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 19th 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
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