We conducted 12 qualitative interviews at Doshisha University over the 3rd and 4th. Each interview lasted roughly one hour and had two students, one translator and one interviewee. We worked hard to help interviewees relax since they were outnumbered 3 to 1. Luckily for us, it seemed as though everyone knew one another – translators/interviewees – and that seemed to help.
I’ve listed out some of the highlights that I heard in the two interviews I was a apart of below.
- She used Twitter to research whether an event was worth going to.
- Line is for talking with real friends and Facebook is for people she knows.
- He had a flip phone and a iPad Touch but was ready for Wearables.
- She had 4 camera apps and around 6 nutrition apps but didn’t use her smartphone for music because she had a Walkman.
- People that make big mistakes on Twitter were referred to as “Baka-Ta” Twitter. Loosely translated, this meant stupid Twitter.
There was much more that was learned and it was interesting to hear about the similarities and the differences. After the interviews, students documented what they’d heard. Off to a great start!
To finish off the day, we traveled to Osaka to see Osaka Castle. This is an amazing structure and was more of a museum than a temple inside.
After viewing some of the culture we decided that we need to eat some culture! We asked someone on the street and ended up eating at this great little Ramen place. (If you’re trying to decide of a place is worth dining in, all you need to do is find the smallest place with the biggest line and you’ll be happy with your selection.)
People in Osaka seem to be more outgoing and the town reminded me of what I thought Tokyo might be like. Tomorrow we leave for Tokyo!
