Interview 10

Biographic Information: English, Male, 24yrs (2)

Themes: Biographical information (participant’s age, where participant is from, participants education and occupation), Participant’s motivation and aspirations for education and career, Participants’ interests (colors, sports, etc.), Participants’ life (memories, hobbies, relationships, food, etc.), Cultural and language differences between U.S. and other countries participant has lived

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Transcript:

[00:00]

Interviewer: What’s your name? 

Participant: My name is Xxxxx Xxxxxxx. 

I: Where are you from?

P: I’m from El Paso, Texas.

I: Okay. Mm. How old are you?

P: I’m twenty-four years of age.

I: Nice. Whaa- what do you do?

P: I’m in the United States Army.

I: Do you like it?

P: Not really because it doesn’t pay enough.

I: Keep talking.

P: Well, the army is very difficult from a regular job. You get told what to do, where you need to be, and you get bossed around by people that don’t know what they’re doing, to be honest.

I: And how do you feel when you get bossed around? What do you want to do?

P: I want to uh speak my mind and tell those people that, “Hey, this is stupid. Why are we doing this?”

I: Hmm. Sorry about that.

P: Yeah, especially when it’s people younger than you that just hurry up and get their rank just because they want more pay and feel more responsible.

I: Yeah, that’s tough. Hmm. So why did you join the army?

P: I joined the army so I could get the educational benefits so I could go to college and become what I really want to become.

I: And do they pay for college?

P: They do after you serve your contract honorably. And then they’ll pay for all your college for a full master’s degree.

I: Nice. What do you want to do and where do you want to go to college?

P: Well, I want to become an engineer. I don’t- I’m not really sure what type of engineering I want to do. I’ve been leaning towards chemical or civil right now. And I want to go to New Mexico State or the University of Florida because I have family out in Gainesville.

I: Hmm, that’s interesting. So what do you want to do with that degree?

P: Well, I would like to get a job in the Los Alamos National Laboratory because they pay really well and it’s a federal job and you’ll get all the benefits that you- I get right now in the army at the lab, too.

I: That sounds pretty good. How did you get connected with the lab?

P: Well, my girlfriend, she- her dad works at the Los Alamos National, National Laboratory and her sister’s boyfriend also works there and I’ve heard it’s a really nice place to work and it pays really well and it has really good benefits and I want to be set for life with a good job and be able to take care of my family when it’s time to take care of my family.

I: That’s, that sounds really good. Have you been there?

P: I have been there a couple times and I really like Los Alamos and the Jemez Springs. It’s really a beautiful place. All four seasons. It’s just, I feel at home there.

I: Really? 

P: I do. [3:00]

I: That’s good.

P: Yeah.

I: Hmm. Let’s talk about, well, what do you want to talk about? Oh, what kind of student do you think you’re going to be?

P: I think I’m going to be a very excellent student because I’m gonna dedicate myself because the major I’m going for, for engineering, isn’t an easy major. It’s kind of difficult and you really have to apply yourself. So, I’m looking to make the dean’s libst, dean’s list every year.

I: That’s good. That’s a really good goal to have. Do you think you’ll be a different student compared to like how you are in normal life? [What do you mean?] Or how will you, how will you change your personality when you’re in the classroom versus in your normal life?

P: Well, in the Army, you don’t have to apply yourself every day. But I feel like when you’re in the classroom, you really have to like focus and really apply yourself every day to make sure you’re learning everything you need to learn.

I: And how does that go in with how you talk to people and how you present yourself?

P: Well, the Army’s taught me really good people skills because they put me in a situation recently that I have to be more vocal and more expressive towards people. So I think that’s really helped me a lot.

I: That’s good. Have you had a hard time expressing yourself? 

P: Well, 

I: In social situations, for example?

P: Well, I don’t think in social situations I don’t have a hard time. But like when I don’t agree with people, I think I have a hard time because I don’t want to disagree with them and cause more of a conflict.

I: Mmm. Do you think you’re shy?

P: I don’t think I’m shy because I’m willing to talk to anybody and everybody even if I don’t like them after I get to know ‘em and if I do get to know ‘em and I do like ‘em.

I: Okay. What about brand new people? Are you a little intimidated to talk in front of a group or not really?

P: Mmm. A little bit. I would say I don’t like talking in big groups of people, but I understand to progress in the regular world or civilian world as we call it in the army, you’d have to be able to talk to a group of people without stuttering, fumbling over words. So that’s something I should work on.

I: I agree. Hmm. Let’s switch gears here. 

P: Okay. 

I: What, what’s your favorite color?

P: My favorite color is blue. 

I: It is? 

P: It is. 

I: I thought it was purple. 

P: No, my favorite color’s blue. 

I: Why is it blue?

P: Because more, more than earth is blue and I have blue eyes. And I’m a gator fan because my family is down in Gainesville. So blue is just naturally the color that I like.

I: And you like the Florida [6:00] Gators?

P: I do. 

I: aww. 

P: I really do, yes, a lot.

I: Have you ever been to a game?

P: I have been. In 2019, when they played Auburn, and it was number five and number nine, I want to say. And it was a really good at- atmosphere.

I: Really? How was it?

P: It was very electric, I would say. Very loud, too.

I: That’s cool.

P: It was very cool.

I: Have you ever been to a professional football game?

P: I have not been to a professional game because my professional team is really far from where I grew up. And it’s expensive to travel, so I haven’t had that luxury to travel there.

I: Hmmm, and whose your f- or do you like sports a lot?

P: I do like sports a lot, from fighting, to football, to basketball, and occasionally baseball.

I: Oh, so you like like every sport?

P: Almost every sport, yeah.

I: What sports did you play in high school?

P: In high school, I played football, and I did wrestling and I did weightlifting.

I: Really? [Yeah.] That’s interesting. 

P: Yeah. 

I: Tell me about those.

P: Well in football I moved to Florida my freshman year with my family because my parents were having a hard time supporting myself and my younger sibling. So I played football in high school in Florida and we were pretty good for my freshman and senior year. We were one game away from reaching the state championship my senior year for football and it’s pretty devastating, you know, put all that hard work in all four years and you don’t get what you wanted. 

Hmm. 

And then wrestling, I only did one year of wrestling and I went nine and three as a wrestler and it was really exciting but I just didn’t like practice so then I just stopped. But I wish I would have kept going because I do love fighting and it’s fun. Because you’re one-on-one with the other person, and it’s just the best man wins. It’s not anybody else’s fault. If you lose, it’s just yours. And then weightlifting, I always, I was always drawn to weightlifting because I was naturally strong. As a freshman, I would do like two-hundred and seventy-five pounds on bench for like four or five reps, squat like three-hundred and fifteen pounds. In my senior year, I went to state for weightlifting, and I finished eleventh in the state of Florida with a three hundred- and sixty-five-pound pause bench and a two-hundred and twenty-pound clean and jerk. Not the results that I wanted, but I’m still happy with it because it’s a memory I’ll carry the rest of my life and I will tell my children.

I: Hmm, interesting. And your last name is Xxxxxxx, correct?

P: It is.

I: Do you know any Spanish?

P: No, not really, but I can understand bits and pieces from time and time.

I: That’s cool. Um, tell me anything else you want to talk about. [9:00]

P: Well, I’m here for whatever you want to talk about.

I: Okay, um, (2.0) what would you consider a big regret in your life?

P: A big regret in my life, I would say, was not cherishing the smaller moments in high school. Just going out more, hanging out with friends and just celebrating, like when we would win football games or anything. I was more of an introvert. I would just keep to myself and just go home, play the game with a couple of friends. And yeah.

I: So you wish you would have went out more?

P: Yeah, I think so.

I: And socialized?

P: Yeah, because it- I think it would have been fun. I went to like a few get-togethers with a couple friends like graduation and all that. But it was fun. I wish I would have done it more.

I: How do you think you’ve changed since high school?

P: Well, I think I stepped out of my little box and just started going to more interactions with people and just going out more and having like fun, letting loose, not scared to live life, not scared to get like caught in the wrong situations.

I: And how do you think your language comes into that? How do you think your language has changed in different social situations? Or how do you use your language differently in social situations?

P: Well, from where I’m from, we use a lot of slang. Like, when I moved to Florida, it was a big change because they use a lot of slangs. And I tend to use them still, like, when I’m just hanging out. Just chilling with friends, and I’ll, I’ll catch myself using them still, but I try not to. And I catch myself using words, like, I’ll stumble on words sometimes because I’m trying to take a shortcut on it.

I: Mmm. And how do you think your language is different in other aspects like more professional with somebody who’s more professional? or l- more laid back with your friends? Do you think that has an effect?

P: I do because when I’m talking to my superiors at work, like officers and higher-ranking soldiers at work, I try to talk more properly to them and try to use a bigger vocabulary. As you say. [What are some] 

I: of those vocabularies? Like do you use sir, ma’am? and you try to speak in a more professional way?

P: Well, when I talk to officers, yeah, I say, sir, ma’am, because that’s how you address them. And when I’m talking to higher enlisted soldiers, I say, sergeant, first sergeant, sergeant major, stuff like that.

I: But when you’re with your friends, it’s more laid back, and you use different slang terms [Yeah.] to fit in or to go along with what the generation’s jargon is.

P: Yeah, like when I’m with my friends, like off duty, I’ll say, like, bruh, bro. Stuff like that.

I: That’s cool. And… Okay, let’s switch gears here. Um, what’s your biggest fear?

P: I would have to say my biggest fear is not succeeding at my goals.

I: And your goals are?

P: Just a good college degree, get a good paying job with benefits, and being able to take care of my family.

I: And you don’t have any stereotypical fears like heights or clowns or?

P: No, I wouldn’t say that. If anything, I would say I’m just scared of like the open waters and stuff like that. [Mmm.] That’s the only stereotypical thing I would have to say I’m scared of.

I: Okay. Hmm. Do you recall any dreams that you have? Bad or good? And what do you think they mean?

P: I don’t really dream a lot, but when I do, they’re usually bad dreams. And I don’t really recall ‘em ‘cause I b- becasue I try to forget about ‘em.

I: Okay.

P: And they don’t usually last longer than eight hours to sixteen hours after I wake up. I’ll remember ‘em, and then I’ll forget ‘em because they’re not real. 

I: Okay. Hmm. Hmmm. So tell me about your girlfriend.

P: My girlfriend, well, she’s a really nice girl. We met at like a basketball game at NM- NMSU and UTEP. And I saw her and she was really pretty, so I decided to just walk up to her and ask her for her number. And she gave it to me and we just hit it off from there, and now we’ve been together for almost two years.

I: Really? Have you hit any, or did you go through any obstacles or milestones?

P: Yeah, we went through a lot. Especially the biggest one is when we first started dating, like a month in, I had to deploy to Korea for nine months, and that was a huge obstacle, I would say.

I: Mmm. And how did that affect you?

P: Well, our communication was very little because we’re in a sixteen-hour time difference or eighteen-hour time difference, whatever it is. [15:00] And with me being in South Korea and her being in the United States, we would hardly be able to talk because when I woke up, she was getting ready to go to bed. And when I went to bed, she was just waking up.

I: Gotcha. That does sound rough.

P: It is.

I: And you made it through that?

P: We did, thankfully, with a lot of obstacles, a lot of arguments. But at the end of the day, I would try to reassure her that, hey, this isn’t forever. This is only temporary. And I’ll be home before you know it.

I: And you got back safely?

P: I did after an eighteen-hour flight with a stop in Alaska and then shhh back to El Paso.

I: And how did that communication deficit affect you personally?

P: Well, I wasn’t being able to talk to my best friend for a majority of the day because when I’m up, she’s sleeping and I don’t really have no one to talk to back home. So it was kind of tough.

I: And you basically just missed each other.

P: Yeah, I would say so.

I: How was Korea? Was that interesting?

P: Yeah, it was a different change of pace with a whole different culture. You know, in America you see all different ethnicities and races from white to black to Hispanic to Asian and to Middle Eastern but over there it’s just a lot of Asian. It’s a real culture change I would say. 

I: And was there a language barrier when you’re trying to get around and do things?

P: Yeah I remember this one time we were in Seoul in South Korea and we had to get a taxi because we just got off the train and we were trying to go to a certain place. And one of my friends over there, he used Google Translate to ask the guy if we could go- if he could take us to this place. And he was like, no, I can’t. So, I don’t know if it was just Google Translate translating it right or if he really couldn’t just take us. So, it was hard to travel over there because of the language barrier.

I: And how did you, how did you try to change your own language to try to communicate or get your point across with other people?

P: Well, with some Koreans, they can understand a little bit of English because America has a big, big presence over there with, I want to say, ten different military bases between Air Force, Navy, Marines and Army. So, they can understand a little bit of English, but it’s broken down. You just have to say, like, real simple stuff.

I: Could you give me an example of that?

P: Yeah, it’s just like, instead of using full sentences, they would just, like, leave out words like, “You guys go here.”, or, “Hey, are you guys going here or there?”

I: And would you also have to do that?

P: Yeah, you would have to [18:00] leave out a couple ur- a couple words, but sometimes you could say the full sentence and they would still understand, but, not everything, but they get the gist of it.

I: So you would have to change the way you communicate with these people just to live your daily life.

P: Yeah, to live my daily life? 

I: When you’re over there. 

P: Yeah, because my daily life is completely different from theirs because it’s a whole different region of the, of the world and like you just have to change from what you usually do because you’re in their home country and just adapt to them because that’s the customs that they have.

I: And what was the coolest thing you saw over there?

P: The coolest thing I saw in Korea was, they’re very big on religion. I took a tour to like a little (2.0) what we would call a park or a national monument. They have like the biggest Buddha statue over there. They’re big they’re big on Buddhi, Buddhists over there. And it was really cool because at that time when I went, it was blossoming their rose petals or something over- I forgot. But it was like a really cool thing because I got to see the biggest Buddha statue and their national flower blossoming and just really cool stuff up there.

I: That sounds awesome. Anything else you want to tell me about Korea?

P: Well, I went to a few places in Korea. Like, they’re very open over there. Like, I went to a sex museum. Like, you wouldn’t see that really in the United States because the United States is very close-minded, I would say, with that. But over there in Korea, it’s just like, hey, this is this. We don’t care. And if you like it, we don’t care.

I: And what was the sex museum like?

P: Well, they had, like, this big, like, poster, as soon as you walk in, a big, like, breast on the wall.

I: (laughs) Really? And what was that like for you? Did it make you uncomfortable?

P: No, it didn’t make me uncomfortable because I’m not one of the younger generation, I would say. I’m not also the oldest generation. I’m only 24 years old, but I like to think of me- myself as an old head and like not get offended by everything.

I: And you’re not too immature to get offended or be uncomfortable.

P: Yeah, I would say so.

I: That sounds pretty awesome. Did you feel safe over there or did was it like dangerous?

P: No, I felt safe. Of course, South Korea is a very popular pace, [21:00]popular place for North Koreans to come over and see refugees over there because North Korea is not the safest place and their people want to get out of that country and just find a safe haven. So there’s not really much crime over there, I would say.

I: But there can be like any place.

P: Yeah, but, of course, you have Koreans that don’t want Americans there. They think they can handle their own. But other than that, I felt pretty comfortable- co- , pretty comf- comfortably, like when I went off a post and would explore Korea.

I: And how was it being back in the United States after being over there for so long?

P: For me, it wasn’t like a big change because I grew up in the United States for twenty-one years and nine months over in another country. It wasn’t a big change to adapt back.

I: Did it affect your language skills? or did you see any change in language when you were, when you came back?

P: I don’t think so because We have what they call “katusas” over there, like Korean nationals that help us like translate. I really didn’t talk to them much because I didn’t really care for them that much. So I really just talked to like the people that I went over there with and other people. And I just continued to talk English and speak how I usually do.

I: Gotcha. (2.0) Hmm. (3.0) Let’s switch gears here. (laughs) Um, what’s your favorite movie?

P: I would have to say my favorite movie is the It series.

I: Why is that? 

P: Because the, 

I: That’s the one with the clown, right?

P: It is. Because the biggest fear in life with that movie is what you think is the biggest fear. If you can overco- overcome that fear, you can overcome anything.

I: Gotcha, that’s interesting. Um, what about your favorite TV show?

P: My favorite TV show I would have to say is Breaking Bad. 

I: Why?

P: I just really like the theme of Breaking Bad and it’s a really good storyline. It just, it just gets you really hooked on it. And I just couldn’t stop watching it when I stopped- when I started watching it.

I: And that was filmed in Albuquerque?

P: It was.

I: And is that cool to you?

P: I do think it’s cool. I’ve been to some places where it was filmed in Albuquerque, and I felt like, dang, I’m really here where they filmed the like a Grammy-winning [24:00] TV show series.

I: That’s cool. Where did you go?

P: I went to the Albuquerque Convention Center where they have those statues. It’s kind of hard to find them ‘cause the Albuquerque Convention Center is split into like three different places. And then I’ve seen the hotel where Hank brought Walter Jr. to talk about drug heads. And then I’ve been to Walter White’s house, and it’s pretty cool because, like, you think about it, like, dang, a big TV show was filmed here a long time ago.

I: And did any of the places look different?

P: Yeah, I would have to say Walter White’s house, completely different just because it’s a residential house and people actually live there so they don’t want people to like just come by and go through their house so they have to fence it off, put gates around the open- front door. It’s just completely different from the show.

I: Mmm. And you live in El Paso on the base. I do. And how’s that?

P: It’s different from living on the outside of El Paso.

I: And where do you spend your most time?

P: Well nowadays I spend most of my time in Las Cruces, New Mexico because that’s where my girl, my girlfriend lives and attends school and that’s where I hopefully attend a school one day.

I: That’s cool. Do you think there’s a difference, like is there any big differences that stand out to you from Las Cruces to El Paso?

P: Yeah, there’s a lot. El Paso is a really big city with like 800,000 people. And it’s just really huge. It can take almost thirty minutes to get to one place from one side of town to the other. And that’s a big change. But here in Las Cruces, it’s still a big city, but it’s not as big as El Paso.

I: Any diverse differences?

P: No, not really. You know, W\we’re on the border of Mexico, so it’s a lot of Hispanic ethnicity here in both towns.

I: Do you think it’s more in El Paso?

P: No, I don’t think so. I think it’s about equal here. Just with Las Cruces being half the size of El Paso, of course they’re going to have less like Hispanic culture here than El Paso.

I: Huh. I think there’s Probably more in El Paso ‘cause it’s just bigger.

P: Well, also because Las Cruces isn’t as close to the border and it’s more of a inward state towards the United States than El Paso because El Paso is literally on the border of Mexico and America.

I: Do you think there’s language differences?

P: Most definitely, but mostly everybody in both towns can speak English and Spanish. Some people speak English better and some people [27:00] speak Spanish better.

I: What’s your favorite place to eat?

P: Uh, my favorite place to eat would be Chipotle.

I: Mmm. Not BDO?

P: No, BDO tacos are really good. There’s this place in El Paso that I really love, but it’s kind of hidden on the border. And they’ve made some recent upgrades to make it better, but Chipotle would have to be my go-to.

I: Nice. (1.0) Mmm. (6.0) So, what’s your favorite holiday?

P: My favorite holiday would probably be Halloween just because my birthday is also in the month of October.

I: Do you like Christmas?

P: Yeah, I do like Christmas. You know, you receive and give gifts, see people’s happiness from what they get from you, and it’s just a really good feeling to see that you did good by them.

I: And where did you spend Christmas last year?

P: Last year I spent Christmas in Alpine, Texas.

I: With?

P: Uh, my girlfriend and her family.

I: Do you think going down there you had to switch your language being around a lot of her family members?

P: Not really because I believe most of her family members, with a, with an exceptions of onesies and twosies, speak mostly English.

I: Okay, but like talking about like being more proper or respectful around family rather than just your girlfriend?

P: Well, with how I grew up, I was always taught to be respectful to the elders and older people that have come before you. And that’s just how I’ve always been taught.

I: Got you.

P: But with like people around the same age as me, you know, you can calm down with like the sir and ma’am and stuff like that and just talk to them like peer-to-peer.

I: Do you think in social situations you’re not yourself quote-on-quote?

P: No, I don’t believe so because I think I’m mas- I think I’m myself because no matter what like just how I said I grew up to be I grew up to be taught like, “sir”, “ma’am”, stuff like that.

I: So that is a part of yourself.

P: It is.

I: I’m not the same. Well, why not? Well, because I feel like when I’m in social situations I have to adapt to what everybody else is talking about and I have to change my mannerisms and my voice changes when I’m on the phone with the doctor or Instead, when I’m on the phone with my boyfriend, then it changes. [30:00] I think it’s just change. It’s not a part of who I am, though. Like, I can only show my true self to people that I’m comfortable with, but with other people, it changes. 

P: Yeah, I get that.

I: Do you feel the same? Yeah, kind of, because these are people you don’t know. You want to come off, like, more respectable, and, like, you want to show that person you respect them so they can respect you back.

I: Got you. Yeah, I feel that. Anything else you want to talk about?

P: Not that I know of. [Okay.] Is there anything else you want to talk about?

I: Um, I think we’re right at thirty minutes, so thank you for letting me interview you. I appreciate it and it will be very helpful for my research project.

P: You’re welcome.

[30:53]