Third Interview

Describe my preparations

 

This task is very unique and I was really excited when I first got it. I thought it was going to be really hard but it turned out to be quite a lot of fun. It also proved to be a great learning experience and I learned quiet a lot about different countries, their culture and traditions etc. I interviewed people belonging to different culture so as to better understand the perception of different people and also to bring diversity .The country that I choose is Kenya. I choose the country as it is quite different from our country also I know almost nothing about this country so I choose it so as to find out and learn more about it, its people, traditions etc.

I started my task with formulating a questionnaire. I was really very careful when framing the questionnaire. I made sure to frame the questions in such a way that it did not get too personal or even a little bit offensive. I kept the questions simple and open ended. For the interview I made a list of fifteen questions which are as follows:

1-Do you like the weather in St.Cloud? Please explain
2- What do you do for leisure?
3- Could you please tell me about yourself?
4- How often do you communicate with your family back at home?
5- What is the biggest holiday in your country? Please explain about the holidays (Activities, Food, Date, Origin, and etc,)
6- In what ways might it be difficult to practice your religion here in the U.S?
7- Tell me some important things from your culture?
8- What is the biggest difference between the American culture and your culture?
9- What are your goals for the future; after you graduate, what are you going to do?
10- What is your favorite sport?

11-What is your major? Why you chose this major?

12-What is your language? How many languages do you speak? How many languages in your country?

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

14-Where do you prefer your home country or here? Why?

15- Do you have any questions for me? I have asked so many of you!

 

I went to St. Cloud University and found an energetic Kenyan who was ready to help me out and give an interview. The candidate I choose for the interview was a boy named Kemal.K. I informed the candidate about the interview and explained him about the survey that I was doing. I was both anxious and nervous about the interview but it turned out to be great. He was really friendly and answered in detail as he was eager to help me out. He was really open minded and discussed about his culture and family in great detail. Also he easily and in detail discussed both good as well as the bad aspects of his beloved country. The interview went on quiet good as far as I think I recorded the interview on a tape so that I could replay it later on. The interview went on good and I also got to learn a lot of new things about Kenyan culture and the changes it has gone through.

 

Interview report on how the interviewing went

 

I met with Kemal.K on the 6th of November 2013. The interview went on for around 58 minutes.I taped the interview so that later I could easily put it in writing later on. I taped the interview so that I could give my full attention to the candidates. The interview went on quiet well and I learned quiet a lot.

As the interview unfolded I observed that the candidate was a patriot and he had a really deep affection for his country, he deeply valued his cultures and traditions and followed them too no matter where he was or where he went, he kept his country and everything related to it close to his heart. I learned a lot about the absolute appalling conditions of Kenya, how under developed it was and how a lot of people did not even have the basic necessities of life.

Kemal was really kind and patient and generous with his time, not once did it seem to me that he was bored or wanted to get away as soon as possible. He gave me his full attention. Kemal had a really positive outlook about everything and was open to new things and ideas.

 

 

Report on country/region and culture

 

Kenya has a rich and unique culture that has preserved established traditions throughout history. Culture of Kenya has countless sources, and the region is crisscrossed by the paths of a really long and a complex history. Since the times of prehistoric records of early men to the present day and time Kenya has always been a land of unending changes, contrasts and diversity. Mainstream religions like Christianity and Islam are widespread yet on the other hand many followers of these faiths still believe strongly in the ancestor world which implies that the dead have power for good or bad over their living descendants. They believe firmly in reincarnation too. And more then often a child is thought to possess the soul of his ancestor. Things are changing over times but still the roots remain especially in the rural areas.

In early years there was always a cycle of shifting power and migration of different tribes, tribes saw Kenya as a meeting ground, apart from this the sea also brought with it the influences from the outside world, and the passage of the spice trade created the unique coastal culture.

Kenya is a multilingual country and around 62 languages are spoken there. But the official languages are Swahili and English. Kenya has a very diverse population 38% of the population is protestant, 28% are Roman Catholic, animist comprises of 26% of the population while 7% are Muslims and the remaining 1% follow other religions. In the traditional Kenyan religion people known as diviners, are believed to possess the power of communicating with the spirits of the spirit world. People believe them to hold certain powers using which they cure people of diseases or evil spirits. They are also called upon to pray and help bring rain in times of drought. They also believe in sorcerers and witches and that they too have powers but unlike diviners they use their power to harm rather than to help and protect.

 The main celebrations in Kenya are namely the New Year and Labor Day. Other holidays that are an integral part and the main festivals of Kenya include Madaraka Day which is basically the anniversary of self-rule, the Moi Day which is commemorating the president's installation in office, Independence Day which is also known as Jamhuri Day in the local language and the Harambee Day, this festival includes a large parade in the capital city and celebrations are enjoyed throughout the country. There are also numerous other festivals that are celebrated in Kenya. Weddings are important occasions throughout the country, and they are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm. The celebrations go up to eight days, and are filled with music, dance, and special foods and lots of fun.

Kenya has taken the influence of all the countries and developed its own unique culture and herein lays the nation’s greatest strength. Kenya has the ability to blend the best of the many worlds into a strong, singular identity and a unified culture. Today Kenya has developed itself a lot; it welcomes the world to its shores. Furthermore Kenya continues to grow and evolve, it has a modern culture that is born via endless variety, and yet it is purely and proudly Kenyan.

 

Works Cited

"Kenya - Culture, Customs & Etiquette." Culturecrossing.net, 2013. Web. 2 Nov 2013. <http://www.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=107>.

"Culture of Kenya - history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family." Everyculture.com, 2013. Web. 2 Nov 2013. <http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Kenya.html>.

"Kenya: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette | global-etiquette | resources." Kwintessential.co.uk, 2013. Web. 2 Nov 2013. <http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/kenya.html>.

"People & Culture." Our Africa, 2013. Web. 2 Nov 2013. <http://www.our-africa.org/kenya/people-culture>.

 websites link:

 

-http://www.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=107

-http://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Kenya.htm

 

Interview transcription of my interview with Kemal.K

 

Interviewer: Alzoabur

Interviewee: Kemal.K

Location: University of Saint Cloud, USA, 2.20 PM

A-Alzoabur

K: Kemal.K

A) First, I would like to thank you for your time this afternoon For letting me do the interview with you.
K)  That's Ok. I am glad to hear from you.

 

A)    So do you like the weather in St.Cloud? Please explain.

K) 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. Kenya too has great weather; I love it there as well. Weather here and back in Kenya is quiet similar that is another reason why I live it here so much. It reminds me of my country. Also the best part about St. Cloud’s weather is that it has no dry season, I am not a fan of dry season thus I absolutely love it here. The city of St. Cloud is very hot in summer and very cold with snow in winter and as I like both weathers I love it here.

A) Hmmm nice .And what do you do for leisure?

K) 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. I also enjoy cooking a lot. Often I experiment in the kitchen and come up with new dishes. My friends and my family back home are just in love with my cooking skills. I am not a great artist still I love to paint especially when I am angry, depressed or frustrated. Painting for me is basically a medium to vent out my feelings and rent out my anger. Apart from this I also spend my leisure time either hanging out with friends, or reading. You can say I am a multi talented person. I love to to out new things.

A) Could you please tell me about yourself?

K) Oh yes sure. Well hmm I belong to Kenya. I live in Nairobi which is the largest city as well as the capital. I am really an extrovert kind of a person. I love meeting new people. I enjoy travelling a lot. Apart from that I am a diligent and a hard worker. I love challenges and meeting tough deadlines. I am a leader and I do not like to follow. But that does not mean that I am not a team worker. I am really good when it comes to team working; it is just that I do better when I am a leader. I set high regard fir rules and regulations and full fill them. I am a patriot I am completely in love with my country. I am very responsible and I possess good communication skills and have a power to persuade people.

A) What is your language? How many languages do you speak? How many languages in your country?

K) Kenya is a multilingual country and around 62 languages are spoken there. But the official languages are Swahili and English. I speak French, Swahili and English.

 

A)  How often do you communicate with your family back at home?

K) Ours is a very closely knit family so we tend to talk to each other about 4 to 5 times a week no matter how busy life gets we manage to take out time for each other. We share everything from the smallest of things to the biggest secrets of our lives. My sister is my best friend, she is married still we talk about 2 times a week and it’s a lot of fun, we crack jokes share secrets and everything.

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

K) There are a lot of festivals that we celebrate but the most prominent and well known is Mombasa Carnival. It basically is a celebration of the traditions and ethnicity of tribes in Kenya. It is a really vibrant festival and is celebrated in November in the city of Mombasa. It is a city that has been influenced by African and Arabic customs for many years. For this reason, it portrays African and Arabian cultures really well. Multinational floats and colorful parades, dance and music are some of the integral parts of the carnival. People often stroll through the streets in unusual costumes the entire day. Stalls are set up, and they sell a wide range of goods and special Kenyan dishes. It is a fun filled and a must have experience. It is really fun and we enjoy it a lot with our friends and family. It shows all the true colors of our beautiful culture.

A)  In what ways might it be difficult to practice your religion here in the U.S?

K) It is not at all to practice my religion here in United States as I am a Christian, which is the main religion of United States. Also I firmly believe that religion lies within us and no matter what the situation is or the place is we can always practice it. I am a really religious person and I practice my religion with great ease in US.

A)  Tell me some important things from your culture?

K) Well our culture is a mix and a blend of many. Religions like Christianity and Islam are widespread but still at this age and time many followers of these faiths still believe strongly in the ancestor world. They believe that the dead have the power for good and bad over their living descendants. They also firmly believe that when one dies they enter the spirit world and the spirit world has great influence in the world of the living. Apart from this people also very firmly believe in reincarnation, and right from childhood we are thought to be the embodiment of the souls of a family's ancestors who died. But now as people are getting educated things and perceptions are changing. I m self do not believe in the spirit worlds and people coming back and all.

A) What’s the biggest difference between the American culture and your culture?

K) Our culture differs from American culture in all ways. There is really no comparison at all, though we are Christians too still our culture differs from that of United States by leaps and bounds.

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

K) Well my first goal is of meeting other people that have the same career field that I do. I love meeting new people and learning about different cultures and traits. Secondly, I would like to improve myself using education, making me a better well known individual so that I may bring around a positive change in my country as we are still under developed. Thirdly, and finally, I would like to graduate and get a good job as a marketing head at a reputable multinational with a good salary package and benefits.

A) What is your favorite Sport?

K) I am not at all a sports person; back at school I always hated gym class. Still I like to watch cricket and baseball matches, but I am not a fan.

A) How did you choose your major?

K) 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 I always wanted to do something creative and I am really good at it. Also marketing is the area I am really good at, I am not at all good with numbers.

A) How do you celebrate holidays?

K) I spend my holidays with family and friends. I cook for them; we have slumber parties, dance food, movies gossips and a lot of fun. We share stories and have a really fun filled time. We keep things simple but have a lot of fun.

 

A) Where do you prefer your home country or here? Why?

K) Well both have its advantages and disadvantages. I love both. There I have my family and my roots while here I have great friends and a great future.

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

K) Oh as a matter of fact yes I do. What do you think about Kenya? What is your perception about our country?

A) Interesting question. Well I always perceived Kenya to be a very under developed country, with famine, illiteracy everywhere. But now I can see so is not the case completely. People are changing, they are getting educated and their perceptions too are changing.