Ethnography

Ethnography

September 13, 2015

Inspection Day

At the Caravan again. When I enter I first notice that there are two big study groups, one are Asian makes and the other are what I would call "cowboys". Then I find my seat next to an Eastern woman and a guy with dreads and tattoos.
They immediately trigger my attention so I listen in and soon realize that they are working on some kind of school project together. She giggles at everything he says and I wonder if they would be happy together as a couple.
The Asian study group don't really talk, they are just gathered with their Apple laptops, thick time rimmed glasses, and BIG textbooks, two of them have calculators out so I assume this is Calculus or some sort of math group.
The cowboy study group is way more social and loud, they read their txt book out loud and then discuss what they think it means. I realize that I really underestimated them, because that is a very efficient and smart way to study.
I notice a woman walking around browsing the cups and other merchandise and I wonder why she is taking so long, every time she walks by me I go to another window because I would die if anyone knew I was writing about them,, seriously.. I would beat me up too
Then I notice she has a clipboard in her hand and is making notes on the baristas
The lady at the front says "my friend said something that made me want to smack her in the mouth" I immediately stop my thought process, because drama!! But it ends up being a story about how her friend called tea flavored water... Boring,
Anyway! The lady with the clipboard is also taking notes on the quality of the food and the customers.. I start to wonder what's going on,, is she a manager or some random person? She has no uniform on and the baristas seem to be unconcerned about her activities (as they yell and laugh).
The Eastern woman and dreads&tats man start discussing their next meeting time, and they finish up to leave, he opens the door for her and she giggles
I gather all my things except for my drinks (because if someone is going to steal my half drinked coffee and my water bottle,, they really need it and I want them to have it) and I head to the bathroom, only to find out it's still locked since I got here. But when I come back the clipboard lady is walking out the door shouting “Ok kiddos! See you tomorrow! Take care!” And they shout back “you too!!” So she must be their boss/manager.. A super cool one at that.
A girl runs in and goes straight into the bathroom.. And I realize that I was pulling a push door.. Wow.. Typical
A couple comes in, the girl very short and the guy very tall, they go to greet the cowboy study group and the girl hugs one of the Cowboys.. They must not have been a couple.
The Asian study group finishes up and seems to put away their textbooks, laptops, and calculators in a very synchronized manner and follow each other out.. Now they talk and laugh as if they just met up.
A very large handsome muscular man walks in and immediately orders a small pumpkin spice latte and a blueberry muffin.... I'm a little taken aback. I look over again to observe him as he is called up for his latte and muffin, and we make awkward eye contact as he turns around, he immediately looks down and shuffles out.
I feel very awkward and realize I've been here for an hour and twenty minutes so I take this little encounter as my cue to leave.

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