I have always known that in order to do a Field Study, you need to come up with a specific research idea. As I went through the process of applying and being accepted to the Field Study in India, I started thinking about the things that I could possibly study. As October rolled around, I really wanted to apply for an ORCA grant, which pushed me to come up with a research idea with the help of a professor. I knew that I wanted to study the culture, but I had no idea where to begin. I finally narrowed it down to "Women Self-Perception in the Coimbatore region of Tamil Nadu, India". I thought that I would be ahead of most of the people going to India because I had a concrete research plan--but I was REALLY wrong. When we were in class this past Friday, Ashley talked about how to develop a research idea and starting out with what we know. She then went on to ask "where are you going? what do you want to learn? what are you passionate about? what are your skills?" So, instead of feeling overwhelmed (like I had been feeling the WHOLE class hour), I decided to apply those questions to my project. I know that I am going to Tamil Nadu, India. More specifically, the region of Coimbatore and more specifically than that, a village named Chavadi. From what I have learned so far, this village is primarily rural and there are families spread throughout. There is a church there, and a bus station (maybe several?) that will be able to transport me to the places I need to go during my time down there. I know that my location is pertinent to my research project, seeing that if I were to be conducting my research in the USA for example, I would be receiving completely different views about those women. Since Chavadi is a rural village, I also was thinking that these women's views would be slightly different than those of women in urban India. I wonder if their views will be a little bit more simplistic, since life there hasn't been plagues with technology too much...but yet I wonder if their simple lives will also make their responses to me more diverse than I thought. I am sure every one of those Indian women will have a similar and different story to tell than their friends. "what do I want to learn?" I want to learn if women in the village of Chavadi feel content with themselves. I want to know how they see their world. DO they think that they are poor or uneducated? do they wish they lived somewhere else? are they totally and completely happy and would not have it any other way? What do they think about the typical Indian women that us Westerners are used to-a subserviant wife who has to cook and clean? In their mind, what is the most important thing they would want to teach their children? Do they perceive themselves as beautiful? or do they not entertain those everyday, female oriented thoughts, like "I am having a bad hair day...does this dress make me look fat?". I honestly doubt that they pay much attention to that, but my intuition tells me that every woman has a similar pattern of thought when it comes to outer beauty and what she thinks of herself. I am worried about how I will portray these questions. I would hate to be a little too personal about feelings of self-esteem, if they don't really know me and trust me yet. I would like to build a relationship with them first, even if it's a short relationship.
"What am I passionate about?" well, I love people. I am drawn to those of different cultures, and I want to be able to say to myself that I went to a different country and had the opportunity to live among people who are different than I am. I love the idea of being surrounded by different people,who look different and who speak a different language. I will rely on that characteristic of my personality while I conduct my project in India. I have heard that I will have hard times and times where I will become really frustrated. SO, I am really hoping that my love for different people will carry me through the hard aspects of this experience.
"What are my skills?" As I thought about this one...I was a little disappointed because I don't think that I have a lot of tangible skills...but I guess my love for other people and the ability I have to talk to other people and not be scared or shy, will be of great help to me while I am there. I really don't want this project to be about me and what I want to get out of it. Although what I want to learn academically is very important to me, I want to be able to help people feel good about themselves when they are around me. I want to spend as much time as possible with them, since three months really is not a LONG time. I know that I love talking to people a lot. No matter what language they speak, or who they are. I always try my best to communicate with others,and I know that this skill is something I will develop while I am in India. I know that I will be able to use those skills that I have acquired through out my life in order to help me while I make the most out of this research I have come up with. I really hope that it goes better than what I am currently expecting. I am sure by April, I will feel more confident.
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