My second interview with Maryjean

 

1- Preparation.

Description of preparations:

We have written an objective in the class before I did the interview. This objective answered the questions (why, with whom, and how) referring the interview with our classmates. We also wrote ten questions together as a class. However

, I added five more questions of my own. So the total questions are 15.

How did I approach people?

I have been here is St. Cloud for 2 years. So I get know some people from different countries. However, I was talking with one of my friend, her name is Maryjean. She is from United States and I was telling her about my project. Maryjean is very respectful and helpful parson. We set up a meeting to do the interview. On Sunday, October 19th Maryjean and I met in the library and we did the interview.

How did I conduct the interview?

I conducted the interview as I mention on Sunday, October 19th at St. Cloud library. We enjoyed some coffee and small talk. I was expanding to her why do I interview her. I gave her some basic information about my course, which is English 191. The big challenge was when I asked her to record the interview. She was a little nervous and she asked me if we could do the interview with out recording. I was giving her more information about my project. I was telling her that I have to record the interview and then I have to transcript it. Maryjean allowed me to record.  However, I took out my phone and we started the interview.

Who did I interview?

 

Maryjean is student at St. Cloud state university and her major is advertising. Maryjean is from United States little falls Minnesota. Maryjean has many reasons to choose St. Cloud state university. I will mention one of them. According to Maryjean the main reason for her to choose St. Cloud state university is because it so close from her hometown.

 

2- Report interview.

Description of the interview:

I made sure to have good posture, so she would know I am interested in what she has to say and am also respectful.  I also made sure I let her talk for as long as she wanted about a topic. Sometimes, I would ignore my question list for a little bit if we were becoming engaged in conversation from a previous question.  The interview went very well because she was very open and willing to talk about both her personal experiences in United States and more of a generalized description of what she knew about United States.  There were no topics that made her uncomfortable and not want to discuss. So the interview went very good for both of us and I was able to learn more from Maryjean about United States. During the interview I was not surprised that much because I have been living in the United States for a while so I already know how the life is going but it was very good to me to know more details.

3- Country report.

Introduction and background:

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world’s most powerful nation state. Since the end of World War II, the economy has achieved relatively steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Location:

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico.

Area:

Total: 9,826,675 sq. km

Country comparison to the world: 3

Land: 9,161,966 sq. km

Water: 664,709 sq. km

Note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union.

Land boundaries:

Total: 12,034 km

Border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km

Note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km.

Natural resources:  

Coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, and timber

Note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total.

Natural hazards:

Tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development.

Volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (elev. 4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (elev. 4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed "Decade Volcanoes" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlov (elev. 2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (elev. 2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell; in Hawaii: Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood.

People and society:

Languages:  English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Note: the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 28 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii.

Religion:

Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

As my interviewees told me the proportion has been changed every year.

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

 

Interview report:

 1.How do you communicate with each other in your home country?

In America most people communicate through texting when it comes to long distance. Phone calls would probably come second with communication; otherwise social networks are used primarily with the younger generation.

2 What is the clothing style for men and women?

Men and women dress pretty casually in America compared to other countries and are free to dress how they like. Guys wear jeans And t-shirts, girls too and sometimes informal dresses.

3 How are women and men treated differently?

Men and women are finally coming to a point of equality in many ways. Just 60 years ago women were typically stay at home moms and husbands would be the ones to go to work. It definitely isn't equal between men and women now but it is better than it was.

4 How has your experience here helped you interpret and respect cultural differences? 

Well I'm not studying abroad, but going to college with such a range of diversity has changed my viewpoint completely. I've learned from course materials and from meeting people about so many cultures.

5 Do you enjoy speaking with other exchange students?

Yeah it's actually super interesting for me! I've considered studying abroad and I'm thinking about an international business minor

6. How long have you been in the United States?

My whole life.

7. Have you been able to visit any other parts of the United States?

Yes. My uncle lives in Los Angeles, so I've been there a few times and am going again soon. I also have been to a few other states like Montana and Arizona

8. What are your home country’s major religions?

I would have to say Christianity but now with the us changing so much I'm not entirely sure. There isn't one overall religion, and there are many facets of Christianity that its hard to think of it as one overall religion.

9. What influenced you to come to the United States? Especially, Saint Cloud State?

Well what influenced me to go SCSU  was that it was close to my mom’s home. And it also had a good mass communications program. I'm considering transferring though.

10. Do you have any questions for me? I have asked so many of you!

I would have questions for you but I already asked them all of you.

11. What is your favorite food..?

My favorite food is pizza. I love all different foods but for some reaon pizza and ice cream are my weaknesses.

12. How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I have 2 sisters and a brother. They're all younger than me and still live with my mom. They're only 30 miles away but I miss them all the time.

13. Where did you grow up.?

I lived in the cities area until I was 7 then we moved to little falls which is where I lived until I came to SCSU.

14. How many languages did you speak?

Sadly, only English. I plan to learn more though.

15. What are major holidays in your country?

Christmas is the main holiday I would say; Halloween is more for fun though.