At first I was very uncomfortable with the idea of going into Baltimore and asking a complete stranger his or her opinions on the election. Those feelings may have surfaced when I finally did it as well, since I originally had some difficulty. I had asked a few different people, of varying ages and gender, and they to respectfully declined participation. I finally ran into Jessica, who was reluctant to give away too much information about her, but was still willing to answer my questions. When I approached her, I was just south of Northern Parkway on York Road, right in front of a gas station.
Jessica’s only brother is a marine, and is currently serving a second term in Iraq. Although she does not know too much about politics, including Obama’s policies, she is very concerned with her brother’s safety and seeing the marines out of harm’s way. Her story and the way she spoke about her brother really touched me. I have an older brother as well, so I was able to connect with her on how I would feel if I was in the identical situation. It was interesting speaking with her. I do not personally know of anyone fighting for this country, and could not imagine being in her position. She closely followed the debates and stances of both candidates prior to the election last year, ensuring that she would place her vote with the man who would protect her brother to the fullest. I can somewhat relate to her, as she wants to see change but is unsure of how it will actually happen.
It was very intriguing for me to act as an anthropologist for a day. We always come across numerous different individuals on a day-to-day basis, without knowing their story. The fact that I could both relate to her and learn something from her, all while stepping outside of my comfort zone to complete this task, was interesting to me. This project was worthwhile and I definitely feel proceeding classes should continue this project, so that they may gain the same experience.
