Second Interview

Well, I prepared everything just like my first interview. I talked to a Korean guy whom I know by his face. He often comes to WOW wings; one of the food concepts in the basement of Atwood also the place I work. I approached him when he came to WOW. I told him that I need to interview international student for my English class assignment. He told me he would help me out if we schedule to meet. So we exchange phone numbers to set a time to do the interview. However, when scheduled time came, he called me with sore throat with sincere apology. He caught a cold, and he could not do the interview for me. So I had to look for somebody else for my interview and I met a student whom I knew him a little bit. When I was volunteering the “Malaysian night” I got to know him a little bit. Once I saw him walking in the Atwood, I approached with friendly smile. I asked him if he could help me with the interview. Since he was from Malaysia I did not have to do anymore research because my first interviewee was from Malaysia. Therefore, we were going to do the interview right away. So we went upstairs of the Atwood Center to find quiet place to conduct the interview. Once we found the place, we just started getting to know each other. After a while, I gave him my interview questions so that he would know what is I am about to ask. Also I gave him some time to think about it too. The conversation went back and forth about my culture and Malaysian culture. I enjoyed the interview as much as the first interview.
Ian Tay’s Biographical Abstract
Ian Tay is 22 years old and has been in the US about 2 years. He grew up in Penang and lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Malaysia’s capital. He has a sibling who is still in Malaysia but planning to come to the United States to study. He came to St. Cloud State University because he wanted to pursue higher education; He is majoring in Accounting and is hoping to bring his degree home to develop his family business.

The interview
Galkhuu: What is your name? And how old are you?
Ian: I am Ian Tay, and I am 22.
Galkhuu: Where did you grow up? What is your native language?
Ian: I grew up an island Penang in Malaysia, and my native language is Malay but my mother tongue is Cantonese, one of Chinese dialect.
Galkhuu: So how many languages do you speak?
Ian: Well, I speak 5 languages. Three of them are different dialects of Chinese; Cantonese, Hakka, and mandarin. Plus, English and Malay.
Galkhuu: What kind of games did you play when you were growing up? What did you do for fun?
Ian: when I can growing up I played street soccer, it is like soccer but we don’t play in the soccer field. Instead we play in about size of small gym area, like parking a lot or tennis court.
Galkhuu: What is the main food staple in Malaysia? What types of food did you eat most commonly when you were a kid?
Ian: You know because of Malaysia is very diverse country I had so many different foods to eat. But I am Malaysian- Chinese so I usually eat Chinese dishes. Like in the morning I eat rice porridge, in the evening whole family members sit behind the dining table and eat Chinese dishes.
Galkhuu: What was school like in Malaysia?
Ian: School system is a little bit different from the U.S., you know here, as students go to different classrooms right but in Malaysia teachers would go to different class rooms. But, in the college, universities are like the U.S students travel between classrooms. The grading is very different, in the US is more like participation and exercise would get more grades but in Malaysia is the final exams worth more points than the practices or attendance.
Galkhuu: When did you learn English?
Ian: I started learn English when I joined the kinder garden. But at home, my family used some English too.
Galkhuu: How long have you been in the US?
Ian: I have been in the U.S. for about 2 years now. I think it
Galkhuu: Do you miss Malaysia and your family?
Ian: Sometimes, I miss my family and my friends, but I don’t miss Malaysia much sometimes I miss Malaysia when here is too cold.
Galkhuu: Why did you decide to come to the US?
Ian: I decided to study in overseas since I was 16 but my parents would not allow to study abroad because I was too young to be independently on my own. I wanted to go to Australia but somehow come to the States.
Galkhuu: Did you have any problems coming to the US?
Ian: I didn’t have much problems coming to the States but I was kind of nervous to get interview to get visa.
Galkhuu: Did you feel any culture shock when you came to the US?
Ian: Yeah, I felt very strange at first, many Malaysia students were here in St.Cloud but I really missed my family and friends in the first few months. This was the first time I left home for long time. In the first time, when I came here It was very cold. My hands and lips were getting very dry and cracking everywhere. I never forget that part because it was the first time for to get really dry.
Galkhuu: If you don’t mind what’s your religion?
Ian: I am Buddhist. My family is Buddhist family. We go to temple once a week.
Galkhuu: Did you ever have a job in Malaysia and if you did, what was your job?
Ian: I helped in my dad’s business, I did pretty much everything. Sometimes help him to type letters to his clients, sometimes I help him to count stocks and even mop the floor too.
Galkhuu: How do you feel about the current political system in Malaysia?
Ian: I really don’t like the current political system in Malaysia. Chinese and Indian Malaysian are still been discriminated. However, I am not so much of political person but I feel if any Chinese become the political members Malaysia would have been same as Singapore.