Country: Singapore
Preparations for the interview
After my first interview, I decided to make a better plan. Now I had some experiences to do the next interview. I checked my question list again, so that I could do the next interview more proficient. I also checked my cell phone to make sure it could work well; it could be the recorder to help with the interview. In my first interview I interviewed a guy from Singapore, so I contacted with Guang to find another interviewee. And he recommended his friend Song, and I also sent email to ask Song weather he could accept the interview. Song had accepted my requirement. So I prepared for the second interview. After listening to my first interview record, I found both advantages and shortages. Then I could have a full knowledge of my interview. At last, I made an appointment with Song to get start the second interview.
Description of my second interview:
This time I feel more confident, as I have some support from first interview. I feel it is easier for me to do the second interview. Everything can go through more smoothly than the first one. By contacting with Song, I can also have a better knowledge of Singapore. He did not mind my asking all the questions. We can make the interview more relax and more professional. Song has told me more about his home town than Guang does. This time I have made a big progress and can do the interview more skilled.
Report On Country
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, from 1959 to 1990, and was one of the longest serving Prime Ministers in the world.
As the co-founder and first secretary-general of the People's Action Party (PAP), he led the party to a landslide victory in 1959, oversaw the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965 and its subsequent transformation from a relatively underdeveloped colonial outpost with no natural resources into a "First World", Asian Tiger. He has remained one of the most influential political figures in South-East Asia.
Under the administration of Singapore's second Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, he served as Senior Minister. He currently holds the post of Minister Mentor, a post created when his son, Lee Hsien Loong, became the nation's third prime minister on 12 August 2004. Because of his continued Ministerial posts, he became one of the longest serving ministers in the world.
In his memoirs, Lee refers to his immigrant background as a fourth-generation Chinese Singaporean: his Hakka great-grandfather, Lee Bok Boon (born 1846), emigrated from the Dapu county of Guangdong province to the Straits Settlements in 1862.
His elder son Lee Hsien Loong has been Prime Minister of Singapore since 2004.
The eldest child of Lee Chin Koon and Chua Jim Neo, Lee Kuan Yew was born at 92 Kampong Java Road in Singapore, in a large and airy bungalow. As a child he was strongly influenced by British culture, due in part to his grandfather, Lee Hoon Leong, who had given his sons an English education. His grandfather gave him the name "Harry" in addition to his Chinese name (given by his father) Kuan Yew. He was mostly known as "Harry Lee" for his first 30 or so years, and still is to his friends in the West and to many close friends and family. He started using his Chinese name after entering politics. His name is sometimes cited as Harry Lee Kuan Yew, although this first name is seldom used in official settings. Lee and his wife Kwa Geok Choo were married on 30 September 1950. His wife passed away on 2 October 2010 in her sleep. They have two sons and one daughter
InterviewInterviewer: Chenlong Mao
English 191
Interviewee: Song
Interviewee's country of origin: Singapore
Interview date: 10/30/2010
Me: Hi, nice to see you. I’m Chenlong Mao, I’m glad you can accept the application and do the interview.
Song: Hi, nice to see you too. It’s a piece of cake. So let’s begin our talk now.
Me: OK. Could you tell me a little bit about yourself and your home?
Song: My name is Song, I’m from Singapore. This is my second year here in Saint Cloud. My major is accounting. I can speak both Chinese and English. To me I am a Chinese immigrant.
Me: well, so during the time here do you find anything you are not comfort with? How do you like here?
Song: Well, I can’t say very good nor too bad, but just OK. You know, as a new student here, it’s very hard for me to get by during the first month, I just feel very uncomfortable here. As time goes by, I try to learn the new things around me. And everything goes in the right order. Now I can say I’m getting used to almost everything here.
Me: That’s true. I had the same feeling during the first month here. Do you find anything that different from your home town?
Song: Well, that’s quite a lot but I can tell you something I can find most outstanding. First, the food, I must say it’s really hard for me to accept the food here. I can cook by myself or just go to a restaurant to deal with a meal. I just don’t know why they can have so much suck food. Second, the weather, you know I’m from Singapore; it’s very hot there almost the whole year. But here, I can’t stand the winter here. Too much snow, the extreme freezing cold temperature, anything terrible you can imagine just happens here. Third, the people here are very kindhearted. This makes me very happy. When I lost my way during my way to shop, I just find the way by asking the people I can meet around the street. Yeah, that’s it.
Me: OK. That’s really a special experience, isn’t it?
Song: Definitely.
Me: So how do you spend your spare time? Do some sports, go shopping, or just hang around with your friends?
Song: Well, I’m just a quiet guy. Usually, I just stay in my room. But sometimes, Guang will come to visit me, so we may go around somewhere or have a dinner together. I like reading and watching movies. That’s it,
Me: Well, you are very different from Guang. He is an open guy, and play around everywhere.
Song: That’s true. Although we are almost opposite guys we are still friends.
Me: Can you tell me something about your country? Like some places of interest, or travel sites.
Song: Well, you know, Singapore is a small country. But there are still somewhere you can visit, such as Sentosa, The Merlion, or you can go around the beach to take a good sunbathe when you are off.
Me: OK. How is the education in your home country compared to the United States?
Song: Some kinds of aspects are almost same, but others are very different. The students can just ask questions from time to time very freely during class. And in my home country you just listen to the teacher most time, yeah, we can ask questions to teacher, but not very often. And we can choose our own courses by our own; just follow the ideas of your advisor. But in my home town, you can’t make your choice to select your courses. I guess it’s very humanity here.
Me: What are some religious or cultural customs in your country?
Song: It is not very different from China. We celebrate Spring festival, mid-autumn day, and also celebrate Christmas, Halloween. It’s a combine of multicultural society. People from different places and have different thoughts and also will have different religions. Buddhism and Christianity are most common religions that people will have.
Me: Any difference in how a man and a woman may contact each other?
Song: You know Singapore is a developed country. So people can contact each other very freely. We just follow the rules like you guys have. So you don’t have to worry too much when you go to contact a man or a woman.
Me: And what are weddings like?
Song: Well, generally, people will feast the relatives and friends to celebrate the wedding. Or maybe someone will go to church to exchange rings with the order of priest. It just depends people’s mind; different people will have different choices.
Me: That’s right. What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
Song: Well, rice and noodles are still our staple food. But you can go to some Western restaurants to have something different and special. We also a lot of sea food, that’s my favorite, I can eat a lot in a meal.
Me: And do you want to stay here or do back to your home when you finish your study?
Song: Well, I don’t know. It just depends, maybe I will stay here for a short time to do some part time jobs, or just pack my stuff and go home. I don’t have decided yet.
Me: OK. Well, almost finish the interview. Last question: Can you share me a special experience during the period you live here?
Song: Hmm. That’s cool question. Actually, I do have some special experiences. When I came here first time, I just had no room for me to stay. So I was very discomposed. I even didn’t know how to live here. That’s really a big question because I had not reserved a dorm by that time. Just before things were becoming worse, Guang showed up, and brought me to his apartment and let me stay there with him. After that we became good friends.
Me: That’s really a special experience. OK. Thank you very much for today’s meeting. See you then.
Song: You are welcome. See you.
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