20 Questions

Home / Family

1.         Does your family live in the city or in the country / rural area?

I would like to compare the difference between life in the city and life in the country.

2.         How many siblings do you have?

I would like to know about the typical family size, are they large or are they small? Does the government limit the number of children a couple can have? (Possible follow-up)

3.         Do your grandparents live with you? Who takes care of the elderly when they become unable to care for themselves?

I would like to know if the care of the elderly is done by family, or do they use a long term care system like the United States.

4.         At what age do children leave home? Get married?

I would like to know if it is common for the children to live at home until they are married, or do they typically leave home when they are considered a legal adult.

School / Education

5.         What is your major?

I would like to know their major so I can use this information in the interview to ask questions regarding their career choice.

6.         How many years do children spend in school?

I would like to know if they spend 12 to 13 years in school before entering college.

7.         Do children attend school all year or do they take summers off like the children in the United States?

I would like to know the differences between the US education system and the education system of their country. Are the two systems similar or completely different?

8.         At what age do students typically enter college?

                        I want to know if students typically enter college at younger ages than the US

           

Work

9.         At what age do children get their first job?

Typically in the US children will get their first job at the age of 16. I would like to know if this is similar to their home country.

10.       When did you decide that you wanted to be a/an_________________?

I would like to know if the individual gets to choose their career, or does their government decide

11.       Is there a large demand for [major]_________________________ in your country? Is this why you chose_____________ as your career?

I would like to know if there is a greater demand for one profession vs. another. Do the youth choose their career paths based on this need to increase their chances of finding work

 12.      Do you hope to return home to work in your field or do you hope to stay in the

US?

I would like to know why one would choose to stay in the US to work rather than their home country? Are the wages better in the US. Does working for a US company look better on a resume’?

Government

13.       What type of Government system does your country have?

Are the leaders elected, or are they determined by their religion, family lineage, or do they ascend to power by the use of force?

14.       Does the government decide the careers / education of their citizens?

I would like to know if the individual gets to choose their career path, or is it determined by the government.  

15.       Does the government pay for your education?

If the government pays for education; are the citizens required to work off the tuition? Are the costs more controlled?

16.       Does the government pay for your healthcare?

I would like to know how the healthcare system in their country works, are there longer wait times, is healthcare rationed. Is the system fair, or do some people get special treatment?

17.       How does the government get their money?

I would like to know how the tax system in their country works. Do they use an income tax system, or a use tax system or a combination of both.

18.       What about your countries system governments do you like or dislike?

I would like to know if they would change something about their countries government. Do they like the system that US uses, or do they think the US could benefit from their style of government?

Fun / Leisure

19.       What places/sights would you recommend to people visiting your country?

I would like know what they consider the highlights of their country, places that make their country special.

           

20.       What are some things that you did in your country that you are unable to do
here?

Are there things that were considered culturally acceptable back home, but would be considered inappropriate here, or were there certain activities / attractions that are not available in the US or Minnesota?

21.       Were there any places for young people to gather? Movies, disco, etc.

I would like to know what kind of activities young people in their country could do. Were there amusement parks, movie theaters, etc available, do they spend their free time at home with their families?