Comparing my first and second interview

         I think I am really much experienced than the first interview. Overall, both f these two interviews are going well. But the second is much better than the first one. Maybe it's because the first interviewee come from Burundi, to be honest, i know this country so less that i cannot expand the questions smooth. And about second one, i interview a person who is an American, i know America more because i have already been to America for one and a half years, and when i was still in China, i always heard something about America as well, include history, government, education and so on. So you can imagine we can have a nicer communication if i know this country better. And compare with the first one, i think i prepare much better, i have listed all the questions and imagined the expand questions on a list, and about these questions, i already search some information first, because i do not think i can have a great chatting if i am a utterly ignorant guy. And due to there is a question about food, so i have prepared some Chinese food to let the interviewee try. Although out of a clear sky, the person thinks the taste is different, i still think it help a lot to have a harmonious atmosphere, and therefore both of us can enjoy the interview. At the end, i gave a bamboo fan as a small gift what i brought from my hometown; take this opportunity to introduce my hometown-Anji, a beautiful town filled with bamboos. i always act like an ambassador who are working for culture exchange, when i touch the advanced cultures, at the same time i also want to spread the cultures from my hometown. Try to be unique is making my interview a little different from other's. What i have to say is that i spend several hours to transcribe the recorder, maybe during the first interview, the questions are fixed not like the second one, i have expand more questions about one topic, so it add much difficult for me to transcribe. And several sentences, i have to hear over and over again. Even i need to contact the context to think about one word, sometimes i know the meaning, but i should try to use a dictionary to find correct spelling. Also it makes me feel satisfied. Surely I really improve a lot from the first interview to the second one, whichever aspect. Doubtlessly i can do the third interview better, even though it still not perfect if compares with my next interview. Unceasing enhancement is the meaning for interview practice.

interview 2 grades

TOP1:  Schleif, Nicholas E 
         
Top2:   Gu, Yi   
            Purfeerst, Tiffany           

Top3:    Smith, Tiffany  
             Rajapaksha Gedara, Janaka P 

All the grades here
            

My second interview

Interview Preparations:

          As the second interview, I think I am more experienced in contrast with my first interview. I know what should I prepare before the interview and what the unforeseen circumstances will happen during it. And when I glance over other’s interview reports, I think Tiffany really did well. I have been America one and a half years. I already touched American society and cultures a little, I am sure I saw many advanced things here, however I believe what I know is still much less than the true society. Therefore I want to invite an American as my interviewee. As I mentioned at the previous sentences, Tiffany is good at interviewing and she is nice to talk.  I am sure I can learn much and get more information from Tiffany. She promised it at once when I asked her during the class. And we decide to do it on Monday by message. As a part of preparations, I found she has mentioned she like Chinese food, I am a Chinese who have a lot of special food from my hometown. So I take some and plan to let her taste during the interview. I have to say: I am looking forward to her evaluation. Also, I brought a bamboo fan as a small gift to thanks for her time.

Interview report:

             Overall, the interview went pretty well. Even though at the beginning we spend a long time to finding each other, and then decide where to go. On the way, we talked about the weather, and how is today going. During the interview, Tiffany answered all the questions particularly, and let me get more information about America. As I planed, I give her some Chinese food to try. Then we discuss about the different taste. At the end, I gave her a bamboo fan, which came from my hometown as a gift, she was quite happy and hugged me. She sent a message to thank for my gift afterwards; as well I reply that I am grateful for her because she devoted her time although she is so busy. In a word, it’s a happy and meaningful interview.

Country report:


The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district.  

At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km²) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land areaand population.

Government

The west front of the United States Capitol, which houses the United States Congress

       The United States is the world's oldest surviving federation. It is a constitutional republic andrepresentative democracy. The government is regulated by a system of checks and balances defined by the U.S. Constitution, which serves as the country's supreme legal document. In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to three levels of government, federal, state, and local; the local government's duties are commonly split between county and municipal governments. In almost all cases, executive and legislative officials are elected by a plurality vote of citizens by district. There is no proportional representation at the federal level, and it is very rare at lower levels.

Barack Obama taking thepresidential oath of office from U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, January 20, 2009

         The United States has operated under a two-party system for most of its history.For elective offices at most levels, state-administered primary elections choose the major party nominees for subsequent general elections. 

Within American political culture, the Republican Party is considered center-right or conservative and the Democratic Party is considered center-left or liberal. 

Economy

           The United States has a capitalist mixed economy, which is fueled by abundant natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity. According to the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. GDP of $15.1 trillion constitutes 22% of the gross world product at market exchange rates and over 19% of the gross world product at purchasing power parity(PPP). Though larger than any other nation's, its national GDP is about 5% smaller than the GDP of the European Union at PPP in 2008. The country ranks ninth in the world in nominal GDP per capita and sixth in GDP per capita at PPP. The U.S. dollar is the world's primary reserve currency.

            The United States is the largest importer of goods and third largest exporter, though exports per capita are relatively low. In 2010, the total U.S. trade deficit was $634.9 billion. Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany are its top trading partners. In 2010, oil was the largest import commodity, while transportation equipment was the country's largest export. China is the largest foreign holder of U.S. public debt.

Transportation                                                                              

        Personal transportation is dominated by automobiles, which operate on a network of 13 million roads, including one of the world's longest highway systems. The world's second largest automobile market, the United States has the highest rate of per-capita vehicle ownership in the world, with 765 vehicles per 1,000 Americans. About 40% of personal vehicles are vans, SUVs, or light trucks. 

        Mass transit accounts for 9% of total U.S. work trips, ranking last in a survey of 17 countries. While transport of goods by rail is extensive, relatively few people use rail to travel,though ridership on Amtrak, the national intercity passenger rail system, grew by almost 37% between 2000 and 2010. Light rail development has increased in recent years but, like high speed rail, is below European levels. Bicycle usage for work commutes is minimal.

        The civil airline industry is entirely privately owned and has been largely deregulated since 1978, while most major airports are publicly owned. The three largest airlines in the world by passengers carried are U.S.-based; Delta Airlines is number one. Of the world's thirty busiest passenger airports, sixteen are in the United States, including the busiest, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Highway

                           

                     

                                                                            Airport

       

 Freeway

Education                                                                                                    

             American public education is operated by state and local governments, regulated by the United States Department of Education through restrictions on federal grants. Children are required in most states to attend school from the age of six or seven (generally, kindergarten or first grade) until they turn eighteen (generally bringing them through twelfth grade, the end of high school); some states allow students to leave school at sixteen or seventeen.About 12% of children are enrolled in parochial or nonsectarian private schools. Just over 2% of children are home schooled.

Harvard Law School Library in Langdell Hall at night

Religion                                                                                                                      

              

          The United States is officially a secular nation; the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and forbids the establishment of anyreligious governance. In a 2002 study, 59% of Americans said that religion played a "very important role in their lives", a far higher figure than that of any other wealthy nation. According to a 2007 survey, 78.4% of adults identified themselves asChristian, down from 86.4% in 1990. Protestant denominations accounted for 51.3%, while Roman Catholicism, at 23.9%, was the largest individual denomination. The study categorizes white evangelicals, 26.3% of the population, as the country's largest religious cohort; another study estimates evangelicals of all races at 30–35%. The total reporting non-Christian religions in 2007 was 4.7%, up from 3.3% in 1990. The leading non-Christian faiths were Judaism (1.7%), Buddhism(0.7%), Islam (0.6%), Hinduism (0.4%), and Unitarian Universalism (0.3%). The survey also reported that 16.1% of Americans described themselves as agnostic, atheist, or simply having no religion, up from 8.2% in 1990.

Sports                                                                                                               

        Baseball has been regarded as the national sport since the late 19th century, while American football is now by several measures the most popular spectator sport. Basketball and ice hockey are the country's next two leading professional team sports. College football and basketball attract large audiences. Boxing and horse racing were once the most watched individual sports, but they have been eclipsed by golf and auto racing, particularlyNASCAR. Soccer is played widely at the youth and amateur levels. Tennis and many outdoor sports are popular as well.

References: 

                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

                  http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL30527.pdf

                  http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/hestats.htm

                  http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d02/dt150.asp

                  ^ "Among Wealthy Nations...U.S. Stands Alone in its Embrace of Religion". Pew Global Attitudes Project. Pew Research Center. 2002-12-19. Retrieved 2008-10-23.

                        ^ Green, John C. "The American Religious Landscape and Political Attitudes: A Baseline for 2004". University of Akron Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics. Archived from the original on 2009-12-07. Retrieved 2007-06-18.

                         ^ "Doing Business in the United States (2006)". World Bank. Retrieved 2007-06-28.

                         ^ ^a b "USA Economy in Brief". U.S. Dept. of State, International Information Programs. Archived from the original on 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2008-03-12.

Transcript:

MD: Mengyao Ding(me)

TS:  Tiffany S

MD: Hi, Tiffany, thank you for meeting with me!

TS: Yap.

Md: would you mind i recording?

TS: Never.

MD: So let's start, are you busy for your study?

TS:   As a PSEO student, what my schedule  I also did spanish.     so i only have one class.

MD: so you can try this class when you are still in the high school?

TS: yes, that's nice.

MD:  so this class is for you to try this class before you go to university, i believe you have already knew SCSU a little, so do you any advice for example  What could SCSU do to make your stay on campus better?

TS: Make a better plan for schooling, for PSEO students,orientation, or be invited to before classes need to be officially signed up for. i think we should meet advisor, that will be a little help.   When I started first semester I took a class that didn’t count as anything but an elective. When I had a meeting mid semester, I was given a handout that showed the list of generals and what qualified as them. I think if the school did more involvement the success rates would be higher.

MD: yeah, i am looking for advice. because for me, i am not very sure my marjor, so i feel so confuse when i register the lessons. I also think the advisor could give more help.

TS: yeah,because you don't know which one there required taking.

MD: What are the typical greetings in your culture and what do they mean?

TS: probleby say hi, hello, and make a shake hand if you don't know a person, or a hug if you are very good friends, somebody in your family,. and ummm come just say hi, how are you...

MD: yeah, it remind  me of when i just arrive America, oh,  i have been America one and a half years,  even i met somebody we don't know each other, the guy also will say hello and smile to me. Such friendly. 

TS: yeah, i have one friend-move to another state, and he said when they were driving, people wave to them, just like there are some wrong with the car (laughing),  people just be friendly as they can, i think the Minnesota is very friendly, but mostly.

MD: like my feeling, MN is very friendly, all the people surround me are nice. They give me a lot of help and encourage.

MD: So how can you say "goodbye" if your friend will go to a vacation.

TS: UM, haha, probably hugs, and say "have a good vacation".

MD: oh, also hug...it's warmly.

TS: yeah, i like hugs. 

MD: Can you describe a typical day for your child's life?

TS: ummm,  for children who are still in the school like not college, they woke up at 6: 30 and eat breakfast with their family normally, and then go to school, some kids do half day and some kids do full day. and terrible 3 school are normly start at 8,  at 5.6 go back home, at and then come home to do homework with their family, or go to play computer or watch TV shows,

MD: so most of the kids will live in their home, will some kids live in school?

TS: yeah, they live in home. Most high school they live in home too.

MD: at what age will you start your study and will you under a lot of pressure?

TS:Most children start school when they are 5 or 6 years old. Pre-school is also very common around 3 or 4 years old.i think there is a lot of pressure in high school, Because i feel like i get good grades, have a job. to get  good grades,do a lot of better,  it not impossible, but it's hard.  and i think you will get a lot of pressure if you get   C or D in school, because there goes a.b.c.d.e.and f, if you get c or d that's not good. sometimes if even b is not good enough. People think you should have straight a is.

MD: when i am in china, i also always hear that American university is very difficult, however in high school it will be relax.

TS: yeah, high school is earlier than going to the university.

MD: it's complete different with China. because we are so busy with our study when we in high school, but in university, it will be very relax. hard to attend into university, easy to finish it.

TS: I think people in university are very serious (laugh) if they never go to party.

MD: haha, enjoy parties every day in university, but no party in high school. 

         and What religious holidays or other cultural events do you or others celebrate; can you explain your traditions for each?

TS: my family is really big, on Easter, Christmas, and also Thanksgiving. i am Christina,Easter is when we all get together, go to church to celebrate Jesus, and then have a family meal. Christmas normally consists of church also, and then spending the whole day together as a family. Thanksgiving is a time we get together and be thankful for everything we have and cherish.have a good meal Holidays are a time to cherish and make memories with 

family, not to fight between which family I need to be with.

MD: so as a Chirsmas, do you have any daily rituals in regards to your religious beliefs?

TS: pray.

MD: just pray?

TS: i will pray by time. I pray to God when I need help, courage, faith, assistance, and giving thanks. I strongly believe that God has made our life map. He does make life hard sometimes, but we gain strength and lessons from it all. I always pray when I lay down to bed at night, and if I am scared and come out of whatever situation I was in unharmed. I feel like my religion is a big part of who I am, and it always will be.

MD: What different modes of transportation are used in American, i know bus is always on time.

TS: a lot of people have cars, either that all taking the bus. most people if they are in cities, there is train, but it's not common in st.cloud. But i am sure i figure most people have cars.

MD: yeah, cars in america is much cheaper than in China, especially used cars. Even new cars also very cheap if compare with China.

TS: oh,wow, we are think it's high.

MD: Yeah, in china, it's expensive to buy a new car. But here most of my friends have cars, it's will be convenient for us to go out.

TS: yes, it's nice. have a car it a lot help.

MD: so will american take a train, or it's not very normal?

TS: it's depends. right now i think just city have trains and they try to expand to st.cloud, but right now in stcloud you wont ever take a train.

MD: i am dreaming to take a train to travel all over the America.

TS: yeah, i think it should be a lot of fun.

MD: especially for the route from LA to SF. we can see the sea,  it's said the way is very beautiful.

TS: yeah, i think it will be a lot of fun, a great people to say good morning...(laughing)

MD: (LAUGH) yap, maybe i should try. and what kind of government is charge of your home country, and how did it effect your life and how has democracy in America been a change?

TS:we have a democracy, and it has affected my life in many ways. I very much dislike that portion of our government but I love that it is ran by the people, for the people. I feel like it is much more difficult to not have a family in control and instead have elections for anyone to enter. I sometimes wonder how much more money we could all save in that way. In our government, although I do not mind it, I feel like we should be using our money for other uses.

MD: I know there are 2 party in America.

TS: yep, constitutional republic andrepresentative democracy.

MD: will they in turn to in charge of America?

TS: yap, they fight for it (laughing)

MD(laughing): if someone want to power as a president, will him or her give a speech in Minnesota?

TS: most time they do come every state. i am not question about mn, but they thet do evey state,

MD: they need to get the support from the people.

TS: yap.

MD:  could you describe famous sports in your country?

TS: i'd like to say football, then baseball coming in close next. Our society put a lot of emphasis on Sundays in football season. Many people put major emphasis on sports

MD: so will you always go to watch games?

MD:next question, have you tried other countries food, which country's food do you like the most? What are the similarities and differences between it and your own culture's food?

TS:Chinese food.

MD: have you ever tried to chinese restaurant? there are many chinese buffet here.

TS:yap, i have tried, and it taste good, although in the United States it has been changed to suit the taste of Americans. 

MD: so what's the difference?

TS: just like our culture does, but at the same time it is very different. For Chinese, it is made with different sauces. That is the one big difference of it from my own, rice is always eaten, and in huge portions. I really like Chinese, but at the same time I wish I could taste the true chinese food, i feel like it would be just as good,if not better.

MD: there are a really good chinese restaurant in city. named little Szechwan, the taste is nearly true.

TS: really, that's so nice. i'd like to try.

MD: also, can you image that you can taste the true chinese food now. 

TS(amazing): are you serious?

MD(take out the chinese food from my bag): i have brought some special food from my hometown, let you try.

TS(after try bamboo shoot a little): ummmmmm...

MD: taste not good? it should be. because we have the different taste, also we have the different definition for delicious food.

TS: yep, it taste really different. it's not bad.

MD: as i imagination, i want you taste the delicious food at the same time, you tell me secret about yourself that very few people here know about and that shows us well, who you are and what you stand for?

TS(laughing): a secret? it's a little tough. The biggest secret that I have is I hide my feelings, or push them away.

MD: that's meaning even though sometimes you are very upset, you also will smile and tell your friends nothing.

TS: yes, I am a very compassionate person, so I tend to put others feelings before my own.The biggest thing I stand for is living each day like it is your last. I know that is cliché, but with all the challenges my family has and is overcoming, it really is the truth. We all are not guaranteed tomorrow, so live today the best way possible.

TS: yeah.

MD: here we go. all the question are finished. But the interview does not. I brought i small gift for you, 

TS: oh, really?

MD: sure, thanks for your time, i know you are so busy with your wok. this is picture is pandas. My hometown is beautiful bamboo town filled with bamboos. as the food your tried, is bamboo shoot. there also many pandas live in my hometown.do you like pandas?

TS: yeah, oh my god, so cute. this is should my day.

MD: i wish you like.

TS: i love it.

MD: minnesota is so cold, you can use it in the summar.

TS:thank you so much.

MD: welcome, thanks for your time.

TS: oh, nope, thanks for your gift.

MD: let me give you a hug.

TS: haha, have a good night.

 .