LSCI
110: DIGITAL ORAL RESEARCH PROJECT
Model Topic Outline
Family Background
What
was it like growing up in the Philippines?
Where
were you born/raised?
How
many were in your family?
What
did your family do for a living?
Was
your family well-off, poor, middle class?
What
do you remember about growing up there?
What
was daily life like?
What
was your schooling there?
What
were your plans/goals for the future when you were going to school?
What
was it like living during the Marcos regime?
What
do you remember that was very different than in the U.S.?
Leaving the Philippines
Why
did you choose to leave?
What
were your motivations?
How
old were you?
Did
you bring any family?
Did
you have an idea of what you were going to do once you got here?
What
sacrifices did you make to live in the U.S?
What
did you expect life to be like in the U.S.?
Settling in the U.S.
What
is the first thing that you remember about coming to America?
What
were your first impressions of the U.S.?
Did
you know anyone here?
Where
did you first settle? Why there?
Did
you have family already here?
Did
you meet anyone?
Life in the U.S.
Tell
me about your life in the US.
How
did you go about finding a job?
How
did you go about finding housing?
What
was it like providing for your family?
What
was it like making friends?
What
was the most difficult adjustment for you?
Did
you have to study more to get work or advance your career?
How
did your life here compare to your life in Philippines?
Were
there differences in values between the Philippines and America?
Did
you experience any discrimination?
Would
you petition for any other family members?
Being
Filipino in the U.S
Were
you able to maintain Filipino customs? Language?
What
difficulties did you face maintaining your culture?
Did
you maintain contact with Philippines? Did you return to visit?
Do
you experience homesickness?
What
do you miss most about the Philippines?
Do
you plan on returning or staying in the U.S.?
Did
you notice a difference of personality between Filipino Americans and Filipino immigrants?
Do
you feel as if Filipinos in the U.S are the same as they are in the
Philippines?
Is
an education in the Philippines equivalent to a U.S education or enough to
sustain a career in the U.S?
Reflections
Looking
back on your experience, what would you have done differently?
Would
you have stayed in Philippines?
Do you
feel as if you’re living the “American Dream”?
What
are some positives and negatives about living in the Philippines or the U.S?
What
have you learned from your experiences?
What
would you have done differently in the U.S.?
last revised: 3-7-11
by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA
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