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Community member: Chanda Womack

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Jasmine: Interview and meet at 2/2:30 in Mary Theft White Center

Paige: Notes

Leah: Camera & Camera Hand-off

 

Things we already know:

Conceived and born in refugee camp

Came to the US at 1 year old

 

Preparation:

Let them know they don’t have to answer a question if they don’t want to

Follow their Lead

Think about framing and wording of questions

 

Questions:

OPENING QUESTIONS

  • Can you please state your name and where you are from?

  • Is there anything you would like to focus on?

*Focus on experience being raised bicultural, assimilation versus integration, and the realities of resettlement for my family*

  • How do you feel about living in RI?

 

REALITIES OF RESETTLEMENT FOR FAMILY

  • What was it like being brought up in America by parents who relocated here?

    • Did they know English already or did they have to learn the language when they got here?

    • What country was the refugee camp in?

    • What have they told you about life in the camp?

    • How long were they there for?

    • How long was the process for them to come to the US?

    • Did your parents compare for you the differences between the situations you were now in versus what you would have experienced in Cambodia?

 

ASSIMILATION VERSUS INTEGRATION

  • How much do you know about your parents’ beginnings in America?

  • Did you parents come directly to RI?

  • Do you know if they felt as though they fit into American society or did they feel like outsiders for a time (or do they still)?

    • Were they expected by their peers to become like a traditional American family, or did the community respect their cultural differences?

    • If they did try to fit in with everyone else, do they feel like they succeeded?

      • Do they enjoy that?

  • How do you think their struggles with cultural differences has affected you?

 

BICULTURAL

  • Is your identity of being bicultural stemmed from being Cambodian and brought up in America, or do you also identify with other cultures as well?

  • Do you feel like you had a hard time ‘finding yourself’ and completely understanding your cultural background?

  • Did you go through a “typical” education system?

    • Did you get treated differently, or feel as though you were very different from other kids your age?

  • What cultural traditions did your parents raise you with?

  • What kind of advice would you give to others who may have difficulty with their identities and how to balance difference in their cultural backgrounds?

 

ENDING QUESTIONS

  • Would you ever want to return to Cambodia?

  • What can your old country do to solve the refugee crisis there?

  • What can our country do to help the refugee crisis here?

  • Do you think your past has lead to your current experiences and does it affect your daily life?

  • What accomplishments in your life are you most proud of?

  • What is your main goal for your future?

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