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I was observing tourmaline surfing park, located at the limit with La Jolla and Mission Beach. In this beach and their community I studied recurrent habits of surfers and also people that would go for a casual sunset. It was great to meet and try understand the differences between folks and how something that they shared in common, such as the same wetsuit or surfboard can convey their minds and enjoy the moment while they are there.

This research taught me more about a sport than also I do and pushed me to learn about its history, I appreciate it more from now on.

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My site was Ocean Beach, specifically the area near the pier where people are known to loiter. Originally I had thought it was a bunch of hippie kids who liked to drink and smoke there for fun, then after I observed I realized that some of them were homeless. Once I finally started asking people in OB directly, I learned many of them weren't even permanent residents of OB, homeless or not. There was a lot more controversy than I expected to find regarding this and a few other issues, and I was surprised at how overwhelming it became. I didn't expect so much to come from such a small town but now that I know what I do, I understand how much the OB community is just trying to protect their town.

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My field site was the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Imperial Beach. The community is formed by military veterans, active duty military, and their families. I learned that through fun community events they fundraise to help each other in difficult times. From financial assistance to help finding mental health support. I went in thinking this would be a fun research site but it turned out to be way more insightful than I could have ever imagined. 

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My field site was the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Imperial Beach. The community is formed by military veterans, active duty military, and their families. I learned that through fun community events they fundraise to help each other in difficult times. From financial assistance to help finding mental health support. I went in thinking this would be a fun research site but it turned out to be way more insightful than I could have ever imagined. 

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When i first began attending this gym, i really didn't understand exactly what my purpose was, in an ethnographical sense. Most days before starting the project, my goal was to just get in and out, and the less interactions i had the better. The gym can be somewhat intimidating, due to the level of focus that you would sometimes see in people. After exploring what this gym had to offer, i quickly realized most of them are willing to to stop and have a chat for a few minuets or so. Completely eroding the perception i had on establishments like this. I began to find that in most situations, your attitude toward the outcome determines everything. Often times i had to remind myself that interactions are best enjoyed when you are not worrying about "etiquette", and how other people think you should act. live on your own accord.(within moderation). Because people appreciate authenticity, even if its somewhat unwarranted.

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Middle school basketball courts - Christopher Wiman

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Middle school basketball courts - Christopher Wiman

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My field site were the middle school basketball courts. I already knew a lot about the community of basketball from being apart of it but seeing it from the outside opened up a new perspective. I saw the “pack mentality” that my friend pointed out. A leader was appointed throughout the time I was observing them, and everyone kinda stood behind that person and played around them. It happened to be one of the better players and I think that’s how it normally is. I think the better players would usually step up and lead the team. Another thing I learned was the benefit that sports brought to the growth of a child. Kids who had play sports are usually happier, more social, and better in school.

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My field site was the Mesa Quad on our campus. The community was not just students, but the staff too, all enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. There are people who find peace in groups, and people that prefer solitary peace. People who study and people who socialize. People who walk the paths and through the grass. The most interesting part was being in full grasp of the quad, finding something new every day even though I walk through it so many times.

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My field site was the SDSU patio. I went to observes the school/life balance for the students there. I learned that a vast majority of them use partying and socializing as much as possible to help distract themselves from their work when it becomes too stressful. The most interesting part of the experience was seeing how quickly students transitioned between socializing and their willingness to speak to people that they don't know and make new friends. They switched between both so seamlessly and knew when to focus again to ensure that they complete their assignments as well.

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My field sight was at my local park where I take my neighbor kids to when I babysit them. Something I noticed from observing this community was how the diversity changed during the summer and during the winter. What I noticed during the summer was that the main crowd of people were the typical white suburban moms with their kids. And during the winter I noticed more asian and hispanic grandparents as well as hispanic nanny's. One thing I noticed though throughout both seasons was that lots of the adults constantly has something to say about my kids' hair. The kids I babysit are bi-racial and have a different textured hair than the other kids at the park. When they first see the kids the first thing they say to them is "wow I love you hair, it's so unique!" or "it must take you so long to do your hair in the morning". It bothers me because they say this before even saying hi or asking them about their day so far. It's funny because no one ever asks hem about their kids' hair.

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My field site was the San Diego Zoo, with a focus to the Parker Aviary. I wanted to see what kind of groups people would travel to the zoo with, family or friends. I chose a less popular spot in the zoo to also see how these visitors travelled around the zoo. I also learned about the volunteers in the zoo and interviewed 2 volunteers to know more about why they do what they do. From my observations, I learned that most people do not spend a lot of time in the aviary, save for the people who like birds more. The zoo is large and visitors do not really stop and enjoy the atmosphere provided by the aviary. I also learned that all of the volunteers were from the older generation and more of the staff were younger. I originally expected to see younger volunteers as well, but from my visits, there were no younger volunteers. One thing I found most interesting is the number of visitors I saw that were alone. There were a lot of lone visitors that walked in and out the aviary within minutes. I found it interesting that they would visit the zoo and seemingly have no interest in this aviary. It made me wonder why they went inside the aviary in the first place. From these visitors coming alone, one stood out to me though, He was the one that stayed inside the aviary for the longest time between all the visitors and spent his time photographing the birds or talking with the volunteer. I found it pleasant to see them enjoying each others company and talking about their passion for birds.

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I conducted my research and field notes at a Starbucks near campus. Since I work at a Starbucks in City Heights, I was interested to see the difference in environments within the two stores of the same company. I noticed that at the Kearny Mesa location people were really only there for small business meetings, small school projects, or studying. This differs a lot from the location where I work, where people come to hang out and have fun with their friends or family, or stop by for a quick drink and go on about their day. It was definitely a bit shocking how different the atmospheres felt. Although it was shocking, the atmosphere was very welcoming and soon I was one of the many sitting here on my freetime to actually get my homework done, because I genuinely feel so calm there.

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My Ethnographic research was conducted at Windansea beach which I'm sure we are all familiar with! Its one of San Diego counties most popular beaches but, did you know its also a world famous surf break. It gave birth to legends within the surf world with world class surfing through the 70s to 90s. I always knew it was more of a agressive surfing experience just from my personal experiences locals aren't welcoming to new comers. My entire ethnography was based around the localism how that plays into the values within surf culture and applies to the site itself. Something I definitely learned was how surfing strips you of your identity and all that really matters is your skill. Studying Windansea it definitely felt as if it adopted surfing culture at its core, which is about giving respect to gain respect. Its only cutthroat if you're ignorant with going into the water thinking you're better than anyone.

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My field site was the Hillcrest farmers market, I originally chose the farmers market because I thought it would be an excuse for me to go shopping every weekend but it really opened my eyes and Made me notice a lot that I wouldn't have before. I think the Hillcrest farmers market shows a lot about the gap between working class and upperclass and hi lights the privilege of people with extra time and money to be able to do something like go to a farmers market on the weekend. One interesting thing in particular that I noticed was everything was set up a certain way, every booth was placed specifically to get you to spend more time at the market and spend more money as well.

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My field site study started with a neighborhood I lived in. Ended up being something I'm quite familiar with which was an online community that uses webcam feature ... I've always known about this community and it basically brought up events that could have led to my own demise if I was oblivious to how the internet worked. I started to look at certain faces with empathy and compassion .. I tried to put myself in their situation to learn from it.  The most interesting part seeing the same familiar faces. It was kind of sad to see some things haven't changed at all for people who were struggling when I use to see them before.  I was able to type a question that led to a whole response which I was able to take from. It heightened an even more serious issue that brings me back to my own community and things of the same magnitude also happened with others. I was always somewhat decent when it came to observing but now I'm able to pinpoint certain things that I can to with even a more thorough explanation. Thanks for the experience Wendy Smith !

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My field site was the Escondido Sports Center. I followed a group of friends that played late night pick up games on the weekends. I learned that social connections made are strong and goes beyond playing soccer. They bond outside of the the sports center, and know each other families.  Since  all of them have different professions they help each other out with jobs. For example one of them is a mechanic and if anyone has car trouble they go to him. It was interesting to see how soccer was a path to meaningful friendships.

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My field site was a Temple in Tijuana from the Latter-Day Saints. This was the first time I visit a temple, I was not familiar with this topic as I am not a very religious person but it was a nice trip to knowing something new. I learned a lot about their history, how this religion was started, the beginning of the LDS community in Mexico, the activities they do, and what exactly they believe. Although I encountered some limitations while investigating the field, I learned that they care a lot for their loved ones, they take great care of their temple, and support each other a lot. The church does not leave anyone behind. What I found very interesting about them is that they believe in immortality, the LDS states that we go through a process in this life that has the purpose of turning ourselves into a god-like divinity.

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My field sites were a little different from my peers. I was a bit confused in the process when we began this project but over time I was able to get the hang of things and complete the requirements. I visited Raymond Kimball Park, Montgomery-Waller Park, and the Otay Valley Regional Park (more like a hiking trail), and I was able to spend time at these three different sites and come to the conclusion that they are mostly family-oriented places and these sites mostly consisted of Families, Teenagers hanging out, and athletes practicing for their games., because of the that I had spent here I was able to feel welcomed and I was able to enjoy myself because there was little to no problems when arriving, and the scenery of these places only added to the pros of being there because it would make you enjoy the views rather than being on my phone constantly and having to stress about life.

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My field site was my neighborhood park. I spent time studying the behavioral patterns the people within the site presented. I learned that we tend to segregate a lot! There are lots of unspoken rules within our society that we may accept as normal. This paper gave me the chance to reflect on some of these behaviors and have a more in-depth look at the cause of these rules. I had the chance to speak with some people in the park, and we all came to an agreement, there was some sort of social phenomenon going on there. I ultimately analyzed the hypothetical relationship between the era of segregation and the park community's tendency to segregate by race. It is my belief that among the repercussions of Jim Crow laws also lays the manner of interaction, and how we've shaped our culture, in terms of the formation of interpersonal relationships.

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Hello everybody! My chosen field site was a specific Vietnamese community in San Diego that I admired. Although I had personal ties to the community because it was something my mom has been a part of for quite some time, I felt as thought I wanted to know more and perhaps connect more with them because I am also Vietnamese. I tried to keep an outside perspective when observing them and making conclusions that weren’t just based off my admiration.  My favorite part about this was just having a good time with them despite our age differences. Thank you!

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My field site is about a general dental office located in San Diego, CA where I work at. A dental office is part of the healthcare system helping people with proper dental care, unfortunately people don’t like visiting due to past trauma or even a phobia from the past. During this assignment I learned back stories from each person, observing one another how hard it is coming to the dentist. The most interesting thing is learning that people want to take care of their treatment but money is also an issue besides from having other expenses.

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My field site was the Dating App world. Dating Apps have been a good portion of my dating experiences, and I wanted to understand a bit more about other people's experiences. I learned that a lot of people (if not majority of people) are actually on the apps more for validation, and an "ego-boost" than anything else. A lot of people genuinely try and find love (or whatever kind of relationship they're looking for) on the apps, but a lot of people just straight up look for that instant gratification. That's what was interesting to me. A lot of my conversation with my interviewees was about instant gratification rather than finding love. It made me think about my own relationship with the apps, and what my actual intentions were.

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My field site was Infinity Dance Sport Studio in San Diego, CA; my community was Dance.
I learned that in the dance world you have got to be as dedicated as ever if you are going to make this your career. I expected that Dance in the US was dominated by women and was proven correct. I was thrilled to learn that CA passed Prop 28 which regulates funding for Arts in public schools and dance will be a category in this!! The future of Dance will now be more inclusive than ever before since it will be introduced to children at a young age. A person who is so dedicated to dance is what was interesting to me. A person like this is very free and determined; they attain a true passion and the minute you meet any dancer it's clear to see.

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My field site was the gym 24 Hour Fitness. I learned about the gym community and how they worked out. I learned that a lot of people pushed their selves to get better and stronger. Observing the people at the gym showed me that everyone there was focused on bettering themselves and ultimately becoming healthier. I found the gym fashion was interesting because everyone had their own style besides the girls. The girls always had the same type of outfits on, but the guy's styles were all basically different from each other's.

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My field site was the Mission Bay beach. I learned that people that go there are almost exclusively locals. They have a lot of specific gear that hints that they are there regularly. They also completely disregard the signs prohibiting biking and skateboarding on the path across the sidewalk. I found it interesting that depending on the time of the week, people with different levels of affluence were there. Another thing I found to be interesting was how the atmosphere changes as soon as it gets dark.

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My field site was Little Italy Dog Park and how owners interact with their dogs and how dogs react and interact with each other. I learned that the community that goes to the dog park focuses on their phones more than their dogs. Most interesting part was seeing the costumes or dyed hair some dogs had during Halloween.

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My field site was surfing and I focused on Blacks beach, La Jolla shores and Windansea. I chose this site because I am new to San Diego and wanted to observe the beaches I would possibly be surfing. I learned that Black's beach is going to be the best surf spot for me. I think it is was intersting how different the surf culture is at beaches for beginners, and beaches with mostly locals.

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My field community was flight attendants. My brother is a flight attendant and I was able to interview him and 3 of his flight attendant friends for this paper. I learned so much info that I had not known before this project. Especially how complicated their schedule is. A lot of their status and happiness falls into that aspect of their job, depending on seniority. I found all of their friendships interesting. They spend so much time together, they are not just colleagues but genuine friends too.  

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My field community was flight attendants. My brother is a flight attendant and I was able to interview him and 3 of his flight attendant friends for this paper. I learned so much info that I had not known before this project. Especially how complicated their schedule is. A lot of their status and happiness falls into that aspect of their job, depending on seniority. I found all of their friendships interesting. They spend so much time together, they are not just colleagues but genuine friends too.  

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My field site was Mesa Rim in Mission Valley. At first, I thought that the rock climbing community was pretty pretentious and stuck up. This was because I had learned about all of the unspoken rules of bouldering, which if not followed, people will quickly get frustrated with you. During this experience I learned that the bouldering community is actually pretty nice. I interviewed about 8 people and I only had 1 person turn me down. All the people I talked to were really nice and surprisingly open about their lives. The store is also very responsive to the community. They have a pin board where people can express their wants and needs, and every single sticky note had a reply from the management. Also, people in the rock climbing community people are very respectful of the rules and space of the gym. They try to give others space on the walls to run their routes. I thought that having very good customer service like that is really interesting :)

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My field community is focused on a Vietnamese restaurant where I previously worked. I worked there, but I didn't pay attention to my surroundings until I did this project, and now I observe a lot more. I understand that working people have their own concerns and pressures. They must know how to behave in all situations in addition to being a service worker, and their jobs are more difficult and exhausting than other jobs.

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My field site was Frontline Tattoo, located in Vista, CA.  It is where my brother works, so I felt comfortable observing there instead of walking into a random shop and asking to be a fly on the wall.
I learned that this shop/community is very similar to other shops I have been to, but a little more laid back and much less pretentious.
I found observing the clients that came in super interesting. There were some similarities (military folks), but there was a vast array of people as well.

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My field community was the Mexican American and their system of beliefs by digging into different aspects of their culture. I learned a lot about the Mexican economy, Mexican Americans religious beliefs, Dating culture, and oppression by governments. I think the most interesting part is how household and relationship roles are indoctrinated through television programing.

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My field community was Ward Canyon neighborhood park. I learned about the diversity of the city and neighborhood and how people from different races and ethnicities form a society  that unites them despite the differences. I really enjoyed this experience and it was so interesting and I appreciate it because as a shy, introverted person I didn't think that I could do interviews and chat with others .

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My field site is a nail salon where my mom's working. Even though I had been there many times before, I discovered many new things after observing. I read articles on labor exploitation and the harmful effects of chemicals used in nail salons. I am grateful to my mom for working so hard to support me so that I could finish my education and achieve my goal.

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My field community was the professional gym The Gym. I had sought to observe the "heart & soul" of the fitness center and figure out why people would even choose to be there in the first place when there are several other accessible locations/chains. The "elite" attendees that I observed provided a very fulfilling outlook on motivation and health and encouraged the idea that you shouldn't judge someone or their environment before actually engaging in it all. On the outside, the members and surroundings were very stern and intimidating but after sparking up simple conversations, the giants turned out to be big ol' teddy bears, and the scene very uplifting and positive. I learned that the community is built on commonality but doesn't shun away anyone who doesn't fit the mold. I found the trend in workout attire very interesting. It was essentially like a whole set of trends and popularity ranks in there!

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I chose the tai chi group that practices outdoors in front of the sea in San Diego, I chose them because it is a small group of adult and Asian women, I wanted to know more about their community
Also I learned that they are very good at concentrating despite the difficulties. The best part was joining the group to practice with them and I understood what they do

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My research site was Montgomery Middle School where I observed the newcomers class. This class consists of the refugee children who are new to the US and are on their journey of adapting to the environment and learning English as a second language. My research focused on the challenges that these students face, how they respond to it and how is the education system trying to provide them with resources. Through this project, I noticed several aspects of being an immigrant; I better understood the challenges and noticed the impacts they leave on immigrants’ mental health.

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The mesa college pool is my field site. I chose it because I take swimming lessons here. I always do observation and research at the pool. First I don't know how to swim fast, so I look at how other people do then I copy them。 Thankfully, I learn very fast by looking at how other people do and watching videos on YouTube. Also, the coach is very kind and motivates people by talking。 He talks about the best swimmer in the world. Let students know he can do it, you can do it. I learned to swim so I could go swimming, diving, and fishing in the oceans of Australia and Indonesia.

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I did my research and observations at an advertising agency, where I learned more about the job and duties of a designer. I learned how everyone share and exchange work with each other. I also learned how to complete a design product. Everything is very interesting and kind of new to me. I really appreciate those experiences because it has given me a lot of knowledge as well as new relationships. This process of ethnographic research has given me more confidence to achieve my dream job and put my passion into my career path.

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My ethnography writing is about a memory care facility, the residents, caregivers, and staff.
The caregivers are special people who love and support the dementia patient. They help with the daily living of the patient. This includes dressing, toiletries, feeding them, activities, talking, and listening to the dementia patient. The caregivers are compassionate and it shows in their work ethic.
The memory care community is a special place for family and friends to gather around their residents and respond to the resident's needs. Dementia is a devastating disease but yet they want to communicate and you can encourage this by speaking softly, showing patience, and letting the resident join in the conversations. If they are comfortable holding their hands, they are happy to show affection.