Tag Archives: Activities

19. ACTIVITIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Take a walk down the street and take note of what you see people doing (children going to school or playing, women shopping, someone cleaning the street, people going to work or sitting in the sunshine, shopkeepers selling their wares, craftsmen doing their work, etc.) Other possibilities may be house building, rope making, car repair, blacksmithing, office work, beggars, or musicians. Take pictures if appropriate and use them as conversation triggers with your language helper.

Where are the activities taking place? in or by a home? in an office? in a store? on the street?

Are certain activities done by people generally (e.g., window shopping), by recognized craftsmen (e.g., blacksmith, shoemaker, silversmith), restricted by sex (e.g., embroidery, knitting), limited to a specific area (e.g., working with wool or with cotton, styles of caps), or to a certain season (grass cutting, tapping trees for resin, shoveling snow)?

Are any finished products for sale? For personal pleasure or for the benefit of others? Is the activity essentially individual or cooperative? If the latter, who does what? Is food or payment provided for workers or helpers? Try to join in one or another of the activities and tell about your experience. Note the people’s reaction and their instructions to you.

20. COMMUNITY SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

For what occasions do groups of people gather on a social basis? Where do they gather? Are these local, or a localized branch of a national event? Are these initiated by an individual or by a committee?

Inquire about these, and attend one or two if appropriate. Take notes and discuss the activities with your language helper or a local friend. Possibilities: weddings, funerals, religious fairs, art fairs, community dinners, senior centers, any community activity held in a central place like a plaza or community center. How are personal and group social needs met through these events? Note things like the selling of snacks, telling stories, dancing, exchange of gossip, playing of games, etc.

Remember that an event may have several purposes. A gathering for a funeral, for instance, not only is an opportunity to pay one’s last respects but also to show group solidarity in a time of crisis, to bring family and friends together, to provide an opportunity for young people to flirt or court, etc.

What city social activities are you aware of? Are there parades or activities that center around a certain region of the city, to remember a local historical event, or to honor a local hero or pioneer? Who are considered heroes or pioneers? Get information about one or two of them.

27. RECREATION & LEISURE ACTIVITIES

During which times of the day do people have more leisure? During which times of the year? What do people do in their leisure time? Do they sing, carve, sew, visit, tell stories, travel, go to a movie, watch TV, gamble, etc.? How much time is taken up with these activities? Are they done individually or as a group?

What do people do when they go to town or to the main shopping or recreation areas? Do people eat out, and if so, how often would they do this? Are there places to just sit and talk? Are there parks and do many people enjoy them? What kind of facilities are available in public places (entertainment, rest rooms, eating)?

What games do children play? Are any similar to ones played in your own country? What toys do children have? Who makes the toys? Or are they bought commercially? Sketch and describe the production and use of one or more local toys.

Do adults play games? If so, what and when? What kind of clothing is worn? by men? by women? Is this only appropriate for games and sports? Are any sports gender specific? Is this changing?

Do any games have a ritualistic significance? Are any used in courting? during the wedding activities? What games do adults play with children? Are these just for amusement, or for teaching?

What sports are played? By whom? Are these played by people in the neighborhood or only by professionals? Are uniforms worn? Are certain sports played at particular times of the year? What is the general interest level for participation? for cheering?

What amusements have been introduced as a result of contact with outsiders? Do people enjoy learning a new game? Describe the rules for playing one or more games.

In which recreational activities would it be appropriate for you to participate? What linguistic or physical skills do you need to develop in order to participate acceptably? How do people try to teach you the rules for participating?