Conversation Ethnography

The day that I chose to record my conversations was 11 February 2011. This was to be used for my ethnography project. I particularly chose to record this day because I thought it would evidently display most of the things that we have learnt in class about my interpersonal communication.

It is a day in which I had to face many challenges but I sailed through just fine. It is a good example of how to solve some of the problems that one faces in life. It helped me to utilize all that I had learnt about interpersonal communication. I woke up at dawn and took a shower. The first conversation I had was with my husband. He said good morning on his way to the shower.

I said good morning to him too. I then asked him what he wanted for breakfast. He told me he wanted a cup of coffee. Immediately after, I walked over to my sons’ bedrooms to wake them up. I snag them a wake up song to ensure they actually wake up.

Since they were so sleepy, I reminded them that they would have waffles for breakfast. This definitely enticed them and they woke up. I then told them to each pick their towels and wait for me in the shower. Afterwards I told them to cooperate as they dressed and combed their hair. They hurried up and walked to the dining room for breakfast.

They ate their breakfast fast so as to see who was faster. I told them bravo for not giving me a hard time. These conversations with my children were very helpful, as they felt appreciated. I was also overwhelmed by the fact that I did not have to push any of them around. We headed to the car and we drove away.

My husband drove us to school and he left for work. I told him thank you and wished him a good day. He told me good day to me too and said that he loves me. I told him I love him too. I walked my children to their classroom because they are in preschool. Along the hallway, I said good morning to the secretary and to other parents that always see around every morning.

I met their teacher and said good morning. In addition to this, I asked her how they were fairing in class. She told me they were doing well. She then told me to always motivate them to always work hard. I told her I would. This conversation with my children’s teacher was motivational and it gave me the impression that she cared about the well-being of my children.

My assurance to her must also have been motivational to the teacher as a concerned parent. Since I am a part time teacher and student, I headed to my office. I had a conversation with the Joann, the department secretary. She told me that she had gone out with her boyfriend the previous night and was feeling exhausted. I told her that it was good to relax occasionally. We lauged at how sleepy she was yet she had to work.

She asked me how my family was doing and I told her that we were all fine. I then told her that I needed to crosscheck some assignment that I had carried home the previous day. Later, it was time to attend my classes. I wore my teacher hat and left for class. I said hello to some of my colleagues on my way to class. Once in class, I asked one of my classmates about the assignment given out the previous day.

She gave me a list of the questions and I confirmed with mine that they were the same. I felt relaxed. Soon after, the lecturer entered class and the lecture began.After my class, I received a phone call from one my close friends. She told me that she had just received her results from the hospital indicating that she was expectant. I told her congratulations and told her that motherhood is wonderful.

However, she sounded low like something was amiss. I asked her what was wrong and she told me that her boyfriend had rejected her and her pregnancy. I told her to give him time to come around. I also told her that there was a possibility that he was just shocked since they were not yet married. She was devastated and heartbroken but I managed to calm her down. I then told her that I would visit her over the weekend.

In the afternoon, my husband picked me up together with the kids. I told him about my friend’s situation. He said that he would talk to the boyfriend and make him understand that they needed him. My children were excited about the new song they had learnt in class that day. They sang it the whole way until home. I told them that they would have to teach me that song.

From the events that took place on that day, I learnt the importance of interpersonal communication. I learnt that interpersonal communication is the ability to exchange ideas while solving any problems that one may come across. Having interpersonal communications helps us in building relationships with the people around us. On that day, I encountered some challenges. For instance, when my friend told me about her good news about her pregnancy, I was very happy for her.

However, the news had somehow brought her grief in her relationship with her boyfriend. The most difficult thing about studying interpersonal communication is when it is done via a phone call. If I had been talking in person, I would have been content since I would be able to see exactly what she was going through. It would also have been easier to learn about what she was feeling hence, help her accordingly. Sharing her problem with my husband was very helpful because he offered to help her. This way of interpersonal communication with my husband eased the wworries I had about my friend’s situation.

I left out some parts of the conversations with our department secretary. This was because the matters we discussed with her were private. The advice I gave to my friend was based on the experience I had with my husband and other friends. I told her to give him time because many are the times we make random decisions out of shock or disbelief. In addition, my husband’s promise to talk to my friend’s boyfriend was a way of easing my worries and helping me calm down.

He did not necessarily offer to intervene because he cared about her. It might have been because the issue also indirectly affected me. Throughout my ethnography, it is clear that emotions were clearly shard. For instance, between my husband and I. this was evident as he dropped us at school. In addition, between my children and I.

on our way home, they shared their joy of learning a new song with me. They even agreed to teach me the song. It is also clear that my friend’s boyfriend had hurt her very much by rejecting her. This is evident from the heartbreak and sadness in her voice. The fact that she had hoped for something else and did not get it affected her. Her conversation with me also indicates that I cared about how she felt.

This is clear when I even arranged to meet up with her over the weekend.My daily interpersonal communication as shown from the ethnography above would be described as effective for solving the problems that I may encounter from time to time. By being a part of this class this semester, I have learnt keeping problems to me will not ease my hurdles at all. I have learnt that sharing problems leads to burden ease and possible solutions. Sharing my problem with my husband provided an opening for a possible solution. Therefore, looking back at the events that took place on 11 February 2011, I would not change anything about how I handled all the challenges that I came across.

I am proud of all the decisions that I made. I realized that interpersonal communication helps one come up with solutions to the problems that one faces each day. It is an art of problem solving. Lack of interpersonal communication in one’s life may lead to complexity and distress when dealing with the situations that we face each day. Therefore, interpersonal communication knowledge helps ease our pain through each day. Therefore, it is important for individuals to learn the art of interpersonal communication.

The study of interpersonal communication may e difficult but at the end of the day, it may help us understand human nature. It also teaches us the importance thinking about the inner meaning of what we say and what others say to us.