February 22

Today we had a reading about rapport and access to the communities in which we are going to study. A few things I learned that I need to go is be friendly and charming in order to gain people's trust in order to be able to get good data for my research. It really helps that I am a woman studying women, considering men might not be willing to open up to me, and women would feel more comfortable sharing things with me. In addition to that, I will be able to gain access to the all-women working houses. In order to gain access to my community, I am relying mostly on my relationship with my host mother and sisters. I am hoping that through my relationship with them, I can get to work in the houses and make tapa or gnatu and be able to get references to other work houses as well to get as much data as I can. Another thing I'm doing to build rapport is I'm trying to learn the language. This will help because people will know that I am truly interested in them and that I want to learn.
Due to my short time in the field, I have to be able to gain access and trust as soon as possible in order to get as much data as I can. When I went to the Tongan ward, people were so friendly and inviting. I am hoping that the Tongans will be open and willing to share their culture and lives with me for a short time so that I can bring back what I have learned and be able to share it with everybody here.