Preparation Report
For my last interview I decided to interview a student from a country other than Sri Lanka. I had been working with a guy from Burkina Faso for the past few months and I had studied Burkina Faso in one of my economics classes before so I knew a lot about it and I was really interested in finding out about the culture, habits and attitudes in such a poor country.
This time I went to the library to rent a recorder and set up a time to meet with my interviewee in one of the study rooms in there. Since we both had to work at Caribou before our interview we grabbed dinner in Atwood and then walked over to the library because Atwood was surprisingly packed with people.
I had sent Fabrice my questions beforehand because he asked me to so he could prepare for it.
Interview Report
Fabrice is 26 years old and originally from Burkina Faso. He is in his second year of school at SCSU, mastering in applied economics. Our interview took place on Thursday night in one of the study rooms in the library. Prior to the interview I thought that it would take a lot longer than my previous interviews because he has a really thick accent but once we sat down he took his time to answer my questions and I was surprised by how well I understood him. It was really interesting to hear about the differences in culture especially between a country like Burkina Faso and the United States. Comparing this interview to the first two I think he took it most serious and he was really dedicated to answer any questions I had. I can definitely say that I learned a lot from the interview.
Counrty Report
Burkina Faso is a country in the western part of Africa. It is landlocked and borders onto
Mali,
Niger,
Togo,
Ghana and
Côte d'Ivoire. Before the country officially became Burkina Faso it was named Upper Volta because of three rivers (the Black Volta, the White Volta and the Red Volta) which crossed the country. The Black Volta is one of the only two rivers of Burkina Faso that flows all year around.
The climate can be roughly described in two different seasons. In the rainy season which lasts for about four months (May-September) they receive approximately 30in of rain and in the dry season the hot dry wind from the Sahara blow over the country.
The main religion in Burkina Faso is 65% Islamic and about 23% Christian. These are guessed numbers by the government because Islam and Christianity are consistently practiced in tandem with indigenous religious beliefs.
As far as the country’s economy goes Burkina Faso has one of the lowest GDP’s per capita with only $1200 a year. People are mainly involved with agriculture to ensure they will have enough food for their own families. Most of the economic activity seen in Burkina Faso comes from international aid sources. Looking at the life expectancy which is 52 years for women and 50 years for men shows the critical condition of the country. Health institutions are hardly available and if they are they are mostly in bad conditions. Education is another point which families in Burkina Faso struggle with. It costs them approximately $97 a year to send one child to school. This is far more than most families are able to spend over there so a lot of children do not get a proper if any education. If there is a way for a family to pay for school boys get the right away and girls have to stay home.
Sources
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
Interview
[This interview transcription will start at a point after which we had talked for a few minutes on our way over to the library]
Kim: How is your chicken?
Fabrice: It’s very good. I love WOW.
K: Haha I got to get in shape for the summer, my salad is good as well.
F: You are in shape.
K: Yeah but you know typical girls thing.
F: Girls are weird.
K: Yeah but that’s ok because guys are too!
F: Nooo.
K: Yeeees. Hey by the way can I record our interview? It will make it easier for me to put it together later.
F: Ya sure go ahead.
K: Thank you. Promise I will delete it after I am done.
F: Ok. Do you work tomorrow?
K: Yes I do tomorrow morning why?
F: I am working for Chani tomorrow so I will see you.
K: That will be fun. Fridays are slow days so it will be easy.
F: Ohh slow? Not like Tuesdays?
K: No way slower it is really nice.
F: That is nice.
K: Hey so how old are you actually?
F: I am 26.
K: That’s what I thought. Why did you come here that late?
F: I didn’t. I am going for my masters right now.
K: Oh ok that makes sense. Where did you get your undergrad?
F: I got it in Burkina Faso.
K: Interesting I didn’t know that they actually had the option of University over there.
F: Yeah if you are wealthy there are opportunities for education.
K: So what is university like in your country?
F: We have different majors that form a school that is called faculty.
K: What is a faculty?
F: A faculty is an autonomous unit of the University with a dean and his staff. Most classrooms are auditorium like because there are so many people in one class. The teacher lectures from a podium talking through a microphone and we take notes.
K: That’s basically how it works in Germany too. How many people are there in one class?
F: In my first year of law, we were more than 2000 and 400 graduated after 4 years.
K: Wow there were only 400 that graduated?
F: Yeah that’s about what it always is.
K: Interesting. Why is that?
F: I don’t know, it has just always been like that. And we also have dorms and game areas on campus.
K: So you could live on campus if you wanted to?
F: Yeah that is what a lot of people do because you are close to your classes.
K: That makes sense. Do you think you would have been able to get the same education in your country then?
F: Well I actually did get my bachelor in Burkina Faso and now I am here for my master.
K: I didn’t know that. What are you going for?
F: Applied economics.
K: What was your undergraduate?
F: It was law.
K: That will go really well together!
F: Yeah that’s what I was thinking and now I came here to have all the advantages of technology.
K: Would you explain that a little more?
F: There is a big technology gap between my country and the USA so we do poorly when it comes to practice. So what I mean is that we don’t get to experience what we study.
K: Do you think that you would get the same education in Burkina Faso if there wasn’t such a technology gap?
F: Theoretically, I think that our student are better than Americans. Most of the classes taught at college level in USA, for instance generals, are taught at high school level in Burkina Faso.
K: Yeah I know what you mean, that is the same in Germany. But with how poor Burkina Faso is you would think that there isn’t that many opportunities for you to get a good education.
F: There is not unless you live the big city and have money for education.
K: So I am assuming your parents had money to pay for your college?
F: Yeah but we also have to pay for high school. I am happy that I got to go.
K: I can only imagine.
F: Yeah and now I even get to learn English better.
K: What’s the main language spoken in your country?
F: We speak mainly French.
K: Haha I tried to learn French for five years and all I remember is “Je ne sais pas”
F: That is always good to know.
K: Yeah at least I will have a response.
F: Yeah!
K: So do you think it will be easy for you then to find a job after college?
F: No I don’t think it will be easy because of the job market.
K: Are you planning to stay in the U.S.?
F: Yeah I would like to and I am sure I will find a job for myself. It is all about combativity.
K: Combativity?
F: Yeah ambition and fighting for what you want!
K: Huh I have never heard that word before.
F: Hmm maybe it doesn’t exist but I think it does.
K: Haha it probably does. What was the hardest thing then for you when transitioning to the U.S.?
F: All the paperwork I had to get done was really long and exhausting.
K: Yeah isn’t it bad?
F: Yeah it takes a long time!
K: So besides from that anything else that really took you a long time to get used to?
F: Yeah students attitude towards studying. I am so glad that I get the chance to get education so I get really frustrated if people don’t take it serious.
K: I like that.
F: A lot of people here don’t value what they have.
K: I can see that and I can also see how that would be really frustrating for you knowing where you are from.
F: Yeah it can be really bad sometimes.
K: Sorry about that. So were there any other reasons why you came to study here?
F: Yeah there were lots strikes in my home university which were disturbing the normal course of studies, and I wanted to discover a different culture.
K: What were the strikes about?
F: Prices and technology and everything.
K: Makes sense. So since you love WOW what do you think about American food?
F: I do like WOW but I don’t really like other American food. They are either too fat, or too sweet.
K: You like Burkina Faso food better?
F: I guess I am so used to Burkina Faso food. It's all about taste. But I do like some of the American dishes like salad and subs.
K: Well since we are talking about the differences between food what is the difference between the weather? There must be a huge difference from all I know.
F: I am coming from a tropical country which is at the limit of the Saharan desert. It's always warm and pretty dry. There is no winter, nor snow.
K: Wouldn’t it be nice if there wasn’t any snow here? It would make the state so much nicer.
F: Yeah I like it for a couple of weeks but that’s it. In Burkina Faso we have two seasons, a dry one and a wet season.
K: What is the temperature like over there then?
F:The temperatures rarely get lower than 60 F . And that is why I struggle with Minnesota weather.
K:I couldn’t imagine what a big change that must have been for you!
F: Yeah it was definitely not the nicest thing I have ever done.
K:Well you will just have to buy lots of warm clothes and layer them!
F: Yeah I have been trying that, it doesn’t help much.
K: Oh no! So what are some other cultural differences between Burkina Faso and the U.S.?
F: There is a huge cultural contrast between my country and USA. First the role and the education of women is different. Women are supposed to be reserved, caring for their children and their men, not much talkative, and submitted to men in my country.
K: That is what I thought it was like.
F: Yeah while they are free to do whatever please them here, and can take decisions that impact the whole household.
K: What was that?
F: Women here are free to whatever they want to do here and can make decisions on their own.
K: Oh ok now I understand.
F: Yes and then another thing is, the American society is based on freedom of both expression and action. In my country everything is controlled and there are lots taboo.
K: So would you say you have a corruptive government then?
F: Yeah you could definitely say so. And then American culture is diverse and comprehends lots colors (Spanish, African, Caucasian, Indian) while mine is limited to a quasi homogenous group.
K: Did you study that at home?
F: Haha yeah I did write a little paragraph for each of the questions so I remembered writing this!
K: That’s good! I can see how committed you are to your studies and your other activities.
F: Yeah I really am!
K: That will get you far!
F: I really hope so!
K: I am sure! So from what you said earlier I take it your dad is the one taking charge of finances in your family?
F: Yeah he takes care of all the family business.
K: Figured does your mom play the typical role of a housewife then?
F: Yes she takes care of everything around the house.
K: Interesting. What did you have to go through to get all your immigration documents?
F: It was a long and painful process to complete the paperwork. I had to take a lot of tests such as the TOEFL test and the GRE test.
K: What is the GRE test?
F: It is a test for master programs.
K: Oh ok. They made you take that and the TOEFL?
F: Yeah and it costs so much money to take them all.
K: Oh yeah I know I only had to take the TOEFL though so I got lucky.
F: Yeah when you want to go grad school you will have to take the GRE test.
K: I am not sure whether I am going to go to grad school! What else did you have to do to get your papers together?
F:Release of private information, my parents financial documents, assets, criminal background, health condition and all that stuff.
K: Yeah I think it must be basically the same thing in every country. Must be American standards that we have to follow.
F: Yeah I think so too.
K: Did you say you were going home this summer?
F: No I won’t go home.
K: Why is that?
F: I don’t know I just have too much things to do and there is not a lot to do for me in my country.
K: Have you been home at al since you came here?
F: No I haven’t been home yet. I will go visit home after I graduate.
K: That will be a nice graduation present to yourself. Do you at least keep in touch with people back home then?
F: Yeah we talk every week either over the phone or skype or any other online resource.
K: That’s what I do. Skype is so much cheaper.
F: Yeah it is. Are you going home this summer?
K: No I got an internship this summer so I won’t be able to.
F: That is great where is your internship at?
K: It is going to be at Valleyfair, I am really excited.
F: That will be so much fun!
K: Yeah I know it will be great! And I will be living down there as well! I can’t wait!
F: That will be really fun.
K: Yeah.
F: Hey Kim I would love to talk to you more but I have a meeting with my group.
K: That’s ok. Thank you soo much for talking the time to do this!
F: Yeah anytime you need anything!
K: Thanks!! I will see you at work tomorrow?
F: Yup I will be in at 9AM.
K: Sweet can’t wait, see you tomorrow!!
F: See you Kim!
