50 Questions to answer

Ok, this is pretty cool! On the Ethiopia Yahoo group, someone posted “50 Questions” to answer about the country you are adopting from. Apparently there is a state in Australia that says adoptive parents should be able to answer these questions about the country that they choose to adopt from.

I consider myself fairly educated about my children’s birth countries, but I admit that I cannot answer all of these. I think that even if we don’t live in Australia and don’t have to be able to answer these questions, that researching them would be a great way for prospective adoptive parents or parents who are already parenting a child from another country or of another culture to really learn about and start to understand what another country/culture is like.

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If you have older adopted children, have them help you research these questions. It would be a great way to help your child learn about their country of birth, the culture they were born into and their heritage. If you are family that is in the pre-adoption phase, it would be a fun and educational family activity to work on these questions a few at a time.

I was also thinking that for families who are making lifebooks, these questions provide some awesome topics that could be covered in a lifebook, especially for children in situations where little of their personal history is known.

However you use them, I really encourage parents of children from another country to read over this list of questions. See what you know and what you have yet to learn, and use it as an opportunity to bring more culture and education into your family.

50 Questions
1. How many people can you name, who are prominent in the affairs (politics, athletics, religion, the arts etc) of the country you are interested in?
2. Who are the country’s national heroes and heroines?
3. Can you recognise the national anthem?
4. Are other languages spoken besides the dominant language? What are the social and political implications of language usage?
5. What is the predominant religion? Is it a state religion? Have you read any of its sacred writings?
6. What are the most important religious observations and ceremonies and celebrations?
7. How do members of the predominant religion feel about other religions?
8. What are the mist common forms of marriage ceremonies and celebrations?
9. What is the attitude towards divorce? Extra-marital relations? Plural marriage?
10. What is the attitude towards gambling?
11. What is the attitude towards drinking alcohol?
12. Is the price asked for merchandise fixed or are customers expected to bargain?
13. If, as a customer, you touch, or handle merchandise for sale, will the shopkeeper think you are knowledgeable, inconsiderate, within your rights, completely outside your rights? Others?
14. How do people organise their daily activities? What is the normal meal schedule? Is there a daytime rest period? What is the customary time for visiting friends?
15. What foods are most popular and how are they prepared?
16. What things are considered taboo in this society?
17. What is the usual dress for women? For men? Are trousers and/or shorts worn? If so, on what occasions? Do young people wear jeans?
18. Do hairdressers use techniques similar to those used by hairdressers in Australia? How much time do you need to allow for an appointment?
19. What are the special privileges of age and/or gender?
20. If you are invited to dinner, should you arrive early? On time? If late, how late?
21. On what occasions, would you present (or accept) gifts from people in the country? What kinds of gifts would you exchange?
22. Do some flowers have a particular significance?
23. How do people greet one another? Shake hands? Embrace or kiss? How do they leave one another? What does any variation from the usual greeting or leave taking signify?
24. If you are invited to a party, who would you expect to find amongst the guests?
25. Are there any important holidays? How are each observed?
26. What are the favourite leisure and recreational activities of adults? Teenagers?
27. What sports are popular?
28. What kinds of television programmes are shown? What social purposes do they serve?
29. What is the normal work schedule?
30. How will your financial position and living conditions compare with those of the majority of people living in Australia?
31. What games do children play? Where do children congregate?
32. How are children disciplined at home?
33. Are children present at social occasions? At ceremonies? If they are not present, how are they cared for in the absence of their parents?
34. How does this society observe children’s “coming of age”?
35. What kinds of local public transportation is available? Do all classes of people use it?
36. Who has the right of way in traffic – vehicles, animals, pedestrians?
37. Is military training compulsory?
38. Are the largest circulation of newspapers generally friendly in their attitude towards Australia?
39. How many people have emigrated from this country to Australia? Other countries? Are many doing so at present?
40. Are there many Australian expatriates living in this country?
41. What kinds of options do foreigners have in choosing a place to live?
42. What kind of health care services are available? Where are they located?
43. What are the common hone remedies for minor aliments? Where can medicines be purchased?
44. Is education free? Is it compulsory?
45. In schools, are children segregated by race, cast, class or gender?
46. What kinds of schools are considered best: public, private or religious?
47. In school, how important is learning by rote?
48. How are children disciplined in school?
49. Where are the important universities of the country? If university education is sought abroad, to what countries and universities do students go?
50. What was the most recent media coverage of the country about?

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