3 Intro Questions

1. How are you planning to explain your purpose in the field? This is called an elevator speech. Here is mine given in a hypothetical situation.

Cashier at Pick n' Pay: So what's an American girl like you doing in South Africa?
Me: I'm here for a research project?
Cahsier: What kind of research?
Me: I want to interview HIV positive women about their experiences with nutrition and the barriers they may face in accessing or consuming adequate nutrition in order to determine what can be done to help them get enough of the right foods on a regular basis. I haven't been able to interview anyone yet, but in the mean time, I've also been volunteering at some of the HIV clinics around town.

Something to that effect.

2. What role will you be assuming in homes, the community, and organizations?

I hope to assume the role of a learner. There's a good chance I won't be making regular trips to South Africa after this summer escapade, so I want to take as much advantage of this opportunity as I can. While at the HIV clinics, I want the staff there to teach me about the things they do to help HIV positive women manage their disease. I want the women to teach me what it is like to live with that every day. In homes, I want to learn about family dynamics and how they differ from what I am used to here in the states. I want to learn about the foods they eat, the games they play, the movies they watch, the things they do for fun, the way they clean their houses, the people they live with etc. In the community, I want to learn about their public transit system, social norms, fashion styles, political systems, the educational system, anything I can get exposure to. I have never been very meek, so I imagine I will be learning while sharing my own opinions about things, but I hope to be learning none the less.

3. How will you choose to introduce yourself in various contexts?

Hmmmm. That's a good one. I imagine most people will probably ask me why an American chic like me is bopping around South Africa as in the role play above. And I imagine I'll probably say about the same thing every time. However, depending on the situation, I may choose to identify myself with various people or organizations that I may perceive the person I am talking to as having a connection with. For example, if I am talking to a friend of the Thomases, I will probably say something about "Oh, I'm one of the Thomases boarders for the summer." Or, if I am attending church in the 3rd ward, I might add that I am a BYU student. Other than subtle changes like that, I imagine I will mostly be identifying myself based on my research project.