My Third Intervew

1. Preparations.

• How did I approach people? When, where, and how did I conduct and record the interview?

I have completed the third interview at the library on Sunday, November, seventeenth. In the beginning, when I was looking for a person who like to interview conducted with him at the library, I did not find person from India at that time. Then I went to look in the campus for an Indian person and I did not find also. But, I called my friend and I asked him if he knows some people from India, he told me I know one of my friend and I will call him if you want him. Finally, he brought him to the library and I interviewed with him.

• Whom did I interview?

I interview with Jiviyaa.B. He is from India.

2.      Interview report:

·         What did surprise you?

I was surprised that most of the Indian people likes to play cricket.

3.Country Report

According to the BBC News Asia (2013), India is the largest democracy in the world, and the second most populous nation trailing China. The nation is nuclear-armed and emerged as a major powerhouse during the 1990s. Currently, it boosts having a strong military, a powerful economy, and is a major cultural influence around the world for its famous Bollywood movies.

 

Location and Area

 

                       India occupies the southern section of the large Asian continent. It borders the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. India’s territory in square kilometers is approximately 3,287,263 sq km (Ganarajya, 2013), covering the snow-capped Himalayan Mountains located to the North, extending southwards to the nation’s tropical forest. The country shares over 14,000 kilometers of borders with seven other neighboring nations. These are China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the North, Bangladesh, and Burma to the East, and Afghanistan and Pakistan to the North West. Most importantly, a narrow sea formed by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait separates India from an Island nation called Sri Lanka with which the southeast region of India shares strong cultural ties. The nation’s mainland mainly consists of four major regions; the plains of the Ganges, the southern desert, the Indus, and the Himalayan Mountains that boost the world’s highest peak. The Himalaya comprise of three parallel ranges characterized as having large valleys and plateaus. These are beautiful& fertile Kullu and Kashmir valleys, arguably the most densely populated areas in the world, and the Indus and Ganges plains that measure 2,400 kilometers long and about 280 kilometers wide (Ganarajya, 2013).

 

Population

 

                       According to the US Bureau of Census based statistics, India’s population stood at over a billion, precisely 1,205,073,612 as of July 2012, making it the world’s second most populous nation. The figure comprises of all persons falling within the scope of the census, which is residents of the nation present during the time the census was carried out. The growth rate presently stands at 1.312% annually. The infant mortality rate is 46 deaths per 1000 live births, and the average life expectancy is 65 years. Literacy levels are generally about 75%, 65% representing women, and 82% men.

 

Culture

 

                       This refers to the way of life of the Indian citizens, which is languages spoken, music, food, religion, and architecture. The nation’s culture comprises of many several centuries old traditions such as yoga, and Hindu religions. The country is the birthplace of Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. It has two major language families; the Indo-Aryan is spoken by 74% of the total population, and the Dravidian. English is used in administration and international business activities. Cooking styles vary, but foods rich in spices, curries, ginger, turmeric, pepper and cinnamon are common. Basmati rice and wheat is a common staple.

References

 

BBC News Asia (2013, September 13). BBC News - India country profile - Overview.                  Retrieved October 25, 2013, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-            12557384

Ganarajya, B. (2013). India - Location and size, Caste system. Retrieved October 25, 2013,from http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/India.html

IndexMundi (2013). India Population - Demographics. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from                       http://www.indexmundi.com/india/population.html

 

      4. Transcription.

H: Hazza (Me)

J.B: Jiviyaa.B

H: First, I would like to thank you for giving me your time and for letting me do the interview with you.

J.B: That's Ok. I am glad to hear from you.

H: Do you like the weather in St.Cloud?

J.B: Well yes as a matter of fact I love the weather here. St. Cloud has a humid continental climate with warm summers and no dry season, and warm summers are something we all look forward to. I am not a fan of dry weather it makes everything dull and St.Cloud has no dry season and this is what I love most about the weather here. In St.Cloud I can enjoy every season has it has a mixture of all seasons, like chills of the winter, warmth of the sun and the howls of the winds as well. St. Cloud City is very hot in summer and very cold with snow in winter and as I like both weathers I love it here.

H: What do you do for leisure?

J.B: Well I love to read so I read whenever I get time. I am an extrovert kind of a person. I love interacting with people of differing cultures, meet new people and make new friends. So I spend my leisure time either hanging out with friends, or reading. Sometimes I also write and paint but I am not that good an artist. Also I love playing basketball so I hit the court whenever I get time.

H: Could you please tell me about yourself?

J.B: Yes, of course. I am an Indian national. I am an extrovert kind of a person who loves to meet new people like I said before. Apart from that I am a diligent and a hard worker. I love challenges and meeting tough deadlines. I like to lead rather than to follow. I am a better leader rather than a follower, but by no means does that mean that I have no regards for rules and regulation. I am responsible and a team player. I possess good communication skills and have a power to persuade people.

H: How often do you communicate with your family back at home?

J.B: Well in my family everyone is independent and have a tough schedule, still we find time to call each other’s at least once a week

H: What is the biggest holiday in your country? Please explain about the holidays (Activities, Food, Date, Origin, and etc,)

J.B: We have many festivals like Independence Day, Sankranti, Dassera, teejh, Diwali, etc, but the biggest and the most celebrated one being Diwali. Deepvali or dewali is a festival of lights. It lasts for five days and we have holidays on all five days. We decorate our house with lights, make new dresses. We have a lot of friends and family gatherings and we enjoy a lot with lots of food, sweet, gifts and lights.

 

H: In what ways is it difficult to practice your religion here in the U.S?

J.B: It is not at all difficult to practice my religion here. I have a temple in my room and I can pray whenever I want. Religion is something that lies within us and no matter what the situation is or the place is. Religion is all about faith and believes, and faith is something that resides within. Also god is in our hearts and is always with us to help and guide us.

H: Tell me some important things from your culture?

 

J.B: Well our culture is eastern based, with lots of traditions, spicy food and all. Our families are very closely knit and mostly male oriented. But these trends have changed over the years and the new generation has somewhat westernized. 

H: What’s the biggest difference between the American culture and your culture?

J.B: Well our culture differs from American culture in all ways. Where Americans are all for independence and being dependent our culture is male dominated and is about being dependent. Things are changing over times but still the roots remain especially in the rural areas.

H: What are your goals for the future; after you graduate, what are you going to do?

J.B: First is the goal of meeting other people that have the same career field that I do. Secondly, I would like to improve myself using education, making me a better well known individual. Third, and finally, I would like to graduate and get a job as a marketing head at a reputable multinational.

 

H: What is your favorite sport?

J.B: My favorite sport basketball and I am on the team too.I love to play and make my team win.

 

H: What is your major? Why you chose this major?

J.B: My major is Marketing. I choose this major because I am very creative, innovative and open to new ideas, in short all the skills necessary to make a good marketer. Also since childhood I was really clear on what I wanted and what I wanted to be .I find myself really luck that I have the skills, abilities and all the things needed to achieve my goals and dreams as creativity is something you are born with one cannot simply learn to be creative.

 

H: What is your language? How many languages do you speak? How many languages in your country?

J.B: Our national language is Hindi so I speak Hindi, but my family originates from Gujarat so we used to speak Gujarati at home. I speak English, Gujrati and Hindi. India is a country with a very diverse population, thus a lot of languages are spoken there. The most prominent ones are Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Kashmiri, Tamil, Sanskrit, Marathi and Bengali.

H: What do you like to do when you hang out with your friends and/or family?

J.B: I just like to relax and eat and talk. We talk and eat watch movies and enjoy. Sometimes we also go out for shopping.

H: Where do you prefer your home country or here? Why?

J.B: I prefer it here as people here mind their own business and do not meddle in other peoples matters. Also law here is same for everyone and everyone follows is with strictness.

 

H: Well that’s all from my side, do you have any questions for me?

J.B: Yes, Thank you. What is your perception about India?

H: I think India is a great country with great people. I would really love to visit India sometime.