Day 1

                Studying a field site is an incredibly new experience for me. It is interesting to go to an entirely new place and hungrily search for information, leaving out nothing. I found it particularly hard because I didn't have the opportunity to sit and record notes as typical field research starts, I volunteered. This gave me a new perspective on things because even though I was a new volunteer, I was automatically on the inside. Overall, I made many conclusions about field research and the Providence Animal Rescue League.

                My professor Dr. Cook always tells us to be hungry listeners; well I was a hungry observer. The minute I walked up to the Providence Animal Rescue League my mind started swirling with things I needed to record and remember. Luckily, I was there early so I sat down for a few minutes and recorded outside appearances and speculations. I could hear the dogs barking, especially when I walked by their outdoor cages, and I was happy they were the only living things that were watching me because I felt semi-creepy sitting down near the building, staring intensely and recording vigorously. When I finally went inside I continued to hungrily observe, but I didn't have the privilege of writing any of these observations down. I found myself consciously recording things in my head, and searching for little details, like the fact that every cat had a name or how many pet cage cubbies there were. I even pretended to take pictures with my eyes because I saw it in a show or movie (it kind of worked too).

                Afterwards, when I left the site, I kept repeating information in my head that I needed to record in my field notes. This was a hard task because there was so much to write, and so much to remember. Typically I have a bad memory when I try to recall little details, which I figured would be detrimental to my study so I was nervous about that. I just didn't want any important information to slip my mind in between the time I left, and the time I started writing. I don't think that I forgot anything important though, expect for the names of the women I met when I was observing. These are important yes, but technically, if I was doing literal field notes instead of field reflections, I would not have known their names anyway.

                In general, it was fun to observe and analyze the Providence Animal Rescue League. It was even fun to volunteer because the animals are adorable. And although initially disappointed about working with the cats, I realized that cats have intriguing personalities too. Hopefully I will get to work with the dogs next time, but I'll take what I can get. The Providence Animal Rescue League seems relaxed so I might be able to ask them, but there might be a hierarchy of seniority in place. In ways I am still an outsider, just with the label of an insider.