First Interview

Preparation

(Describe the preparations. How did you approach people? When, where, and how did you conduct and record the interview? Whom did you interview?)

Preparations for the interview

The easiest part for the preparation of my interview was to choose the country that I wanted to write about. The first country that came in my mind was Nepal. According to the statistic, there are more Nepalese students than other international students study at SCSU. I’ve met so many Nepalese students and I have a lot of Nepalese friends here thus it was easy for me to find three interviewees for my interview. So, I decided to research and write about Nepal as I did not know much about this wonderful country and the interview would give me the opportunity to explore the magic and the diversity the country had to offer. Before I started my first interview, the class came up with 12 core questions and then I added and changed some of them. My objectives were to get a chance to know my interviewees better, to know more about religion and culture of Nepal learn some more new interesting facts about Nepal and get experience of taking interview.

How did you approach people?

 The first person that came in my mind when I wanted to work on Nepal was Chandras Pandey (Chandra) who is a very good friend of mine. I thought his insights and knowledge would clearly help me take this assignment on an easy path.

When, where, and how did you conduct and record the interview?

 So, without any hesitation, I called Chandra and asked him if he would like to help me with the interview. And no surprise, he was more than happy to do it! We decided to meet on Friday at 2:30 pm on the fourth floor of Centennial Hall and conduct the interview. The quiet lounge in Centennial Hall was for sure going to be the perfect host for the interview. So, I researched a little bit more about Ethiopia, printed out 2 copies  of  my core questions (one for me and one for Chandra), carried my iPhone as my audio recorder and headed to Centennial Hall for the interview. I took a bottle of water and some candies for Chandra. Before the interview I asked him if he doesn’t mind if I use my iPhone for recording interview and he was fine with that. After a little bit of chatting, we started the interview!

Whom did you interview?

I interviewed Chandras  Pandey who is from Kathmandu, Nepal. He is 23 years old and he is already a senior student at SCSU.

Interview report.

(Describe the interview. What did surprise you?)

I think the overall interview with Chandra went pretty well. At no point during my interview process did I ever feel that I was interviewing him… except for one thing that I had to look at my phone to make sure that it was still recording! The interview was done more in a casual manner and since we knew each other really well, we were both able to present our ideas better. I think Chandra introduced Nepal to me very well. I really enjoyed the conversation and I’m thankful to him that he could present on my interview. The fourth floor of Centennial Hall was the perfect place to conduct my interview as there was not even a single person to distract us during the whole process. I think this is the best place for interviewing.

However, there were times when I felt that my questions were not structured enough and the transition from one question to other was not as smooth as they could have been. So, the next time I will try to avoid this mistake. Also, my interviewee didn't have enough time for the conversation. He is always so busy with his school and work because it's his last year of school. In fact, I didn't really ask all questions that I wanted. Next time, I would try to find somebody whom I can ask all my questions.  Overall, this interview was a good beginning for a first time interviewer like me to learn and do better for my next interviews.

           I was surprised how people in Nepal differ other people on different Castes from higher level(rich) to low level (poor)  till now days. Chandra said that he is from highest Caste, in fact he has to get married the girl from the highest caste as well. But his family is exception because they are liberal people and they don't mind whom he will choose as a bright. Also, I was so surprised how people celebrate the wedding in Nepal. Chandra said that bride has to wear red dress (sari) on the wedding and white dress(sari) if someone died.
           This interview has helped me understand Nepal culture better and learn more about Nepal. And I expect to get some interesting facts about Nepal from my next two interviewees.

Country report

(Report on country/region and culture.)         pic.1. Map of Nepal

Nepal is a developing country with extensive tourist facilities, which vary widely in quality and price. The capital city is Kathmandu. “Nepal is located in South Asia between China in the north and India in the south, east and west. The total land area is 56,827 sq mil and a population of the country approximately 27 million.” (1) “The most interesting fact of this country is that “Nepal contains Mount Everest (29,035 ft; 8,850 m), the tallest mountain in the world. Along its southern border, Nepal has a strip of level land that is partly forested, partly cultivated. North of that is the slope of the main section of the Himalayan range, including Everest and many other peaks higher than 8,000 m”. (3)                                                                                                                  
                                                                                     pic.2. Holi festival in Nepal

“Customs and traditions differ from one part of Nepal to another. A conglomeration lies in capital city Kathmandu where cultures are blending to form a national identity. Kathmandu Valley has served as the country’s cultural metropolis since the unification of Nepal in the 18th Century. A prominent factor in a Nepali’s everyday life is religion. Adding color to the lives of Nepalese are festivals the year round which they celebrate with much pomp and joy. Food plays an important role in the celebration of these festivals.”(1)

“Nepal does not have a distinct cooking style. However, food habits differ depending on the region. Nepali food has been influenced by Indian and Tibetan styles of cooking. Authentic Nepali taste is found in Newari and Thakai cuisines. Most Nepalis do not use cutlery but eat with their right hand.The regular Nepali meal is dal (lentil soup), bhat (boiled rice) and tarkari (curried vegetables), often accompanied by achar (pickle). Curried meat is very popular, but is saved for special occasions, as it is relatively more expensive. Momos (steamed or fried dumplings) deserve a mention as one of the most popular snack among Nepalis. Rotis (flat bread) and dhedo (boiled flour) also make meals in some homes.” (2)
                    pic.3. Nepalese traditional food

Work cited:

1.  “Naturally Nepal. Once is not enough”: http://welcomenepal.com/promotional/know-nepal/geography/

2.  “Mountain: tours, treks and travels” (2012): http://www.trekkinginsikkims.com/nepal-information.html

3.  “Info please. Nepal.” (2011): http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107820.html

4. Pic. 1.: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/nepal.html
5. Pic. 2.: http://slucksblog.com/world%E2%80%99s-best-festivals
6. Pic. 3.: http://explore.tourismnepal.org/views/traditional-food-nepal/

The Interview

Interviewer: Helen Galkina

Interviewee: Chandras Pandey

Location: Centennial Hall, SCSU

2:30 pm (10/19/2012)

H-Helen                            

C-Chandras

H- Hello, my name is Helen and what’s your name?

C- My name is Chandras Pandey, but I go by Chandra.

H- Ok, Chandra. And where are you from?

C- I am from Kathmandu, Nepal.

H- Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal, isn’t it?

C- Yep. You are right.

H-How would you introduce Nepal to somebody who has never heard of it?

C-(sweet smile) Nepal is naturally one of the most beautiful places you’d ever see.

H- (smile) ok! So, you came to the US to study…How long have you been studying here?

C- Yah. It’s been 4 years now.

H- Why did you choose to study at St.Cloud University?

C- I have been asked this question a lot. (chuckles). I chose this school because one of my high school friends came here  before me. And I got to know about this university through him. I did some research about this university and the program that I liked…plus despite being an international student I don’t have to pay out of state tuition. So I planned to come here.

H- I see. That is a good point. So Mr. Pandey, what is your major?

C- Electrical engineering

H- Nice! You seem to be a very smart person then? What made you choose this major?

C- Actually, Math and Science is taught universally with a same rule. I had interest in these fields since my high school days. So I thought about getting a degree in that.

H- So, you are a senior now, right?

C- Yup.

H- What are you planning to do after school?

C- I want to go for a masters program in the same field.

H- That is a good idea! You can find a better job because of your master degree! Good luck!

C – I hope so… thank you!!!

H- So Chandra, tell me. Have you found any differences in educational systems between Nepal and the US?

C- There is a lot of differences from elementary school to university. .. We have to wear uniform to go to school but here they don’t care what students wear... unless it’s a private school (laughs). And classes are totally different. Here student have to go from one room to another to attend classes but back home, teachers change rooms. Here, midterms, assignments, project and finals everything is summed up to calculate grade but there, your final exam determines your grade.

H- Is it based on credits or do you have a fixed set of classes to take?

C- We have pre-designed courses for every semester. That is you cannot choose classes like here.

H- Okay. Let’s skip education for now. Let’s talk about your family. How many members are there in your family?

C- There are 4 members… Dad, mom, my brother and I.

H- What about your grandparents? Do they live with your parents? Do they work and live on their own?

C- They used to live in village on their own but  they live with my parents now. They are both retired and are mostly involved in social and religious activities.

H- Was it really hard for your parents to agree with you to come here?

C- Not really. My mom  was actually excited but when I was leaving she felt really bad.

H- What about your brother? Is he still in Nepal?

C- No he is in Germany, studying just like me!!

H- That should be really tough for your mother then?

C- We talk to her  through Skype almost on every day basis . So she is fine now I guess.

H- How was your life different from the lifestyle in the US?

C- The main thing I learnt here is the value of time. Time flies so fast here but back home people have a lot of time. System is different and so is the way of living. 

H- What do you like to do here?  Any special hobbies?

C- I like playing sports. I also like watching American football now although I came to know about the game after coming to the states.

H- Do young people do same activities in your country like in the US?

C- No, I like how young people work and earn their pocket money here. But back home they are dependent on their parents until they graduate from  college or find a job. So ya, there are a lot of differences.

H- Thank you very much Chandra. Let’s talk about major holidays in your country now. I know this week is the ‘Dashain’ for you guys. Tell me something about it.

C- Well, Dashain is the biggest festival in Nepal, along with Tihar. Dashain spans well over 14 days and is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over the country. It marks the victory of truth over evil. Everybody gets together and every single person has a good time during this auspicious occasion.

H- That sounds interesting. Are you celebrating Dashain with your Nepalese friends here?

C- Not really. I don’t have time for that. But we make out traditional food during this week. By the way, there was Dashain night at Atwood this Saturday. Did you go to watch it?

H- No… Unfortunately I missed it... I just saw the funny video from that night… how Nepalese students were dancing in ‘Gangnam style’s parody’ (smile)…so, ya...  I heard it was super fun. I’ll go next time…

C- Yes, you should!

H- And what about other holidays in your country… Could you tell me something more about it?

C- Nepal probably has more festivals than number of days in the year!!! There are a lot of festivals… Apart from Dashain, there is Tihar which is festival of lights, Holi… festival of colors, Janai Purnima, Maghe Sakranti and so many more… I can’t even name all of them!!!

H- Wow!! That is so interesting! You also mentioned about your traditional food earlier! Could you tell me more about it?!

C-  Well, Nepal is in Asia and as you know… We Asian love rice!!! So, rice is an integral part of our cuisine. Most of our food is spicy and very tasteful, but the one I like the most is Momo. It is more like a dumpling but lot better!!!

H- Oh! It sounds tasty! I love Nepalese food!! One of my Nepalese friends taught me how to make chicken curry... so, I might make you some curry some day!!!

C- I would love too!! (Smile)

H- So, Do you know how to cook your traditional food?

C- Yes, of course!!

H- Where did you learn it? In the US or back home?

C- I learnt it in the US... I asked my mom for some recipes and tried to do my  best to cook it! I like cooking though. When I was back home, my mom used to cook for me and I didn’t really care how to cook. But here I live on my own so I had no other options than cooking on my own.

H- That is a good thing that you cook. You can save some money then!

C- Sure (smile)

H- Well, what about your country's major religions then? Your country predominantly follows Buddhism and Hinduism, right?

C- Yes, You are right. About 80% of Nepalese are Hindu, 10% are Buddhist. However there are also Muslims, Christains and people who follow their ethnic religion!

H- I’ve heard you guys have 4 different castes. Could you tell me more about it?

 C- The Nepali caste system is complex. Nepal consist of 4 social classes Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra and these are the 4 major castes on which people are divided.

H- How these 4 social classes different from each other?

C- This was done during the ancient times, basically, according to the profession of people. Priests, sages and wise men were given the highest ranks and were called Brahmins, warriors and kings were called Kshatriya. Vaisya and Sudras were considered to be the lower members of the societies and included manual labors and farmers.

H- And what Caste do you belong to?

C- Brahmin

H- And could tell me something about your Caste (Brahmin)?

C- Well… because of I’m from highest level I have to get married the girl from the same caste as well. But my family is exception because they are liberal people and they don’t mind whom I will choose as a bride. And actually this tradition still exists in some villages.

H- Okay… The wise man huh!!!

     And now I want to talk about your country's traditional process regarding marriage. Tell me something about it.

C-  Most of the marriages in Nepal are arranged by the family… but we can see a lot of love marriages nowadays. As far as the customs and rituals during marriage go, it’s very complicated. Marriage is mostly celebrated for 2 days. The groom goes to bride’s house, marries her and brings her to his house. Then, they go through several rituals at his place again the very next day!

Also, I would love to add that bride has to wear red dress (sari) on the wedding but white dress (sari) women wear if someone died. That is what opposite from the US culture.

H- And what do most women do after they get married? Do they work or act as a housewife?

C-  In the past most women would act as housewife. Stay at home and take care of children. But times are changing now… Since more women are educated now, they live a normal life as before they were married. However, the situation of women in villages is still the same. Once they get married, they just end up being a housewife.

H- And now the last question! What are the differences between your culture and the American culture?

C- Everything I suppose!! US has a high context culture. Everyone is direct and forward. It’s not the case in Nepal and moreover people here know the value of time!

H- Thank you so much Chandra for your time and help!

C- No problem at all!

H- Is there anything else would you like to add before we end our interview?

C- I think, I’ve said everything.

H- Ok. Do you have any questions for me, now that I have had the pleasure of asking you about so many things?

C- Not really…It was my pleasure to help you with your assignment! Good luck with your class! I got to go to work now! See you later!

That was the end of my first interview with Chandra Pandey. I desire to learn some more about this country from my 2 other interviewees.