DURING THE INTERVIEW - HOMESTAY KAMPUNG UJUNG BUKIT

An interview session with the homestay owner was one of the most meaningful, challenging, and eye-opening experiences for us as students in understanding the reality of the world outside the classroom. Although we only wanted to obtain real information about the background, operations, and uniqueness of the chosen homestay for this project, the atmosphere during the session provided many unforgettable experiences.

On the day of the interview, we arrived earlier than the scheduled time as an early preparation step. The interview location was open and located right at the main entrance of the homestay area. Honestly, the atmosphere at that time was not conducive as we had hoped. The surrounding conditions were very noisy with the sound of children running and shouting, the voices of busy people passing by dragging luggage on the road. All of this posed a significant challenge for us to maintain focus and ensure that the interview recording could be done well. At the same time, the voice of the homestay owner was very slow and unclear, making our video recording process more challenging. We realized that his voice was too soft that even though we sat face to face, it was still difficult to hear his words clearly.

While waiting for the arrival of the homestay owner, we used that time to review questions, calm ourselves, and discuss the division of roles among group members. We also chatted to reduce the rising nervousness. At that time, we also noticed that the surrounding atmosphere was hard to control, but we tried to stay calm and flexible. In terms of appearance, we all chose to wear Baju Kurung, not only to look neater and more professional, but also to fit in with the homestay concept that is set in a village atmosphere. This choice added value in terms of visual harmony between us and the environment.

When the homestay owner arrived, we greeted him politely and immediately began preparing for the recording. We quickly arranged the equipment and camera positions due to the limited space. When called to start the session, nervousness began to set in. Even though we were prepared with questions, that feeling remained, especially since this was not a practice session but a real interview with a business owner. We started by introducing ourselves and stating the purpose of the interview, followed by question after question that had been prepared earlier.

Throughout the session, we noticed that the homestay owner seemed rather shy and did not move around much or show expressions. The answers provided were delivered in a slow tone, causing us to listen more carefully. Although the surrounding atmosphere was noisy and communication was somewhat limited, we made an effort to maintain a professional demeanor. Each group member was given the opportunity to ask questions, and we took turns posing queries such as, 'What makes this homestay unique compared to others?' and several other questions closely related to our assignment. The responses given by the homestay owner were very surprising to us. Some of his answers were completely unexpected and opened a new perspective on the uniqueness of the homestay. The information we gained was evidently much more complete and detailed compared to the brief information we found on the internet.

As soon as the interview session was over, we expressed our gratitude to the homestay owner for his willingness to take the time to answer our questions. We also requested permission to take a photo with him as proof of attendance and to confirm the interview for inclusion in the logbook and report. Additionally, we ask a permission to explore the surrounding area of the homestay and take extra pictures for documentation purposes. Alhamdulillah, the homestay owner granted permission and we were able to see for ourselves the ambiance of the home, which has a modern village concept. The visit completed the picture we needed to fully understand the uniqueness of this homestay.

Overall, despite some constraints from a technical aspect, particularly background noise and issues with the voice being too soft, we are still grateful that this interview session went smoothly and successfully. If given the opportunity to repeat this session, we will certainly be better prepared technically, for example by bringing additional microphones or choosing a quieter and more enclosed location. Nevertheless, this experience has taught us a lot not only about the skills of asking questions and communicating with external parties, but also about the need for flexibility and composure when facing unexpected situations.