fair because some people get anxious or nervous and that could affect their score on this very important exam.  This was the most important exam of my life so far. So what you do in high school isn’t that important. It all leads to this test. And China has a very big population so it is the only way really to decide who should go to what level of education after high school.

Jordan: So I suppose it’s sort of like the ACTs and SATs in a way but sounding a little more intense. So another question is what did you do for fun when you were in China?

Zoey: I like to hang out with my friends. We went shopping and did a lot of Karaoke.

Jordan: It’s funny you said Karaoke because there was a lot of Karaoke places down in Texas and I got convinced to tag along a few times and it was a lot of fun. I don’t have a good singing voice by any means but it was fun none the less.

Zoey: Yeah you don’t need to be good at it.  Living in a big city life can be stressful so it’s just something fun to do and you don’t need to be good at it. I really like it.

Jordan: Did you Karaoke in the US at all since you’ve been here?

Zoey: Yes in Chicago I we did.

Jordan: How many people did you go to Chicago with? 

Zoey:  Five people.

Jordan: Awesome! I’m kind of jealous… I really didn’t do anything over spring break. Was mostly lazy and kicked back.

Zoey: That’s nice too.

Jordan: Well I guess we already talked about your family already. So basically you said family is very important to you. So is that kind of a theme in China? Is family important to everyone and how does that compare to what you see in the US?

Zoey: It’s like different kinds and different styles. In China my father still takes care of me currently and pays for my tuition and other expenses.  And like when my parents get old I will still like to be with them and take care of them as much as I can. But in America, I don’t know if I’m right, but you are more independent. Like for me later on in life maybe I’ll live with my parent’s husband and child. But here in America it seems more common where the kids separate from the family and start their own family more distanced from their parents.

Jordan: I think you’re right though. A lot of families move apart in America. For example like with what I said with my godmother how she moved away from our family to Chicago for better job opportunities. I guess that’s kind of common in the US. But I guess I’m kind of more like you in that sense because I cherish family and I plan on staying at least driving distance from them. I guess onto the next question. In the United States you can see how it’s becoming more and more ethnically diverse. Is this common in China from what you could see?

Zoey: No it is nowhere near as common. In Shang Hi you will meet white and black people but it’s not nearly as common as in the United States.

Jordan: Oh ok so you do see it but it is just not as common, makes sense. Well I really hope that someday I get to travel to China, something I always wanted to do so we shall see what happens. So pretty much your first year here is dedicated to learning English better? What’s that called?

Zoey: Oh you mean the language department.

Jordan: Oh is that what it is? So that’s pretty much all you do for that year or half of a year then? 

Jordan: Yes it is a half a year and it’s a called IC.  Oh ok is that pretty tough or? 

Zoey: I liked the time I spent there. I met people from many different countries even though it was kind of hard to communicate with some of them. But it was still great because we learned a lot about different cultures and many other unbelievable things.

Jordan: Yeah that makes sense. I suppose you are all trying to master English and that’s the language you’re communicating with so it’s not always easy getting your point across. Ok have you worked in the United States at all? Or do you have to work strictly on Campus?

Zoey: No we are restricted to working on campus.

Jordan: Oh ok, for as long as you are here or is there a time when you can eventually get a job off campus?

Zoey: Well it’s just the policy and I won’t be able to get a job off campus unless I have a visa.

Jordan: Oh ok I suppose. Well what do you do around here for fun?  Same type of things that you use to do in China or?

Zoey: I find Shang Hi is much more fun than here.

Jordan:  So why is Shang Hi more fun than this area out of curiousity? 

Zoey: I think it is the difference in culture. Cause in America if you want to go anywhere to do something you have to drive. In Shang Hi everything you want to do is within walking distance so it is more convenient.

Jordan: Have you gone to any bars around here?

Zoey: Ha No.

Jordan: So you try and stay away from them then?

Zoey: Yeah but I think I want to try and go to one once and see what it’s like. It is part of American culture. Yeah I suppose it is.

Jordan: Nothing to exciting really, just a place to hang out with your friends and have a few drinks and socialize. I’m not sure if you drink at all but is there a drinking age or limit in China?

Zoey: Uh nope. I’m not sure but I know my little brother could go to a store and buy alcohol without a problem. I think maybe because we have no age limit when you can start drinking people aren’t so eager to drink. Like in America on your 21^st birthday you are so happy! And then you go to the bar and drink a lot.

Jordan: So in China you slowly gradually learn how to drink so you don’t get so excited when you turn 21. That’s a good way to look at it I guess. Well I think we talked about everything that I needed to know. Was there anything else you wanted to add?

Zoey: Huh yes the weather. This weather is too cold to me.

Jordan: Ha You don’t like the cold weather in MN?

Zoey: Before I came here I was really excited because in Shang Hi it wasn’t common to see snow. And my father told me that I was going to a place where they have a lot of snow and I was so excited. Because my Chinese name means flying snow. So I really wanted to see snow the first winter but after the second winter I just couldn’t wait for spring to come. 

Jordan: I know what you mean. The winter is fun for a few weeks and then you get sick of being cold and trapped indoors.

Zoey: Plus I have no car so I have to take multiple buses to go grocery shopping and in the winter that is no fun.

Jordan: So if you wanted to drive here in MN would you have to get a drivers license here?

Zoey: Umm yes.

Jordan: Do you have a drivers license in China.

Zoey: No I don’t ha

Jordan: Well I suppose it’s not quite as important to have a drivers license in Shang Hi when everything is so close. Alright well Zoey I appreciate you doing this interview with me! It was very interesting…

Zoey: You’re very welcome

China Country Report

China is clearly one of the oldest civilizations that is present today. This is shown by their vast amount of history, culture, and art that thrived very well before the 19^th century.  China is located in eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, and Vietnam.  With the total area relationship being slightly smaller than the United States with a total of 9,596,961 sq km, it has the highest population over any country in the world at 1,336,718,015. The standard language of The Peoples Republic of China (AKA China) is Mandarin.     

China's geography causes an uneven population distribution; 94 percent live in the eastern third of the country. The coastal areas of China tend to be the most economically developed and because of this many poorer people from bigger cites tend to migrate there in hopes to find work and prosperity.

The Han Dynasty (206 A.D.-226 B.C.) seems to be when the country of China flourished. Due to their military power and advancements at the time they created an amazing age of art, politics, and technology. Many ethnic Chinese still refer to themselves as the "People of Han," and Han Chinese consist of roughly 92 percent of the total country's population.

There aren’t many cities in America or many other countries where you can’t find delicious Chinese food of some sort.  Rice is a major food source for the Chinese people.  Other than to be eaten as a solid the Chinese also use rice to make beers, wines, and vinegars.  In northern China people heavily rely more so on flour based food such as noodles, breads, dumplings, and steamed buns. Noodles are a symbol of longevity and good health according to their traditions. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that between 2001 and 2003 12% of the total population was malnourished.

Although religion is not banned by the constitution of Peoples Republic of China, it is not encouraged. The three most commonly practiced religions are Taoist, Buddhist, and Muslim.

The capital of China is Beijing with a total population of 10,849,000. Also the power or government lies within the Chinese Communist Party.

            China is such a huge country with so much culture and history it’s hard to hit any of the main points thoroughly without writing a novel. The GDP of this country quadrupled between 1978 and 1998 so going off of this trend I suspect as the years go by, China is going to have a very large influence on this world. This is definitely a country I hope to visit someday.

Sources

 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/china-facts/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/china.html