Ethnopoem

During class on Thursday we used our second formal interview to create an ethnopoem. By definition an ethnopoem, or ethnopoetic notation, is "a procedure for the analysis of transcripts in which a language researcher turns oral speech into poetic form" (Chiseri-Strater, Sunstein 416). Below is the ethnopoem I constructed from my interview with Komes Rozes, owner of Flo's Clam Shack.

Ethnopoem

 

Growing up

               my father had been in the restaurant business

               I admired his lifestyle

After several years

              Of negotiations

              Going to lose on the rules and regulations

We are fortunate

              To have a key group of employees

              We refer to them as the "A-team"

              Loyal

             Dedicated

I only consider myself a captain

             of the team

Customers

             gotta go to Flo's

New business

             this makes everybody happy as a clam!

 

 



Second Formal Interview

My second interview was conducted on November 4, 2013. I had the pleasure to interview the owner of Flo's Clam Shack, Komes Rozes. He was extremely hospitable and very vibrant in his answers.  It was clear through his interview that his employees and customers are extremely important to him and also that he takes great pride in his business. I also learned that he does not see himself as the owner but as "a captain of the team of many people whose ultimate goal is to provide complete satisfaction to the customer". That is the sentiment of a man who knows how to run a business and also knows how to keep both his customers and his employees happy.

Formal Interview

I had my first formal interview on Friday, November 1. I had the privilege of interviewing Lisa Miller, one of the managers and bartender at Flo's. She is a vibrant woman with blonde hair and blue eyes and is often mistaken as Flo due to her loving demeanor and level of care for the customers. When I sat down with her, I told her I had a list of questions and went over the informed consent form. she said "Oh please, I trust you. I don't care what you use from the interview". I laughed at her and told her I needed her to sign it anyway. she complied and then the interview began. I asked mainly open questions that left her plenty of time to talk, which she loves to do. I found out how she met the owner, Komes, how she began working at Flo's, what she did before becoming a bartender, and what the place and the people mean to her. overall, it was a very powerful interview that left me with plenty of "golden nuggets" for my final paper.