Challenges and benefits of interviewing an international student

Interviewee and I are from different counties. This will make us nervous and has some distance in psychological. Therefore, we need to talk about some common topics that make us become relaxed. When we chat with each other, we may have some barrier in language, because we cannot express all the things we thought in English. It will make conversation become hard. Sometimes, we cannot record the answers because the international student replies you unclearly. The accent also is a problem, even if the interviewee answers a lot, but he has a serious accent, you still cannot understand what he said. The questions might be offensive; these questions can from many aspects like religion, policy problem, and private problems. Thus, before making an interview we need check questions again and again. If you ask some sensitive questions, the interviewee does not want to answer that; it will make both involved in embarrassed. In addition, it is hard to find an international student and adapt schedules to make the interviews.

                However, the interviewee from another country will bring you surprise. The different countries have different culture. It is the first time for you to touch deeply another culture, such as you can learn their traditional festive, food, and clothing. An international student also can bring you foreign experience, even if you never have been there. You make an interview with an international student; it means you can make more friends from that country. Because the interviewee might talk about this special interview to his friends, then you have chance to chat with him next time. If you have more interest, your interviewee can teach you some his mother language. You can learn about different lifestyle because of different culture backgrounds. It is an interesting topic between interviewee and I, which also can make us become relaxed.

                Overall, I think make an interview with international students will face some difficult problems, but it also can bring you a lot of surprise. Challenges and benefits both exist.

12 questions

I want interview a Burundi student, because I know a little about African. The world is leaded by the west and America, thus people want to know everything from the west and America. In contract, we seldom care about Africa because of its poor. Before I study in America, I watched international news that always about the west and America, seldom come from Africa. However, when I arrived in America, I make friends with different people from many countries. Especially, I chat with African student, I realize I know nothing about Africa. I think I need to know the west and America, but I cannot ignore Africa. I want to know about its culture, economy, and history. That is why I interview a Burundi student.

1. Could you tell me about yourself?(your name, home country)
2. What are you planning to do after school?
3. What is the difference in educational systems between your country and North America?
4. Would you like to tell me about your country?
5. Could you tell me about your country's traditional process ragarding marriage?
6. Can you tell me about activities that young people like to do in your country?
7. What are major holidays in your country?
8. What is your traditional food?
9. How is the political system of your country structured?
10. What are your country's major religions?
11. What do you perceive as differences between your culture and the American culture?
12. Is there anything you would like to add before we end our interview?