I did not expect this interview to be different from the previous last interview only that I was looking forward to learn about Ethiopian culture. Similar to the last interview I had to look professional and composed. I also ensured that the questions were easy, comprehensive and flowing. I prepared the recording device and ensured it was fully charged to avoid a mishap like the last interview where the battery died before the interview was ova. I felt less nervous as I approached Abdella, who was to be the interviewee. Having previously met him there was no need of doing so much introduction but we looked for a silent place to conduct the interview.
He was not reluctant for me to record our conversation as I informed him it was for my reference and I would not give it to anyone else. I began the interview by asking him his name and tribe as I also informed him my name. This was to make him comfortable and acquainted, as he appeared a little nervous at the beginning of the recording. I asked him about his childhood and his family life back in Ethiopia. He was excited to tell me of how he enjoyed his boyhood by playing soccer with his neighbours and how he picked fights with his two elder sisters. Being A him about Ethiopian culture how men and women are treated back at home and the type of attires that most people wear. He told me that the women mostly wore Habesha dresses although they were slowly accepting the western culture of dressing. Next, I interviewed him on his educational background and how he had managed to get to Saint Cloud State.
Abdella had an interesting character and he made the interview more and more interesting. He explained to me how he had a difficult time adapting in the US when he arrived since things were so different and complex for him compared to his home in Ethiopia. Ethiopia being a third world country was not as advanced as the US despite it having the largest GDP among the eastern and central African countries. He told me how life was expensive here as everything was on sale unlike back in his village where people were generous and would offer you food free. However, he had come to adapt the life one year in to college and was now enjoying his life in the land perceived by many to be fool of milk and honey. The conversation lasted for half an hour and I had to end it when he informed me that he had to leave for a group meeting to complete a class assignment. By this time, I had gotten most of the information I needed for this project.
Country Report
Geography
Ethiopia is found in the horn of Africa and it is the largest land locked country in terms of population density. It has a population of over 91 million inhabitants dwelling in a total area of 1,100,000 square kilometres. The country borders Djibouti and Somali to the east, Eritrea to the north, Kenya to the south and north and south Sudan to the west.
It has rich and fertile lands, numerous rivers, jungles and it has the longest continuous mountain ranges
Government
Ethiopia has a federal government but initially it was a monarchical system.
Economy
It has the largest GDP in east and central Africa and the fastest in growth worldwide with over 10% growth rate.
Agriculture is the main source of income accounting for over 41% of the GDP
History
It is the oldest cradle land of man as interpreted by archaeologists. Samples of Homo sapiens were first discovered in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia was the first country to fight colonialists and conquer them thereby retaining its sovereignty.
Heritage
Christianity is the main religion in Ethiopia followed by Islamic
Amharic is the national language. It is a multilingual country with over 80 ethnic communities. The Oromo and the Amhara are the biggest tribes in Ethiopia
Women dress Habesha as the main dress code
They operate their own Ethiopia calendar, which is 7 years and 3 months behind the normal world calendar.
Ethiopia is the root of Rastafarian movement and it has popularized its flag colours globally via reggae music and pop culture.
M: Me
A: A
M: Hello my name is S what is your name?
A: Hello my name is A A
M: How old are you?
A: I am 22 years old.
M: where do you come from?
A: I come from Ethiopia the tribe of Amhara, which is among the largest tribes in the country.
M: Approximately how many tribes are in Ethiopia?
A: Around 80, which are multilingual.
M: How many religions are in Ethiopia and which one do you come from?
A: There are two main religions in Ethiopia Christians and Islam and I come from the Islamic religion.
M: What is the national language in Ethiopia and how do people communicate.
A: The national language is Amharic although people often communicate in the native languages in the daily interactions.
M: What is the clothing style for men and women in Ethiopia?
A: Women have traditionally worn Habesha but recently they have shown to the western culture in dressing styles. Men have no special attire in the current era but just dress casually with few adapting the new styles and designs in the market.
M: How are women and men treated in Ethiopia?
A: Men are treated as the heads of family and are given a lot of respect especially in the Islamic religion. Women have always been related with household chores and responsible for the stability of the family.
M: how has your experience here helped you to interpret and respect cultural differences?
A: I have learnt to interact with other cultures and to embrace the differences that exist amongst us. I have learnt to interact freely with other people from different cultural backgrounds.
M: Do you enjoy speaking with other exchange students?
A: Absolutely, I like to learn new things from them in order to understand them better.
M: How long have you been in the US?
A: Slightly over an year and a half.
M: Have you been able to visit any other parts of the United States
A: I have visited other universities during exchange programmes in our course. However, I have not been to New York, which I would love to visit
M: What influenced you to come to the US especially Saint Cloud State?
A: I came to Saint Cloud State because among the best universities in the world and it has lower affordable tuition fees compared to other colleges.
M: Are there holidays in your countries and how do people celebrate?
A: There are several holidays in Ethiopia, which are based on the lunar calendar. Ethiopian use a different calendar from the normal global calendar and it is 7 years behind the normal calendar. Holidays are celebrated according to their significance. There are national holidays and religious holidays and each of them is observed in the calendar year.
M: Do you have any question for me?
A: If there was enough time, I would have asked you about yourself and your cultural background but time is not on my side I have to rush for a group meeting.
The interviews ends now with a hand shake and Abdella excuses himself to leave.
Work Cited
Braukämper, U. (2002). Islamic history and culture in Southern Ethiopia: Collected essays. Münster [u.a.: Lit.
Kebede, T. (2002). Ethiopian Amharic phrasebook. Footscray, Vic: Lonely Planet.
Milkias, P. (2011). Ethiopia. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.
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