Interview with Yu-Han Chiu (Valerie)

Brief description- Valerie is studying at CSUSB from Taiwan. Her focus is TESOL and her goal is to earn her degree and teach here in California. Valerie has been living in California for 9 months. Her favorite aspect of California is the weather. When Valerie is not in class, she enjoys doing many fun activities. Her favorite things to do include, riding roller-coasters at Six Flags, going to the movies, and eating bacon western cheeseburgers from Carls jr.

#1-Q.  Where are you from?

      A. I’m from Taiwan, a beautiful island in Asia.

#2- Q.List two adjectives to describe yourself

       A. “Optimistic” and “patient”. I always think positive, has a positive attitude towards life. I’m a patient person so my friends like to talk to me because I have patient to listen their story even though it’s trivial. 

#3-Q. What do you find unique about your culture?

       A. Well, my people think we are an independent country, we consider ourselves as Taiwanese not Chinese. Even though Taiwan has vague and ambiguous historical and cultural legacy with China.

#4-Q. What is the one thing that you miss most about your home country?

1. Of course the food. The Chinese restaurant like panda express here is a catastrophe! I rather spent my money to eat hamburgers and pizza. If you have chance to try the Taiwanese food, you will know my feeling. It’s not authentic Chinese food, I just cannot bear the fake food like it.

#5-Q. If you could teach one thing about your culture to someone else, what would it be?

1. I’ll introduce the traditional art of Taiwan, like Taiwanese Opera, calligraphy and glove puppetry.

#6-Q. When you are not busy with school, what do you enjoy doing?

1. I like to go to the gym. There’re a lot of free courses you can attend. “Women self-defense” is my favorite class. I always go to that class once a week whether I’m busy or not.

#7-Q. Are you enjoying your experience in California?

1. I enjoy California very much. I love the weather, the sunshine, the beaches here.

#8-Q. What is the biggest difference between the U.S. Culture and the Taiwanese culture?

      A. I think the U.S. Culture has more open-minded toward the plural races issue than the Taiwanese culture. Because there’re few foreign dwellers in my country.

#9-Q.If I were to visit your country, what is one thing that I would absolutely have to see or do?

      A. You have to try the food in Taiwan. Taiwan’s xiao-chi is a feast for the eyes. Pictured from left to right are o-a-tsian (oyster omelet), rou-yuan (meatball dumplings), uann-kue (“bowl-pasties”) and o-a-mi-suann (slender noodles with oysters). 

#10-Q. If you were given a free plane ticket, which country would you visit and why?

     A. I will go to France. My major of undergraduate is French. So I want go to Paris to visit La Tour Eiffel, Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile and Notre Dame de Paris. If I can also encounter a French hunk, that will be perfect!