Preparation of interview
The experience of last two interviews let me feel relaxed to this third interview. Firstly, I looked for my third Korean interviewee, because I become interested in the Korean culture through the previous two Korean interviewees. I asked a few friends of my last interviewee’s, it is a pity that they are all busy because of the final. Finally, I found a Korean girl called Bae Jung. She takes the same class COB111 with me. We knew each other last, due to the same group. Last class, I asked her if she could take some time to help me for an interview and she said sure. So we decided to set up the time for interview after the COB class in Tuesday, because both of us did not have any other same free time. As the last interview, I print out all of the questions on two papers and prepared an electronic dictionary for some words if I didn't know in advance. Besides, I put my recording pen into my bag and put fresh batteries in it in case. In fact, I am a little bit curious, because the last two interviewees are both men, this time, I will know the thoughts of a girl to Korea.
Personal Review
The interview goes very well. We had a good time. This time, I was not nervous at all, because I can avoid awkward situation to Korea and have good transitions. Moreover, to my surprise, I can make sense her different meanings to her country not as difficult as the previous two interviews. I think it is because she is also from Busan and I realize Korea quite well. The only fly in the ointment is she had to go after about twenty minutes due to an appointment with her friends. So she didn't answer all of my questions, but she said she can send an e-mail of the answers to the rest questions to me. Then I gave the question sheets to her. Above all, these three interviews really improved my communication skill a lot and let me be more confident to others from different countries. In addition, I think if you want to make good friends with any other country, to know their culture and some other knowledge is really necessary.
Country Report
I really learned a lot about Korea through the previous interviews. This time, I will introduce the Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions and Etiquette.
A variety of ttok (rice cake), other traditional confectionery, and fresh fruits are served to celebrate birthdays, marriages, and the hwan'gap (the sixtieth birthday). The offerings at ch'arye , memorial services for one's ancestors performed on special holidays, include rice wine, steamed white rice, soup, barbecued meats, and fresh fruits. After ritual offerings Kwang-mok-chong-wang, the guardian of the West at Pulguk-sa Temple in Kyongju, South Korea of the wine and food to the ancestral spirits, the family members consume the food and wine. Their ingestion symbolizes the receiving of blessings from the ancestral spirits. (1)
There are about four kinds of Etiquette, Meeting Etiquette, Gift Giving Etiquette, Dining Etiquette and Table manners.
Koreans are very status conscious, and their speech behavior reflects the hierarchical relationship between social actors. “Except among former classmates and other very close friends, adults do not use first names to address each other. Position titles such as "professor," "manager," "director," and "president" are used in combination with the honorific suffix nim to address a social superior.”(1)
Koreans are generally courteous to the extent of being ceremonious, when they interact with social superiors but can be very outgoing and friendly among friends and acquaintances of equal social status. “Their behavior with strangers in urban public situations may be characterized by indifference and self-centeredness. Koreans appear to be rude to strangers since they generally do not say a word when they accidentally push or jostle other people on the streets, and in the stores, train stations, and airports.”(3) “Traditional Confucian teaching emphasized propriety in the five sets of human relationships, which included the relations between sovereign and subject, father and son, husband and wife, senior and junior, and friend and friend. Confucianism still serves as the standard of moral and social conduct for many people.”(1)
