My third interview

Ethiopia is a country located at the Horn of Africa. The capital city of Ethiopia is situated in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia is headed by Federal Parliamentary Republic with Mutula Toshema as the president and Hailemariam Desalegn as the prime minister. Like USA, Ethiopia has three branches of government: executive, legislature and the judiciary. The country is inhabited by almost 80 ethnic groups with Amara and Oromo being the majority. The commonly used language in Ethiopia is Amharic, which is considered to the national language. English is also used as a medium of giving instruction in schools. The country has many cultures due the varied ethnic groupings. Ethiopia has a vast terrain with highlands and plateaus. Agricultural activities are considered the backbone the of economy with coffee forming the largest part of exports. 

Preparations for the interview

I decided to arrange the materials that I needed for the interview. I bought writing materials such pens and a book to write the findings, a recorder which was to be used for recording the interviews. Finally, I arranged where I could meet my interviewee who could give me the required information.

How I approached people

Being an international school, I decided to look for students for Ethiopian nationality. I was able to settle on Ibrahim. He was so cooperative and promised to give me the assistance that I needed. He suggested that his father, Mr. Joseph could be of great help for my interview. Ibrahim talked with the father who agreed to be interviewed.

How I conducted the interview

I organized a face to face interview with my interviewee Mr. Joseph. He invited me to his place which was a few miles from my home. I arrived by 9pm in the morning at Mr. Joseph. He welcomed me to his study room where we were to conduct the interview from. After the formal introductions, we went straight to the interview in order to find answers to my questions. I made the intention of my interview known and the kind of information that I needed from him. Finally, I started taking notes which were to answer my questions. I also recorded the whole interview on my recorder.

  The interview

I: How do people communicate in Ethiopia?

Mr. Joseph: First, Ethiopia is a multilingual state with almost 80 ethnic groupings. For the purpose of unity, the government decided to adopt Amharic language as a national language. English is the commonly used language of the foreign languages especially in schools as an instrument of instruction.

I: What is the dressing style in Ethiopia for both men and women?

Mr. Joseph: Dressing in Ethiopia depends with different regions one lives in. Mostly men prefer wearing trousers and shirts while women, on the other hand, prefer being conservatively descent.

I: How are men and women treated differently?

Mr. Joseph: All the people in Ethiopia are treated equally irrespective of age, gender, religion, race or class. The government regards all people as being equal in all aspects. So there is no special treatment for other people.

I: How is your experience here helped you interpret and respect cultural differences?

Mr. Joseph: Every society has its own cultures that need to be respected and appreciated. Being in a foreign country I respect the cultural practices of the locals. Accepting people the way they are is the best thing as it helps people to fit in a society with diverse cultural practices.

I: Do you enjoy speaking with other exchange students?

Mr. Joseph: Yes, speaking with other students from different parts of the world is the best thing. By interacting with them you get to learn many things you have never had a direct encounter with. From this, you be able to respect and appreciate them as they are.

I: For how long have been in the United States?

Mr. Joseph: It is now my fifteenth year in the country.

I: Have you been able to visit any other parts of the United States?

Mr. Joseph: Yes, I have visited my states of America including Boston, Michigan, Colorado and Texas. The most exciting of all was the visit to the states of Colorado to see the Rocky Mountains with the highest peaks in America

I: What are your home country’s major religions?

Mr. Joseph: Like the United States, Ethiopia has many religions. The major ones are Islam, Christianity, Paganism and Judaism. The majority are Christians.

I: What influenced you to come to the United States?

Mr. Joseph: The USA is a country that advocates freedom for all. It has a lot of respect for all people irrespective of where they come from. While, in the USA, you are able to enjoy an environment that is politically stable. Saint Cloud State is a cool place with little disturbance where one can live peacefully.

I: Are there any holidays in your country and how do people celebrate them?

Mr. Joseph: Yes there are many holidays in Ethiopia as in the USA. Ethiopia has international and local holidays that are celebrated nationally by all citizens. Especially, on September 11, Ethiopians celebrate their New Year. They celebrate their holidays through games and sports, eating and drinking in parties and music.

I: Thank you for sparing your time for me.

Mr. Joseph: You are welcome anytime.

Works cited

Briggs, Philip. Ethiopia. Buckinghamshire: Bradt Travel Guides, 2012.print

Jaber F. Gubrium, James A. Holstein. Handbook of Interview Research: Context and Method. New York: Sage, 2010.print

Zimmerman, Karla. The USA Book: A Journey Through America. New York: Lonely Planet, 2010.print