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Interviews Experience 1

 

To better understand sewing workshops, we decided to pay a ground visit. Yi-ping’s father and Ya-guan’s uncle happen to be in this industry. So we asked them to see whether we could pay a visit. On knowing that we wanted to study their work, both bosses were very pleased. So we arranged time and had the study.

 

Before the interview, the teacher told us several things to take notice of:
1. Prepare: paper, pen, camera, record pen, video camera, letter of thanks, gifts.
2. Interview purpose: to collect information about garment factory and sewing workshop. The focus was on the workers there, their backgrounds, qualifications, work experiences. Meantime, we studied the geographical relation between this industry and Luzou and Sanzhong.
3. Interview outline:
1) to know about environment, scale, main working contents, operation model.
2) interview people, like the boss and workers.
3) Free questions.
4) Take photos.
4. The students should pay attention to their manners in asking questions. First, self-introduction, then ask the question. After the interviewee has answered the question, the student should say “thank you”.

 

On the day of interview, we gathered in the school and went to our first interview sight---Yi-ping’s father’ workplace. The boss was a female. She started to work in the garment factory after primary school. Her hand was injured by the machine in an accident. But she did not lose hope and carried on. She then opened a sewing workshop of her own and mainly made expensive clothes. We were taken back at the sight of the price tag. So expensive!

 

Due to lack of experience on our side, most of the interview was conducted by the teacher. We could hardly say anything. Then the teacher asked us to interview the workers in groups. We took notes and photos as we made the interview. This was our first interview.

 

We had gathered in the computer room for many times and finally here was our first time to go outside school!

We visited a sewing workshop. The boss and aunts very nice and hospitable.

 

 
Ms. Chang accepted our interview. We took notes as we had the interview. This was our first interview. Ms. Chang, introduced the different machines and cloth in the sewing workshop.

 

 

The aunts there each make a complete set of clothes instead of parts. This was different from we had thought!

 

Our thoughts:

Po-ta Chen

We collected many materials in this interview. We not only learned the life experience of Ms. Chang but also the ups and down of garment industry. We also came to know the work contents and processes from the workers.

Yi-ping Liu

When visiting dad’s sewing workshop, the work of aunts were not easy although they had deft skills. Each of them had to make the whole clothes and there were many to make. They had to work overtime sometimes. Dad was even tired. He alone had to iron all clothes. He often burnt his hands. It must be very painful.

Jin-yu Chen

 This interview gave me some knowledge about the garment industry. Most workers started to work after primary school. Life was difficult for them.

Chi-yuan Huang

 This place looked cleaner than most sewing workshops that piled clothes here and there. The aunts all said the work was not very tough. They did not only make money but could also take care of their children. It was quite free. We interviewed Yi-ping’s father. He is in charge of ironing clothes. He was burnt by the iron sometimes. But the work was quite free. From this interview, I now know what sewing workshop is and how hard the workers are.

An-peng Wu

 This was the first interview I’ve ever had. I was nervous but learnt a valuable lesson. I gained more understanding about garment factory and sewing workshop. Before this I did not know that there was an industry in decay in Sanchung and Luzhou area.

Xin Ouyang

I heard may stories about sewing workshop in this interview. Many people had to work very hard to earn a living. We are very lucky compared to them. Their spirit is worth learning.

Ting-yu Li

This interview taught me what sewing workshop is. Their working environment is clean and they do not pile clothes here and there.

Ya-ting Tsao

 I heard may stories about sewing workshop in this interview and the hardships working there. The aunts’ spirits were very admirable. Thanks for the cooperation of the teacher and the introduction of the aunts. This was a valuable lesson.