Participant Observation Expanded Notes
Relief Society Meeting
-We arrived late to the meeting. They're talking about church history sites.
-There are things written on the board, who will pray, what songs to sing, and announcements for the coming week.
-There are posters on the wall about Public Health (our meetings are in the RB), but surprisingly nothing religious.
-Everyone in the room is a girl or woman, but one man sits in the front row (Bishop).
-We're discussing a boy who didn't have truth and was very young for one seeking the meaning of life (Joseph Smith).
-The girl leading the discussion brings a screen down from the ceiling. We watch a youtube video titled "Joseph Smith: The Restoration."
-The lights are turned out.
-The girl teaching wears a purple dress. Her shoulders are covered and it comes to her knees. It gathers in odd places. Her hair is brown and her voice is quiet, making it difficult to pay attention to what she says.
-Periodically we open our scriptures and read a couple things.
-Everyone is quiet and attentive, some take notes, some comments are made, but mostly it is quiet. I wonder if people are sleeping, but since I'm sitting in the back it's hard to tell.
-The teacher talks slow and writes slow. My mind wanders.
-While she's writing on the board, she asks for a "scribe," who writes things on the board as people around the room make suggestions of what the prophet Joseph Smith brought to the church.
-It's hard to stay awake.
-We are told to act on what we've been given, especially because we understand the perspective of an end goal.
-There is more talk of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith and their lives.
-We sing a song that seems really long. Praise to the Man.
-A prayer ends the meeting. Everyone stands up, chats a little, and walks out.
Sunday School
-Everyone in this class is a couple. I decided to attend the Marriage and Family Relations class with my engaged sister even though I'm not engaged.
-I don't really belong, but was curious about what they would talk about.
-Initially the classroom is very quiet. There are only about 12 people here, and my perception is that people feel a little uncomfortable.
-The teacher, a member of the bishopric, thought my name was Josephine. What?
-The lesson is on forgiving one another.
-The desks are arranged circularly, which creates a more friendly atmosphere and seems open to comments.
-There is a great deal of input from the class, more than the last meeting.
-The teachers are an older couple, and the man does most of the talking. He seems a little bit spacey, but is interested in the topic and believes what he's teaching. His wife seems kind and supportive.
-There are speakers on the walls and two whiteboards. A large window takes up the entire back wall of the room.
-Repentance and forgiveness can keep people together.
-Now the woman talks, telling a story about a man imprisoned wrongly for five years. He learned to forgive those that put him there when a nun came to his cell and gave him a bible. After he forgave them, he had a retrial and was released. Coincidence?
-Unto whom much is given, much is required (referring to forgiveness)
-You should never talk badly about your spouse or anyone because of possible negative repercussions. This way, nothing can ever be held against you or your spouse.
-Occasionally emotions rise to the surface in the members of the class, especially the teacher. The class grows quiet, the air seems tense, but not uncomfortably so.
-Repentance is emphasized.
I felt that this second class was much more involved than the first. This may have been because I was more awake (my church meeting begins at 8:30 am) or because of a smaller classroom setting.
#2
Interview Expanded Notes
For my interview, I spoke with a man from Austria who works in the math department. I asked the following questions, and received basically the following answers. The interview was quite informal.
I would like to mention, however, that although Wolfram's native language is not English, he speaks much better than most native English speakers I know. He's very clever. I can't say anything too contrary because he quickly and easily turns whatever I say back on myself and I have to question my own convictions.
Q: When did you move to Provo?
A: I've been here for a total of fourteen months, on and off, working on mathematical research?
Q: What are you researching?
A: I'm looking into a thing call Hawaiian earrings. They contain a design that has infinite concentric circles.
Q: Do you teach classes here at BYU?
A: Yes, I teach calculus and college algebra. But teaching is not my favorite part, the research is.
Q: Why did you decide to come to BYU?
A: I ran into a professor at a small convention in Vienna. We started talking about Hawaiian earrings and harmonic volcanoes. Since almost no one is interested in this field, we just sort of hit it off, and he invited me to study at BYU. The research will go towards a doctorate degree which I hope to recieve in Vienna after a little more schooling.
Q: What was it like growing up in Vienna? Is it very different from here?
A: Vienna is beautiful. I love it there. While growing up, I had always heard that it was one of the nicest places to live in the world. I thought it was just something we said to enhance tourism or boost our own esteem, but after having traveled a bit, I see that it is somewhat true. It's very different from Provo. The people there are not nearly as friendly as here; sometimes I miss they're harshness. The last time I went home, I was in the airport in Vienna trying to find my luggage. I walked up to a man and asked him where I could find it. I was so relieved to hear him say, "Why should I care?" All I could think was, "Home sweet home." Vienna is also very urban. If you want to live in a place where you can drive to the mountains and go shooting and such, you should live here. But some like the feel of the city, as I do.
Q: Will you live there permanently?
A: Yes. People in Vienna don't tend to move around very much. If you do, the people are confounded. It doesn't make sense to move away from your friends and family--what would you do without them?
Q: What is your family like?
A: I have one younger sister, an older sister, and an older brother. My older sister studies medicine, but I don't keep in contact with her very much. My brother is married and is also a doctor. My younger sister is in Vienna studying law. I'm proud of her, mostly because I feel responsible for convincing her to study law. It's different in Vienna--you can study law immediately out of high school and it prepares you for any profession you wish to join. It's much different than the states.
Q: Do you ever think that research in the discipline of mathematics is kind of a waste?
A: What do you mean?
Q: Well, things like hawaiian earrings and harmonic volcanoes are nice, but they have no impact on the world. It doesn't make anyone's life better or easier because you studied it.
A: I suppose that's true.. So why do you study mathematics?
Q: Because I like it, but that doesn't mean I'll devote my life to it. I want to teach or use the skills I learn to help someone in need.
A: Oh I see, you think I sit in an ivory tower and do research when I feel like it.
Q: Not exactly, I just don't feel it will have an impact on society.
A: Then what do you suggest?
Q: Teach.
A: I probably will teach, as long as I can also do research. Are all your interviews like this?
Q: I don't know, I've never done any before. Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: I will be in Vienna, happily married. No children yet, but prospects. I'll probably be teaching at some community college or working as a consultant for some company. Other than that, nothing much will change.
Q: And what was your schooling experience like?
A: I went to school in Vienna my whole life. I learned English as long as I went to school. We were trained to speak it as the British do, in order to sound more educated. But now I'm afraid it's become somewhat Americanized.
Q: I see. Well, thank you for the interviewing time.
#1
#1
Participant Observation Expanded Notes
For this participation observation, I went to a friend's family's home for dinner on a Sunday evening. I had to learn how to make friends with the family and to seem interested and interesting.
-The first sight of the house is a large grassy front yard and a driveway that heads towards a garage and loops back to the street.
-There are kids in the front yard playing games. They're parents follow them around everywhere (my friend has three married older brothers, each with kids).
-We pull into the parking lot. A little girl named Lily comes up to us and starts telling us about something. She seems to be about four or five, but her speech is hardly English.
-The backyard is a big grassy field. There's a trampoline, two dogs, and a few trees.
-Eventually we go inside. My friend says hi to everyone in his family. I'm introduced. Rather than start a conversation with someone I don't know, I want to talk to the friend that brought me there. But he wants to talk to his family. So I'm stuck in a corner by myself until a sister-in-law comes and talks to me.
-The house is not big, but not small. The kitchen cupboards are white. There is a movie playing in the living room. Their dining room has a huge table (I'm told later that it is a pool table with a wooden board on top).
-When dinner is ready, we head to the kitchen and serve ourselves buffet style. There is a melee of different foods. Olives, hamburgers, potato salad, jello, regular salad, carrots, jalepenos, and fruit punch.
-As we sit to eat, I become more comfortable. I think this comfort comes from having an activity. There is something to do when not talking. And generally, there is only one or two conversations going on, so I can insert myself a little more easily.
-I watch the little kids make a mess of themselves. The parents are not particularly attentive, but when they do notice the messes they are quick to quip and clean.
-Even when everyone is done eating, we remain at the table.
-Eventually people clear their places.. I'm looking for a cue as to what to do next.
-Most of the people scatter to other parts of the house to watch TV, talk, clean dishes. I follow my friend around, a little confused, but getting gradually more comfortable.
-I find that I can make small talk with older people more easily, but if they are closer to my age I am more uncomfortable. I think a lot of this is because even though they are my age, they are still very different. For example, a couple are engaged and one doesn't go to college, just works. For whatever reason I don't feel like I have anything in common. I also am wary to appear judgmental.
-We go to the living room and watch the kids play with the toys. They're very young.
-The boys in the family talk about cars and motorcycles, so my mind wanders.
-Finally we leave. I feel relieved to be leaving such a busy and seemingly chaotic situation.
-The goodbye is long. Everyone hugs the friend that I came with. I have to wait awkwardly on the side because I do not belong--I don't deserve hugs yet.
-Eventually people clear their places.. I'm looking for a cue as to what to do next.
-Most of the people scatter to other parts of the house to watch TV, talk, clean dishes. I follow my friend around, a little confused, but getting gradually more comfortable.
-I find that I can make small talk with older people more easily, but if they are closer to my age I am more uncomfortable. I think a lot of this is because even though they are my age, they are still very different. For example, a couple are engaged and one doesn't go to college, just works. For whatever reason I don't feel like I have anything in common. I also am wary to appear judgmental.
-We go to the living room and watch the kids play with the toys. They're very young.
-The boys in the family talk about cars and motorcycles, so my mind wanders.
-Finally we leave. I feel relieved to be leaving such a busy and seemingly chaotic situation.
-The goodbye is long. Everyone hugs the friend that I came with. I have to wait awkwardly on the side because I do not belong--I don't deserve hugs yet.
