Interview 2

Preparation :

For the second interview, I was as much excited as the first interview, it went pretty well. I came to know Rosanthi through Iresha., my first interviewee. She had to cancel our first meeting as she had an exam the next day. She gave me a call after she was done with her exam but I was at work so I could not answer her call. Later, I called to fix the time to do the interview but she wanted to do the interview the same day. She came and pick me from my apartment and went to her place. To my surprise , it was her birthday and I was unaware of that. We decided to do the interview at her place but her friends were there and they were all in a mood to party. Loud music, drinks and what not . Hence, Rosh and I sneaked out of her apartment and went to the coffee shop next to her building. We grabbed a cup coffee and started the interview. It was really fun interviewing her.

Personal Review:

This interview went better than the first one. I got to know more about Srilanka and the people living there. Rosh and I became really good friends after the interview. She invited me over her birthday party and we had lots of fun. Learning about Srilanka was a new experience for me. Rosh helped a lot to get this interview done.
I would like to thank you her with all my heart for helping me do  this interview. I also got to enjoy ,mouth watering food cooked by her. She was kind enough to share every little thing about her family and culture. She made me feel  very comfortable to take the interview. I think I did this interview lot more better than the previous one and I will make sure my third interview goes even better than my second interview

Interview#2

Date of Interview: 11-2-11

Interviewer: Eliza Pokharel

Interviewee: Roshanthi De Silva

Eliza: What is your good name?

Iresha : My name is Roshanthi De Silva

Eliza : May I know where you are from?

Iresha : I am from Srilanka.

Eliza: How long have you been in the US?

Roshanthi :  3 long years (sigh)

Eliza: Do you like your stay here in the US?

Roshanthi: Yes, I do. I have lot of friends who are really caring and loving but sometimes it’s frustrating when you miss your family and friends back home.

Eliza: When do you miss your family the most?

Roshanthi : Staying abroad and missing your family is obvious  , nonetheless, I miss them  most during the  festivals. Festivals are celebrated lavishly in our country. During the festivals, we have family gatherings. We get together and celebrate our festivals. We cook variety of dishes. Aww! I want to go home L

Eliza: So , you talked about the festivals, could you please name some popular festivals that you celebrate?

Roshanthi : Basically, festivals depend on what religion you follow. I am a Christian so Christmas is my festival.

Eliza: Sounds good! So , all  Srilankans are  Christian, then?

Roshanthi : ( Nodding ) No, No, most of them follow Buddhism but I have to be a Christian (smiling)

E:  What other religions do people follow?

R: After Buddhism, we have second majority group of people following Hinduism.

 E: I think , I asked you a lot about religions , this is getting monotonous. Let me jump to another question?

R: No problem! I like it J

Eliza: So, what would you like to do in your leisure time?

Roshanthi: I would like to listen to music, watch movies and hang out with my friends and play soccer.

Eliza: Soccer?? That’s great?

R: Thank you. I am so into sports. Playing soccer is my passion.

 Eliza: So, what sports do people play in Srilanka?

R: Good question! Cricket for sure!

Eliza:  Okay , so if you had to define yourself in one word, what would that be?

Roshanthi :  (smiling)  that’s the hardest question ever. One can never define themselves in a word. Can I skip this question? ( just kidding) Umm! I would say Friendly

Eliza: Well, that answers my questions pretty well

R : I did a good job on that one right?

Eliza: Absolutely! By the way, Are you married?

Roshanthi: No , I am not and I have no plans of getting married for next 5 years.

Eliza: Let’s talk about your family. How big is it?

Roshanthi: I have only one elder brother. My mom and dad J

Eliza: How were you raised?

Roshanthi:  I was raised in a small family. I did not have that many friends; my brother was the only friend. My parents used to work all day so nobody was there to take care of us. We used to be happy to see our parents at night after having a long day. Yeah! That’s pretty much, how I grew up.

Eliza: Is the community you lived in: a male dominating society like other Asian countries?

Roshanthi: Yeah!! Totally!! Men usually go to work and female stay home and look after kids and house hold chores. Usually, it happens in the remote areas but in the cities women are forward. They go to work, earn money and they are advanced.

Eliza  :  Do you have a joint family or a nuclear family?

Roshanthi: Nuclear and I love my family.

     Eliza:  Have you ever gone for a long vacation with your family?

      Roshanthi : No , never got a chance as my parents worked. But after my graduation, I am planning to go on a long vacation with my family.

Eliza: Where did you do your high school from?

Roshanthi: Kandy, Srilanka

Eliza:   How is the education system in your country?

Roshanthi : It’s the same as in the US .  Kids go to kindergarten. After that, junior high, then high school. After that we go to college and then get a degree. Not all but yes people are educated in my country and that gives me a great feeling. I feel proud to say that people in my country are educated J

Eliza: What is your major?

Roshanthi: Accounting.

Eliza: Are you planning to join grad school?

Roshanthi: Yes, certainly! I would graduate first then look for jobs. If I find one, I’d work for some time, make some money and take my family for a vacation. They have done a lot for me and it’d be my turn to do atleast something for them. I can’t wait to graduate .

Eliza: Why do you think education is important in one’s life?

Roshanthi:  well people should be independent, for that you need to work and earn money. If you are educated sky is the limit ;)

Eliza :T hanks , for your time Rosh! It was great interviewing you

Roshanthi: No problem , anytimeJ

Country Report:

Background:

"Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the Maldives." It is part of South Asia.As a result of its location in the path of major sea routes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and South East Asia "It was an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. Sri Lanka has also been a center of the Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times and is one of the few remaining abodes of Buddhism in South Asia along with Ladakh, Bhutan and the Chittagong hill tracts."The Sinhalese community forms the majority of the population; Tamils who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, form the largest ethnic minority.From Iresha I came to know that the other communities include Moors, Burghers, Kaffirs, Malays and the aboriginal Vedd people.

Lifestyle:

Cuisine :

The cuisine of Sri Lanka is similar to that of India. Rice,  is usually consumed daily, can be found at any special occasion, while spicy curries are favorite dishes for dinner and lunch. One of the most popular alcoholic drink is Toddy or Arrack, both made from palm tree sap. Sri Lankans also eat Hoppers which can be found anywhere in Sri Lanka.

Much of Sri Lanka's cuisine consists of boiled or steamed rice served with curry. Another well-known rice dish is Kiribath, meaning "milk rice." Curries in Sri Lanka are not just limited to meat- or fish-based dishes; there are also vegetable and even fruit curries. A typical Sri Lankan meal consists of a "main curry" (fish, chicken, or mutton), as well as several other curries made with vegetable and lentils. Side-dishes include pickles, chutneys and "sambols" which can sometimes be fiery hot. The most famous of these is the coconut sambol, made of ground coconut mixed with chilies, dried Maldivian fish and lime juice. This is ground to a paste and eaten with rice, as it gives zest to the meal and is believed to increase appetite.