Well, this week, I'm supposed to incorporate the content from this section into planning for my final project interview component.
This, I believe, will be rather easy seeing as how a good chunk of my project will lie within interviewing roommates and friends around the Clemson Exchange Community.
Notably, I hope to rehearse and prepare accordingly over the next few weeks with questions and materials in an attempt to shape the main points of the final. This will involve narrowing down my questions, and choosing a format in which questions will come from. At the moment, I am stuck between using the same questions for each person, and just cutting from one person to the next to the next, or using different questions targeted specifically to my personal, professional, and private.
As it stands now, I will be having my roommate and my girlfriend's roommate interviewed as my personal. For professional, I believe I will get my residential assistant to help, and as for professional, at the moment, I do not have any idea. Perhaps I could interview American students such as myself who are volunteering their living arrangements and time to be around people from other countries. Or I can interview someone who is in charge of the numbers of the C.E.C. program, possibly someone who's involved in housing, and get some input as far as if exchange students are increasing in size and what is being done to advertise Clemson to the world.
As for my interview location, I will probably be using my apartment. Depending on the time, I will probably use the couch and the table in the apartment, and with any luck, use the fluorescent lights that hang on the ceiling. I do not know how this will determine the camera lighting, but I will be certainly testing this out. As for scenery in the shots, I will most likely incorporate anything that is unique; for example, my roommate is not a fan of the food here in America, so he orders food that is very similar to what is consumed from India. The same thing applies with my girlfriend's roommate, and anything that can be incorporated in to making her comfortable here in the United States. As for the remainder of my films, I plan on relying heavily on recording the areas around Calhoun Courts to show the life and treatment that a college student endures through the fun and challenging times.
As for the public, I imagine I can use shots of Tillman Hall and the mountain, and specifically distinctive points that classify Clemson as the ideal campus and reveal what is alluring to others who have never been here.
But first, and foremost, I have to attempt to find a camera, and secure one for at least three days in order to get the filming correct and elaborate. This will be the most difficult part because cameras are only allowed to be checked out for one night, and the chances of arranging a check-out three days straight is slim to none, so managing my time for this final project and my other classes may be a little challenging. However, it will just take focus and detail. At the moment, I don't know how to splice videos, but I will be checking into that soon.
I hope all is okay with everyone else and that you all are staying focused and enjoying the time overseas.
I will probably post a final result tomorrow night, so stay tuned as I ask my interviewees if they are willing and able.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Plans For My Final Project...
Well, for those of you who have been following me, you may notice that this blog is being posted on Friday rather than Saturday on the day that it is due.
Tragically, I will be unable to post any blogs and such because my one year anniversary is tomorrow/today.
Shout-out to Valerie. :)
Now, down to business. To be honest, I have been having difficulty trying to decide in what way I will be portraying my final project.
The point of this class is to immerse ourselves into another society, another culture, and literally that of another world. With that in mind, it's challenging to imagine producing a documentary-esque film of American quality because it would be pointless. We all, after all, are Americans. We have been exposed to the internet, media, and certain social standards all of our life, and we would gain no insight or knowledge looking at what we take for granted for everyday.
This leads me to contemplate exactly how to carry out this project, because unlike my fellow classmates, I am not in another country participating in cultural activities that are taken for granted by the locals and not available here in the United States.
But thankfully, I have an idea about how I can possibly carry out the final project without having too much of a struggle, and I would like as many opinions about it as possible.
The concept of my idea revolves around what this class is based on. And that, namely, is cultural exploration. Since I am living in the Clemson Exchange Community, I have the advantage to students who are visiting here for one semester.
So, my plan for my final project is simply to gain perspective of other students. In a sense, I'm still taking culture from my surroundings, like the international students, but instead of summing up one culture, I'll be interviewing various students who make up the portion of Clemson.
I imagine that taking the time to see what culture is integrated into our own is an important part to better Clemson's role in international planning and responsibility. What is the reason that they chose the United States? Why did they decide on Clemson compared to other colleges in America? What were some of the beliefs and ideas they had going in compared to the reality of the situation?
More importantly, I believe I have the opportunity to see how interaction is made between integrating foreign customs and beliefs into new opportunities, new adventures, and new chances to try the "American way of living".
Because my major is Psychology, I am hoping that this will further my own ability to understand reasoning, conceptual thinking, and behavior trends regarding different cultures. Because when it comes to defining "culture" in Clemson, we cannot just promote the Southern way, or those who are born here. We have to include everyone who plays a vital role on all levels, including those who journey back to Australia, China, Europe, Asia, so on, and so forth, and relate stories of the time they've been here.
As to how I will accomplish this, I believe interviewing at least two people would prove useful. Unfortunately, meetings for the C.E.C. have slowed down, and there has been little to no chance to participate in cultural diversity on that level. This means that I need to get new perspectives, and think outside of the box and decide how to create a project that sums up my one and only year as a C.E.C. resident in a way that encourages others to either participate with the C.E.C. or travel abroad and promote culturiosity (that's culture and curiosity, as defined by transfer students coming into Clemson).
Well, that is all for now. Perhaps if I have some down time Saturday or Sunday night, I'll check back in but in the meantime, stay tuned for more.
Tragically, I will be unable to post any blogs and such because my one year anniversary is tomorrow/today.
Shout-out to Valerie. :)
Now, down to business. To be honest, I have been having difficulty trying to decide in what way I will be portraying my final project.
The point of this class is to immerse ourselves into another society, another culture, and literally that of another world. With that in mind, it's challenging to imagine producing a documentary-esque film of American quality because it would be pointless. We all, after all, are Americans. We have been exposed to the internet, media, and certain social standards all of our life, and we would gain no insight or knowledge looking at what we take for granted for everyday.
This leads me to contemplate exactly how to carry out this project, because unlike my fellow classmates, I am not in another country participating in cultural activities that are taken for granted by the locals and not available here in the United States.
But thankfully, I have an idea about how I can possibly carry out the final project without having too much of a struggle, and I would like as many opinions about it as possible.
The concept of my idea revolves around what this class is based on. And that, namely, is cultural exploration. Since I am living in the Clemson Exchange Community, I have the advantage to students who are visiting here for one semester.
So, my plan for my final project is simply to gain perspective of other students. In a sense, I'm still taking culture from my surroundings, like the international students, but instead of summing up one culture, I'll be interviewing various students who make up the portion of Clemson.
I imagine that taking the time to see what culture is integrated into our own is an important part to better Clemson's role in international planning and responsibility. What is the reason that they chose the United States? Why did they decide on Clemson compared to other colleges in America? What were some of the beliefs and ideas they had going in compared to the reality of the situation?
More importantly, I believe I have the opportunity to see how interaction is made between integrating foreign customs and beliefs into new opportunities, new adventures, and new chances to try the "American way of living".
Because my major is Psychology, I am hoping that this will further my own ability to understand reasoning, conceptual thinking, and behavior trends regarding different cultures. Because when it comes to defining "culture" in Clemson, we cannot just promote the Southern way, or those who are born here. We have to include everyone who plays a vital role on all levels, including those who journey back to Australia, China, Europe, Asia, so on, and so forth, and relate stories of the time they've been here.
As to how I will accomplish this, I believe interviewing at least two people would prove useful. Unfortunately, meetings for the C.E.C. have slowed down, and there has been little to no chance to participate in cultural diversity on that level. This means that I need to get new perspectives, and think outside of the box and decide how to create a project that sums up my one and only year as a C.E.C. resident in a way that encourages others to either participate with the C.E.C. or travel abroad and promote culturiosity (that's culture and curiosity, as defined by transfer students coming into Clemson).
Well, that is all for now. Perhaps if I have some down time Saturday or Sunday night, I'll check back in but in the meantime, stay tuned for more.
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