Expert: Alex Wilding - 3/8/2009

Question
I have an assignment for my anthropology class and was hoping that you would have time to answer the following questions for my essay. Please feel free to add any information that you feel is unique about the culture in which you live.  I am in the U.S. and would love to hear of some of the differences between culture here and culture there.  Thanks so much!  Robin

How many people are in your family?
Who are they (what is their relationship to you?)
How many parents do you have?
Are your siblings full- or step-siblings?
What do you do for a living?
What do your family members do for a living?
Are you married?
Describe what your wedding was like (large/small,
formal/informal, at a church, in a park, what kinds of activities were there...)
Do you have children? (If yes: who cares for your children while you are in school, at work, etc?)
How many people live in your house? Who are they?
Where do you live?
Describe your neighborhood. Are the neighbors friendly? Do you know them?
Do you belong to a religion? Which one? Are you religious? (Note that belonging to a religion and being religious are not the same thing, nor are they necessarily related).
 How many languages do you speak? Which ones?

Answer
Hi Robin,
I am pressed for time, but:
How many people are in your family?
What is your definition of family?

Who are they (what is their relationship to you?)
I have siblings, children, grandchildren, cousins, wife, aunts and uncles etc.

How many parents do you have?
I had two. Both are dead.

Are your siblings full- or step-siblings?
Full

What do you do for a living?
Translate

What do your family members do for a living?
Highly varied - teachers, shop assistants, full time academic staff (sociology), solicitor...

Are you married?
Yes

Describe what your wedding was like (large/small,
formal/informal, at a church, in a park, what kinds of activities were there...)
Formal in a park, about 50 present

Do you have children? (If yes: who cares for your children while you are in school, at work, etc?)
Yes. They are grown up.

How many people live in your house? Who are they?
2, me and my wife

Where do you live?
Sydney, NSW, AU

Describe your neighborhood. Are the neighbors friendly? Do you know them?
Inner suburban upwardly mobile mixed.
Yes
Yes

Do you belong to a religion? Which one? Are you religious? (Note that belonging to a religion and being religious are not the same thing, nor are they necessarily related).
I am a practising Buddhist.

How many languages do you speak? Which ones?
2.5: English (mother tongue), German, some Tibetan