Final Paper

Saudi Culture

            Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam, the religion of Muslims and the abode of two holy shrines of Muslims, namely the Mecca and Medina is none other than Saudi Arabia.  The modern Saudi state was set up in the year 1932 by Abd Al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud) as a follow-up of three decade long campaign for unifying majority of the territories which were part of the Arabian Peninsula.  “A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law (Global EDGE).” 

After Iraq, in the year 1990, invaded Kuwait, Saudi Arabia welcomed Kuwait’s royal family into its territory thereby allowing roughly 400, 000 immigrants into the land of Saudi Arabia and also paving way for the Western and Arab troops to deploy within its territory which led to Kuwait attaining independence.  Untill the year 2003 when all the US troops left the Saudi Arabian territory, immense amounts of tension prevailed amid the royal family along with the general public, the presence of troops within the nation being the source of such tension.

King Abdullah has sustained the This program is which he started when he was prince of the country.  For promoting increased political involvement, the government held elections at a national level in 2005 for 50% of the total members out of the total 179 municipal committees that exist in the country.  Towards the end of 2005, King Abdullah concluded the above process by engaging the left-over associates of the consultative municipal councils.  The king also established an Inter-Faith Dialogue proposal in the year 2008 with an objective to inspire spiritual acceptance globally; in the month of February 2009, he restructured the cabinet, which resulted in increased number of moderates holding administrative and legal positions, and also employed the first female to the nation’s cabinet. 

Since the evolution of its contemporary history, Saudi Arabia has been one of Middle East’s open and liberal economies which has profited and comprehensively flourished from free trade and extensive movement of goods, services, funds, and human resources (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency).  Therefore, this particular region of the Middle East has played a very significant role in sustaining international efforts towards making the region a more globalized and closely knit world economy. 

Saudi Arabian Families

Due to the small population of ethnic Arabs in Saudi Arabia, extremist policies towards nationality and citizen rights have been created out of fear generated after the Gulf War.  Saudi Arabian culture is persistent and conformist due to the traditional beliefs and values of its peoples. These traditional values are engrained within the teachings of the Islamic religion. This lack of religious tolerance creates a barrier between Arabs and other ethnic groups. Furthermore, only Arabs are permitted to attain governmental posts, which are systematically denied to foreigners who are citizens of the nation. This segregation persists in relation to property and businesses, which heavily restricts foreign influence (Advameg Inc.,).

Saudi Arabian society comprises of five different levels which are essentially defined by affluence. The first and the top most level comprises of people belonging to the constitutional domain, with the leader called the Sheikh. Then is the ruling family who are relations who are children of prosperous traders of Saudi Arabia. The third level comprises of descendants of the Bedouins, or nomads of the desert, who got settled in Saudi Arabia at the time of the evolution of the oil industry. The fourth level of families comprises of Arabs from other surrounding countries, and lastly, the fifth level consists of immigrants. Each level of family preserves the strong connections, which preserves the social structure by instead of beside the state legislation limiting property ownership, schooling, healthcare, matrimonial, housing, as well as social rights (Advameg Inc.,). 

In the Arab world, one main issue is that of family business. Since family businesses are private companies, they are not required to provide financial statements, alleviate investor concerns or abide by the governmental rules and regulations for their form of business. Nevertheless, in order to increase trade internationally, family-owned businesses must open their financial statements and capital to foreign companies and investors. With more children of family business owners retaining education degrees, the modernization of family-owned businesses in Saudi Arabia is inevitable (Euromoney). However, there have been many instances where family owned businesses were not very successful in their succession planning and hence not prospering. 

Arabic is the national and most commonly spoken language in Saudi Arabia and also most of immigrants of Saudi Arabia. “Classical Arabic ( fusha ) in its Koranic, high literary, and modern standard forms is used for prayers and religious rituals, poetry, lectures, speeches, broadcasts, written communications, and other formal purposes. Conversationally, people use colloquial Arabic (amiya)” (Advameg Inc.,). There are many more sub-dialects and interior variants. English is the next popular second language.The population of Saudi Arabia is broadly a minority in the nation itself. The distress that has reaped from this damage of power and supremacy, aggregated by the unstable relationship of the country with the surrounding nations like Iraq, has resulted in radical policies and measures concerning the declaration of nationality and the privileges for the population of the country.

Etiquette and Food

Saudi Arabians, like all other Arab populations, have a varied set of personal boundaries when compared to Westerners. Usually, they sit, talk, and stand close to each other. It is general for people of the same sex to touch each other during their communications as an expression of their alliance, and men often shake hands upon welcome and exit. Communally, physical contact between members of the opposite sex is unacceptable. To the people of Saudi Arabia, respect, status, and esteem are principal concerns.

            The traditional staple foods of the entire including Saudi Arabia were dates; meat, cow's milk, and camel; along with dairy products like ghee, cheese, among others; bread and other pulses, and spices. A majority of aged people recollect meals of the ancient times as being extremely simple but sufficient, without wasting even a morsel of food (Advameg Inc.,). They frequently consumed at home and begun their day with a breakfast that included coffee and a handful of dates as soon as they complete their dawn prayer. “A meal of dates, milk and/or milk products, and bread was served at midmorning. The last and main meal often was taken before the sunset prayer and consisted of a hot grain-based dish, vegetables among sedentary people in oases, milk among the nomadic Bedouin, rarely some meat, and dates (Advameg Inc.,)”.

Meals, in this contemporary era, are consumed a little later, and the foodstuffs are more abundant and extravagant.  Unlike the ancient times, foods like dates, cereal-based foods, and milk products are less popular in the modern times. Rice has become universally accepted and consumed food, and chicken very usual. Arabic coffee which is lightly roasted without adding sugar but rather made a little spicy by adding cardamom is the national beverage of Saudi Arabia.  In addition to this, tea is also quite popular.

Image of Saudi Arabia

In a nutshell, the economy of Saudi Arabia and the various developments that had taken place post the advent of globalization are based upon the World-polity theory in relation to globalization.  As already discussed, any system according to the above theory aims for the creation of value by way of abdication of authority in a cooperative method and this is the kind of system that has evolved in the land of Saudi Arabia post globalization.  All the various developments in the variety of industrial sectors of Saudi Arabia that have been discussed above are undeniably a result of globalization.  There have been no instances of negative impact of globalization on the Saudi Arabian economy from the extensive research that has been carried out.   This success is obviously evident from the various developments in plethora of sectors of the Saudi Arabian economy which were presented already.  From the various points and discussions that have been presented above, it can be concluded that Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly emerging as a global leader and a major player in the Middle East.  The economic, social and political developments that have been taking place in the country since the year 1970 have been extremely remarkable and also been on par with international standards. 

Since the evolution of its contemporary history, Saudi Arabia has been one of Middle East’s open and liberal economies which has profited and comprehensively flourished from free trade and extensive movement of goods, services, funds and human resources^[1](Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency).  Therefore, this particular region of the Middle East has played a very significant role in sustaining international efforts towards making the region a more globalized and closely knit world economy. In addition, during this period Saudi Arabia has identified the significance of institution building in order to make sure that the country can 

---

[1] Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 03 June 2010 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>.

build up an economy which is based on well-built and well-established rudiments which can allow most advantageous participation in the global market arena and also simultaneously help the country confront the challenges of recession and fluctuations in the global economy (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency). If the economy of the country is noticed, apart from the banking sector and other economic sectors, the health sector plays an important role in the development phase of Saudi Arabia.  One more main sector that is vital in the nation is the healthcare. This particular industry draws the attention of huge number of investors irrespective of the rush that the country’s government hospitals face. 

Works Cited

Advameg Inc.,. Culture of Saudi Arabia. 2010. Advameg Inc.,. 07 December 2013 <http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Saudi-Arabia.html>.

—

. Culture of Saudi Arabia. 2010. Advameg Inc.,. 07 December 2013 <http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Saudi-Arabia.html>.

Euromoney. "Arab family business on the brink of change." Euromoney 2007.

Global EDGE. Saudi Arabia: Introduction. 2010. global EDGE. 11 April 2011

<http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/saudi-arabia/>.

Prasad, Dr. Hari. Dealing with Cancer - more than just medicine DR. Keerti B. 29 November 2009.

Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003.Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 07 December 2013 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>.

—. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 07

December 2013 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>.

—. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 11 April 2011 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>

Saudi Culture

Saudi Culture

            The birth place of Islam, the religion of Muslims and the abode of two holy shrines of Muslims, namely the Mecca and Medina is none other than Saudi Arabia.             The modern Saudi state was set up in the year 1932 by Abd Al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud) as a follow-up of three decade long campaign for unifying majority of the territories which were part of the Arabian Peninsula.  “A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law (Global EDGE).” 

After Iraq, in the year 1990, invaded Kuwait, Saudi Arabia welcomed Kuwait’s royal family into its territory thereby allowing roughly 400, 000 immigrants into the land of Saudi Arabia and also paving way for the Western troops and the Arab to deploy within its territory which led to Kuwait attaining independence.  Till the year 2003 when all the US troops left the Saudi Arabian territory, immense amount of tension prevailed amid the royal family along with the general public, the presence of troops within the nation being the source of such tension.

King Abdullah has sustained the vigilant reform program which he started when he was prince of the country.  For promoting increased political involvement, the government held elections at a national level in 2005 for 50% of the total members out of the total 179 municipal committees that exist in the country.  Towards the end of 2005, King Abdullah concluded the above process by engaging the left over associates of the consultative municipal councils.  The king also established an Inter-Faith Dialogue proposal in the year 2008 with an objective to inspire spiritual acceptance globally; in the month of February 2009, he restructured the cabinet, which resulted in increased number of moderates holding administrative and legal positions, and also employed the first female to the nation’s cabinet. 

Since the evolution of its contemporary history, Saudi Arabia has been one of Middle East’s open and liberal economies which has profited and comprehensively flourished from free trade and extensive movement of goods, services, funds, and human resources (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency).  Therefore, this particular region of the Middle East has played a very significant role in sustaining international efforts towards making the region a more globalized and closely knit world economy. 

Saudi Arabian Families

Due to the small population of ethnic Arabs in Saudi Arabia, extremist policies towards nationality and citizen rights have been created out of fear generated after the Gulf War.  Saudi Arabian culture is persistent and conformist due to the traditional beliefs and values of its peoples. These traditional values are engrained within the teachings of the Islamic religion. This lack of religious tolerance creates a barrier between Arabs and other ethnic groups. Furthermore, only Arabs are permitted to attain governmental posts, which are systematically denied to foreigners who are citizens of the nation. This segregation persists in relation to property and businesses, which heavily restricts foreign influence (Advameg Inc.,).

Saudi Arabian society comprises of five different levels which are essentially defined by affluence. The first and the top most level comprises of people belonging to the constitutional domain, with the leader called the Sheikh. Then is the ruling family who are relations who are children of prosperous traders of Saudi Arabia. The third level comprises of descendants of the Bedouins, or nomads of the desert, who got settled in Saudi Arabia at the time of the evolution of the oil industry. The fourth level of families comprises of Arabs from other surrounding countries, and lastly, the fifth level consists of immigrants. Each level of family preserves the strong connections, which preserves the social structure beside the state legislation limiting property ownership, schooling, healthcare, matrimonial, housing, as well as social rights (Advameg Inc.,). 

In the Arab world, one keen issue is that of family business. Since family businesses are private companies, they are not required to provide financial statements, alleviate investor concerns or abide by the governmental rules and regulations for their form of business. Nevertheless, in order to increase trade internationally, family-owned businesses must open their financial statements and capital to foreign companies and investors. With more children of family business owners retaining education degrees, the modernization of family-owned businesses in Saudi Arabia is inevitable (Euromoney). However, there have been many instances where family owned businesses were not very successful in their succession planning and hence not prospering. 

Arabic is the national and most commonly spoken language in Saudi Arabia and also most of immigrants of Saudi Arabia. “Classical Arabic ( fusha ) in its Koranic, high literary, and modern standard forms is used for prayers and religious rituals, poetry, lectures, speeches, broadcasts, written communications, and other formal purposes. Conversationally, people use colloquial Arabic (amiya) (Advameg Inc.,). There are many more sub-dialects and interior variants. English is the next popular second language. The population of Saudi Arabia is broadly a minority in the nation itself. The distress that has reaped from this damage of power and supremacy, aggregated by the unstable relationship of the country with the surrounding nations like Iraq, has resulted in radical policies and measures concerning the declaration of nationality and the privileges for the population of the country.

Etiquette and Food

Saudi Arabians, like all other Arab populations, have a varied set of personal boundaries when compared to Westerners. Usually, they sit, talk, and stand close to each other. It is general for people of the same sex to touch each other during their communications as an expression of their alliance, and men often shake hands upon welcome and exit. Communally, physical contact between members of the opposite sex is unacceptable. To the people of Saudi Arabia, respect, status, and esteem are principal concerns.

            The traditional staple foods of the entire including Saudi Arabia were dates; meat, cow's milk, and camel; along with dairy products like ghee, cheese, among others; bread and other pulses, and spices. A majority of aged people recollect meals of the ancient times as being extremely simple but sufficient, without wasting even a morsel of food (Advameg Inc.,). They frequently consumed at home and begun their day with a breakfast that included coffee and a handful of dates as soon as they complete their dawn prayer. “A meal of dates, milk and/or milk products, and bread was served at midmorning. The last and main meal often was taken before the sunset prayer and consisted of a hot grain-based dish, vegetables among sedentary people in oases, milk among the nomadic Bedouin, rarely some meat, and dates (Advameg Inc.,)”.

Meals, in this contemporary era, are consumed a little later, and the foodstuffs are more abundant and extravagant.  Unlike the ancient times, foods like dates, cereal-based foods, and milk products are less popular in the modern times. Rice has become universally accepted and consumed food, and chicken very usual. Arabic coffee which is lightly roasted without adding sugar but rather made a little spicy by adding cardamom is the national beverage of Saudi Arabia.  In addition to this, tea is also quite popular.

Image of Saudi Arabia

In a nutshell, the economy of Saudi Arabia and the various developments that had taken place post the advent of globalization are based upon the World-polity theory in relation to globalization.  As already discussed, any system according to the above theory aims for the creation of value by way of abdication of authority in a cooperative method and this is the kind of system that has evolved in the land of Saudi Arabia post globalization.  All the various developments in the variety of industrial sectors of Saudi Arabia that have been discussed above are undeniably a result of globalization.  There have been no instances of negative impact of globalization on the Saudi Arabian economy from the extensive research that has been carried out.   This success is obviously evident from the various developments in plethora of sectors of the Saudi Arabian economy which were presented already.  From the various points and discussions that have been presented above, it can be concluded that Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly emerging as a global leader and a major player in the Middle East.  The economic, social and political developments that have been taking place in the country since the year 1970 have been extremely remarkable and also been on par with international standards. 

Since the evolution of its contemporary history, Saudi Arabia has been one of Middle East’s open and liberal economies which has profited and comprehensively flourished from free trade and extensive movement of goods, services, funds and human resources^[1] (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency).  Therefore, this particular region of the Middle East has played a very significant role in sustaining international efforts towards making the region a more globalized and closely knit world economy. In addition, during this period Saudi Arabia has identified the significance of institution building in order to make sure that the country can

---

[1] Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 03 June 2010 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>.

build up an economy which is based on well-built and well-established rudiments which can allow most advantageous participation in the global market arena and also simultaneously help the country confront the challenges of recession and fluctuations in the global economy (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency). If the economy of the country is noticed, apart from the banking sector and other economic sectors, the health sector plays an important role in the development phase of Saudi Arabia.  One more main sector that is vital in the nation is the healthcare. This particular industry draws the attention of huge number of investors irrespective of the rush that the country’s government hospitals face. 

Works Cited

Advameg Inc.,. Culture of Saudi Arabia. 2010. Advameg Inc.,. 07 December 2013 <http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Saudi-Arabia.html>.

—. Culture of Saudi Arabia. 2010. Advameg Inc.,. 07 December 2013 <http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Saudi-Arabia.html>.

Euromoney. "Arab family business on the brink of change." Euromoney 2007.

Global EDGE. Saudi Arabia: Introduction. 2010. global EDGE. 11 April 2011 <http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/saudi-arabia/>.

Prasad, Dr. Hari. Dealing with Cancer - more than just medicine DR. Keerti B. 29 November 2009.

Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 07 December 2013 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>.

—. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 07 December 2013 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>.

—. "G20 Case Study: Saudi Arabia." 10 September 2003. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. 11 April 2011 <http://www.banxico.gob.mx/tipo/publicaciones/seminarios/XIII-Saudi%20Arabia.pdf>. 

Outline

Saudi Culture
Introdaction
There are many different cultures around the world, so to communicate with the other people we have to know their cultures to have a background about the other cultures. So I will write about the weather in my home country. the families in Saudi Arabia and their life, and the food in Saudi Arabia.

BodyI
Weather
Everyone think the weather in Saudi Arabia is hot,but that is not 100% correct. Their are some places have a cold weather .

BodyII
The Families
The family members and how is the family life.

BodyIII
Food
What is the famus food and what the Saudies like to eat.

Conclution

The Saudies in the world eyes.

The third interview review

1. Who scored highest?
Almnasef, Ahmed A,Doege, Brandon J,Dohmen, Stuart J,Ruud, Justin D,and Zhu, MinJie




2. Whose interview did you like best? Why?

Because they gave some nice Idea and they told us how they did the interview with the preperation and everything

3. Link to your evaluation score card (be sure to give public access for viewing!!)





https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlSanIzt53nRdGs5enp5TUt2bEhxeUVlN0FySnc4a1E&usp=sharing

Second Interview review

1. Who scored highest?



Alhajri, Mubarak M,Alrashed, Ali Abdulkhalq A,and Lim, Dong Hyuk

2. Whose interview did you like best? Why?

Alhajri, Mubarak M,Alrashed, Ali Abdulkhalq A,and Lim, Dong Hyuk, because they organized there interview
3. Link to your evaluation score card (be sure to give public access for viewing!!)





https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlSanIzt53nRdFVhNUthSEhFTFRBbC1qN3A3RUVoZHc&usp=sharing

Interview 3

My Third Interview

Interview Preparations

In this research, I had to ensure that I had all the necessary tools required. I purchased a recorder that I used to make a copy of the interview in audio form. I also had a notebook that I used to record important questions and findings about the research. In class, we were given questions that we would work on and I added other questions on my own. I drafted the objectives for this interview as follows:

1.      Comparison of different governments

2.      Interviewee’s perception about their government and how it affects their daily lives

3.      Differences between living in the U.S. and their own country

4.      The differences in the schooling structure between the U.S. and their country

5.      The reasons why they chose SCSU school rather than other schools in the U.S. or other countries.

6.      Whether they have plans of either staying in the U.S. or going back to their country and why

I wrote a note on the notice board inquiring about any foreign student who was willing to be interviewed as part of my research study. The interviewees who presented themselves were five and I had to decide on one. I chose the student from Tanzania because he was the only student from that country in the campus. The interview took place in the Atwood memorial centre at Saint Cloud State University. I made earlier room reservation request for one hour that I would use for the interview. Setting Atwood as the location was more convenient because it was more private and silent. The recorder could be placed on the table provided in the room.

 Interview report

On Friday afternoon, Lekuton (my interviewee) and I went to the Atwood memorial centre. This was the best time I could conduct my interview because we both had no classes going on. At exactly 3 pm, we were settled in the room allocated to us and I set the recorder ready for the interview. I started with the questions that I had already printed out for the interview as Lekuton answered. The interview was relatively easy since Lekuton answered the questions with ease. I was amazed since he spoke fluently throughout the interview. Lekuton’s has a strong personality and character. The confidence he has made it easy for me to attain the objectives of the study.

Interviewee

Lekuton is a student from a city called Arusha in Tanzania. It is relatively smaller as compared to St. Cloud. The city is not well developed and industrialized as St. Cloud. Lekuton went to a public school in the region. He successfully finished his primary education and went to a neighboring public secondary school. The fact that he has six younger siblings made studying hard for him. He was forced to drop out of school for one year due to lack of school fees. However, his outstanding grades in school attracted a well-wisher who financed his education. The supporter is still paying his school fees up to this level. After graduation, Lekuton plans to pursue his master’s education immediately in one of the leading universities in the U.S. Afterwards, he plans to go back and work in his country. He believes that through the knowledge he would have acquired he would be able to improve the living standards of his family and the society. He also aspires to help other needy bright students in his local area in the future.

Country Report

Tanzania is a country located in Eastern Africa and it is estimated to cover approximately 364,945 sq miles (Skinner 38). The name Tanzania is derived from two states Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which united on 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. The country is subdivided into 30 administrative regions 5 from Zanzibar and 25 from Tanganyika. According to the last census, it has a population of approximately 45 million people. Over 120 languages are spoken in this country with Bantu languages being the most dominant. The languages are further subdivided into dialects within the region. However, Swahili and English are their national language (Arnold 25).

            Tanzania has adopted the democracy form of government. This was mainly because they were colonized by the British. After independence, the country used the British form of government that is subdivided into three: the legislature, executive and judiciary. Tanzania has a gdp of $67.9 billion per capita. They depend on the natural resources present in the country such as diamonds, gold, iron ore and natural gas. They also depend on agricultural products such as coffee and cotton that boosts their economy.

            Education levels in the country have improved over the years. The literacy rate is estimated to be 73 percent (Central Intelligence Agency 24). For the first 7 years, it is compulsory for every child to go to school. However, most of the children drop out of school when they are 15 years old because of different reasons such as lack of school fees. Their culture is distinct with remarkable practices that they follow. Tanzania is well-know for the two world artistic designs: the Makonde and Tingatinga carvings. Their music ranges from Taarab to Bongo flava.

Interview transcription

Me: Where are you from?

Lekuton: I come from a town called Arusha in Tanzania.

Me: Why are you studying at SCSU?

Lekuton: I am currently undertaking a bachelor’s degree in Actuarial science.

Me:  What is your language? How many languages do you speak? How many languages are there in your country?

Lekuton: In my country, there are approximately 129 languages present. The most common are Swahili, English, Arabic, Makonde and Sukuma. My native language is Maasai. However, I understand both written and spoken Swahili, French and English. With the Hehe and Sukuma languages, am only able to speak but not write them.

Me: How are you able to write and speak French yet, it is not a common language in your local area?

Lekuton: I have always been fascinated by the French language so I took up a French class in my first year.

Me: That is admirable, where do you prefer, your home country or here and why?

Lekuton: I prefer living in the United States of America. America is a developed country and highly industrialized. Education levels in this country are commendable and the government protects the human rights of its people with more concern.

Me: How is the economy in your country?

Lekuton: The economy in my country has been increasing since independence. The GDP growth is currently rated at 6.5 percent. It has been actualized through the government’s effort in fighting the Socialists (Ujamaa) controls that were in the country. Nowadays, people are encouraged to be more active and participate in the private sector. Furthermore, the industries present such as mining have boosted the economy. Electricity generation, banking and agriculture have also attributed to the growth of Tanzania’s economy.

Me: Do you like the weather in St.Cloud? Please explain.

Lekuton: Honestly speaking, I do not like it especially the cold winters. I am used to the warm weather back in my country. I have to put on heavy clothes to keep warm, I cannot go to the beach and swim whenever I want to and I normally suffer from pneumonia once or twice in a year.

Me: What do you do for leisure?
Lekuton: I am a huge fan of Sydney Sheldon. Her novels are moving hence reading novels top my list. I also go for swimming, play chess, hang out with friends and dance during my leisure time. In fact, I took Tango evening classes last month.

Me: Sounds interesting. Could you please tell me about yourself?

Lekuton: I am Lekuton Miraj born and bred in Tanzania. I come from a humble background with six younger siblings. We belong to the Maasai community of Tanzania. Both my parents are farmers and they work all year round in our small farm back in Arusha. I have been fortunate enough to be the only boy in my village to have reached up to the university level of education. I am motivated to work extra hard whenever I think of the living conditions back at home.

Me: I am inspired by your story. How often do you communicate with your family back at home?

Lekuton: I make calls back at home three times in a week.

Me: I can see you really try to keep in touch with your folks .What is the biggest holiday in your country. Please explain about the holidays (Activities, Food, Date, Origin, etc.).

Lekuton: The biggest holiday in my country is the Eid ul-Fitr. This is a ceremony celebrated by the Muslims after 30 days of prayer and fasting. It was originated by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 1500 BC. This marks the end of Ramadan period and the dates are usually marked by the appearance of the full moon. During this period, the Muslims cook a lot of food in celebration and offer some to the less fortunate. Eid ul-Fitr is normally marked by a lot of singing, dancing and giving.

Me: In what ways might it be difficult to practice your religion here in the U.S?
Lekuton: I am a Muslim. Currently, terrorist and bombers in the country have been linked to the Islamic religion. This has made it hard for me to walk around with my Kanzu and go to the mosque for my evening prayers. I am always in fear because of how people look at me as a Muslim.

Me: What is the biggest difference between the American culture and your culture?
Lekuton: Back in Tanzania, male children are often circumcised at a younger age while Americans do not.

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

Lekuton: After graduation, I would like to pursue my master’s in actuarial in one of the best universities in the U.S. Afterwards, I will go back to my native home and try to help my family members and the society.

Me:  Do you have any questions for me? I have asked so many of you!

Lekuton: What perception have you always had about the African countries?

Me: I always thought Africa was a very poor continent. I contemplated that Africans were not as intelligent as we are and that they live in bushes. However, you have proved to me that Africans are equally competitive in the education sector as we are and you are normal human beings just like the whites.

Works Cited

Agency, Central I. The Cia World Factbook 2014. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, Inc, 2013. Internet resource.

Arnold, Marion I. Art in Eastern Africa. Dar es Salaam: Mkuki na Nyota Publishers, 2008. Print.

Skinner, Annabel. Tanzania & Zanzibar. London: Cadogan Guides, 2005. Print.

My Second Interview

1.

            The morning of Friday, October 25 found me set for my second interview. The documents on which the questions had been printed on were neatly organized in my satchel and ready for use. It had been quite easy for me to find the interviewee since we shared the same subjects at school. I had asked her to help me with the project, and she was more than eager to share a part of her life with me. The interview was at ten o’clock that morning in the SH Building. It was a laid-back interview, informal, and I recorded the interview in my notebook, as well as on tape. My interviewee was X W, a transfer student from China, and I was surprised by her punctuality. She was already at the venue before I got there, yet I was ten minutes early. The interview was sated with witty remarks, laughter, a lot of exposure about X, and the culture of her people.

            I met with X at the SH Building after my Psy class on October 4. We talked for almost an hour, and I think the interview was a great success. She was amiable and good-natured, and a far cry from shy. X explained her culture at length and even made a few jokes about how backward she felt on her first few weeks in the United States. She, however, managed to fit in after overcoming the culture shock. It is not as if she had a choice; she had to fit in and work hard, “harder than ever,” she said.

2. About China

X is from Canto, the capital of Guandong Province in China. Canto is a major port on the Pearl River, and it is the commercial, transport and industrial centre of South China. According to history, it has been serving this purpose for the past 2000 years. Canto was originally a centre for the distribution of rare tropical produce. The languages spoken include Mandarin, Cantonese, Wu, and Haka. There are other languages that are also spoken, but they differ from province to province in China (Guangzhou Travel Guide).

The people of Canto are collectivists; they place more value in cooperating and individual modesty than in self-reliance and capitalism. They make few lifelong friends and work hard to keep these friendships alive with a certain level of nobility and sacrifice; they could take a bullet for one another if it came to that. The Chinese put relationships first before business; they cultivate bonds with their business partners first, before making business deals. Direct confrontation is unfamiliar with them. Hence, they avoid open criticism and solve their problems under the table. This is because they despise embarrassing one another (Overview of Chinese culture 19)

The Cantonese people prefer tea in the morning to any other beverage.  The staple foods there are bean sprouts, scallions, rice, and cabbage.  Since they hardly ever eat beef or pork, tofu serves as the main supply of protein. The religion in the region is not quite clear; actually, there is no official religion and the people claim no religious affiliations or identify themselves as atheists. However, one cannot ignore the rich mystical and spiritual history of the region; there are myriads of spiritual figures of Buddhism. On his birthday on September 28, every year, there is a pilgrimage to Confucius’ birthplace in Shandong Province. People also visit Taoist temples to pay tribute to the goddess of mercy, Guanyin.  The biggest festival of the year is the Spring Festival, which marks the commencement of the lunar New Year. It is held in the period between mid-January, mid-February, as well as serves as an opportunity for people to honor their ancestors. Children are given cash in red envelopes believed to attract good fortune and houses are cleaned thoroughly to signify fresh beginnings (Gainty and Lin 27-28).

Works Cited

Gainty, Christopher and Hua Lin. Cantonese Chinese I. Concord, MA: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

http://www.supadu.com/images/ckfinder/133/pdfs/Booklets_Guides/Chinese-Cantonese_Phase1-Bklt.pdf

Guangzhou Travel Guide. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/guangzhou.htm

Overview of Chinese culture. Culture. N.d. web. 28 Oct. 2013

http://www.cdc.gov/tb/publications/guidestoolkits/ethnographicguides/China/chapters/chapter2.pdf

3. Interview Transcription:

M: Me

X: X 

M: Hi, Can I have an hour or more to ask you some questions?
X: Sure take your time.
M: It's a nice weather today isn't it?
X: I think It is a cold weather.

M: So,where are you from?

X: I’m from Canto, the capital of Guandong Province, South China.

M: Is the weather cold there ?

X: No, the weather is nice over there. Where are you from?
M: I'm from Saudi Arabia. The weather is very hot It's reaches 50 degree at noon in the summer time.
X: ooh It's really hot to live there!

M:It is good for you because the weather is nice in your home country ,and  you came from one of the biggest countries of the world and the so what do you think about that?

X: oh yeh and I'm proud of being Chinese. 

M: hmm why are you studying at SCSU?

X:  The majors offered here are unavailable in my country, and I like the exposure. They say that once you make it in America, you can make it everywhere.

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

X: I speak three languages; Cantonese, Mandarin, and English and I am very fluent. I do not know how many languages are in my country; never been curious about that.

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

X:  In terms of education, I prefer it here, but in terms of family and heritage, I prefer my home country.

M: How is the economy in your country?

X: The economy is rapidly growing, and more business ties are being made overseas.

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

X: I really cannot complain; the weather is uncontrollable. However, it is safe to say, I like it.

M: What do you do for leisure?

X:  I play tennis and read pretty much anything.

M: I love playing tennis too, who is your favorite player?

X: Nadal is my favorite player, do you know him?

M: Yes of course I know him his name is Rafael Nadal from Spain and he is my favorite too.

M: Could you please tell me about yourself?

X: I am very outspoken and athletic. I improvise what I have to get what I want, and I secretly eat ice cream at midnight.

M: How often do you communicate with your parents back home?

X: I call, and Skype them as often as I can, tell them about my progress at school and promise to visit.

M: What is the biggest holiday in your country?

X: The Spring Festival takes the cake. It marks the start of the lunar New Year and lasts fifteen days. There are fireworks and parades adorned with dancers dressed as dragons. It is usually celebrated between mid-January and mid-February.

M: In what ways might it be difficult to practice your religion here in the US?

X:  It is not difficult at all. I believe in God, pray, and do the right things.

M: Tell me some important things from your culture.

X:  Tea is the most favorite beverage and the friendships we make among ourselves last forever.

M: What is the biggest difference between the American culture and your culture?

X: Americans use each other then forget about each other. The Chinese people create bonds with their friends and keep them at heart for the longest time.

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

X: I have already acquired US citizenship so I will immediately start looking for a job that befits my qualifications and build a future for myself here.

M: Do you have any questions for me? I have asked so many of you!

She laughed and offered to interview me next time. After the interview, I carefully kept my voice recorder and my notepad in my backpack. X W offered to buy me ice cream and we had a good laugh about it since it was a mutual indulgence. She was pleased that I displayed genuine interest in the Chinese culture and her.  She jokingly invited me to the spring festival next year as we strolled towards the library.