The second interview transcript by Kaye Lee

ENGL 191 21
The 2nd report transcription
Kaye Lee

Where are you from? Why did you come to America? Are you going back after graduation?
I’m from Katuneriya, Negombo. I have parents there and my sister is in the cities studying medicine. I’m studying community health and will get a job in the States. I’m planning on going for master’s degree, but might eventually go back to my country after traveling around the world.

Have you taken any college classes in your country? What’s the difference between home college and here?
No, I went to high school there, but here is the first college that I’m taking. If I go to college in the states or Australia, or England, I would get more chances to get a better job back in Sri Lanka. Also, colleges in Sri Lanka don’t require students to complete internship, so they lack practical experiences. It’s also very hard to get into Sri Lankan colleges because they are not many.

How long have you been here? Do you feel that your attitude toward life and career has changed in the States?
This is my 4th year in St. Cloud. If I were in Sri Lanka right now, my priority would be marriage and having children, or family, and never thinking of traveling around. Since I’m here, I like when I meet people from all different world.

When was the most culturally shocking event in the states? 7:07
People here often talk about sex openly and it was not comfortable at the first place. They share their experience with others, but people in my country normally don’t. Also, homosexual people fight for their rights, but gay people are rare in Sri Lanka. In South Asian counties, we don’t have arranged marriages any more, but when in a relationship, we think about marriage.

Is you home country as culturally diverse as here?
Not as much as here, but people are divided by religions they believe and languages they speak such as Sinhalese-Buddhists and Sinhalese-Christians, Tamil-Hindu and Tamil-Christians. Tamils are from India, so there are few Christians, but mostly Hindu. It’s common to say Sinhalese and Tamils are the majority because there was a war between two, but the government made the country Sinhalese-Buddhist. I am in the minority since I am Christian.

How many languages do you speak?
I speak Sinhalese and English. It is common to speak the first language and others because Tamils speak their language plus Sinhalese. So Sinhalese, Tamil, and English.

When do you feel homesick the most?
Christmas! It is hard to spend Christmas without family here. We celebrate Christmas back home where most people are Catholic. However, my sister does not celebrate Christmas because she converted to be a Buddhist due to marriage.

If I want to travel your country, where would you suggest me to visit?
My hometown, first, is Katuneriya, Negombo that is much family-oriented. I would recommend Negombo with beautiful beach. I would also recommend kokendi where ancient capitals and temples exist. Segehiria is also famous for its castles made of rock……. I will take my friends to those places and my house. We often treat guests the best food such as seafood and Sri Lankan curry with rice.

Is there anything that I should not do or say when meeting Sri Lankans?
Well, if you visit my country, you’d better not travel alone, so you should contact me. Don’t try to talk to strangers otherwise they will look at you strangely. It commonly happens in developing countries. Also, if you meet older people, try not to be rude to them, but say something with respect.

Plagiarism?
In high school, we didn’t’ care. We didn’t care about references, but focused more one so many exams than papers. In college, people might try to cite sources with permission or reference. Illegal downloading is really common in Sri Lanka. Students don’t fail for plagiarism either.

Is being gay, divorced, or being single parents common back home?
No, in my hometown which is a very small community, it will be not acceptable to be a single mom, divorced, or be homosexual. It is very rare to find divorced people back home and I don’t know anyone around me being single parents. Raising kids without moms or dads will be really hard because the entire society is family-oriented. Sri Lanka is definitely not a good place for homosexuals. Those minorities will be treated unfairly back home because for instance, if a kid goes to school, the first thing to be asked is about his/her parents.

Can widows marry again?
They can, but most choose not to be married because of their children. Most parents don’t focus on their own happiness, but their kids.

Is your society male-dominated?
I’m not sure, but in family, mom is very important because of Buddhism influence. Sri Lankan women work like their husbands do, but males still have more advantages in society. If a couple wants to get divorced, they go to court and mostly, mom will take her child with her, not dad.
Any other comments?
People here often think Sri Lanka, India, and Nepal are the same, but they are wrong. Starting from religions, we are all different. This is my concern. I hope people can understand those differences. Lastly, if you interview other Sri Lankans, they might give you different opinions because I’m from the minority, Christian community, so keep it in mind.