Blog 2: Let there be food.

     Today was the first day I volunteered at Cafe on the Vine. I walked into the building, and immediately entered mass chaos. People were running everywhere to get things done. The dining room opened in thirty minutes. I was told to wash my hands and jump in. I had to do a few small jobs before we got ready to let the people in. I was told that today I would be serving. After being explained the portion sizes and where to find plates, they opened the door. People of all kinds walked in and got in line, received their food, and carried on to the dining room to eat what may have been their only meal of the day. I got to chat with the people as they went through the line, and also communicate with the people working with me in the kitchen. Several hours later, I had to leave the chaos for class.
     One of the major barriers to communication was noise. Not only was the environment chaotic and difficult to send and receive messages in, but many of the people I came in contact with clearly had other things on their mind. The internal noise distracted them from answering my questions clearly. I also struggled with internal noise. I was so shocked to see people of all ages, from the young children to the elderly, going through something so difficult that I was forgetting portion sizes and the questions I was to ask. Their answers got buried in my mind, and I was horribly distracted by the poverty before me.
     I also saw the great use of self-monitoring. I didn't want to appear as though I was privileged, and I definitely didn't want to appear ignorant. I watched my words horribly in fear of triggering a bad feeling in anyone. I noticed them watching their words as well. They seemed to either be very quiet, I believe in fear of appearing lazy or uneducated, or very outgoing, some maybe even over-sharing to prove themselves. I believe that stereotypes were the leading cause of excessive self-monitoring. We had fears of proving a stereotype, or of using them accidentally to judge one another. This was definitely a barrier to communication.
     Today I learned that I may not always know how to communicate across diversity, particularly in various socioeconomic statuses. I learned that I must be aware of stereotypes to avoid using them. I may self-monitor in excess, but I can't avoid self monitoring either, because it served a purpose to keep everyone comfortable. I also learned that I need to be mindful of the internal noise which prevents communication in situations of diversity. Being aware of this noise can help me avoid focusing on it, and focus more on communication. I can also understand others more, knowing that they are also being distracted by internal noise. I believe these are all skills which will be useful to a future social worker.

Mikka Rose
10/29/12