Student Interview

Sam Foard

1/9/2011

Interview

For my interview I interviewed Andrew Tran. He is a freshman and is Vietnamese. Both of his parents are Vietnamese. I first met him in my gym class. When I first met him I could tell her was not American but I had no idea English was not his first language. He is very fluent in that language. I asked him to speak Vietnamese and he did. It sounds a lot different from English. I could not imagine having to learn a different language. Here is the interview of me and him below.

1. What was the first language you learned how to speak?

The first language I learned how to speak was Vietnamese.

2. In what ways have you benefited from learning the language?

 I am able to communicate with my fellow Americans now.

3. Which side of your family is from that country?

Both my mom and my dad are from Vietnam.

4. How hard was it to learn English?

 It wasn't really that hard because i grew up in the United States.

5. What was the most difficult part of the English language?

The most difficult part of learning the language was the grammar part of it.

6.  Do you ever accidently start talking in your original language?

No, I speak English where i am supposed to.

 7. What are the some of the hardest things when learning English as a second language?

One of the hardest things was learning how to keep a balance between the two different languages.  Sometimes ill mix up words but rarely.

8. At your house do you speak English or your other language? Why / Why not?

When I am at home i mostly speak Vietnamese with my parents because they aren't really good at speaking English.

9. Do you have friends that you talk to who speak that language?

I do, I have cousins that live in New Jersey who can fluently speak Vietnamese but they are also very fluent in English like me

10. What caused your family to move to the United States?

One of the biggest reasons my parents moved to the United States was because they wanted a better life for their family because Vietnam is a very poor country.

11. What are some of the main differences between America and your home country?

One of the biggest differences is the life styles the food they eat, how everything looks and how it is more of a country looking place over there.


12. My parents feel like people are always judging them yeah call them paranoid but thats how they feel can't change that about them

13. What is the main religion in your home country?

The main religion in Vietnam is Buddhism

14. Are you that religion?

No, I am Christian.

15. What are some of the differences between an American school and a school in your home country?

In America a lot of schools provide transportation or your parents drive you to school while in Vietnam my mom would have to walk about 5 miles to and from school every day because not everyone had cars other than that the school system is the same it goes up to grade 12.

16. What was the hardest thing about living in America as a different race?

One of the hardest thing is learning to keep part of your culture and still having the American side of you. I don’t want to forget about my Vietnamese heritage.

17. Do you ever feel you are treated differently because of that race?

 I don't really feel like I am treated different that much. Sometimes I do but rarely.

18. Do your parents ever feel like they are treated differently?
My parents feel like people are always judging them, yeah u can call them paranoid but that’s how they feel and you can't change that about them.

19. For dinner do you eat American food or Vietnamese food?

I mostly eat Vietnamese food for dinner and American food.

20. What is your favorite Vietnamese food?

One of my favorite foods is egg-rolls.

21. What are some of the most noticeable differences between American food and Vietnamese food?

One of the most noticeable things between the two types of food are the ways they are prepared and their taste

22. Do you ever listen to Vietnamese music?

I've heard Vietnamese but i don't really like it

23. Is there different types of Vietnamese music like pop and jazz and rap?

They have different types like pop and slow songs