Participant observation (Race and Ethnicity - in & beyond US) - Essay Example

Running Head: Participant Observation CL 205 Participant Observation Assignment: “Talking to Strangers?” Looking for practices of citizenship & community in actionBy Hong Moo ParkAbstractThis participant observation essay aims to present results of my personal observation of interactions of different people from diverse cultures and races from the Oriental Food Market. This essay would also give a critical reflection on what my observations mean to me about strangers in the given venue.Personal Observation I was given the privilege of spending an hour at Oriental Food Market on the 16th of April 2009 at about 6:00P.M. Oriental food market is a small grocery at 1206 S Park St.

, Madison, WI 53715. This market offers Korean food, Japanese food, Chinese food and oriental grocery super market items. One will find hundreds of hard to find authentic ingredients, food, and groceries for Korean and all other Asian cuisines such as spicy Korean pepper bean paste, popular Japanese ramen noodles, Asian BBQ sauce, kim chi, other health enhancing herbal drinks, herbal cigarettes that help you kick the habit, Japanese miso, tempura, udon, many exotic condiments and canned goods to make preparing authentic Korean food and other Asian dishes easy.

The owner is a man and wife of Korean descent. Most customers are Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and a few Americans. I had always surmised that this is a busy venue at this time of the day due to commuters rushing home from work. Majority of the people I observed were women making a hurried trip to this place to do some shopping for dinner. I see interspersed attendance from teenagers who just hang around, meet with friends, or were running errands. I do not see businessmen and professionals often except for some husbands accompanying their wives to do some marketing.

At times, mothers come with their little children in tow. I sat on a chair beside the counter. I bought some snacks and opened a notebook. I saw people of different cultures and races coming in and out of the place. There were Asians (Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Filipinos) and a few Americans who appear to recognize and acknowledge each others’ presence through a quick smile, a nod, and at times, for men – a hand shake. I observed that it is actually the women who initiate either verbal or non verbal interaction.

Regular customers talk to cashiers and their favorite personnel from the market who were just so happy to be of service. This exemplifies reciprocity at work. I tried to do some non verbal interaction through smiling and acknowledging acquaintances and they responded favorably. I asked strangers what the time is and they responded cordially. I do not feel intimidated or compromised being alone in this busy place because I do not perceive any risk to the situation I am in. The place is well lighted and crowded with people.

The atmosphere is friendly and the smell of oriental food being sold is a welcome respite to a busy day.Lessons Learned The United States has been home to people from diverse cultures and races all over the world. Their predominant traits and characteristics might have adapted and adjusted to our ways of life. By this experience and personal observation – me, being alone – I am actually a stranger in the midst of other strangers. But surprisingly, I have learned these lessons: (1) Despite differences in culture and races, people have common factors.

People are basically calm, friendly and are aware that they have basis human rights which should be respected; (2) People normally act to achieve personal and professional goals. These goals differ accordingly but people work hard towards that vision. They converge to the Oriental Food Market to shop to satisfy basic needs; (3) Communication is always being undertaken in the course of daily activities – whether verbal or non verbal. Even people from other cultures and races interrelate to relay important messages usually through non verbal means.

The system of reciprocity and political friendship basically works more with people of common factors. Trust is earned by people who have had established regular personal interrelationships and are therefore not eminent among strangers. Usually, people distrust strangers for security reasons. Our culture has taught our children never to talk to strangers. This was validated by Danielle S. Allen’s “Talking to Strangers” book. Allen averred that “"Dont talk to strangers" is the advice long given to children by parents of all classes and races.

Today it has blossomed into a fundamental precept of civic education, reflecting interracial distrust, personal and political alienation, and a profound suspicion of others.” Being a stranger in this scenario made me a figure of distrust. However, since I was not perceived as a threat to others, nobody acted nor responded to me in a mean or violent way. This also validated Allen’s contention that our culture is working slowly at “rooting out the seeds of distrust to replace them with ‘a citizenship of political friendship.

’” This just proves that people also act in accordance with the concept of democracy and the concept of the golden rule – do unto others what you want others to do unto you. By acknowledging that despite racial and cultural diversity, people only want to live in peace and harmony – exercising human rights in all instances to ensure “a revitalized democratic citizenry”. (Allen 2004)ReferenceAllen, D. (2004). Talking to Strangers. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL USA.