first interviews!

I finally decided on a topic for my independent study project: tattooed village women
I dont know what I'm exactly trying to find out... yet. I'll figure it out soon enough

I had my first couple interviews today. One was rather spontaneous, but the other was more structured.

I get into an auto with my translator and we drive along and pick up Thangam's servant lady. She takes us to her village where a crowd forms around me with little children chirping, "hello! hello!"
They took me along the clay path to a hut made out of dried palm leaves where a bare-(saggy)breasted octogenarian lady in a sari was sitting upon a mat. They insisted I sit and she showed me her arms. They were so wrinkly that I couldn't make out the tattoos. Other women started walking up to me and showing me their arms, from which I could make out some Tamil script, a kollam, and moons. As my translator was talking to them, I looked around and realized-- this is why I want to be an anthropologist. I don't have a clue of what will come from this research, I don't know how I can contribute to this world in a socially responsible way, but if I have the amazing chance of taking a peek into people's lives that have a totally different paradigm than I do, this is a phenomenon that just may satisfy whatever craving I have for some kernel of Truth.

Or I may just be reeling from my VERY FIRST STEPS INTO FIELDWORK!