Multicultural Interview Reflection

Interview Example

1. Tell me about yourself, place of employment, job title.

My name is Murali. I am from India. I am married and have two children: a boy and a girl who are studying at Murray State University. I am a vendor in a gas station in Murray, KY US. I have been working in that place around two years.

2. What does diversity mean to you? Do you consider yourself to be diverse? 

Diversity for me is to have my own beliefs and opinions, which may not necessarily reflect the views and beliefs of other people around me. Moreover, diversity in my understanding means to belong to different cultures and religions, each of which defines the mentality of the person.

I belong to the Indian culture. The cultural heritage of my country has a great importance for me, despite the fact that I do not live in my home country. India, for me, is a country with a very long history and beautiful culture in which every person is able to realize the true meaning of own life. Indian culture is able to help a person to understand own destiny and go the right way.

4. What are some aspects of your identity that you most value? How does diversity or culture impact your identity?

I appreciate in my identity the following qualities: hospitality, openness to other people, the ability to listen and understand the person, as well as desire to help another person being in a difficult situation for him/her. I think that culture affects my identity by giving me the opportunity to learn about different people who surround me. Culture enriches me with new knowledge about people, their capabilities and personal qualities. I think that all this provides my rich life experience and practical wisdom in life.

5. Are there any cultural/ethnic/family/religious/holiday traditions that you greatly value?

For example, I really like the American holiday called Thanksgiving Day since it brings together families and cultivates such good human qualities as loyalty, kindness, and the ability to forgive and to love. It’s a really lovely holiday, which I appreciate and respect, since it has a special role in strengthening family and social relationships.

6. How do you view leadership from your worldview?

Leadership is the ability to effectively manage people in solving different professional problems. The leader must possess such qualities as charisma, high management skills, objectivity in the evaluation, friendliness, kindness and so on.

Preparing for the Interview

How did you select this individual to interview? How did you contact him/her?

I selected this individual to interview because he is from India and I saw him many times when I went to the gas station to get gas for my car or to buy something from his store. I have contacted him by face to face and I also used his phone number in order to invite him to my apartment.

What did you do to prepare for your interview?

Last semester I have done a research paper about the Indian culture and I met with Indian students at the university. Describe the research sources you utilized to prepare for the interview. I have many Indian workers in my job, which is King Abdulaziz city for science and technology (KACST). I know a little bit about their culture. I used different articles and videos in order to prepare this interview.

What was your level of comfort or anxiety prior to the interview?

I was fine because he is my friend and I knew him before this class.

Overview of the Interview

Share an overview or summary of the interview. This interview gives the opportunity to become acquainted with the mentality of a person who resides in a foreign country and to understand how it may affect his/her mentality and cultural identity.

What was some of the most interesting information shared during your interview?

The most interesting information I have received was about his family, his country, the role of his culture in his mentality and the way he attitudes to the life and other people.

Was the information you learned in the interview similar to what you have been reading in the literature?

In some points, the information I have learned in the interview was similar to the information, which I have met in the literature. For example, I have met the information that Indians are famous for their hospitality. My companion has also named this quality as one of their basic human qualities.

Reflection of the Interview

What did you learn about yourself through this experience?

I have learned that the world is very small, and we have to work hard to improve ourselves being connected with many other people. The conditions of life of modern people require constant exchange between their cultural, religious, and other features. The modern world requires us to be tolerant towards people who belong to different cultures, religions, have different skin color and so on.

How has this field experience better informed your research?

It has confirmed my knowledge of the fact that those people who live in a foreign country have to share the cultural context of another country and are able to find attractive some of its aspects for themselves, for example, different holidays and so on.

How has your worldview been expanded through this experience?

Yes, of course. It has allowed me to broaden my knowledge of the migrants and better understand their psychological features.