INTERVIEW WITH TANG

ZHENBy: Jen Pento and Callie Moody

Where is Tang Zhen From?

“Judy” is 24 years old. She is from the city of Zunyi in the Guizhou Province in South West China

The capital city is Guiyang,

where her university was located China is run by a Chairman

Currently, Hu Jin Tao runs China Judy lived in an apartment with

her mother, father, older brother,

and grandmother.

Chinese Education

Their schooling is broken up into 4 main sections:

Primary: First six years Junior Middle School: Three years Senior Middle School: Three years University: Four years

Large class size: 40-50 students per teacher One per subject Students start at six years old

Differences: Chinese Education and American

EducationChina:

8 am- 5 pm. 2 hour lunch at home

Students rise when teacher enters or leaves the room

Students greet the teacher, “good morning teacher”

Wait until lecture is over to ask questions

Summer vacation: July to September

Winter vacation: January to March

America:

8 am- 3 pm. ½ lunch provided at school

The teacher is usually already in the room

Students talk among themselves until the teacher quiets them down

Question and answer discussion is encouraged during discussion

Summer vacation: June to September

Winter vacation: week-long breaks in December, February, and April

Tang Zhen’s favorite subject in school is Math

-The other subjects she took in her primary, middle, and senior years included Chinese, math ,geography, music, and athletics was very important

-In Junior Middle school the students had to begin studying English. It is very important to study English in China

-Judy’s major at Southern New Hampshire University is Finance

Technology in the Classroom

Computers were not used in the Primary school’s in China They are introduced in their sixth year of

school In China they had a specific computer lab

they would go to for computer class because computers were not in every classroom

Homework was written out by hand, Judy did not use a computer

Tang Zhen’s Family

Her parent’s work schedule allowed them to go home for lunch just like the students

Family time was important- they would also eat dinner together

She has a dog named Dou Dou She has an older brother who is 36

Chinese Culture

FOOD:

-Judy does not like American food

-She cooks her own food while she is here on campus

We asked Judy what cultural differences there were between America and China:

Smaller classes here at SNHU She said America is very free because

students can ask questions and speak out in class

In China they only pay for books in college (video clip)

Other differences: Air pollution is worse in China There are no malls in China, the stores are

spread out, they’re not all in one place She said people generally smile more here,

they are friendlier

Video Clip

In this video clip Judy is telling Callista and I that in China they only pay for books, not tuition

“Ni Hao, wo de ming zi jiao …..” “Hello, my name is….”

Jen, Tang Zhen, Callie

www.chinahighlights.com/guizhou/guiyang/map.htm

www.chinesenames.org/chinese-symbols/family.htm

www.chinadaily.com.cn/.../01/content_524886.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zunyi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guizhou_University

Photo Credits: