Observations:

1. The busy street where we were meeting up
2. The pickup destination was an office (DataDog)
3. The DataDog office is very fancy and big
4. There is a lot of food even liquid food was donated
5. The homeless shelter is very small

Responses:

1. The office was really nice and looked super expensive
2. Lots of the food distributed come from this office. Which shows they are rich
3. Why couldn’t we give some of the food away?
4. There was some food that wasn’t distributed/donated that was used but didn’t look finished, sadly.
5. It was really nice to give the food away since the shelter wasn’t far, so we walked.

What surprised me:

We had lots of food, but we couldn’t distribute the food to the homeless on the streets.

What Intrigued me:

The food we were giving/donating to where high-quality food. Example: cooked rice, cooked chicken, greens, dressing, etc.

What Disturbed me:

Was the thought that if we didn’t rescue food like this can be trashed and wasted.

Response:

This rescue experience was different from the last two since I had the opportunity to go into the building or office that was giving the food away. Which gave me a better perspective on who, where, and how the food was prepared and placed. As well as what organizations are involved.

General Interview Question: General

1. What is your Name?
2. How old are you?
3. What are your pronouns?
4. what academic level are you in? (Volunteer question)

Primary Questions: Professional Worker

1. Could you describe a typical day at your job?
2. Why did you choose this job?
3. What are your favorite and least favorite part of your job?
4. What tasks have been the most difficult for you?
5. What borough(s) have you seen the most impact on?
6. Can you describe what your first time working for this organization was like?
7. How long have you worked for this organization?
8. What is your food insecurity? (in New York City or international)

Primary Questions: Volunteer

1. Why did you choose to volunteer?
2. What is your favorite part of this event?
3. What is your favorite and least favorite part of this event?
4. Do you volunteer often?
5. What borough(s) do you feel hit food insecurity the most?
6. Have you built any bonds with anyone in the group?
7. How long have been volunteering?

Interview Questions:

1. What is your name? Where are you from? And do you speak your native language?

2. Was your academic and personal life negatively or positively affected during the pandemic? If so how?

3. Are there any hobbies you have? And if so what are they?

4. What is your major? Do your future goals pertain/relate to your major? If not what are they? (personal goals)

5. What is your subculture? And can you give me a brief description or understanding of it?

6. Are there any general values and traditions you feel are important to you? And do those values and traditions relate to your subculture?

7. Are there or do you think there are any dysfunctions that you’ve faced or are placed in your subculture?

8. How often or are you often engaged in your subculture?

9. What traditions does your subculture often participate in? And what is one of your favorites? 

10. Is your subculture beneficial to society? And if so how? Or if not why/how? (maybe how they can be or improve that)

11. Has your subculture changed the way you view society? And as society’s values, norms, or traditions changed the way you view your subculture?

Observation:

1. Guitar
2. Light ball hanging on top of the ceiling

Response:

1. R.L. Burnside’s personality is different they what Imagined

What Suprised Me:

R.L. Burnside would go to Chicago to visit his dad and observe him play guitar and that is how he learned to play guitar.

What Disturbed me:

R.L. Burnside lost his family and moved from Chicago to Mississippi to start his life at 20 years old.

The 3 interviews I plan to do will be held on 4/29, 5/3, and 5/4. All of them will be taking place in different locations depending on the task and staff that will be there. In the field sites, I plan to observe the area, where we will be picking up the required amount of food. Which can range from 217lb to 69lb to the designated areas/addresses. Such as the organizations, events, etc. I will be interviewing 2 staff members who work at the organization about their experience and why they chose to work for the organization and 1 to 2 volunteers on why they are choosing to be involved. I will also plan to observe the environment, reactions, and interactions that the people around me have.

Response:

The research of this essay was utilized, to better explain the author’s reaction and to give the reader a better understanding of the history, traditions, practices, and values the people hold. This is effective because it allows the reader to have a better understanding when it comes to background/resourceful information. The author would also give a different perspective regarding the ritual. While some would go to a cemetery to honor their loss with flowers or be emotional, some dance around “have fun”, and eat as a way to cope with their loss. Because of my religious background and morals, I was really disturbed reading the research papers. When it came to explaining what would happen to the dead bodies in the cemetery, and how 1,500 bodies were piled up and dined on by the dogs and cats and no one would do anything. Knowing this appalled me. 

Response:

My reaction to the interview was confusing because the interviewer didn’t seem impressed or intrigued by Chris Cornell’s music and concert. I believe the interviewer should have done some research on the type of music or concert Chris associates himself with. So that he has a sense of what is going to happen. Because it seemed like the interviewer was annoyed by the (instrumental) noise that Chris Cornell makes. Asking questions like, “Why is your music so loud?” or “I like it but it’s so loud” which in my opinion could have been interpreted in a different way, tone, or manner. I suggest that the interviewer begins his interviews by greeting the guest as a way to hopefully put the guest in a comfortable state of mind. Cause Chris Cornell didn’t seem conformable when answering the questions. And was even questioning the interviewer himself with sarcasm.

Observation:

1. Lots of lights, lounge chairs (bean bags, mini couch), 2 big flat screen tv, loud music
2. People seem very social and was crowded with people between the age of (10-28)
3. Everyone is dressed in streetwear (fashion)
4. They served everyone drinks and donuts
5. Lots of activities and entertainment

Responses:

1. In my opinion, as someone who’s never been to a concert all my life, the lights were too bright, the speakers were so loud I had covered my ears. But everyone was hyped during the concert which was nice to see.
2. Everyone that I saw seemed very social and welcoming. I saw kids playing video games, and board games in big groups.
3. Everyone was very stylish. Some were dressed comfortably, casually, in streetwear, grudge, and vintage. Which was really cool.
4. At the end of the concert, everyone was served drinks like cold brew, red bull, slushes, and glazed donuts.
5. There were lots of opportunities to socialize, some kids were playing games of their own which included running.

What Suprised Me:

1. What surprised me was, how different everyone was and how the event was very edge and energetic. Usually, the music I would expect to hear would be mellow, soft, almost like opera music, it was the opposite. The music was loud, energetic, and had movement, and lots of instrumental music.

What Intrigued Me:

What intrigued me was, how diverse the guests were. Some were young and others were older. Considering the pandemic we went through I in my opinion have had trouble learning how to socialize. So seeing people of different age demographic back in society socialize in a comfortable setting/manner was inspiring.

What Disturbed Me:

What intrigued me was, how diverse the guests were. Some were young and others were older. Considering the pandemic we went through I in my opinion have had trouble learning how to socialize. So seeing people of different age demographic back in society socialize in a comfortable setting/manner was inspiring.

Response:

I was honestly cultured shocked, because of the norms that I grew up in the church before, and witnessing and seeing those norms shift is something I need to adjust to and get used to. Growing up in the church since birth I have gotten used to the religious practice and rules to obey, so when I see these rules, values shift towards our current generation (Millennial, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha) is something to explore. I would honestly say I wasn’t at all social at the event since I still had to adjust to the pandemic phase.

Reflection Essay #1: The East African Agaseke Basket

My overall experience when writing about my cultural artifact has made me consider doing personal research on my culture and the many other traditions that I still contribute in my life, and find the true root and meaning behind the values that they hold. 

The essay has helped me achieve the Course Learning Outcomes because I was able to use the free review comments and class teaching to formulate a better introduction, well-organized essay, and ideas. Being able to do that I can acknowledge that the genre of my essay is, a personal essay that stems more into my creative writing and my personal experience. The characteristic features that are shown in my essay are, tackling the importance, values, and traditions that the agaseke basket hold to myself, my family, and my community. What prompted me to write about the agaseke basket is, recognizing the frequent times that I have seen the basket in my own home and others related to me as a child. With that, I only knew so little about the importance that the agaseke basket holds to my family and the history behind it. 

I hoped to accomplish a better look at the many cultural aspects that I have adapted like moving into a new country and adapting to the culture. Not to completely avoid or forget the ones my parents continue to practice but establish them in a way that I can relate to. While doing that I’m able to understand and become familiar with the culture. The audience that I want to potentially target is students, specifically those who are open to learning about different cultures. The relationship between me as a writer, my potential audience, and the medium I’m using to communicate is that we all play a part in society either negatively by our action of belief or positively. The knowledge, assumptions, or goals I and my audience share are, to have better community support and representation.

My overall reaction to the assignment was, not feeling too stuck on the ideas or concept that was assigned because I’ve done a similar assignment that tackles culture recognition. What I had to do to complete this essay is use the resources I had, to figure out what my topic and writing will be about. The aspect of the revision process that I found most difficult is, implementing an experience that has great significance to my cultural artifact that will give a better analysis or understanding of the importance that the artifact holds to my culture, my family, and myself. The in-class activities and discussions impacted my final product, because of the ideas that the class was able to gather, the explanation that the teacher accumulated to give us (the class) a better understanding of what is required for the essay, and breaking down how to start the essay, and resources that can benefit our research.

1. What were Rick’s sources of data? 

Rick’s source of data was, the interviewers, (truckers/employees), friends, authors/scholars (for credibility), government interaction, and independent research. 

2. How does he confirm or disconfirm his ideas? 

Rick confirms or disconfirms his ideas by introducing an unnamed informant who can disconfirm and/or confirm. Also by asking questions and studying the culture and/or environment. 

3. What interpretations does he offer? 

The interpretations that Rick offers are different descriptions of the truck lifestyle with a variety of different people who may relate or have different opinions and experiences.

4. What is the culture he describes? 

The culture that Rick describes is the trucker’s lifestyle. From behavior, traditions, subculture, and description.

5.  What makes it a culture? 

What makes culture is, traditions, rituals, behavior, group identity, and behaviors.

6. Does his writing convince you? 

Rick’s writing does convince me because Rick provides raw opinionated information. Which doesn’t come often. His writing is very diverse when it comes to describing the everyday life of a trucker from the trucker’s experience. He doesn’t leave any information out or adds “one-sided opinions”. He provides descriptions that are clear, adds his unbiased opinion about the topic, and his personal experience being there.

7. Can you see the places and people he describes? 

Yes, I can see the places and people Rick describes, because his description in my opinion is very clear from the physical description to the vibe that he had received being an outsider (four-wheeler) to the people he saw (the truckers).

8. Do you understand what it would be like to be an insider in this culture?

I can somewhat understand what it would be like to be an insider in this culture. Even though Rick’s Ethnographic study on “Friday Night at Iowa 80” gave me a better understanding of truck subculture, giving me an image (in my mind) of what it would be like to be a truck driver I still feel like I wouldn’t ideally fit in and won’t fully adjust to the culture considering the beliefs, traditions, and ritual, insider phrases, and behavior I’m used to.