I want to reflect on both classes as we are nearing the end of the semester. I missed quite a handful of days, which I regret missing. As Rachel said at the start of the semester, a part of writing is to be vulnerable. For some of the days that I did show up to the classes, my favorite parts were reading articles from both classes, reading the poem from Morgan Parker in Comp II and looking at the digital maps from my Ethnography class and comparing countries, which made me realize that Russia is way smaller than I thought. Despite missing days due to both mental and physical health,…

in comp we continued to work on our research and autobiography essay’s and in emw we went outside for observations

In the article “Ethnography and Colonialism,” Rosalina Diaz recounts her experience traveling to Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in search of her mother. While there, she attempted to conduct an ethnographic study of the local population but quickly realized her approach was fundamentally flawed by an inherent colonial perspective. Diaz noted that her initial lines of questioning met with resistance from the community, forcing her to confront her own biases. Ultimately, she had to reframe her work by acknowledging the pervasive lens of colonialism to better understand and communicate the experiences of the Puerto Rican people she encountered.

In comp we worked on our biography to start our outline for it as well. in EMW we watch an interview about debt to learn more about debt

observations – 1. mother and daughter, 2. bryant park greenery, 3. visions, 4. sonder perosnal thoughts – 1. the importance of parenthood being able to spend personal time and growth with your children, 2. i didnt know bryant park had a field of grass that we cant access physically only visually, 3. how would manhattan look without buildings, 4. everyone is living their own chapter in their own lives with their own thoughts of adversity.

Gabriela Vargas                                                                                                                                      Experimental Autobiography Project I bought my coach tabby shoulder bag with money that didn’t feel like itwas mine at first. Not because i didn’t earn it i did. Every shift, everylate night every moment i wanted to quit but didn’t. Still, when i Stood at the register holding the bag, I remember thinking, people like me don’t just buy things like this. Not without reason. So i made one. I told myself it would be the thing i carried into a better version of my life. Something steady. Something that didn’t fall apart just because everything else did. At first, it just held normal things like my wallet,…

People’s Park (2012) is an ethnographic film that follows everyday life in a public park in Chengdu, China through one continuous shot. The film shows people dancing, singing, exercising, socializing, and relaxing throughout the park without any narration or interviews. What stood out to me most was how comfortable the ethnographer seemed filming other people, including children, in a completely different country. The camera often got very close to people, and it made me wonder if anyone felt uncomfortable being recorded. It seemed like the filmmaker was focused on capturing everyday life regardless of whether some people might find it rude or intrusive. I also noticed that many of the…

Location: Bryant Park, New York CityDate/Time: May 20th, 2026 The park was crowded due to the warm, sunny weather. Most of the tables and chairs throughout the park were occupied. Visitors appeared to be engaged in a variety of activities. Some individuals were sitting and enjoying the outdoor environment, while others were listening to music through personal devices. Several people appeared to be working, using laptops, or participating in phone calls. A few individuals were sunbathing in the seating area. One person was observed reading while sunbathing. Despite the high number of visitors, the grassy areas remained largely empty and undisturbed. Many park visitors spent time looking at or interacting with their…

COMP II: Wrapping Up Research Essay and Experimental Autobiography EMW: Last Field Note Assignment Handed In