Abstract:
This interview is about a Chinese student who is called Shen. Shen came to the United States when he was 12 years old, and he has been in the United States for thirteen years. His parents dropped him off in the US when he was a 6th grade student, and he has largely fended for himself since. Shen recalls that he felt lost and now, he hates his parents for abandoning him. Shen graduated from Suffolk University and he is one of Class of 2019. Shen was also a member of CSSA (Chinese Student Association), which is an organization dedicated to connecting Chinese students in the US and China. “Today I will interview you about how you feel about study in the United States.”
Orientation:
“My name is Shengyang Peng, and I am from Harbin, China. I came to this country when I was 12, and it’s almost 13 years now. When I first came to the United States, my parents told me it was like a family trip, and I was so excited. However, my parents just drop me at the school when I went to the restroom, what they did is they just leave me alone in this stronger country. At the first year, I cried almost every night, I have no friends, I don’t speak any English, I don’t like the food, etc. I hate my parents, even now. I would never forgive them. Everything is getting better years by years, when I came to Suffolk University, I start knowing some friends who are also came from China, we have the same culture background.”
Complication Action:
“After I came to Suffolk university, one of my friend who is also study in Suffolk invited me to join the Chinese Students Association, there are all Chinese students, and I met one whose from my hometown, it was very happy and let feel warm to have someone really know me and have the same topic to chat. It is a bridge for achieving dreams, and a window for Chinese and American cultural exchange. Almost each college has a CSA, and these groups do not only help Chinese students who studies abroad, they also will network with other CSAs to help more Chinese students and make connections with them. After I went to some of their events with my Chinese brothers, I feel like I am home.”
Evaluation:
“After I graduated, I go back to China for almost half year, now I came back to visit my friends again. Some of my friends are no longer stay in Boston, so I went to New York city to visit them, and there are still many of my friends stay in Boston. They are like my family. During this half year in China, I still feel alone, it’s been too many years spending in the United States, I don’t even feel I am belonging, my hometown anymore. I don’t contact my old friends anymore because it’s been 13 years. I don’t think we still have same topic to talk and same interests anymore. It’s sad.”
Result:
“The education in Boston is good to help me with a better profile for my future life and working. I did feel lonely for a long time, but now I feel I am stronger.”
Coda:
“Studying in the United States is a good experience in my life, even I met different troubles. I think it will be my unforgettable memory.”
According to Patterson and De Fina have suggested some limitations of Labovian narrative analysis, it has no constructed nature of any account of personal experience. My interviewee’s narration is only talking about part of his experience and his thoughts and feelings base on his parts of life.
Both Shen and I are international student from China, we share the same cultural identity. We know each other about two years, we talked a lot before the interview, and figure out what parts of his experience that he would like to share with us. I know it’s hard to talk about his family issues in front of the camera, so I totally understand him as his friend. I think the interviewer’s roles is more like a friend to the interviewee.
My interview is relates to my topic Chinese student students study in the United States, and how Chinese students prepare to study abroad and the theoretical and practical implications for Chinese students studying abroad.