English 191
Interviewer: Huan Yu
Interviewee: Jason
Date of Interview: 2011/10/24
Country Report
Geography
Climate
As Malaysia is not far away from the celestial equator, the climate of Malaysia belongs to the tropical rainforest climate. In other word, the four seasons in Malaysia is not so obvious, the changes of the temperature in a year is very small. And the average temperature of Malaysia is between 26—30℃. The rainfall in Malaysia is abundant.
Education
Because Malaysia is a multi-culture country; Malayans, Chinese and Indians all have their own special culture, the education system in Malaysia is quite unique. There are three kinds of primary schools. The first kind schools are schools based on the Malay. The second kind schools are schools based on Chinese. And the last kind schools are based on light meters.
Wikipedia says:"The education system features a non-compulsory kindergarten education followed by six years of compulsory primary education, and five years of optional secondary education. Schools in the primary education system are divided into two categories: national primary schools and vernacular schools. Vernacular schools use either Chinese or Tamil as the medium of instruction, whereas national primary schools use Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction for all subjects except English, Science and Mathematics. Before progressing to the secondary level of education, pupils in Year Six are required to sit for the Primary School Achievement Test."
Malaysia is a kind country. It keeps a positive relation between China. My country has economic and culture connections with Malaysia. Also, Malaysia is a wonderful place for visiting.
Work cited
When I get this assignment, I need to decide a country. And Jason is the first person comes into my mind.
Jason is a Malaysian. His name is Foo Leen and Jason is his English name. We got to know each other when I lived in campus. At that time, He is the CA of my floor. And he helped me a lot.
After I decided the country, I borrowed a recorder from my friend; it can help me to record the entire interview. In that way, I don’t need to worry about forgetting the details.
At last, I did some research on Malaysia. By doing this, I have a general knowledge on Malaysia. The general knowledge can make the conversation more smoothly. And we met at Jason’s dorm.
Interview Transcription
(H=Huan, J=Jason)
H: It is so nice to see you again. And thank you for help me with this.
J: You are welcome.
H: I know your English name is Jason, but what is your Malaysian name?
J: My Malaysian name is Foo Leen. (I didn’t know how to spell, so he spelled it.)
H: Where are you from?
J: Malacca, one of the main cities in Malaysia.
H: Could you please describe the education system of your country?
J: Sure. We have 6 darjahs in primary schools. I went to primary school when I am 7 years old. And I graduated from primary school when I was 12. Then I went to the secondary school. There are 5 tingkatans in secondary school. When I graduated from secondary school, I was 17. Then, I came here to finish my undergraduate studies. And I am senior now. By the way, we have three kinds of primary schools, and two kinds of secondary school. After secondary school, we can take Tertiary education.
H: How has your culture influenced your people/family values?
J: Eh, influenced by the culture, my father makes the important decisions in the family. And all the money is managed by my father. Both my father and mother have jobs. But my father has more wages than my mother. My mother takes the responsibility for the major housework, my father and I also do some housework.
H: So it must your father influenced you to come here, right?
J: Yes, my father makes important decisions.
H: How old are people in your country by the time they got married?
J: I think around 25 years old.
H: Ok, What is the form of government in your country?
J: Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy. The king of my country is Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is the head of state. But the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's role has been mostly ceremonial since changes to the constitution in 1994. Most power is divided between federal and state legislatures.
H: Tell me one thing that makes you proud of your country?
J: Malaysia is one of the countries to found the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
H: If I want to visit your country, do you have some recommendations?
J: Yes, of course. My country has a pleasure climate, so you can visit whenever you want. Sabah is a great place for visiting. PangkorLaut is a famous tourist attraction, it is in Sabah. In PangkorLaut, you can see the beauty of nature. Kuala Lumpur is also a good choice. Kuala Lumpur is the capital of our country. It is a modern city. I think you will have fun there.
H: Do you have some traditional festivals, and how do you celebrate it?
J: We have lot of festivals. Id al Fitr is one of the most important festivals. Did I tell you that most of us are Moslems? Before that day, people are not at home will go back home and meet the family members. On the morning, each family needs to clean their house. And everyone needs to have a shower. After that, we will visit the mosque.
H: What's the weather like in your hometown?
J: Ooh, the weather in my country is very pleasant. The four seasons in Malaysia is not so obvious, the changes of the temperature in a year is very small. And the average temperature of Malaysia is between 26—30℃. The rainfall in Malaysia is abundant.
H: What is a type of sport in your country?
J: Soccer is a very popular sport in my country.
H: What's a traditional food in your country?
J: Nasi Lemak is a very famous food. It is really delicious. You should try it if you have the chance.
H: Ok, I will, I love delicious food. What do most women do after they get married in your country? (house wife, working?)
J: I think women after married will do the most housework and also will go to work.
H: What is the taste of your food? Is it spicy?
J: There are some food spicy and some food not spicy. Different people have different tastes.
H: Have you ever been homesick? And what do you do when you are homesick?
J: Yes, I am homesick at some times. I will talk to my Malaysian friends. I often talk to my parents through Internet and telephone. Every summer holiday, I will go back to Malaysia.
H: Do you like living in St. Cloud?
J: Sure, Saint Cloud is a very pleasing small town. People here are so kind and helpful. It is not as prosperous as cities, but St. Cloud is very peace, I think it is a great environment for studying. And living in St. Cloud is a challenge for me. I need to face and deal with all the problems by myself, without my parents’ help. It is a great experience; it will make me more confident.
H: I agree, I have the same felling. I think that all. Thanks for your time. You are so nice. You have a nice day.
J: Thanks, you too.
H: Thanks. Bye bye.
J: Bye.
Personal review
So, I have done my first interview. I think it is a good chance for me to learn something new about the other country. At the same time, I can promote our relationship between me and Jason.
What I have learned now is just a little; the cultures of a country are huge treasure for everyone, as the cultures are the essence of ancestors’ experiences. In order to learn more about the country, I need to take more interviews and talk to more natives.
But from the interview, I also found my shortage. Fist, the communication is a problem. I need to learn some communication skills. We can learn a lot from the communication, and the communication skills can help exploring this treasure. Also, the writing is a headache for me. I think if I can use some writing skills, and then the writing will not be a problem. So I need to pay more attention in class.
All in all, this is an unforgettable experience for me. Hopefully, the next two interviews also will be wonderful.
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