Interview Reflection

The second interview was different from the first for a few reasons.  First, I wasn’t as nervous because I was more familiar with the interview process.  Second, I chose to interview someone from a different culture than I did in the first interview.  The reason I did this was because I had trouble setting up an interview with my first choice.  I think email is sometimes a slower form of communication.  Next time I will ask for their phone number to set up an interview time.  By choosing someone from a different culture I got a different perspective of two separate cultures that are different than western culture.  I really liked that but I think for my third interview I would like to talk with someone from the same culture that I already did an interview with. This way I can compare information from a previous interview.  Also, it will be easier for doing the country report. I will be able to add on missing information to make it more reliable.  For the second interview I didn’t choose to do anything all that different.  I found that things went well during the first interview so I didn’t change much.  I reserved a study room in advance because the location was quiet and comfortable for conducting the interview.  I also used the recording device on my computer because it is easy to transport, it isn’t complicated to use, and it is convenient for transcribing. The flow from the first interview was much more fluid than in the second interview.  My interviewee had awesome answers but I feel like I could have done a better job connecting the questions.  During my third interview I will try that.  I don’t know the exact amount of time I took to transcribe the second interview because I did it in a couple of sessions.  I would say it took a couple hours though.  I thought I did a pretty good job overall. I am satisfied with how well it turned out but there is always room for improvement.  I am happy that I finished before the deadline and put in the amount of work that I did. After reading through interviews I think that I am higher than the class average but we will see when scores are posted! I feel like a number of students in class did an excellent job as well.  The amount of effort they put in will show in their overall scores.

Interview 2; Top 3 Scores

1. Nicholas S-19 Points
2. Tiffany S- 18 Points
3. Wenting C- 18 Points


Overall Scores Here

Interview #2 (25-30 minutes)

Preparations


Going into my second interview I had the same objectives as the first interview.  My intentions were to gain a better understanding of a different culture than my own.  I am interested in knowing about their traditions, customs, food, religious beliefs, and daily activities. I would like to then compare this information to my own culture. I also want to know how it feels coming from a different culture to the United States. I thought about who I wanted to contact for my second interview.  I had a difficult time setting up a meeting with my first choice because of my conflicting work schedule.  I instead contacted my friend's fiance over the phone to set up an interview time. We decided on Monday 3/26/2012 at 6:00 pm in the library. Oswald is a student at St. Cloud State and is from the African country Burkina Faso. For the first interview I found that reserving a study room was an easy, quiet place to conduct the interview.  I chose this as my location again. I also used the recording device on my laptop as I did in the first interview. 


Description 


I thought the interview went very well.  Oswald had many interesting things to say about where he is from.  I really like how they are more of a collectivist culture.  There is more of a community feel rather than striving to always do things on your own.  He told me that during religious holidays the families in the neighborhood will cook meals and bring it to those who are of other religious faiths. For example, during Christmas it is tradition for Christians to cook and bring food to their Muslim neighbors and vise versa during Ramadan.  I thought it was really cool how they treat each other even though they have different religious beliefs.  He explained to me that he was taught religion is like if you decided you like the color blue and another person decides that they like red.  They are different yet they are still both colors.  He didn't see this as something negative.  I thought this was a very wise way to view religion.  I feel like if more people used this philosophy there would be less hate for people who are different than yourself. 


Country Report

     Burkina Faso is a small nation, about the size of Colorado, located in the north-western region of Africa.  It is surrounded on all sides sharing boarders with six neighboring countries including:    Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Niger.  

     The climate in this area varies by region and time of year.  The northern part of the country is located near the Sahara Desert making it very hot and dry. The southern part of the country is near the rain forests of the coastal regions.  The cool season is between the months of November and February.  The weather during this time is warm and cool in the evenings but dry and dusty.  During the months of March through June it is very hot.  The rainy season is July through September. During this time there is a lot of rainfall and the humidity is high.

    The French occupied this area from 1895 until Burkina Faso gain their independence in August 1960.  Over the next thirty years the government was overthrown by several military coups.  Today, the government is a Republic.  They have a multiparty democracy in which the citizen vote on elected officials. Before France took over this are, it was ruled by the Mossi tribe.  Today, they make up the largest ethnic population in this country.  Although numerous local dialects are spoken French is the national language.

   Main exports include cotton, gold, Shea butter, peanuts, and livestock.  Though the economy relies heavily on the cotton industry there has been a shortage in revenue due to recent droughts.  The gold industry is the third largest exporter for their country. Though they are one of the poorest countries in the world they have a fairly stable economy and government for a West African nation.

      The main staple food is called tô.  It is a paste made from corn flour and eaten with a sauce, often shea butter or groundnut paste.  Many of their dishes also are made up of rice, beans, chicken, and beef.

  (<---Picture of tô and sauce)

     Reading through some of the travel sites many say that Burkina Faso is a hidden gem yet to be discovered by travelers. The natural beauty of their national parks, quiet and friendly atmosphere of the cities, and the unique architecture draw the attention those seeking a different experience.   It is also home West-Africa's largest elephant population. Some other intriguing animals include lions, hippos, monkeys, warthogs, and antelope. 

http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Burkina-Faso.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107369.html
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2834.htm
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/burkina-faso


Transcription 

J=Justine(me)

O=Oswald P

J:  How are you doing today?

O:  Oh good, you?

J:  It’s nice to meet you, Oswald.  My name is Justine I am friends with ____

O:  Nice to meet you too.

J:  First I would like to ask, where are you from?

O:  I am from Burkina Faso.  It’s a French country located in west Africa.

J:  Ok, cool.  What was your schooling like there?

O:  I went to school there for 13 years then I went to school in another country for four years, then I moved here.

J: I see, and what do you go to school for?

O:  Information System and a minor in accounting.

J:  What would you like to do with your career after you graduate?

O: Umm, I probably want to work for a company like Google cause they do a lot of accounting and business intelligence. So it’s main processing data, analyzing data to find out different types of information.  Then, I eventually would want to try and open my own small business.

J:  Awesome. It sounds like you have a good idea about what you want to do in your career.

O:  Yea, Kind of.

J:  What do you think St. Cloud State could do to make your stay better on campus?

O:  So far, I think they are doing a pretty good job. One of the first things that allows me to be comfortable here is their tuition.  As an international student I don’t have access to financial aid.  So instead of paying the out of state tuition rate, which is twice the rate as in state tuition costs, I am allowed to pay like any other American student.

J: oh, so you pay the instate tuition, like a Minnesotan resident student would?

O: yea, and another thing that is appealing and makes me feel more at home is the diversity we have on campus. And they cultural events that they have. That’s kind of cool.

J: Cool, So is there anything that you can think back to when first coming here that you may not have liked?

O: Yea, the weather (laughs)

J: (laughs) the weather, so maybe they could build some more skyways or underground tunnels would make it a little better.

O: yea so nothing bad so far. Experience wise.

J: What age do you start school in your country?

O: I started school when I was three, that was kindergarten.  Then you move up the ladder.  The education system is 13 grades, and I think here it is twelve. We were colonized by the French so all of our education is taught in French.  So you grow up learning in that way.  In a larger extent when you travel a lot to other countries and cities you have to learn the local dialects.  So I had to learn three different dialects in order to communicate with my friends from different backgrounds. But yea, French was the medium for my school.

J: Oh so French was the main language and you know a total of three other languages?

O: Yea because I had many friends from different ethnic backgrounds.

J: Cool, is education highly valued in your country?

O: yea, especially in the cities. It is something that the older generation is pushing. So they provide enough financial support for their children to go to school. Since it is not free from kindergarten to high school. Parents have to make it a priority to save money to make it possible for kids to go to school. So it is really important.

J:  So, there isn’t like a public school system?

O: Even for the public school you have to pay a certain amount.  It is really expensive for the normal income level that the citizens are earning.

J: Are you under a lot of stress in school, either when you were younger or now?

O: Here more than when I was back home main because I have to pay for everything out of pocket. Like my living expenses and school.  At the end of each semester it amounts to a lot of money. In my culture it is more family oriented. And here is more individualistic so you miss that feeling of having friends or family you can count on even to just sit down and relax at night.

J: Yea, you miss that community based support.

O: yea it’s kind of lost.

J:  I like that.  What are some typical greetings in your culture, and what do they mean?

O: Ok, you probably already know in French you say Bonjour, it means good morning. Comment êtes-vous? is how are you? In one of the local languages you can say “foo foo” (unsure of spelling*) It means how are you?

J: Do you greet by shaking hands like on a professional basis or more so with friends?

O:  People are really friendly. Like strangers who never met like shake hands.  We don’t have that personal space issue.  We usually shake hands, with friends or family members we do what is called Bizu. It’s when you kiss on the cheek.

J: Can you tell me something about yourself that most people don’t know that would tell me about who you are?

O:  Can you be more specific?

J: Yea, can you tell me something about yourself that will tell me about your personality.

O:  Ok. What I get a lot is I don’t smile a lot and I seem to be strict but in reality I’m not. The reason I am always like that is because as a first born in my culture, you have a lot of responsibilities for your sisters and brothers who come after you.  So from the get go you are taught how to take things seriously and always better yourself.  You are constantly on a search for self improvement. You’re not really focused on what is in front of you, or have like a relaxed face because you are always thinking. Not stressed but you’re always seeking for ways to improve things. Like finding solutions to things.

J: Oh wow! That’s very good. So you are very caring and looking out for your younger siblings.

J: What countries food do you like the most, from what you have tried?

O:  Ok, hmm I like spicy food.  From the countries I have been too I think Ghana is the first country I was introduced with the spicy food. And then I tried Mexican food and it was really good. So I would say Mexican and Asian because of the vegetables. So I like both.

J: ok cool. That’s similar to me too. I love vegetables and spicy food. What are the similarities and differences to your own countries food?

O:  It my home country. It is landlocked, so we aren’t by the sea.  What is happening in Africa, the countries that are along the sea tend to have spicy food. And landlocked countries tend to have just normal flavors.   A normal meal would be rice, and tomato, and beef sauce, or chicken.  We also have beans.  We have a special corn paste, it’s not like a cake, but you can call it a cake because of the consistency. You use that with a special sauce.

J: Oh, nice.  So do you eat a lot of food at home or do you eat out like at fast food places?

O: No, no we don’t support that much fast food.  They tried to implement that before but it did work because I think people tend to eat together. Like my typical day would be go to school come back and then eat with my family at noon and then go to school and come back and eat around 7:30. So I have to do that with my family.  Everyone doesn’t just stop and grab something.  So the fast food style of living is not present there.

J:  Yea, so not like in America where were always on the go. I like that, the family values and getting together.

J: What are some religious or cultural events that you celebrate?

O:  My country is made up of I would say 60% Christian and 40% Muslim.  The perception here about Muslims is kind of, negative.  The association that people have with Muslims is their view about Iraq. But in my country its more, religion is not too extreme.  So what is happening is that you have your neighbor who is Muslim. People don’t look at it as someone who is different or different religion.  What is happening is we celebrate Christmas or Easter and when we do, it is kinda of tradition to cook and bring it to the neighbor who is Muslim.  Then the Muslim who celebrates Ramadan and when it’s their holiday. They bring it to the Christians.  So its kinda like they mingle.  It’s not just a Christian set of relations. Everything is celebrate.

J:  Everything is more community based. I like that.  So you don’t say they are someone other.

O:  No not like that.  When I traveled it is when I realized people differentiate Islam and Christianity.  When I grew up the explanation was that you decided that you like blue and the other person decided they like red.  That’s the way to pray the same god. Kind of. So yea, like I didn’t see that as something that was negative because I didn’t experience like what happened at 9/11.  I didn’t experience that so I didn’t make that association. People who did experience that definitely make that association and say these people can be bad. It’s like the experience you go through that will give you the perception of what is around you.

J:  I like that how you can be in the same community and get along well. Very cool.  I feel like there should be more of that here in the US.

O: Yea, lets hope.

J:  Do you do anything on a daily basis in regards to your religious beliefs?

O:  Growing up I was given the option to be Christian or Muslim. At an early age, up to ten I was told you need to go to church, that’s what you need to do to follow religion.  After ten I was given the option of what I wanted to do.  To worship god being a Muslim or Christian.  But the problem was that Christianity is so fragmented that from one church to another I received a different interpretation of the bible. So I decided it would not be good for me to just listen to someone talk about his perception or translation of the Bible. So I am more of a spiritual person meaning that I think the rules or commandments that are in the Bible, I make it my daily practices.  Like no offending anyone, is a rule that if you apply to your life won’t do you bad but will do you good. So im not going to church and being , how do you say that?

J: Like a follower of the preacher.

O: yea, like I interpret that and I apply it to my own life.

J: cool, I really like your views on that.  What are some major modes of transportation in your country.

O:  Motorcycles.  We drive those a lot. The reason for that is because they are cheap.  Our country has had a relationship with China a lot and their labor is really cheap there so their products are more affordable to our country. So what is happening, the parents have their own cars and the kids to get to school have to use motorcycles. I grew up in high school using the motorcycle.  The public transportation system is not that developed so you can’t rely on that if you were going to school. Main just if you were going to the market.

J:  Does you guys have any train transportation or subway system?

O: oh no not yet.  What we have in train systems that link countries. So for instance when I was 19 I took a trip to see my mother she was two countries away. So I took a bus to the first country then I took a train to her country was in Senegal. We have train system that links countries but not within the country as public transportation.

J: What kind of government is in charge of your country?

O:  It is  mixed.  I would say 80% Democracy.  When you have a population that is not that alliterate you cannot allow them to make decisions.  So what is happening the president brings up issues that we have but the take the impute of everybody would be a problem. But yea I would say it’s a democracy.

J: So you vote for your president and he is elected for a certain amount of time?

O: yea then when his time is done we have another electoral campaign. If he is voted out then he’s out. But so far he has been consistent people like him. He’s been there for three terms.

J: How long has your country had its independence from France?

O: Umm, I don’t really remember. I would say umm, like 30 years it was 2 or 3 years before I was born.

J: oh ok, is there any famous sports people like to watch in your country?

O: Yea soccer. Soccer is really good, I grew I playing and watching soccer. It is the biggest national sport played. Yea soccer is the main.  After that I would say basketball, tennis, and volleyball.

J: So no hockey, huh? (laughs)

O: (laughs) No, no ice. It’s really hot. I think that was the main thing I struggled with coming here. Cause back home the coldest it gets is 60 degree.  It was really shocking when I got here.

J:  Did they warn you how cold it is here?

O: yea actually when I went for my visa interview the consoler, he was from Washington and has been to Minnesota. When he saw my application he was like why are you going to Minnesota? Oh I don’t know. I have a family friend who lives there and says it is a good place. He’s like ooh you better change it. He described his experience coming here. He is from the US but he went to cold places but Minnesota was no. Was a no no place for him. I was warned but I didn’t think it would be that extreme.

J: yea but you’ve tolerated it.

O: Yea now im used to it. I think I committed to it because I’ve gotten into the winter sports like snowmobiling. That keeps your mind off of it.

J: Cool, well that is the end of my interview. Is there anything else you would like to add about yourself or your culture that we didn’t go over.

O: The only thing I’ll add is how the world system is different. A typical day in my country you would get up, get ready, be at school, at noon you would leave school and join your family. So you would have a two hour break. Then go back to school. And then come home.  The same thing in the workplace. You go home for a nap around noon. Then go back to work and have three or four more hours.

J: Oh so people are more relaxed and refreshed.

O: Yea more relaxed.

J: wow I wish they had that in the US! Well, I would like to thank you for doing this interview with me. It was nice chatting with you and learning about a culture that I don’t know much about!

O: yea no problem. Thank you.

Region Presentation

 Nicholas—Saudi Arabia
Ashley—Somalia
Tiffany—Germany
Justine—Saudi Arabia

Similarities

-We didn't have any problems talking to our interviewees.
-The person we interviewed learned a little bit about our culture.
-Each turned out more of a conversation than a formal interview.
-The schooling systems are similar among the countries: children go to kindergarten at young ages followed by an intermediate school, and then a high school.

Differences

-In Germany the major religion is Christianity, and the other countries are Islam.  This may be because western countries are predominantly Christian.

-In Somalia education is not a high priority unlike in Germany and Saudi Arabia

-Rice is a staple food in middle-eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and Somalia, but not in Germany
-Germany and Saudi Arabia have many fast food restaurants, but countries like Somalia mainly cook their meals.
-Germany's infrastructure is very developed resulting in networks of highway systems, the Autobahn, railway and metro systems.  Many people travel by bus, train or metro systems.
-In Saudi Arabia they mostly travel by car. There is also one train that goes throughout the country.
-In Somalia they rely mostly on walking, camel, and buses for transportation. 


               

Interview #1

Preparations:

Before conducting the interview I made a plan of objectives as a basis to what I wanted to gain from the interview.  I came to the conclusion that I wanted to have a better understanding of a different culture than my own.  I am interested in knowing about their traditions, customs, food, religious beliefs, and daily activities. I would like to then compare this information to my own culture. I also want to know how it feels coming from a different culture to the United States. I thought about who I wanted to interview. I chose Faisal from Saudi Arabia as my first interviewee because he is from a culture which I am not very familiar.  To set up the interview I sent a brief email explaining my intentions and asked him what day and times work best.  I made sure to accommodate his schedule. We decided on Friday March 16 at 10:00am in the library.  I arrived at the library 30 minutes early to reserve a study room and print off my list of questions.  I used the recording device on my computer.  This was very easy and convenient to use.

Description:

Overall I thought the interview went very well.  At first I was a little nervous about doing the interview because I wanted to make sure I asked the correct questions without being intrusive.  Faisal was very easy going and had many interesting things to say about his country, Saudi Arabia.  From my understanding there are some similarities to the United States but also many differences.  For example, The education system seemed to be very similar to ours.  From a young age children start kindergarten and go until they finish high school.  Then they can choose to move on to college.  The government is very different, however.  The government is controlled by a monarchy and ruled by a royal family in which you must be born into.  Their government also reflects the values of their religion. This is very different from the United States which has separated church from the state.


Country Report:

Saudi Arabia is a fairly large country located in the region known as the Middle East region. To get a visual idea of its location the boardering countries include Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.  It is situated just to the east of Africa, divided by the Red Sea.  The history of the Saudi Arabian peninsula dates back thousands of years.  However, the current government has been ruled by the Saud family since roughly 1750.  Their government is ruled by a monarchy in which you must be born into. 

Saudi Arabia is known as the birthplace of Islam.  Many of their laws are based on the laws of Islam.  Religion plays a major role in their everyday lives.  Each day they pray five times a day including before sunrise, at noon, afternoon, at sunset, and at night.  There are two major holidays celebrated in Islam.  The first is called Eid al-ahad. It comes after Al-hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. Every year, thousands of Muslims make a journey to Mecca as a form of worship.  After returning from this journey they celebrate by sacrificing a sheep or lamb and distributing the meat to family, friends, and the poor.  Another holiday they celebrate is Eid al-Fitr, which follows the one month of fasting called Ramadan.  During this holiday they gather with family and friends.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107947.html

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/islamicholidays.html

Transcription

Me:  How long have you been going to St. Cloud State?

F:  I went to the English center here for two semesters and I am a freshman now and this is my second semester at the university. So this equals three years almost.

Me: ok, cool. What is your major?

F:  Finance.

Me: good, that was my brothers major, he graduated from here.

F:  What is your major?

Me: I am majoring in Travel and Tourism with a minor in human relations and women’s studies.

F:  Cool, very nice.

Me:  Yea, So where are you from?

F: Saudi Arabia.

Me:  So in the Middle East?

F: Yes, Middle East.

Me:  Ok cool, What do you think St. Cloud State could do to make your stay better?

F:  Well, I told the previous interviewers that I went to college in Saudi Arabia and everything there is free. So free education and everything. So I noticed that the parking lots here you have to pay. Every time you park, even a few minutes, not even a whole hour. So I suggest that they make permanent permission for parking for a certain price instead of paying a dollar or so. I thought that would be a great idea.

Me: Ok cool, I can understand your frustration. I drive, I commute so I understand.

F: Yea, I come here sometimes just to print. If they gave me a permit card that would be great for the whole semester so I don’t need to worry about it.  One time I came here just to print for a few minutes and I got a ticket for ten dollars. It’s not fair.

Me: yea it’s really not and if you try parking on the street you will be late for class. When did you start school? You can talk about your elementary education, high school through college.

F:  I went to kindergarten when I was five and stayed there for one year. Then I went to preschool then middle school and high school. So it’s pretty much the same.  We have three levels in high school, three in middle school, and six in preschool.

Me: Alright.

F:  The high school was pretty stressful for me because we don’t get to learn English in middle school we start at high school. It is pretty late for us to learn it.  But the education system, they changed it.  So children are learning English from preschool now.  Which is great.

Me: Yea that’s really good!

F:  Then I went to college for one year and then decided to come here.

Me:  So is there a program through your college that allows you to come here? How does that work?

F:  If you finish college in four years they send you out for master’s degree otherwise you fill out an application to come here right out of high school. You can decide to do a masters or bachelors.

Me: Oh ok, How would you describe a typical day for a child in your country? Or a typical day as you were growing up?

F: Ok well, I will describe mine.  When I was little I would get up in the morning, I would go to school, I would finish school at 1:00. I would get back and we would have lunch as a family, we have to do that. After that I watch TV for two hours, then do homework with my mom.  After that go out and play soccer with my friends. That’s it. Pretty normal life.

Me:  Yea that sounds similar. Pretty typical, normal life. What is your family life like?

F:  Well I have three brothers, no sisters. We’re a small family, not the extended family where my grandparents live with us. No were just a small family.

Me: So just mom, dad, brothers and you.

F: Yea

Me:  What do your brothers do?

F:  Well, my oldest brother works in a laboratory at a hospital, the second one is a pharmacist, but he is studying here with me. He got his diploma but decided to come here to get his bachelor degree. And the third one is a networker. And they are all married.

Me: o wow, smart family.

F: yea

Me: good, do you miss your family?

F: A lot.

Me: yea, how often do you get to go home?

F: Every summer.

Me: oh good!

F: So my country sends us here on a full scholarship, we get one ticket every year to come back.

Me: oh so the plane ticket is part of your scholarship. That’s awesome!

Me:  How do you greet people in your culture? Maybe professionally, to your elders, or on a friend to friend basis?

F:  Well, we greet almost everyone by shaking hands. Either we know them or don’t. So it is appropriate to shake hands even if we don’t know the person very well. For the very older men, personally I kiss their hands or head. It is out of respect. For the close friends or family we hug sometimes. We kiss cheek a lot. That’s basically it. But we don’t do that with girls, obviously. It is out of our religion. Unless they are related.

Me: Oh ok, so if they are related to you. So what religious holidays or events do you celebrate?

F:  We have two celebrations in my religion. It is called Eid al-Fitr, it comes after one month of fasting. We call that Ramadan. We don’t eat from sunrise to sunset. For a whole month. After that comes the celebration Eid al-Fitr.  Every morning we wake up and there is a special prayer, then we eat breakfast, then we visit our siblings. On that day, if I don’t see my uncle for a whole year, I have to see him on that day. So it’s kind of a gathering. We get together.

Me: Ok, with your family and you celebrate your religion.

F:  The other one is called Eid al-ahad. We do that for the people who just came from Hajj. It is when we go to Mecca. I don’t know if you have heard of it.

Me: Yea, it’s like the journey to Mecca.

F: Yea, they go Mecca and visit the house of god. When they come back we kill sheep for them. And distribute the food for the poor people.

Me: And what is your religion?

F: Islam.

Me: What do you do on a daily basis for your religion? Do you practice daily?

F:  We pray five times a day.  We pray once before the sun rise, one at noon, afternoon, the sunset, and then at night. You don’t have to pray at the exact time. Like I don’t get up in the early morning before sunset but it is better to do that. But we have to pray five times a day.

Me:  What kind of food do you like most, which country, and can you explain the similarities and difference to your own country’s food.

F: I love pastas. I love Italian food and my own country’s food.  So my country’s food is mostly rice we make a lot of food with rice. We have a popular food called Kabsa. A lot of American’s love Kabsa. I saw youtubers like it and learn how to make it. It’s basically rice and chicken, you can do beef too. Then you put tomato salsa on it.  So it’s very popular. You should try it.

Me: mm sounds really good, you’re making me hungry. Do you guys eat any couscous?

F: No, that is let me see, that is Tunisian food. I think. I’ve never tried it have you?

Me: mmhum

F: is it good?

Me: yea I liked it. What are the modes of transportation you use in your country?

F: We mostly use cars. We use busses when we need to go to Mecca or long distance. Unfortunately we have one train that goes through the whole country. And it passes through three cities. So yea mostly cars.

Me: do you drive?

F: in my country the boy gets a car at 18,19,20. They get a car to drive the family.

Me: so you started driving when you were 18?

F: Yea

Me: cool, what kind of government is in control of your home country? And how has it been different living in the U.S.?

F:  It is totally different.  We have a kingdom. So when the King dies his brother or son will come after him. In the United States it is totally different you vote for the president. I really like that because you get a say who will be the president. I don’t think ours will be like that, ever.

Me: ok, what kind of sports are in your country?

F: Well we play different sports like basketball, we don’t have baseball or volleyball, the most popular is the soccer game. I am not a big fan of sports but yea. We don’t have American football either. Or baseball.

Me: So, mostly basketball and soccer.

F: yea

Me: ok cool. Yea soccer is definitely a bigger sport all around the world except in the US.

Me: is there anything else you would like to add to our conversation today?

F:  Well part of my culture that I like in the US and I wish my country had was women get to say a lot of things, even if they aren’t equal, but I think they are equal. So women here are allowed to drive, work, travel without a legal guardian. So women in my country are not allowed to drive. They are allowed to travel but they have a legal guardian with them or permission from the legal guardian.

Me: so that would be her husband…

F: yea husband or father. Yea I wish it was a little more open. I would like that to change.

Me:  That is how it kind of used to be for women in the United States. Women didn’t get the right to vote until the 1920’s and then finally got the right. I don’t think it was until the 70’s that they started getting equal rights like in the work place. So there were a lot of protests and women fighting together for the rights. So maybe someday it could happen.

F: I hope so. I mean it has been a long time. There was a campaign that women tried to drive in my country.  They made some problems when she did that. But it’s a try. I’m looking forward to seeing more of that.

Me: Great. Is there anything else?

F: no that is it.

Me:  Well thank you for coming and meeting with me. It was nice hearing about a culture that I don’t know much about.

F: yea ask anything else. Even in class later.