Interview #3 Top 3

#1 - Hassan
#2 - Wenjun Wu
#3 - Hanqiong C / Huan Yu

The evaluations can be found here

Interview #3 Prep Report

The only thing I really needed to do to prepare for this interview was to find an interviewee. This time I decided to talk with someone that serves in the NSA (Nepelese Student Association). I sent an email to them and I received a response from the association president. We worked out a few details and came up with a time and place to meet. We decided to meet on November 14, 2011 at 5:15 pm at the NSA office.

The day of the interview I printed off two additional copies of the question sheet, and put fresh batteries in the voice recorder and then I headed off to Atwood to conduct the interview. Unlike the other interviews I did not feel nervous, which was a welcomed experience.

Interview #3 Transcription

Interview #3

Interview date: 11-14-11

Interviewee: Ashwine K Jha

Interviewer: Tim Coughlin

Location: Atwood Memorial Center, St. Cloud State University

(T) I just want to make sure it’s ok for me to record this interview

(A) Yeah, that’s fine

(T) Ok, so here is a list of the questions for you.

(A) Do you want me to write down my answers?

(T) No, it’s just there for you if you want to see the questions I’ll be asking?

(A) How about I write down how to spell some of the names, because they can be difficult to spell.

(T) That would be great.

(T) Ok. Should we start?

(A) Sure.

(T) Alright, what is your name, and where are you from?

(A) My name is Ashwine K Jha and I am from Nepal.

(T) What city in Nepal?

(A) The capital.

(T) Kathmandu?

(A) Yes.

(T) Great, What is the weather like in Kathmandu?

(A) More of a tropical weather.

(T) Tropical?

(A) Yes, but if we take Nepal in general. Nepal would a small country where we could find different kinds of weather in a generally small area.

(T) Ok

(A) So Kathmandu’s extreme weather would be somewhat like this, right before the snow.

(T) Ok, so kind of like middle fall, a little chilly but not too bad.

(A) Yeah, but there is no snow. Since it’s relevantly near the equator; now if we go a little further north, near the mountains, that’s where we would find snow. So yes, the tropical weather would be more of what you would find in Nepal.

(T) So it’s pretty hot and humid?

(A) Hot and humid in the summer time and then pretty much like this in the winter time.

(T) Well that’s kind of nice; at least you know how to dress for the most part.

(A) Heh, yeah.

(T) Cool. Do you mind if I ask about your family?

(A) No, that’s fine.

(T) Great, So how many people are in your family?

(A) Uh, I have four. My sister, dad and mom, then me.

(T) Four. Is that common? The other Nepalese students that I spoke with also came from families of four. Is it typical for families to have 2 children?

(A) Well in Kathmandu it’s typically more than four; nuclear family. But those people outside Kathmandu, in ancient places, like some of the places you do not want to miss in Nepal. People from those areas have more joined families where the father, grandfather, father’s brothers and their families live together. So you could have a family of 20 to 25 members all living together.

(T) Wow.

(A) Yeah. So the tradition is, ok, Pokhara would be an example I’d like to keep. Pokhara is the third largest city after Kathmandu, it is very known for tourism, and it has a very ancient Nepalese culture… Ok, let’s say a grandfather, father, and his sons live in Pokhara. Now one son moves to Kathmandu, gets a job, settles there, and then starts a family. Now say the other son decides to stay in Pokhara and work he would remain with his family there, because it is considered bad if you have family in the home town and you live separate from them, unless there is a distance between them, like Kathmandu is a little further away.

(T) So if your family was living in say Saint Cloud it would be odd for you to live a few blocks away..

(A) Yeah, exactly. Because society would think, “Why is he not living with his parents?”

(T) Ok

(A) The concept is a little bit different in Nepal than here. Ok, so this is how it works in Nepal. A father and mother works hard to educate, feed, and basically everything else to help the child to become independent. It is there job to do whatever it takes to help their child to become a very good person. Then once the child becomes independent, it is now their responsibility to take care of the parents.

(T) Oh, ok.

(A) It’s kind of a way to pay the parents back.

(T) That’s cool; I think the US was kind of like that back in the day, but not so much anymore.

(A) Yeah, before inflation like in the early 70’s when the mom would stay home to take care of the children and dad would have a job. Then slowly the situation would change and mom would have to work.

(T) Yeah

(A) Like now, I’m an educated person with a degree from America and say I move back to Nepal and find a job. My concept would be that after I marry, my wife would stay at home, unless she would want to use her own degree and find a part time job, because I wouldn’t want to arrest everything that she had started. I wouldn’t want her to work full time though.

(T) So it is ok for women to work outside the home

(A) It is now, but it wasn’t before.

(T) So it was kind of taboo.

(A) Yeah it was kind of a taboo.

(T) Since you mentioned marriage, how old are people when they get married?

(A) There is actually a set age for ladies.

(T) Really?

(A) Yeah, there is no set age for the guys.

(T) Alright.

(A) For the ladies I would say the maximum age would be 25, after that they would be called Budi-Kanya, which means “Old lady couldn’t find anyone”

(T) Basically an old maid.

(A) Yeah. 25 is the cap for the females. Then for the males it’s like 28 to 30. There are still people that get married at like 17 but it’s generally it’s…

(T) So generally in their twenties?

(A) Yeah, the twenties.

(T) Now after the women get married, they generally stay at home, but it is ok for them to go and work if they choose to.

(A) Yes. Depending on… Actually the main authority is held by the eldest member of the family, so my grandfather has the authority to decide whether it is ok for me to allow my wife to work or not.

(T) Ok

(A) Let’s say my grandfather he decides whether it is ok for me to send my wife to work or not. So I have to go and convince him to let me send her to work and if he says no then she doesn’t work.

(T) Does that apply if you are living away from the family also?

(A) Well, if I’m in Kathmandu for examples then I have the authority. Now if we are living with my family, then the elder holds the authority; because if we do not respect what the elder wants us to do it would be considered a big offense.

(T) Wow.

(A) Yeah, so if my wife wants to work, she would come to me and say go and convince your grandfather to allow me to work. Then do you know what I would have to do? I would have to start to make allies; I would ask my dad. I would ask my mom. I would ask my relatives. Then we would all go to my grandfather and have a good talk, to try to change his perception.

(T) I’m sure that’s not too easy, especially when he grew up in a generation where the women did not work.

(A) Exactly, In fact my grandfather did not see my grandmother until the day of the wedding.

(T) So are marriages arranged in Nepal?

(A) Now days, no. Like my mom and dad had a love marriage. You see, how it works over there it depends on the caste; my last name, my surname, actually determines what community I am from and what class of caste I am from. So my last name Jha is my caste, it tells me if I am upper caste, middle caste or lower caste. It also determines my class as well.

(T) I see.

(A) So the reason arranged marriages were preferred is because love marriages do not seek that caste. Like I would not go and ask “So what is your caste?”, “Oh, Ok.” now we can love. Arranged marriages were preferred just so you can continue the blood line, to preserve the value of your name. So now if I would go and marry someone who is lower caste than me, it would be bad for my family. Now take my situation; my dad is a higher caste and my mom comes from a lower caste, so for me I have a better chance to marry anyone.

(T) So you could marry from both castes if you wanted to.

(A) Exactly right. So now like my grandfather, his parents would go to see the girl and her parents. My grandfather has not met her yet, now his parents would as the girl questions like, “Do you know how to cook?” and some few basic questions, then they test her to see how knowledgeable she is on different things. Then if they like her they will be married. So on the day of the wedding my grandfather only knows her name, nothing else. So he would see her for the first time on the day of their wedding.

(T) Heh, Surprise!

(A) Exactly, so now it has changed, parents are becoming more liberal on this, because the people are becoming more educated, so because of this the society has changed and now days it is a little bit less strict, but there are still parents that prefer to go along with the caste system.

(T) Wow! That’s really different from here, because our marriages are entirely love based.

(A) So that’s why I believe our divorce rate is only like 2 percent.

(T) Yeah, and here it’s like 50 percent.

(A) We do have domestic violence though, but the women are taught to be so tolerant. Ok, now let’s say that I were to go and beat my wife, she would not go and tell people that, because society would think that it was because she was unable to keep the family happy. It would also damage the name of the family, which is why they have high tolerance level. The maximum thing she could do would be to go to my family or to hers and then they would get us together and start counseling. Divorces happen in that way.

(T) So does your family negotiate the divorce?

(A) Yeah, because family has a key role in everything. So, if my wife and I want to divorce then we would go to our families and we would sit and talk. Then they would work together to make it not so big of an issue.

(T) So everyone would get together and smooth out the details before hand.

(A) Yes, but there is a disadvantage to that also. Let’s say my wife and I have kids. I would be off the hook, because it is my choice, since the women are considered by society better caregivers for children. Now her chances of getting remarried are very small…

(T) Because she has the children

(A) Yes, and if she were to get married again she would have a hard life.

(T) So that would be an advantage to stay married then.

(A) Yes, that’s why I think we have such a low divorce rate.

(T) So what would be a traditional food in Nepal?

(A) Traditional food would be white rice… Actually we do not have a traditional food, we have a national food, because there so many different traditions. So we have national food, national dress, and national song.

(T) Alright

(A) Ok, so for national foods we have white rice and Dhindo, we call it Gundruk, and there are tomato pickles. These are the kind of foods we eat in Nepal. Since we’re talking about national foods like this, people prefer to eat on a copper plate.

(T) Copper? Why is that?

(A) It is called more royal, because, like the king and queen they would eat from a golden plate. But if you see a picture of the national food you will see it on a copper plate, because that represents us. It is more enriched; its values are more enriched.

(T) Its better than standard clay or ceramics.

(A) Exactly.

(T) Wow, there is even meaning in the way foods are presented.

(A) Yeah, and they are served in a particular way, we can’t just put everything, like here where you just dump everything on one plate.

(T) So are foods kept separate?

(A) Well… It’s more like what they are served with. For example, if you have chicken then you cannot have milk. Like when I first came here people would eat turkey sandwich with milk, but culturally we do not do that.

(T) Really? Why is that?

(A) Heh, I have no idea.

(T) Interesting

(A) I would like to stress one more thing.

(T) Oh, Sure

(A) Food has lots of different seasoning on it. What happens is the amount of seasonings show how artistic the cook was. Like for me, it is hard for me to remember all of the seasonings. I can remember the basic ingredients. So the mixture the proportion, we call it spicy. Spiciness as a flavor and it’s a little bit hot, but not as hot as a bunch of red pepper. So you’re able to feel the heat, and taste the spice and the food.

(T) Yeah, I know what you mean. I recently ate at the Star of India. I wasn’t sure what to order but I knew I was in the mood for something spicy, so I told the waiter and he chose my meal. It was amazing, I could taste the spices, the food, and there was still a nice amount of heat there. It was really good.

(A) Yeah, you know, In March we will be hosting a Nepal night.

(T) Ok

(A) Nepal night is a huge event, we expect 700 to 800 people that night. So it’s a 2 hour program, then we’ll be serving authentic Nepalese foods, and I would really appreciate it if you would come.

(T) Yeah, that sounds fun.

(A) It is, because food is the only way to experience the taste of the country.

(T) I’ll definitely try to make it. Alright, what is the national sport? Or a type of sport in Nepal?

(A)The national sport I would say is Gulli danta. So it pretty much works like this, you have two sticks. One stick looks like a pencil on both ends, and the other is just a regular long stick. Ok, so then they dig a small hole on the surface, then they place the pointed stick on top of the hole, then you take the other stick and use it to throw the stick up, it goes far. Then whoever is holding the straight stick tries to hit the pointed stick on one of the ends so it flips. Then, depending on how far the stick goes, depends on how many times you get to hit the stick. This is played by the farmers when they check on their cattle to pass the time.  We play more soccer; soccer is really intense over there. Now when we came here we called it football and people said “Yeah we play football.” Then we were surprised to see the ball was an oval, because over here they call it soccer and over there we call it football. Then there is another sport called Kabadi; to play Kabadi you need to have power, so to play you draw a line and each team stands opposite each other. Then a person has to cross the line and try to touch one of the people on the other side and run back. But, they have to hold their breath as soon as they cross the line and if they breathe they lose. So the people on the other side will grab a hold of the person and try to keep them there until they breath. It’s a lot of fun...

(T) That sounds like a fun game. We played a game similar to this when I was a kid it was called Red Rover, each team linked arms and you would call someone from the other team over, and they had to try to break through and if they did they got to take a member from your team, otherwise they became a member of the opposite team. The whole point was to try and get everyone on your side.

(A)  Heh, So those are the games people play, but everyone plays soccer. They play soccer everywhere.

(T) Cool, What would be one thing that makes you proud of your country

(A) We are called brave. Bravery. Gurkha; Gurkha is a battalion of army who fought. They prevented the British from colonizing our country. They captured India, but India was very hot, so there interest was our country. The British wanted our country for two reasons. The first is if they could get our country they could use our resources like our forested areas and our colder places, because the British like cool places. The second reason is that it would be a very good way to China. So that’s why they wanted Nepal. Some of the crazy stories you hear about how the Gurkha fought is… First the Gurkha did not use guns, but they were good in the jungle. So they would place beehives along the paths the British would have to take and then hit them with rocks to get them to fall...

(T) Yikes, that’s mean…

(A)Heh, yeah, another strategy they would use rock to crush them as they moved through mountain passes. So they were surprised at how we could fight and by how brave we were because we didn’t have a lot of bullets or guns. We had Kukri, which is our national weapon. It is kind of like a machete, but it’s not straight, it has a bent blade. So after, the Nepalese started a treaty with the British where the Nepalese would go and get trained and also train the British.

(T)Cool.

(A) Yeah, another is that Nepal is also the second richest country in water resources with Brazil being first.

(T) I suppose with the huge mountain ranges.

(A) Yeah, if you dig anywhere you will have water.

(T) That’s great, especially as fresh drinking water becomes scarce, Nepal could have a big businesses.

(A) Another is our flag. The colors represent different values. Red represents blood and bravery. Blue represents tolerance. Then the sun and moon are the celestial body that the Nepalese worship and take a lot of lessons… Say I forgot to do my homework my parents would say “Did the moon forget to rise or did the sun forget to set?” They also influence our names.

(T) Really?

(A) Yeah actually all Nepalese have two names one name chosen by our parents and the other is chosen by a priest who looks at the sun and the moon the stars. So using this they set your name. This name is not to be told by anyone.

(T) So is the naming ceremony performed on the day you’re born or is it after you’re a little bit older?

(A) A little later on, let’s say about after a month, the day you get your name is the actual day you were born. A priest can actually tell what kind of person you are based on your private name.

(T) So do your parents tell you your inner or secrete name?

(A) Yes. There is a ritual that has to be done in order to tell you your inner name.

(T) What places or sites would you recommend to tourists?

(A) Pokhara; Pokhara would be a very good tourist site. Dhulikhel, that’s where my mom is from; it is a really mountainous place.  Then, Chitwan it is place where you can see all different kinds of animals. Chitwan is also listed as one of the world’s heritages. Chitwan has really good weather, it doesn’t fluctuate. Then there is Rolpa and Tilicho; Tilicho is a lake actually, it is the lake at the highest altitude.

(T) Wow, I’m sure the water is freezing.

(S) There are so many places… Solukmumbu; Solukmumbu is actually a base camp of Mt. Everest. My roommate is from there.

(T) Cool

(A) Each of these offer different cultures to experience. Kathmandu in the center will have all of the different cultures, but if you go north then you will see cultures closer to china and south you will find them closer to India.

(T) Ok. What festivals do you celebrate?

(A) Dashain, Tihar, Holi. Dashain is celebrated because it is victory of good over evil. So what happened is there was a devil that received a blessing from a god so that he could not be killed by anyone. So the devil decided to kill people and he got way out of control. Then the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva created the goddess Durga, because the devil could not be killed by any man. She was able to kill the devil, and then good things started to happen again. So that’s why we celebrate Dashain.

(T) So the victory was a new beginning for the Nepalese people?

(A) Yeah, that’s why we go and buy new cloths, clean the houses and get together with family and friends. It was a new start.

(T) What about Tihar?

(A) Tihar is the festival of light, so we like never have darkness in our life there is light everywhere, kind of like Halloween. Actually Tihar and Halloween fall about the same time.

(T) So for Tihar do you go around and “Trick or Treat”?

(A) Yes, we don’t have trick or treat, but people go around and sing songs, to get blessings like food, drink, money or spiritual blessings.

(T) That’s neat. We’ll skip the question on family values, because I think we covered it nicely earlier.

(A) Yeah, I think family values are taken to the main authority of the family.

(T) Yeah, so what are some differences you noticed between Nepal and America, or what are some things that shocked you about American culture?

(A) There are so many things, but the main difference I think is the high context society verses the low context society. For example, here what you say is what you mean while over there it is not… Say I am “pissed” with you and I was to say “I will kill you!” That might be taken literally here, but in Nepal they would be like “Come on, go to hell”. Another thing is here you smile at strangers, but over there it could be taken as an offence. Another difference is in Nepal there seems to be more time, but here time goes by quickly. I think I would like to talk more about cultural shock. Like when I was in the airport I was so excited to come to America. Things here are done quite differently, like for studying we have tests, in Nepal we do not have much home work. But here we can talk to the professors…

(T) What is the education system like in Nepal?

(A) The education system is not really customized to the student. Its first term, second term, final; it is very strict. There might be some tests here or there but it’s nothing like here.

(T) So how do they determine if you can graduate?

(A) We go ten years, and then take a test; if you pass the test then you can go to 11 and 12 and then on to college. The second part is depending on how you score on the exams, based on your score your family then determines your field of study.

(T) Ok.

(A) So like if I scored high in science then they would want me to go into science, even though I to study management.

(T) Oh Yeah?

(A) Yeah, that’s what happened to me. I wanted to study management, but my father wanted me to do mechanical engineering because I was good in science, but I changed it anyway to international business. My dad still doesn’t know that.

(T) Heh let him cool down before you tell him that...

(A) Yeah, over there what you study has been classified like science is at the top, then management, art is at the bottom.

(T) Ok, well finally what is the form of government?

(A) Federal democratic republic it is a new system they have there.

(T) Was that in 2008?

(A) I think it was in 2007 when the king was overthrown.

(T) So it was a monarchy before that?

(A) No, before that it was a democracy. Then there was this guy who felt that the people running the country were not doing it properly so he took over power and then it became a monarchy. That did not work so well and the king was dethroned by rebels and now we have a federal republic.

(T) So it is really similar to the U.S. system now.

(A) Yeah, we are at the beginning stages of democracy. While you have been doing it for a long time, so it will take Nepal a long time to fully adopt the system.

(T) Well I think you are at an advantage starting now, because you can learn from the experiences from the other countries that have tried it potently end up with a better system.

(A) Yeah and more over it will change the culture of our country as we adopt these new beliefs. Like Nepal was one of the first countries to recognize gay and lesbian marriages, but it is still not acceptable in our society, because the society in Nepal is very old so I think there needs to be another generation to make those social changes.

(T) Yeah, as you children become adults they will be more accepting of these new social dynamics.

(A) Eventually, there will be less of a generation gap.

(T) That’s good.

(A) I think so, because our society is progressing, but we are still in the early stages.

(T) Well, that’s all the questions, did you have any you would like to ask.

(A) No. I hope I helped you out.

(T) More than you know, I think that this was one of my favorite interviews. Thank you again.

(A) No problem.

I turned off the recorder and we talked briefly about Nepal night and a few things that I learned from the other interviews.

Interview #3 Personal Review

I felt this interview went very well. Ashwine arrived a little late, but that allowed me to look at my questions some more and prepare some follow up questions in my head. When he arrived we decided to chat for awhile to get more acquainted.  Then we found a comfortable location within Atwood Center and started the interview. At the end of the interview I had 55 minutes of recording and a new a ton of new information about Nepal. I told Ashwine I learned more from him in one hour than I did from all of my online research combined.  Overall, the interview was a great experience. Since it’s Thanksgiving, I guess you could say that I am thankful for having the opportunity to meet the people I’ve interviewed. 

Interview #3 --- Nepal Country Report

Nepal Country Report

Despite being considered one of the world’s poorest countries, Nepal is a country rich in beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures.

Map of Nepal (6)

Nepal is a small country, slightly larger than Arkansas, covering a total area of 147,181 sq/km.  Nepal shares its borders with China to the north and India to its south. Even though Nepal is a relatively small country, its population density is larger than the most populated country in the world; China. In July 2011 the estimated population of Nepal was 29,391,883. The Capital of Nepal is Kathmandu which is also the largest city in Nepal, its population in 2009 was 990,000. The current government system is Federal Democratic Republic which was adopted in 2008.  The official language of Nepal is Nepalese. Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular. (1)

     The highest point of the country is the peak of Mt. Everest at 29,029 ft (8), which is also the highest point in the world. Because most of Nepal is covered by the Himalayan Mountains its climate varies greatly from region to region. In the southern part of the country the summers tend to be hot and humid while the winters tend to be milder. In the northern part of the country the summers tend to be milder and the winters more harsh. 

The majority of the country’s workforce is involved in agriculture which accounts for about 30% of the country’s GDP.  The main exports of Nepal are textiles, grain and herbal remedies.  The majority of Nepal’s exports are traded with India. The currency in Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee its current value in US dollars is $0.01.

Nepal's most popular sport is soccer, with cricket gaining popularity among the youth. According to Sagar, the junior cricket teams are quite good. They have beaten some of the best teams from Africa, England, and Pakistan. Another popular sport in Nepal is Gulli-Danda, this game is played mostly by young and by farmers when they are checking on their herd. 

   (4) Gulli-Danda

                                                                        

Nepalese festival (3)

Nepal has over 100 different ethnic groups, and more than 90 different languages and dialects (2); Nepal is a country with an extremely diverse and celebrated culture.  Nepal’s two main religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, greatly impact the lives of the people. In Nepal religion influences the art, clothing, food, and daily rituals of the Nepalese people. Each year they celebrate over 50 festivals. The longest and most widely celebrated festival is called Dashain. This is a celebration of the destruction of evil. The Dashain festival lasts 15 days, during this time the Nepalese people generally take vacations with their families. (7) Another popular festival is called Holi, or the festevals of color. Durring Holi the Nepelese people toss baloons filled with colored water at each other, to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Holi Fesitival (5)

Nepal, despite its small size, has a lot to offer. One day I hope to experience the breathtaking landscapes and diverse culture Nepal has to offer.

Works Cited

(1) "CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/np.html>.

(2) Diwasa, Tulasi, Chura Bandhu, and Bhim Nepal. "The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Nepal." The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Nepal: Future Directions. Kathmandu: UNESCO Office in Kathmandu, 2007. Print.

(3)Festivals of Nepal. Digital image. Web. 25 Oct. 2011. <http://unitedweblog.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/tihar_deusi_bhaili_03.jpg>.
(4) "Gulli-danda.MP4 - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 23 Nov. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sWSyinFqt8>.
(5) Holi Nepal - YouTube. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 22 Nov. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W-NjjI0Xyg>.
(6) Map of Nepal. Photograph. The World Factbook. CIA.gov. Web. 25 Oct. 2011.
(7) "Nepal Festivals and Information about Dashain, Tihar, Lhosar, Teej, Indra Jatra - VisitNepal.com." Nepal Travel, Trekking, Tours Information and Provides Tips on Traveling through Bhutan and Tibet. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.visitnepal.com/nepal_information/nepal_festivals.php>.

(8) "Tallest Mountains in the World - A Listing of the World's Tallest Mountains." Geography Home Page - Geography at About.com. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. <http://geography.about.com/od/lists/a/tallestmountain.htm>.

Interview #2 Top 3

#1--- Berekti G.

#2--- Martha

#3---Hanqiong C


Interview #2 Score sheet can be found HERE!!!

Global Communication / Globalization Essay

Tim Coughlin
Eng191
Global Communication / Globalization Essay

  

Global communication is the sharing of information and ideas with people and cultures from across the globe and as global communication gets easier our countries become more interconnected and interdependent. This interdependence or globalization has had some positive and negative social, political and economic impacts that have been witnessed in the past ten years.

                First, global communication and its globalizing effect have had positive social, political and economic impacts. An example of this is with the use of social media such as YouTube, Facebook, and Skype people can now experience other cultures without having to travel to those countries. They can also use these outlets to reach a larger group of people to coordinate disaster relief for events like the Indonesian tsunami. Globalization has also enabled governments to work together to accomplish common goals. It has also increased awareness of civil rights violations, enabling people from other countries to influence change. One example of this is the creation of the International Coalition for The Responsibility to Protect. This was endorsed by the United Nations to protect people from genocide and war crimes. Another advantage of globalization is that it enables businesses to expand into other markets lowering the costs of producing goods and opening up their products to a much larger customer base. Globalization also enables consumers to purchase goods at much lower costs than they may find it domestically, because the manufactures now have to compete on a global scale.

Although there are positives to the globalizing effect of global communication, there are some negative social, political and economic impacts that also need to be addressed. First, and possibly the most significant social impact of globalization, is that as our cultures become more interconnected and interdependent the differences between them become less evident. For example, in my interview with Sagar he described that in the cities of Nepal it is less common for hosts to give up their beds for visitors while in the less connected villages it is still a common practice. Globalization can lead to the exploitation of workers as companies outsource seeking the cheaper labor of developing nations. Second, as these companies expand they build more facilities, potentially decreasing the environmental conditions in these developing nations. Globalization can also lead to increased terrorism as incompatible political beliefs attempt to assimilate; look at 9-11-01 for instance. Finally, because the world economies are so interdependent the failing of one nation’s economy brings down another, and more recently in the USA globalized companies are leaving to avoid high taxes and labor costs causing unemployment rates to skyrocket. These two examples highlight globalization’s negative economic impact.

In conclusion, there are many positive aspects to global communication and its globalizing effect like the ability to exchange ideas, assist in emergencies, and to trade with people and cultures from across the globe. Global communication has negative aspects that if left uncontrolled could globalize the world to the point where nations lose their individualism that make them great on their own.

Works Cited

2005, Early February. "The Globalized World Responds to the Tsunami Disaster | Global Envision." Global Envision | The Confluence of Global Markets and Poverty Alleviation. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://www.globalenvision.org/library/8/758>.

"Darfur and the 'responsibility to Protect'" OpenDemocracy. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-africa_democracy/darfur_responsibility_3897.jsp>.

"Did Financial Globalisation Make the US Crisis Worse? | Vox - Research-based Policy Analysis and Commentary from Leading Economists." Front Page | Vox. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/4206>.

Fisher, Sherry. "Globalization Hurts World's Poorest, Ethnic Studies Expert Tells Students - Novermber 3, 2003." The UConn Advance. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://advance.uconn.edu/2003/031103/03110306.htm>.

Ghimire, Shakti. "Effect Of Globalization On Poverty." The SOP Offers Daily News and Radio Broadcasts Featuring Celebrity and Expert Interviews, U.S. News. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://thesop.org/story/world/2006/12/06/effect-of-globalization-on-poverty.php>.

Sagar. Personal interview. 27 Oct. 2011.

"Terrorism and Globalization." GlocalEyeMuqtedar Khan. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://www.glocaleye.org/terglo.htm>

Globalization Outline

Topic: What is global communication and how has it promoted the globalization witnessed in the past ten years?


Introduction:
Ideas:
Social impact
Political impact
Economic impact


Global communication is the sharing of information and ideas with people and cultures from across the globe and as global communication gets easier our countries become more interconnected and interdependent. This interdependence or globalization has had some positive and negative social, political, and economic impacts that have been witnessed over the past ten years.


Thesis: Global communication and its globalizing effect has had both positive and negative social, political, and economic impacts.


Body Text:
A. Globalization as a result of global communication has had positive social, political, and economic impacts.
     1. Globalization has had positive social impacts.
         a) The ability to experience and learn about new cultures through social media.
         b) The ability to coordinate relief when a national disaster strikes.
    
      2. Globalization has had positive political impacts.
         a) Easier for governments to work together to accomplish goals.
         b) Increased awareness of civil rights violations, and the ability to influence change.


     3. Globalization has had positive economic Inpacts
         a) Increased opportunities for businesses to expand.
         b) Lower cost products for consumers because of increased competition.


B. Globalization as a result of global communication has had negative social, political, and economic impacts
     1. Globalization has had negative social impacts.
          a) Cultures become westernized.
          b) Exploitation of workers from outsourcing.
     
     2. Globalization has had negative political impacts.
          a) Decreased environmental standards when countries are exploited for cheap labor.
          b) Increased terrorism because of incompatible political beliefs.
     
     3. Globalization has had negative economic impacts.
          a) Global economies crumbling.
          b) Movement of jobs to other countries (outsourcing).

Conclusion:
While there are many positive aspects to global communication and its globalizing effect such as the ability to exchange ideas, assist in emergencies, and to trade with people and cultures from across the globe. Global communication has negative aspects that if left uncontrolled could globalize the world to the point where nations lose their individualism that make them great on their own.

Interview #2 Prep Report

     To prepare for my second interview I first needed to find someone to interview, so I asked Puspak if he knew anyone that would be willing. Puspak suggested that his roommate would be a willing participant. We exchanged phone numbers and Puspak contacted me with the phone number of his roommate.

     I contacted his roommate to find out when it would be most convenient for him to meet. He said that Thursdays from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm worked the best for him. Unfortunately, I am working at that time, so after rearranging my schedule I was able to clear some time to meet with him. Then I contacted him again to confirm the date and time. We agreed to meet on Thursday October 27 at 11:00 am in the Miller Center.

Then based on my experiences from the first interview I decided to reorder and reprint my interview questions.

On the day of the interview I reserved a group study room to provide us with a nice quite location to meet.

Interview #2 Transcription

I interviewed Sagar an international student from Nepal on Thursday October 27, 2011. The following is a transcription of the interview.

Interview #2

Date: October 27, 2011

Interviewer: Tim Coughlin

Interviewee: Sagar

(T) My name is Tim and I just wanted to make sure it was ok that I record this interview.

(S) Yeah sure.

(T) Alright, well I just have a short list of questions. Here is a copy if you’d like.

(S) Thanks

(T) So we’ll just work through them and hopefully it won’t be too brutal.

(S) Heh, yeah I taken the interview before.

(T) Oh you have?

(S) Yeah, last semester.

(T) Good. Ok, so what is your name and where are you from?

(S) My Name is Sagar and I’m from Nepal.

(T) How long have you been going to St. Cloud State?

(S) I’m a Sr. right now, so almost four years.

(T) So you’re almost done.

(S) Yeah, hopefully

(T) Alright, What is the name of your home town?

(S) Kathmandu. You know that place right?

(T) Yeah, it’s the capital, so how is the weather in Kathmandu?

(S) It’s moderate usually about 75 or 76 all the time, sometimes in the summer it can get up to 90.

(T) Does it get really humid there?

(S) Yeah, its gets humid. Were more than 1000 meters above sea level, so it’s pretty much moderate all the time.

(T) That’s nice.

(S) Yeah, We barely have snow.

(T) Ok, How many people are in your family?

(S) Four. My dad, mom, me, and brother.

(T) Does everyone still live at home?

(S) Yeah, other than me there over there. I have relatives over here, I came with them.

(T) Oh you did.

(S) Some of them live in Virginia, New York, and Canada.

(T) Wow, you have family all over the place. Do you ever get a chance to get together?

(S) Yeah, I’ve been Virginia and New York, but I haven’t gone to Canada yet.

(T) That’s cool. So, at what age do people usually get married?

(S) You never know, that’s a tough question. Some get married at 18 and some get married at 16, Most get married at 20 or 22, that’s the legal age.

(T) So early twenties?

(S)  Yeah.

(T) What is the role of women in the family after marriage?

(S) Most women end up as housewives if their husbands make good money, because back home you inherent their parent’s property. So they already have a house. But, some of women do work if they have jobs already, but not usually.

(T) So it’s ok for women to work, but it’s just not as common.

(S) Yeah.

(T) What are some traditional Nepalese foods?

(S) Rice, curry, and lentils, they’re kind of the national food. Sometime we eat meat, pudding made of corn flour. Then we eat soups like chicken chowder and something called Khole its not good.

(T) Ok good, what would be a type of sport in Nepal?

(S) Soccer would be popular, but these days cricket is gaining popularity, because our under age kids like 17 or 19 are beating teams from Africa, England, and Pakistan which are some of the best teams in the world. Now I don’t know what happens to the teams when they go to Sr. level, I think they just screw up.  Because back home you cannot make a career from cricket.

(T) So they not able to make cricket a career sport?

(S) Not any sport, here if your good in football you can, back home it’s not possible.

(T) Why is that?

(S) I don’t know, that’s why the under teams are really good. So like with soccer; say the kids here, like the 13 and 14 year olds played the team back home. The team back home would beat the US kids easily, but if you wait six or seven years say at 19 or 20, then the US team would win easily.

(T) So is that because the kids realize that they can’t make a career from it, so they begin to focus on their studies and career more?

(S) Yeah, their studies and everything.

(T) Alright, if you had to list one thing that made you proud of your country what would that be?

(S) Hmm, there is so many things, but let’s say the Nepalese Heart. We have a purest heart, we welcome anybody.

(T) Yeah I’ve noticed that the Nepalese students are very friendly and very nice.

(S) In my culture, like, here customers are god, but in my culture guests are god. That’s what makes me proud of my country. If you go to my country, as a foreigner, you will be respected more. Sometimes when guests come, they will give up their own bed and sleep on floor.

(T) Wow.

(S) It’s not like that in the cities much now, but more in the country, in the villages.

(T) So are the bigger cities becoming more westernized?

(S) Yeah

(T) That’s too bad. It’s kind of nice to have that “heart” like you said.

(S) Yeah.

(T) What places or sites would you recommend to tourists?

(S) That depends on how old the tourists are. If they are more culturally interested or naturally interested. If they are more naturally interested I like to tell them to go to more parts, because there are some places that have never been explored, never by anyone. Then there are the mountains, and base camps. If they are more culturally interested then I tell them to go to Kathmandu.

In Kathmandu if you want to learn about culture or to be lost in culture then it’s the best place in the world. We have so many temples in Kathmandu, lets just say we have more temples than houses.

(T) So Kathmandu is the cultural center of Nepal.

(S) Yeah

(T) Alright, so have you ever been to Mt. Everest?

(S) No.

(T) Is it just too far away?

(S) Its not far it’s pricey.

(T) Alright, so what festivals do you celebrate in Nepal?

(S) We celebrate Dashain Tihara.

(T) That was just recently

(S) Yeah, It’s still going on. Today is the fourth day of Tihar. Dashain is like 15 days long and Tihar is like 5 days, so let’s just say that like every 2 week there is a holiday.

(T) Wow that sounds fun.

(S) It really is.

(T) Are you still required to go to work during some of the holidays or is everything closed?

(S) Dashain is a 15 day holiday, but public service gets like a 5 or 6 day holiday, but for 6 or 7 days everything is closed. During that time, say if you wanted to call a cab during the first 7 days Dashain, it’s really hard because everything is closed.

Our festivals are designed, ok, so over here you have Thanksgiving and you eat dinner at the exact same time or within a 2 or 3 hour window of that time. Now with Dashain the first day you celebrate at home with your immediate family and then for four days you visit friends and family bringing blessings, and receiving blessings from them. So there is more than just one thing that’s done during the holiday. Another holiday we have is Holi. Have you heard about Holi?

(T) Yeah, that’s the one with the water balloons. You get to go around and throw colored water balloons at people.

(S) Right, it’s the festival of colors. It’s fun, really fun.

(T) So now that you’re here, do you still celebrate Holi?

(S) No, if you throw water balloons at girls they call the police.

(T) Heh, yeah I that's true.

(S) Back home I use to hide on the top floor and throw the balloons at the girls. It’s pretty fun.

(T) So what is the water colored with? Is it just food coloring or is it a special dye?

(S) Red, blue, Green, and Saffron colors. There is nothing harmful in them. They are the same colors we use in prayer. Yeah, so if you let them touch your skin it’s all the better.

(T) Which holiday or festival would be your favorite?

(S) When I was a kid I use to have Dashain Tihar as a favorite, because it’s like Christmas for you.  You know your parents go and buy gifts, new cloths and everything. So it’s like a real holiday.

(T) What about now as you’re getting older do you find yourself favoring another holiday?

(S) As I’m getting older I’m over here, so I’m not sure now. But I still like Dashain Tihar. I like Holi.

(T) Yeah, Holi sounds like a lot of fun.

(S) Holi is really fun. There are a lot of other things with Holi, there are processions throughout the city, it really is a cultural hub, and the whole city is soaked in the colored water. Then we have something called Gai Jatra where you go around the city making funny faces at people. You just go around the city and people give you food and drink, because you’ve been going around the city the whole day.

(T) So is it kind of like Halloween here?

(S) It’s not, but it’s kind of like Halloween.

(T) Ok,

(S) Well we don’t go door to door, but in Tihar we do. Like now we go around singing songs and dancing and they will give you blessings, money, and food.

(T) So how would you say that culture has influenced your family values?

(S) Influenced Me and my family a lot.  Then when I have kids I would like them to have that culture, because my culture is really good.

(T) That’s important especially if you want to pass on the Nepalese heart as you said.

(S) Yeah, because I’ve seen a lot of cultures that are not very good, here the parents kick you out or the kids leave when they’re 18.

(T) Do the Nepalese children show more respect toward their parents?

(S) Yeah, they are.

(T) Alright, good. Is some of your clothing culturally influenced?

(S) Oh yeah we have a trouser that kind of tapers down, shirt, and then the Nepalese hat. That’s the costume for the men. For the women it’s called a sari, it’s a really long cloth that they wrap around.

(T) So is that pinned then?

(S) Yeah, near the shoulder.

(T) Ok, Now is that something that’s worn every day?

(S) Like my mom, she will wear that whenever she is to go out. When she stays home, she wears a gown, or more loose cloths.

(T) What about the younger generations?

(S)The younger people wear more jeans and tee-shirts. Kathmandu is a real fashionable place. St. Cloud is not even close, like here you don’t see that many designer labels, but in Kathmandu you will see them there.

(T) So if you want something you can get it there.

(S) Yeah, the people in Kathmandu that own property are really rich. It’s like the New York of Nepal.

(T) So what are some cultural differences you’ve noticed since you been in the US.

(S) A lot.

(T) Any in particular that you can think of? Have you experienced culture shock?

(S) I’m really flexible, so I can adjust anywhere. I did not get much culture shock. Like back home we did not have LGBT.

(T) LGBT?

(S) Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender.

(T) Ok.

(S) So like my second semester here I had a Lesbian professor, and I had a job where my boss was gay.

(T) Was that more of a shock for you.

(S) No, not for me.

(T) What about in Nepal since that is not something that you see.

(S) Sometimes you see it, but they are not open to it.

(T) So it’s just not as common.

(S) Correct, but in Nepal same sex marriage is legal.

(T) It is?

(S) Yes it had been legal for awhile.

(T) Alright. So what is the education system like in Nepal?

(S) Our system is more based on theory not practical. They know a lot of information, but they cannot do it. They have a lack of instruments, so they will teach you everything, but not how to do it or how to use it.

(T) Alright, So what is the form of governments?

(S) They use to have a king until summer of 2008, but then they had a revolution. Now it’s a democratic country like here where there is a president.

(T) So now the Citizens get to vote?

(S) Well they’ve been able to vote for a while.

(T) Oh they have.

(S) Yeah, The government type has changed a lot in Nepal, but now they are a democratic republic.

(T) Alright. Well that was all of my questions so; do you have any questions for me?

(S) So what are you doing this for?

(T) For my English 191 class. We have to interview 3 international students and after talking with your roommate I thought Nepal sounded quite interesting.

(S) Yeah Nepal is very interesting.

(T) Well I just wanted to thank you again for helping me out with this interview.

(S) No problem

<End of interview>

Interview #2 Personal Review

Overall I think this interview went much smoother than the first. I felt I was more prepared, which made me more relaxed during the interview process. I think this made the interviewee feel more at ease also.

I really liked using the group study rooms. They offered some privacy that gave the interviewee a sense of security, allowing us to talk freely. They also eliminated distractions allowing both of us to focus our attention on the interview and not the environment. I will defiantly use them again.

During the interview I noticed that some of Sagar responses were difficult to understand. Unfortunately I did not ask him to repeat his responses, because I feared that I would offend him. After reviewing the recording in slow-speed, a very useful feature, I noticed a few topics that I would have liked to discuss.

For my next interview I will try to expand more on some of the topics the interviewee offers rather than trying to work through my list.

Interview #2 Nepal Country Report

Nepal Country Report

Despite being considered one of the world’s poorest countries, Nepal is a country rich in beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures.

Map of Nepal (4)

Nepal is a small country, slightly larger than Arkansas, covering a total area of 147,181 sq/km.  Nepal shares its borders with China to the north and India to its south. Even though Nepal is a relatively small country, its population density is larger than the most populated country in the world; China. In July 2011 the estimated population of Nepal was 29,391,883. The Capital of Nepal is Kathmandu which is also the largest city in Nepal, its population in 2009 was 990,000. The current government system is Federal Democratic Republic which was adopted in 2008.  The official language of Nepal is Nepalese. Nepal is the only country in the world whose flag is not rectangular. (1)

     The highest point of the country is the peak of Mt. Everest at 29,029 ft (6), which is also the highest point in the world. Because most of Nepal is covered by the Himalayan Mountains its climate varies greatly from region to region. In the southern part of the country the summers tend to be hot and humid while the winters tend to be milder. In the northern part of the country the summers tend to be milder and the winters more harsh. 

The majority of the country’s workforce is involved in agriculture which accounts for about 30% of the country’s GDP.  The main exports of Nepal are textiles, grain and herbal remedies.  The majority of Nepal’s exports are traded with India. The currency in Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee its current value in US dollars is $0.01.

Nepal's most popular sport is soccer, with cricket gaining popularity among the youth. According to Sagar, the junior cricket teams are quite good. They have beaten some of the best teams from Africa, England, and Pakistan.

Nepalese festival (3)

Nepal has over 100 different ethnic groups, and more than 90 different languages and dialects (2); Nepal is a country with an extremely diverse and celebrated culture.  Nepal’s two main religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, greatly impact the lives of the people. In Nepal religion influences the art, clothing, food, and daily rituals of the Nepalese people. Each year they celebrate over 50 festivals. The longest and most widely celebrated festival is called Dashain. This is a celebration of the destruction of evil. The Dashain festival lasts 15 days, during this time the Nepalese people generally take vacations with their families. (5) Another popular festival is called Holi, or the festevals of color. Durring Holi the Nepelese people toss baloons filled with colored water at each other, to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Nepal, despite its small size, has a lot to offer. One day I hope to experience the breathtaking landscapes and diverse culture Nepal has to offer.

Works Cited

(1) "CIA - The World Factbook." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/np.html>.

(2) Diwasa, Tulasi, Chura Bandhu, and Bhim Nepal. "The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Nepal." The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Nepal: Future Directions. Kathmandu: UNESCO Office in Kathmandu, 2007. Print.

(3)Festivals of Nepal. Digital image. Web. 25 Oct. 2011. <http://unitedweblog.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/tihar_deusi_bhaili_03.jpg>.
(4) Map of Nepal. Photograph. The World Factbook. CIA.gov. Web. 25 Oct. 2011.
(5) "Nepal Festivals and Information about Dashain, Tihar, Lhosar, Teej, Indra Jatra - VisitNepal.com." Nepal Travel, Trekking, Tours Information and Provides Tips on Traveling through Bhutan and Tibet. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.visitnepal.com/nepal_information/nepal_festivals.php>.

(6) "Tallest Mountains in the World - A Listing of the World's Tallest Mountains." Geography Home Page - Geography at About.com. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. <http://geography.about.com/od/lists/a/tallestmountain.htm>.