Interview #2
11/3/2009
Eng. 191.21
Interviewer: Maria Wollak
Interviewee: Patricia Isapue
Date of Interview: 10/28/09
The preparations I made for this interview were very similar to that of those for my first interview. My objectives were the same, I wanted to still look and act somewhat professional, create a comfortable atmosphere for the interview, enjoy a calm easy flowing conversation with my interviewee and much more. I also had used the same questions for this interview, I felt I had picked out top questions for my first interview that helped the conversation flow nicely and touch on all the aspects I wanted to learn from my interviewee. Because I believed my first interview went flawless, I did most everything else the same. I used the same recording device, which was my personal camera. It worked well for the recording yet this time there was a technical difficulty, the camera ran out of batteries in the end of the conversation, thankfully I had gotten all my main questions in before that point. I also used the same location for my second interview. We sat up on the second floor of the library in comfortable chairs with the camera on the table facing us.
The student I interviewed is a woman in my race and ethnicity class, she was actually the student who I had sought out to interview first, yet could not make the first date. I approached her once more in class to see if she would be willing to try again to set up an interview. She was excited and let me know she could interview that day. It was wednesday the 28th at 2:00 p.m. that we decided we would meet up in the library and do the interview. She found me there and we walked together over to the quiet location. My interviewee’s name is Patricia I had no need to ask her for that though because we had talked several times in our morning class together. Patricia was a little more nervous for the interview than my first interviewee Bishaaro, which is sort of funny because I was more nervous for the first and completely calm for this one.
We sat down at our chairs and I asked politely if I could video record our conversation, she was very cool about this and actually wanted me to take her picture as well. I will post this picture on my blog for the class to see who patricia is. Patricia helped me gather books to set the camera on, then I pressed the start button and our conversation began. I began asking simple questions and holding long pauses to make her feel comfortable and get in the mindset of thinking about her past and culture. Patricia had a lot to say about each question, she was a great interviewee choice because she really gave me a lot of solid organized information.
It was very enjoyable to learn about Patricia’s life, many of these international student have so much to share its unbelievable. Patricia was born in eastern Nigeria, she lived there for many years until her father had won their family some sort of lottery for the opportunity to come to America about seven years ago. Patricia her parents and her four sisters traveled together out of Nigeria and settled in Miami Florida. All of them went to college in Florida, her mom got a degree as an LPN and her father and sisters are still going. Patricia decided to venture out away from the family and move to St. Cloud MN, so she could strictly focus on school and not all the other responsibilities in Miami. She is 22 years old and studying to also be a nurse like her mother. Patricia had to struggle to meet people when she got here, a major way she went about this was by joining boxing. She loves to fight and did it a lot back home so this opportunity was great for her in enjoyment and also making new friends in Minnesota. Patricia loves life in America she says she has met so many wonderful people here and enjoys the fact that she is now perfectly fluent in english. There was so much to learn about Patricia, I believe we could have sat there and talked for hours.
I deeply enjoyed this interview and the last, from my vantage point everything for both have gone entirely smooth. I’d have to say this second one was a little better than the first because I had learned from my small mistakes in the first. I stayed more on track with this interview. In the first, I felt I did not get all my questions answered to there best potential because we would get side tracked for periods of time. Like Bishaaro I felt a great connection with Patricia, she is a very open happy person just as myself. We had a wonderful conversation, at times it was very serious, yet other moments had us both laughing. I glad Patricia and I had exchanged numbers, she is definitely the type of person I will call up sometime to meet up. I feel that interview together had her open up to things she has not been able to tell anyone else here in Minnesota. What really moved me was the struggles she faced when she arrived here. To me Patricia is an incredibly strong person, she survived the abuse of an uncle she was set up to live with and ventured out to find her own home where she has now been living for 3 years. I was very in awe of everything she had to tell me, and could not imaging going through the things she did. Having been assigned these interviews in the beginning was very rough to here. I had assumed this would be a long difficult project, yes it was long but I enjoyed it and learned a lot from it. I realized although a task may seem hard if you just stick it out for a while maybe you will actually get something good out of it. As I grow throughout my college years and life after I hope to continue to look at every opportunity this way, never settling to miss one because I think it could be too difficult.
Not only by doing this interview did I learn about Patricia and myself, by researching I also learned a bit about her home country Nigeria. Nigeria is located on the west coast of Africa next to the Gulf of Guinea. As Patricia pointed out there are many separations of people in Nigeria. Many are in groups called tribes, Patricia labels herself in the tribe named Igbo other tribes she described include, Hausa; that includes the muslims in the north, Yuroba and then Igbo’s who are in the east. “Nigeria is a Federal Republic just the same as the United States, with power exercised by the president. The current president of Nigeria is Umaru Musa Yar Adua was elected in 2007. The president presides as both Chief of State and Head of Government and is elected by popular vote to a maximum of two four-year terms.” (1)
Patricia explained many times the need of fighting for freedom in her country, she mentioned Nigeria has had a few civil wars between the government and the tribal people. Oil is a huge in Nigeria, it is their leading export. She said this is what caused a big problem in their country, the government was not dispersing this income appropriately and Nigerian tribal people were starving and dying of disease, while the government and head people lived in wealth. Compared to my last report on Somalia the conflicts in Nigeria don’t even come close. Nigeria is the United States’ largest trading partner in Africa, the country has a good deal of money and is becoming more and more like the United States each day. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, and is one of the most diverse as well, right now Nigeria has one of the highest fertility rates in the world. Many people living in Nigeria speak english yet many also stick to their tribal languages. It is common for parents to send their children to english speaking schools, because like Patricia stated speaking english shows your educated and education means power. “The rate of secondary school attendance is 32 percent for males and 27 percent for females. In 2004 the Nigerian National Planning Commission described the country’s education system as “dysfunctional.” (1) For this reason we see many Nigerians moving to the United States for higher education. Away from the more negative side Nigeria, its culture and people are very beautiful.
Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs. They celebrate wonderful feasts with varieties of foods. Something I loved learning from Patricia was the Nigerian cultural way to celebrate holidays. I brought up the word presents and she laughed quite a bit. To her giving presents was ridiculous. For Nigerians the gift of wishing well fortune and happiness was enough for them. Food was also a major thing at holiday celebrations, everyone brought something to share and no one went hungry. Birthdays are not heard of in Nigeria, but Patricia’s family does celebrate them now that they live in America. Sports in Nigeria compare somewhat to ours in America, “Football is their national sport, in 2007 it was the top ranked football nation in Africa. Nigerians also play basketball, cricket, track and field and boxing.” (1) There is much to learn about Nigeria, although there are many things far different from America there are still so many things our cultures share in common. Having the information I learned from Patricia helped me greatly see all the wonderful things about this country I would have never learned just by researching.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria 11/02/09
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107847.html 11/02/09
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ngtoc.html 11/02/09
Interview:
M: Me (Maria)
P: Patricia
M: Hello my name is Maria, what is yours?
P: Hi, my name is Patricia Isapue
M: How old are you Patricia?
P: I am 23 years old.
M: And where are you from
P: I am from Nigeria, actually from east Nigeria. I was born in the Ebu land, a tribe called Ebu I am full blooded Ebu.
M: Ebu is a tribe?
P: Ebu is one of the three major tribes in Nigeria, um we have a lot of tribes but the three major ones are Hausa; that includes the muslims in the north, Yuroba and then Igbo’s we are in the east of the country. We have history, there was a time when we fought some wars to separate from Nigeria oppression..The country, there is a lot of history but lets not go too deep (laughs) lets just say the Igbo are like the suppressed tribes, and you try to leave Nigeria, the oppression to come to the United States. To gain knowledge and freedom.. you know
M: Yes, so most of your tribe is trying to do that?
P: Yes most of them if they get the opportunity they will do that.
M: And how many years ago did you get to do that?
P: I came with my family from Nigeria in 2002, thats about roughly seven years now, and a we won the lottery to come here. We are the lucky family.
M: So you sign up for the lottery in Nigeria?
P: Yes you fill out a form, which my dad did. We did not even know he did that, he didn’t even pay attention to it. But it came back like wow we won! He’s like I’m definitely goin
M: He just singed up didn’t think he was going to get it at all
P: He signed up on the last day, he was not expecting anything. Someone pushed him to do it. He came back from Holland years before that, he knew he wanted to go to America but had no idea this would be how.
M: So now you live over here, do you live with your parents or brothers and sisters?
P: I only have sisters, four others and me. I am the oldest, I lived with them in Miami Florida, where we settled when we first came. I lived with them for about four years, before i moved here to minnesota.. I live by myself now.
M: And your parents are still in Miami with your other sister?
P: Yes they are, they moved to the northern part of Florida, Gainsview, they moved there because there is a University there. My dad is going there with my two oldest sisters.
M: I see, what is your mom doing?
P: My mom was a teacher in Nigeria, actually a principal, when she came here it was hard for her to get a job so she switched her major to nursing she is now working as and LPN
M: Did your family speak english before you came to the united states?
P: Before we came here my dad told us that education has power. Forget the people with weapons, money of course they count but education is more powerful. So he really strived to put down every dime he had to send us to a english speaking school. So we are able to communicate with other people. English was a common language in Nigeria, so the white people thought. But everyone in Nigeria speaks their own language. I speak my own language there was no need for english but I went to an english school, my dad made that very certain we did.
M: So you knew english very early?
P: As much as it was taught to us it was only still the grammar and small words. There was not much need to speak it at home.
M: Do you get to speak your home language here at all, for example when you call your family.
P: Yes, back in Miami when we lived together we would not speak english, we speak our native tounge. Here in Minnesota I don’t really speak my language because I have not really found people who speak it. But thats o.k I feel more fluent in english and like that.
M: You are very good at speaking english.
M: Have you made more friends here from your culture or region, or from American culture?
P: I have met people from Nigeria but they do not speak my language, so well in terms of having more friends... I don’t box myself in certain groups, I’m in an elect board of African American students so you think 99% africans so yea in that regard have have more african friends.
M: I see that in class you talk with everyone I’m sure thats how your personal life is too.
P: Yea, Thats my life I don’t attach more feelings because someone is african, I have a diverse pool of friends. You know I treat people based on what they bring to the table what their values are. If your african and have no values get out of my life (laughs)
M: What do you think of life in America, is it different than yo expected?
P: Oh life in America is complex, more complex than the media hype in Nigeria, Life in America is beautiful, yet it is very easy to get side tracked from what you want to do. It is easy to loose focus because there are so many things in a day to do, a lot of things we don’t have back home.. you see freedom we don’t have freedom back home, so it a very very broad question. Life in America is good and bad, so with Nigeria. Nigeria is a very community based society. If I’m doing bad stuff everyone will see and judge my parents on their child raising.
M: Do you see here you are more on your own, as an individual?
P: Yes yes that is the major difference I see, the collectivist culture rather than individualistic culture, here in American we promote individuality. That on its own is not somethin we teach back home, it is good and bad.
M: You said your fighting for freedom or rights what is that like?
P: For me as a woman growing up with 4 sisters in a culture centered around males it a male dominated community. It was hard for my parents but my dad had to get it together and lead us, people were constantly mocking my mother for having 5 girls. We have to constantly fight to represent our family. I had to step up and fend for our family. If it means physical fighting, I do. I did
M: You do
P: Yes a lot of it, I have scars to prove it.
M: Being the oldest you felt the need to stand up.
P: Yes there was a definite need. you know my dad taught me every value we are not a fighting family but sometimes people push you so far you have to push back.
M: That is good you stand up for yourself... sorry to change topics here but what are you going to school for?
P: I’m going to school to become a nurse, growing up in a collectivist culture you do things because it will benefit others, Yes what you like is important but you have to consider others. People around you are dying and you go study art. I see others before I see myself.
M: Do you think you followed your mom with that too a little.
P: Yes and no we don’t really follow, she is setting a good example but we just want to help.
M: Again I will switch topics, How about living in the cold minnesota weather, what do you think of that as compared to Miami?
P: Miami is very very beautiful, there are a lot of Nigerian’s, we even have our own mass. It was really really nice. I love the community, the Ebu community. Leaving Miami to come to minnesota was a difficult choice but I had to. The forces pushed me. I did not see snow as an obstacle because I have bigger dreams. It’s a lot different but my goals have not changed.
M: It was the schooling then mainly that brought you here?
P: Yes, and there were a lot of distractions back home, it was a fast life. I had too much responsibility. I am only me and I am young i couldn’t keep focus on my education. So thank god I caught myself and decided to come here to concentrate on education and me. So i left everybody.
M: Do you get to see them ever?
P: Yes I got to see them last year, and I will see them again this christmas
M: So christmas and holidays do you celebrate them like american culture?
P: We celebrate them yes but they are a little different, we cook a lot for everyone, and drums its huge no body goes hungry.
M: How about gifts?
P: Oh boy, there are no presents the presents are the food.
M: Is that strange?
P: Christmas gifts are you kidding, ha we don’t even celebrate birthdays, my dad gives us the choice of cake or ice cream now here in America.
M: Is that strange to celebrate your birthday here?
P: Its great I have a day for myself! I make my dad celebrate me :) yet we do not do gifts. We do pray a lot for the person. The best gift is to pray for good life.
(Then my camera died)
But we went on to talk about her life back home, her grandma who was very special to her and how her dad is her greatest hero. We talked more about the fighting she did how she turned that into boxing her in St. Cloud. I then got her whole story of the hardships she suffered in Minnesota being pretty much homeless in our winter months without food. I finished with what she will do next. She described wanting to stay here maybe get a masters in communications and such. We talked all the way till the door then said our goodbyes.
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