Interview # 3

Englis 191 section 27
Interviewer: Chancelvie Louzolo
Intervee: Chi-Hoang
Date of the interview: 11/04/11




                                          


Me: Hi Chi.
Chi: Hi Chancelvie
Me: How are you?
Chi: I am ok, and yourself?
Me: I am doing very good. Thank you very much for asking. How was your weekend?
Chi: My weekend was good, I just wish that it could be a little bit longer.
Me: Why?
Chi: Because it was  so fast and I have to go back to school tomorrow.
Me: I know, I wish the same thing sometimes. What did you do during the weekend?
Chi: I was busy writing my papers.
Me: Yeah, when are they due?
Chi: My papers are due on Thursday, but I wanted everything to be ready before the end of the weekend. I will submit them on Tuesday, I do not like waiting until last day.
Me: That is really good, and smart thing to do. How old are you?
Chi: I am 22 years old.
Me: Where are you from?
Chi: I am from Vietnam.
Me: Where exactly in Vietnam are you located?
Chi: I used to live in Hanoi.
Me: Is Hanoi the capital of your country?
Chi: Yes, it is our capital.
Me: How long have you been here?
Chi: You mean in St. Cloud or US?
Me: Both please.
Chi: I have been in this country for three years. I was in St Paul  when I first came in this country. Then I transfered here in St Cloud after six months.
Me: Ok, did you not like St. Paul?
Chi: I did, but I like it here more because St. Cloud is really calm, I think it is a good place for me to study.
Me: So, what is your major?
Chi: My major is International business.
Me: What is the education system in your country?
Chi: Our education system is fine, but the US education system is better than ours.
Me: So I think you are happy to be a student in the US.
Chi: Yes, I was the happiest person when my father announced me that I was coming to study in this country.
Me: really? Was it your father decision?
Chi: Yes, it was his decision, and I could not be here if my father did not agree.
Me: Do a lot of people have a chance to go to college?
Chi: Not really, because in my country students have an exam that consists of comprehension achievement test in six subjects which are math, literature, foreign language and three alternative subjects. In order to graduate, students must have a grade of eight to ten. If the student's grade is below eight he or she will be disqualified for university entrance.
Me: Can you explain to me a little bit about the grade? What would eight or ten be in US grades?
Chi: If students have eight as a grade in my country, it means that they have eighty percent out of hundred. And if they have ten, it means that they have done an excellent job with a grade of hundred percent.
Me: Ok, thank you for explaining it to me because when I hear eight and ten; I thought that it meant eight or ten out of hundred.
Chi: No, it is not like that.
Me: Ok, what is the most famous food in your country?
Chi: Rice noodle soup is the most popular food in my country. In vietnam we call it pho, and it serves in restaurants, ans also at home.
Me: What are your meals like? Are they big or small?
Chi: Our meals are not big in size.
Me: Ok, what is the value of family in your country?
Chi: In my country, family is the basic institution in the society. When we talk about family ,it means your parents, your siblings, the husband parents, son's wives and their children. In Vietnam, when parents are old they never live by themselves or in  nursing homes like people do in this country. In my country, elderly have to live with their children; usually with their eldest son.
Me: How about if they do not have a son?
Chi: Parents will live with their eldest daughter, it is really important to have a son because a son would assume the duties of his father when he dies.
Me: Do you have brothers?
Chi: Yes I do.
Me: How many brothers do you have?
Chi: I have two brothers, and I am the only girl.
Me: Who is oldest between three of you?
Chi: I am the second child of my parents, one is older and one is younger than me.
Me: So, I think your family is very happy because you have an elder brother who will assume the duties of your father when he dies. And also your parents will be living with their eldest son.
Chi: Yes, but I wish that my parents would live with me when they get old.
Me: Why?
Chi: I do not know, maybe because I love them so much.
Me: Ok, you can visit them three times a week or have your house close to your brother's house then you can frequently see your parents.
Chi: I think you are really right, you know I have never thought about it. That is a good idea.
Me: I am glad that you like my opinion. What is the family structure in your country?
Chi: What do you mean?
Me: I mean, who is the head of the family in your country?
Chi: The father is the head of the family, he is never expected to work in the kitchen or to cook. The father has the final decision in all matters.
Me: What are the holidays that you celebrate in your country?
Chi: We celebrate the Tet that is the Vietnamese new year, we also celebrate the mid-autumn festival and other religious and non religious festivals.
Me: How do you celebrate those holidays?
Chi: The Tet is is the most Vietnamese celebration. It is celebrated in family, and lasts for three days. In practices, it is closer to a week or ten days. The festival occurs sometimes between late January or February. Gifts of foods are made to friends,neighbors and  relatives in the days before the Tet. And the mid-autumn festival is the second most popular Vietnamese celebration. It is celebrated in mid- September to early October. Most groups celebrate the mid-autumn festival on a weekend. And the mid-autumn festival is celebrated on the night of Lunar August 15th, the streets are full of people buying festival stuff such as cakes, candies, the toy animal made of rice dough, the dragon heads and faces of the earth God made of paper are displayed everywhere in the markets.
Me: Is the mid-autumn festival like Halloween?
Chi: Not really, I will say maybe similar to the Halloween because it does also include children, but they did not go and knock on people's doors. On that day, children happily play with toys.The toys are made from various different forms: the lion lead, the animal in folk tales and stories
Me: Ok, that is really interesting. What are the highlights in your culture?
Chi: Like what?
Me: Like things that will make people think immediately about your country?
Chi: I cannot really tell, because most of the time people think that we are Chinese. When some people see Asians, they think that all of them are Chinese, and that is not true because Asia is a continent. Asia has a lot of countries; so Vietnamese are part of Asia, but they are not Chinese.
Me: Have you ever met people who thought that you were Chinese?
Chi: Yes, I have met many people who thought that I was from China.
Me: Are you mad when  people think that you are Chinese?
Chi: Not at all, it just surprised me in the beginning, but now I know that some people have difficulty distinguishing Vietnamese from Chinese or other Asians. I am fine with that.
Me: That nice for being very understanding. How does is home culture different from the US culture?
Chi: Our culture is very different from US culture. Vietnamese avoid talking about feelings, and they are very polite. Children in Vietnam are taught to think deeply before they speak. Here people can divorce whenever they would like too. A smile is appropriate as a response to an expression such as thank you or I am sorry.
Me: Can you please explain a little bit about the smile being an expression of thank you or I am sorry?
Chi: Yes, It just a way of saying thank you or sorry; when someone smiles with you in my country. For instance, when someone pays a compliment to another person, a thank you is not expected in return.  Instead, the recipient will acknowledge it with a smile.
Me: Ok, that is interested to know, and thank for explaining it to me.
Chi: It is my pleasure.
Me: Can you tell me a little bit about marriage in your country?
Chi: What do you want to know?
Me: Anything
Chi: In my county marriage is a really important. When women get married in Vietnam, they have to obey to their husband's instructions because men in my country are considered the head of the family. Women have to cook for their spouses and children, and also take care of the household. Women cannot divorce their husbands in if they are not happy in their marriages. Women have to stay because of  children. Divorcing is a shameful act to do in my country.
Me: Can women in your country get married to foreign men?
Chi: Yes, they can. There are some women who do not want to get married to Vietnamese men.
Me: Why?
Chi: There are women who think that they will not be happy if they are married to Vietnamese men.  The reason that those women would like to have foreign men as their spouse, is because they have to obey to their husbands instructions. Once they get married to Vietnamese men, they cannot file for a divorce, even if they are not happy at all.
Me: So, people do not divorce in Vietnam?
Chi: People divorce in Vietnam, but it is not a common thing to do. Most of women who file for divorce, are economically independant, but it is still seen as a black mark on the family.
Me: Yeah, I am really surprised. Thank you so much, Chi, for providing me your useful information, and thank you for your time.
Chi: You welcome.


                                       Country report

          Vietnam is a long, narrow country in the southeast of the Asian continent. "The country is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the south China sea" (Senauth 3).  Hanoi is its capital, and the country has a population of 78 million. Vietnam ranks 13th among the most populous countries in the world. Thirty percent of the Vietnamese population live in urban areas and seventy percent in rural areas. People age 15 to 60 account for almost half of the country’s population. Vietnam is 332,322 square kilometers, and the country was once divided into two parts, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Vietnam’s flag is red with one yellow star in the middle; red stands for communism and yellow for Vietnam. Vietnam has a communist government and it is located in the tropical zone. Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam. Foreign language learning, particularly English, is popular among young people in many cities such as: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh , Hue, Da Nang and other. Tourist guides can speak English, French, Russian, Chinese and Japanese. This research paper will be focused on Vietnam political system, climate, trade and what the country produces and exports.
                The political system of Vietnam is defined by a single-party socialist republic framework where the President is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government. The country gained its independence in September 1945. The country's government powers are composed of three branches. The first branch is called the executive in which, the president is considered to be the head of the state, and is elected by the national assembly with a term of five years. The Vietnamese president has the power or right to declare a state of emergency and war. In addition to the president, the country is headed by the prime minister who is also elected by the national assembly. There are also deputy prime ministers and others. The second branch is the Legislative whose power is vested in the National Assembly of Vietnam, and is responsible for things such as foreign policies, socio- economics, defense and security issues, and also controls activities all over the state.  Finally, the third branch is called the Judiciary, which is based on socialist legality. It has a chief judge who is elected by the national assembly, but only the socialist republic has the power to nominate or dismiss deputy chief judges and judges at the chief judge's request.
          Vietnam's climate changes according to the seasons. Its climate is characterized by high temperature and humidity that vary depending on its seasons, and regions. For instance, the north side of Vietnam has a highly humid tropical monsoon climate with four distinguishable seasons which are: spring, summer, autumn and winter and are influenced by the Northeast and Southeast monsoons. The south side of Vietnam has a tropical climate characterized by dry and rainy seasons. It rains a lot in South Vietnam, and the annual average rainfall stands between 1,500 mm and 2,000 mm. Most of the time it is warm from the beginning to the end of the year in south Vietnam, while in the north, especially in mountainous regions like Sa Pa, Tam Dao and Hoang Lien Son, the temperature sometimes reaches zero degree. There is also a lot of snow in the north of Vietnam.
           Vietnam trades with many countries and produces many products. Vietnam’s trading partners include China, Japan, Australia, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States and Western Europe. Last year, Vietnam's total international trade, including both exports and imports, was valued at approximately two hundred billion.
         Vietnam has become a major exporter of agricultural products. It is now the world's largest producer of cashew nuts, with a one-third global share; the largest producer of black pepper, accounting for one-third of the world's market; and the second-largest rice exporter in the world, after Thailand. Other primary exports include coffee, tea, rubber, and fishery products.



          



                                                Work cited

Dahi, Michael. Countries of the World: Vietnam. Minnesota: Mankato, 1998. print.
Parker, Edward. Countries of the World: Vietnam. London, 2005.print.
Senauth, Franck. The Making of Vietnam. New York: Broomington, 2012.print.


                                      Before the interview


         The third interview was less stressful that the first and the second. It was not hard for me to find my interviewee. I met Chi three weeks ago when I was invited by one of my friends who wanted me to attend Asian organisation meeting. I thought that it was interesting to me to attend the meeting, just to multiply my chances about finding interviewees. I was so happy when she had told me that she was from Vietnam because that was the third country that I have chosen for my interview. Chi was a nice and friendly person. I though that it will be interesting if she could accept to be interviewed. Fortunately, at the end of the meeting, I have talked to her about my research paper, and asked her if she would like to be interviewed. She accepted to be interviewed and told me to just remind her a week before the interview then we could set an appointment.
      I have done exactely what she had told me to do. I contacted Chi by text messaging the week before the interview. I told her that I was available from Friday to Sunday. She could not make it before Sunday because she was busy,but the good news was that she could have time on Sunday. We finally made an appointment on Sunday afternoon. When I found out that Chi was busy, even though that I already set up an appointment with her; I started looking for another international student from who was from Vietnam. I went to atwood, and went to look for the Asian organization's president. The reason that I contacted the Asian  organization's president was because I believed that it could be the easiest way to find an interviewee through him. The president of Asian organization was named Binh, he was so nice to me, and was ready and happy to help me finding an intervewee from the students that he knew who were from Vietnam. I had received some e-mail addresses from Binh which were from St. Cloud State UniversityVietnamese students. He had told me to e-mail them. I had promised me that he was going to contact them, and ask them if they could be interviewed. I just wanted to multiply my chances because it is so stressfull when an interviewer have found an interviewee. There were to students who replied me after I contacted them. They accepted to let me interview them. Both students were also available on Sunday. I set up two more appointments with them, but different times. On Sunday, Chi was the first person who contacted me around 11 in the morning. She texted me, and asked me if I would be able to do the interview at noon instead of waiting until the afternoon. I agreed meeting her at noon at the library. I got to the library fifteen minutes with an audio recorder before Chi arrived. I wanted the interview to be done in a quiet place, and somewhere where I could see people around us. I took seven minutes to walk around the library, and see if I could find a nice and quiet place, but I could not. There were a lot of students on Sunday at the Library, and in some places, students were making noise. I finaly went to the front desk and asked for a study room. There was one room available that was given to me. I was done my third interview with Chi around one oclock, and I contacted the two other Vietnamese students to cancel my appointments. I had explained them the reason that made me cancelled our meetings.


                                                  After the interview

      I am convinced that the interview was well done. Chi was a wonderful person, and she told me to ask any question that could come in my mind, and also to feel free to ask for explanations. I was so free to ask questions when I could not understand clearly what she had said. I was happy and blessed to work with someone like her. After I have done interviewing her, I saved everything that I have recoreded on the computer then transcripted it. The interview was so interesting, and I had learned a lot from Chi. The first thing that I thought was interersting and really suprised me was when  she talked about the smile being a way in Vietnam to say thank you or sorry. For instance, when someone pays a compliment to another person, a thank you is not expected in return. Just a simple smile will make the recipient to understant that, the person who she or he paid compliment is saying thank you or sorry.
       The second thing that I thought was interesting was, the way she explained about the celebration of of the two Vietnamese holidays. She had said that they celebrate the Tet and the mid-autaumn. The Tet is celebrated in family, and lasts for three days, and can also take a week. During the celebration, gifts and food are given to friends, family members and neighbors. Gifts of foods are made to friends, neighbors and relatives the days before the Tet. She also said, that the mid-autumn is celebrated in mid- September to early October. Most groups celebrate the mid-autumn festival on a weekend. According to hat Chi had said, the mid-autumn festival is celebrated on the night of Lunar August 15th. When they celebrate the festival, people are in the street shopping for things like dragon heads and toy animals.
          Finally, there was one thing that I thought was not fair when she talk about divorce, she had said that divorce is considered to be a shameful act in Vietnam. Women cannot divorce, even if they are not satisfied in their marriages. The final decision in Vietnamese households comes from their husbands. In Vietnam, a man is considered to be the head of the family; so women must obey to their spouses instructions.