Sanjina: Interview 3 with Netsanet Gebre

Sanjina: Hi! I am sanjina

Netsanet: Hi! I am Netsanet

Sanjina: How are you?

Netsanet: I am good.

Sanjina: How was your day?

Netsanet:It was good.

Sanjina : How was your class?

Netsanet:I had a couple of classes and I’m done with my class.

Sanjina : Okai Let’s start the interview. Here’s your question.

Netsanet: Thank you

Sanjina : Is it if I take a video of yours?

Netsanet: Yes. You can take my video.

Sanjina : Can you tell me something about your country?

Netsanet: I’m from Ethiopia. It’s located in the east Africa. Ethiopia is also known as the horn of Africa. It is a very diversified place. I’m from the capital city Adisababa. Well, my nationality is Ethiopian but I am from a different tribe in Ethiopia. My tribe is Tougre and we do have a different culture. Although the national language is Ismaharic, I also speak our tribe language. We have different type of culture and we embrace our diversity. The weather is not so hot and not so cold. The people call it thirteen months of sunshine and we have our own calendar. Moreover, we have eighty different types of cultures. All these cultures have their own traditions, their own cultural dress, language and food. Even though all the culture have some common features but the way they eat, wear and speak is different. Our country has a Parliamentary government system and Ethiopia has never been colonized.

Sanjina : What is the main religion in your country?

Netsanet: Well, the main religion is Christianity but the others are Muslims. My religion is Christianity and I’m an orthodox religion. Christianity has many forms of religion. They are Orthodox Christianity, Protistan Christian and Catholic Christian. Most part of it, they are the same but the culture may vary from each other.

Sanjina : Let’s talk something about your culture in your country?

Netsanet: Well, I would say my culture is conservative. There is a lot of difference between our culture and US culture. We show a lot of respect and to our elders in a different way. For example, when your elders come to your house you have to get up and say hi. When they eat we have to bring the water to them and sometimes we actually even have to wash their legs. This kind of culture is usually at the country side but we have different kinds of ways to show our respect to our elders. With my parents and my relatives we have really good relationship. I think that’s the main part of our culture but her is more like independent and people just live by themselves. My culture is more like collectivistic not individualistic. So, we do really help each other and every brother and sister make sure that everyone is happy in the family. They are pretty responsible to everybody in the family.

Sanjina : What kind of holidays are there in your country?

Netsanet: There are different kinds of holidays in our country. Most of them are national Holidays like Ester, Christmas and New Year. There are different holidays but they are celebrated differently according to the culture like Christian religion celebrate ester and Muslims celebrate id. And, with the culture, the wedding celebration is different with all the tribes. But, in the capital city where I come from everybody comes in the city area so pretty much we embrace each other culture but we are embedded into one culture. The way we celebrate is more westernized and in the capital nobody wears cultural dress except for the celebrations. It’s more like in the country side that they keep their culture than the capital city.

Sanjina : How long have you been in the states?

Netsanet: I have been here for almost three years. I came directly to Saint Cloud State University. I was a transfer student from my country and I am graduating next semester and I am excited. I decided to choose Saint Cloud State University as my very close friend decided to study in United States and I did the same. As she was already in United States, she helped me with everything and I applied only to this university and I got accepted and now I am here for almost three years. I am studying biotechnology and pretty much a lot of biology and chemistry classes.

Sanjina : What kind of food do you guyz eat? How many times do you eat in a day?

Netsanet: Backhome, from where I am from, we eat four times a day. We eat breakfast, lunch, some snacks later and dinner. With the food, it also depends on the culture. The food varies with the tribes as all the people eat different food. The main food is the Inzara which is made up of the flat bread. We eat it with different kinds of food. It can also be eaten with meat and many others food.

Sanjina : What are your plans after your graduate? What contributions will you make to your country with the education you have here?

Netsanet: After I graduate, I am going back to my country and take some experience with me. Well, for sure I am going get my master’s degree and go back to my country. With my degree as I am from the medical field, there are many opportunities in my country. There are many new hospitals built in our country and those hospitals need to build new technologies. So, I am sure I am going to help and contribute my country with my degree.

Sanjina : Are you planning to get married after you graduate? Do you think it is alright to get married with American guy?

Netsanet: I am a very family person and since I am planning to stay here for a few years, I have no plan of getting married. But I don’t mind to get married and go to school during my master’s. I also prefer to get married with Ethiopian guy to share and embrace my culture. It’s also way easier to communicate and understand each other if I marry a guy from my country.

Sanjina: Do you have more Ethiopian friends or do you get along with other people too?

Netsanet: Well, I have a lot of Ethiopian friends and few international friends. I do not have any American friends because when I first came to saint cloud, that’s what was it for me that it was pretty much segregated and I do not like that about saint cloud. It was only Ethiopians or only Americans or only international students. That’s why I got along with more Ethiopian which was easier for me because I was from the same country, language and same culture. As much as people think that Saint Cloud has diversity and you get to know many cultures but it is pretty much segregated. But I still have international friends and have got chance to know their culture and share my culture.

Sanjina: How do you celebrate the wedding ceremony in your country?
Netsanet: From where I am from the capital city, the wedding ceremony is pretty much westernized. The brides wear the white bridal dress like a gown whereas the bridegroom wears the food. The food we eat in the ceremony is very cultural. The wedding ceremony is a big ceremony so they start getting ready since six months ago. They start planning the wedding, make the cultural drink ,and sending out invitations. The wedding ceremony depends on our tribes too, every wedding ceremony is held in different way in different tribes.They have different food, dress and the way of getting married. The real wedding is held for the three days. We have different celebrations in these three days. In the first day, the guy send a lot of stuff for the bride and he gives this gift in front of all the people. He might have two or three luggage but these gifts depends on the classes too. According to the class, the high class people might gift expensive clothes , jeweleries while the low class people might gift cow, goat and other stuff. In the second, the bride goes to the hair saloon and gets ready and same with the bridegroom. The bridegroom comes with his friends and comes and take her with her friends and also take pictures. The last day is the wedding day, the bride and bridegroom get married in the church but usually they get married in the hotel. They eat , dance and have fun all the night.

Sanjina: Are you involved in any cultural organization in Saint Cloud State University?

Netsanet: I am working as a treasurer in OPA (organization for prevention of AIDS in Africa). We organize programs to fund raise in Africa and we create awareness about HIV/AIDS on campus in Saint Cloud State University. I have been members for other organization too and I always help in different programs. We also organize cultural nights that help people to know about Africa, our culture and traditions. The organization has a lot of positive effect on campus to share about our country to students in SCSU.

Sanjina: To what extent do you think you have adjusted to the American lifestyle? Do you think your time is worth more over her than in your country?

Netsanet: I have adjusted somehow bit it’s always hard to assimilate in the culture. Even though I am here for three years, I have some difficulties for some of the culture. There are things that don’t bother me anymore. I have adjusted to this busy doing something all the time and the time goes so fast. The good thing is I have become more independent.

Sanjina: Do you have any questions for me?

Netsanet: Nope

Sanjina: Thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate for you help

Netsanet: Thank you. No problem.

Preparations for the interview:

I first prepared the questions of my interviews and then I printed it out. According to the class, we had to include the core questions so I included those questions with all my questions. I decided to conduct my interviews with my Ethiopian friends because I had a lot of friends from Ethiopia that I get along with. I decided to use my own camera as a voice recorder. I had some friends who lived near my apartment. I actually called them and decided to meet in my house for the interview. My first interviewee was very helpful and she also helped me to find second interviewee. She helped me to find my second interviewee. I decided to ask my interviewee if she wanted to hold the interviewee the place she wanted. The interviewee and me came to a conclusion that we will conduct the in my apartment. We sent emails to each other to confirm the date of interview. I took this interview with Netsanet Gebre and this interview was held on October 25^th. My third interviewee was Netsanet Gebre who is my friend from Ethiopia. We made a decision to meet on November 4th for the interview. On November 4^th, I met her in my house and I conducted the interview. We figured out that doing the interview in my room would be much comfortable. I was ready with my questions and my recorder so right away I gave her my questions and started the interview.

My Country Report

Flag

Ethiopia is Africa’s oldest independent country and it is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second most populous nation in Africa with more than 85.2 million people. Ethiopia is officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa and is bordered by Eeitreae to the north, Sudan to the west, Somalia to the east and Kenya to the south.

People

Etiopian is one of the oldest sites of human existence known to scientists today. During the time when Africa was divided up by European powers at the Berlin Conference, Ethiopia was one of only two countries that retained its independence. After a period with Italian occupation, Ethiopia became a charter member of the United Nations. When other African nations received their independence following World War II, many of them adopted the colors of Ethiopia’s flag, and Addis Ababa became the location of several international organizations focused on Africa.

The modern Ethiopia and its current borders are a result of significant territorial reduction in the north and expansion in the south toward its present border, owing to several migrations. The country is a land of natural contrasts, with spectacular waterfalls and volcanic hot springs. Ethiopia has some of African’s highest mountains as well as some of the world’s lowest points below sea level. The largest cave in Africa is located in Ethiopia of Sof Omar, and the country’s northernmost area at Dallol is one of the hottest places year-round anywhere on Earth. There are altogether around 80 different ethnic groups in Ethiopia.

Nature

Ethiopia has close historical ties to all three of the world’s major Abrahamic religions. It was one of the first Christian countries in the world, having officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4^th century. It still has Christian majority, but a third of the population is Muslim. Ethiopia has culture and traditions over 3000 years, with over 80 different with their own language, culture and traditions. The church ceremonies are a major feature of Ethiopian life. The orthodox Ethiopian church has its own head, follows its own customs, and is extremely proud of ots fourth century origins.