Interviewing

As my friend and I prepare to begin our interviews for our ethnography, we exchange a nervous glance. Neither one of us is very outgoing, and to make matters more difficult, we aren't even sure if the people we are planning on interviewing speak English. I glance back down at my red jot book and grip my pencil tightly. It's now or never. We both give shaky laughs, spring up from our seats, and resolve to dive into an interview before we chicken out. We approach our first victim, a teenage customer. She smiles and seems very willing to participate in our interview. After a few questions, I feel a bit of tension ease. That wasn't so bad! Our next interview goes by just as smoothly, and I begin feel slightly embarrassed for having ever been nervous in the first place. Finally, we have completed our last interview. Each person we approached was kind and politely participated, answering all of our English questions easily. Why was I ever even the slightest bit tense? I had underestimated the willingness of these people to help us. We ease back into our seats. I shake my head at myself, laughing at myself. What had I been expecting?