Comments: Day One in the Field

My first day as an official fieldworker was Sunday, October 12th. It was a quick thirty minutes that seemed to pass quite slowly, and it was also fairly quiet and unremarkable, but there were a few things that prompted some scribbling. During my stay I sat on a bench thirty or so feet away from the park, so these observations are direct but somewhat detached at the same time.

I was not "taken aback" by any of my observations but I did note and smile at the fact that all the guys (though there were not many) who were at the skate park that day seemed to have arrived together, or at least planned to meet each other there. There was a noteworthy sense of camaraderie -- no one seemed "left out" from what I could sense. I think that's pretty cool/gives off good vibes, and makes me a little less nervous about approaching them.

I also appreciated the clean, unsullied appearance of the skate park. Autumn leaves and small pieces of wrappers or trash often litter the grounds of Owen Bell but there were close to none within the skate park, which obviously indicates that someone takes care of it. I wonder if its patrons are to thank, or if the town/parks department is required to do that.

Even though I was expecting it, it was still surprising to experience being an outsider in this unfamiliar situation. As I sat and observed it really washed over me that I am very much unfamiliar with everything: the people, the terminology, the atmosphere. It left me feeling much more grateful for my familiar places and friends. I felt very awkward throughout my stay and it made me consider bringing a friend along next time.

Positioning

Questions: Which of my "fixed positions" will affect what I see in my field site? What "subjective positions" do I carry into my field site?

The first fixed position that arises as potentially ostracizing is my gender: female. Generally (and seemingly exclusively in the Owen Bell skate park), most skaters and bikers are male. My age is the same as many who hang out there so I do not feel too young or too old. But I suppose my biggest concern relates to my inherent, "subjective," shyness, and since being female already puts me down a notch that much more far away from being an insider, I know it will take a few visits to overcome "feeling awkward." I don't feel as if my gender, nationality, age, etc will affect what I see but it will most likely affect if I see it, if that makes sense. I think I just have to get over myself and take the plunge, and focus my "research lens" closer than I think I can so I can gather all the data I need.

My unfamiliarity with skateboarding, which will be obvious as I have never frequented the skate park before, automatically positions me far away. Even if I don't know any of the skaters there, I know they know that I don't skate and they know I know that they know (hahaha). Even on the internet I see that all the skater "groups" interact in some way, even if impersonally. Though I am acquainted with several of the boys that do go there I wouldn't venture to call us friends so I still feel a bit uncomfortable approaching them in person. I know for a fact that I have many things in common with many of the skaters (music, movies, style, etc) but I'm not sure how to bridge the pre-existing gap.

An Introduction

hello. I am Clara and I pen this post to introduce my work's purpose and point: an in-depth look at a specific location and its culture. As part of a project for my First Year Writing class at Rhode Island College, I will be making weekly visits to the Owen Bell Park Skatepark in Dayville, CT to conduct observations and note-taking.

The Skatepark has been open since April 30, 2009 (as reported by the Norwich Bulletin here), and I find its location, Owen Bell Park, to be a place both close in geography and sentiment, as I played on several soccer teams there as a child. I recall watching the skateboarders and BMX bikers alike ride in the skatepark, and being intimidated by their blasé air and seemingly tacit royalty in the park. Having been piqued, my curiosity led me to respect them just as much as the small clusters of fans huddled around the chain-link fence seemed to. I aim to learn more about the subculture inspiring these fans as well as the story behind the formulation of the skateboarder's interest in their hobby. I am curious about the journey into the subculture and if admission is granted by the mere shared interest or by some more serious type of initiation. Though I am not a skateboarder or biker myself, I went through a perhaps expected phase (shared by any other girl who once identified as a tomboy) in middle school in which I taught myself to skateboard and internally cultivated the goal of being a skateboard[er] photographer (my only real ambition at age thirteen).

From here on, my posts will exhibit any interviews or conversations had with people who are familiar with "skatepark culture," any photographs that may pique one's interest or express something words cannot, and any other remarks or observations that will aid my fieldwork.