Preparation on my First Interview:

Japan is one of my favorite countries; I really like many things in Japan, like their culture, their food, their cloth, and their spirit. That is why I want my first interviewee to be Japanese. I am lucky enough because Chris is one of my best friends. He was brined in Japan and he has been in America for about two years. Last semester, I knew and he became one of my best friends quickly. We always play some games together and study together, so I think he is suitable enough to become my first interviewee. Before my first interview, I prepare a good recorder. I have tried the recorder many times to make sure the recorder is good enough. And then I made an appointment with him on October 19, on the third floor of the library, because I think the library is quiet enough. Before that date, I have already prepared all the questions which I will ask him during that date. I printed the questions so that I can show my questions to Chris during my interview. After that, I searched online and did some research to Japan, I think it is useful for my interview. At the beginning of the interview, I really feel a little nervous; it is the first time for me to be the interviewer. I tried to ask my questions loudly and slowly, so I didn’t make many mistakes during my interview. I believe that next time my interview will be better because I have already had much experience.

Description of my first interview:

As a whole, I believe that my first interview is success. I have already done everything I should do. I really received much information during my interview.

At the beginning of the interview, I really felt a little nervous because it is the first time for me to be the interviewer. So at first my voice is a little low, but my Japanese friend Chris reminds me that I need to relax. He told me that don’t be afraid of anything, just try my best to finish the interview as good as possible. I did it, and I began to speak loudly and slowly, Chris told me that he can even understand all the words I speak. I asked all the questions I had prepared, his answer is also good because I had already showed all the questions I will ask to him before the interview. My recorder had recorded all the process of our interview.

I am really enjoyed in my first interview; we talk about Japanese culture, food, spirit and so on. It is easy for me to understand what he said because I have already done some research about Japan. I believe that next time my interview will be better than this time because I have much experience now.

Report on Country of First Interview

             Japan is in the continent of Asia.  This country is made up of many islands. Japan is often called "The Land of The Rising Sun.", because the sun rises in the east.   The Japanese call their country as "Nippon" or Nihon" which means "source of the sun".  That is why Japanese flag represents a red sun on a white background.
            The capital of Japan is Tokyo.  Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world.  It is modern, very busy, and extremely crowded.  In fact, today, Japan is a modernized country.  They have factories, televisions, radios, cameras, and other familiar objects.
            The Japanese home is a wooden building that is raised slightly above the ground.  Most Japanese homes are small, and the rooms are usually separated by moveable paper partitions called fusama. When the outside screens are always open, the gardens can be seen from every room in the house.

 Customs and traditions are very important in Japan. When you enter a house or apartment, it is customary to take off your shoes. At dinner time, families often kneel on cushions surrounding a low table. Most Japanese food is cooked on a small grill called a hibachi.  The food is usually broiled, steamed, or fried.  The basic Japanese menu consists of soup and three dishes, each cooked by a different method.  Dessert is usually artistically cut fresh fruit. Chopsticks are used for picking up all food.

Japan's industrialized, free market economy is the second-largest in the world. Its economy is highly efficient and competitive in areas linked to international trade. This country has a big benefit on industry; their electrical goods have already sold to almost every corner of the world. Until today, Japan is also the second biggest country in the world; we must admit that they really have a big progress after World War Two.

            Traditional Japanese food is undoubtedly one of the healthiest and most delicious in the world and the Japanese is suitable for almost everyone in the world. Foods like tofu, sushi, tempura, mish, soba, and even green tea are now familiar with many people in the world and freely available to people in other country.
            Anyway, Japan is already become one of the biggest economic country in modern society, their food, their electric goods and their spirit have already been famous in the world. That is why I want to find a Japanese student for my first interview.




Photo of Japan:


Japanese Flog:
http://www.faqs.org/docs/factbook/flags/ja-flag.html






The map of Japan: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/asia/japan




Fujiyama: http://www.magicaljapan.co.uk/japan%20holidays%20and%20tours_japan_highlights.htm



Traditional Cloth of Japan:
http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Exchanges/206688.htm



Traditional food in Japan: http://www.japanpress.info/archives/67




Reference List:

http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/food.shtml

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e629.html

http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanesefestivals/a/obonfestival.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/intro.htm

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/japan/economy.htm

First International Interview

Interviewer: Longfei Ren

English 191

Interviewee: Chris (his American name)

Interviewee's country of origin: Japan

Interview date: 10/28/2010

First Interview

Me: Hello, my name is Longfei Ren, I am doing a project for class English 191. I need to interview at least three international students; do you want to become my fist interviewee?

Chris: Yes, of course.

Me: Thank you. Could you please tell me a little about yourself, for example: Where are you from?  How old are you? What is your mother language? How long have you been here?

Chris: OK, I come from Japan, not far away from your country. I am 21; I have been in Minnesota for about two years. My mother language is Japanese.

Me: What is your major?

Chris: My major is computer engineering.

Me: Can I know something about your family? Like how many people in your family, their jobs and how are your relations?

Chris: Sure, there are only four people in my family, my father, my mother, me and my younger sister. My father is an Internet engineer, he is a hero in my mind, it seems that he know everything about the computer. That is why I choice computer engineering to become my major. My mother is a housewife, you know, many women in Japan are housewives. She always cooks delicious food for us and make our house very clean. I have a young sister, she is studying in high school, her grade is good, and she also wants to study in America when she graduates from high school.

Me: Why you choice to study in America?

Chris: It is obvious that the education system is the best system in the world. In American university, it is easy for you to receive enough knowledge and improve your skill in different fields. I love the teaching method in America, in American class, the professors and the students have much communication with each other, in this way, and you will be interested in studying.

Me: Do you want to go back to Japan directly when you graduate from SCSU?

Chris: No, I want to find a job here and try to live here.

Me: Why, Why do you want to live here? You know, the winter here is very cold.

Chris: Because I like the environment in America, the air and the water here is very clean, there is little pollution here. What is more important, I can also learn a lot if I get a job here, I think America is the strongest country in the world, there are many things that I need to learn in America.

ME: Can you tell me something about your country, for example, what is the most important festival in your country?

Chris: Obon Festival is one of the most important festivals in our country. Almost all the Japanese celebrate on that day.

Me: Why Obon Festival is the one of the most important day in Japan?

Chris: Because Japanese people believe that the spirit of their ancestors will come back to their family during that day. Spirit is very important in Japan, so Japanese will pray for the spirits.

Me: Do you have some traditional customs to celebrate the Obon Festival?

Chris: Yes, of course. Every year, during Obon Festival, Japanese will clean their house and prepare some vegetable and fruits to the spirits in front of a special table. All the members of the family will get together in front of the special table and pray for the spirits of their ancestors to come back.

Me: Can you tell me the main religions in your country?

Chris: Sure, Shinto and Buddhism are main religions in Japan.

Me: How about you, do you have religion? Why or why not?

Chris: I don’t have any relation, because I think it is the custom of my family. Both my father and my mother do not have any relation. My father always tell me that only when you believe yourself and be confidence every day, the god can help you. If not, you can not realize your goal even if you have any religion.

Me: How about food, can you tell me some traditional food in your country?

Chris: The main food of Japan is rice and noodle; sushi is the traditional in Japan. Sushi is made by rice, meat, fish, sugar, vegetable and so on. Our noodle is made by wheat, most of us eat hot noodle but some Japanese like to eat cold noodle in summer. Our favorite meat is fish, because Japan is island country, so almost all the Japanese like to eat fish.

Me: Can you tell me the weather in Japan; it is also as cold as Minnesota in winter?

Chris: No, of course not. In our country, it is warmer in winter and much cooler in summer. Don’t forget that Japan is island country; there are also four seasons in Japan, but the temperature difference of different seasons are not so big as Minnesota.

Me: OK, another question, Can you tell me the meaning of eye contact in your country?

Chris: Sure, in my own country, the eye contact always means respect. If I speak to an adult, it is necessary for me to have the eye contact with him. It is the basic role I need to follow. As a young boy, you must keep the eye contact when you speak to someone who is older than you or who have more status than you. For example, it is important for you to keep eye contact when you speak to your boss or your manager in the future. However, in my mind, if a man always keep eye contact with a woman, it means that the man like the woman. In Japanese Culture, the eye can also speak to others. So keeping eye contact means you want to stay with him or her. So in Japan, as a young guy, if you don’t like a young girl, I want to remind you that don’t keep eye contact with her. If you keep eye contact with her for a long time, she will misunderstand you.

Me: It is funny. I want to ask that if you want to get marry with a girl, did your family’s attitude have play an important role in your options?

Chris: Sorry? What is your meaning?

Me: Oh, I am sorry. I mean if your family plays an important role for you to choice your wife in the future?

Chris: OK, I know. For me, I think marry is an important thing, so the suggestion of my family is very essential for my option. However, as long as the girl I choice is good enough, my family will not oppose me to choice her. You know, all the parents want their children to be happy, so most of them like to respect their children’s options. Even if my parents don’t like my girlfriend, I think I will try to explain to them that she is good enough. I believe that after our communication, they will agree with my choice.

Me: Do you have a girlfriend now?

Chris: Yes, she is in Japan, she is my classmate in my high school.

Me: How do you date in your daily life?

Chris: We always study together in our high school. My study is a little better than her, so I often explain some questions to her, but sometimes she also explain some questions to me. We always learn with each other and help with each other. We always eat together after school and do the homework together. We always go travelling in holiday, I feel very happy with her. Sometimes she goes to my home and cooks with my mother, my mother also like her.

Me: OK, that is the entire question I want to ask, thank you very much.

Chris: You are welcome.

Refelction

My first interviewee is Zhe Wang, he is also a Chinese guy, his social background and culture is a little similar with me, but we come from different place of China, so the experience of us is also different. We talk about our families and our experience during our high school and our daily life. He like plays spots, especially basketball, he is the basketball player in his high school for about two years. In his daily life, he likes watching movie and listening to the music. His major is marketing, he wants to get a job when he graduate from the SCSU and then apply a good university to finish his graduate degree. He is the only child in his family, but he is not alone because he has many friends in China and in America, he also has many friends.
I am the interviewee of Emily; she is really a nice American girl. We communicate many things about our families, our daily life. We also share much difference about China and America. For example, the tradition of wedding, in China, the familys’ attitude for our boyfriends or girlfriends plays an important role in our wedding. If our parents don't like my girlfriend, it will be much hard for me to get marriage with her. However, in America, as long as you really love him/her, your family will respect your idea. Her family has 5 children, her oldest brother is 28 and her little sister is just five years old. She really loves her family, a big family. For me, I am the only child of my family, because in China, it is illegal for my family to have more than one child. So I am really happy to talk my Emily and Zhe Wang, and I really enjoy the time of interviewing in this class. From the interview, we can learn more about different countries and different people. On the other hand, we can make more friends than before.