Ethnography, Explorations, Uncategorized

I just came back from my first Idea Couture business trip. They sent me ‘down South’ to Austin, Texas and part of my job was to familiarize myself with the culture, customs, and styles of the city. My goal was to research and soak in as much of the lifestyle as I possibly could; but how do you become familiarized with an entirely different culture in just a few days?

Here are some tips and tricks that I learned along the way:

1.    Talk to Locals (Use the internet as a reference only)
Who cares where you’re from or what you don’t know− talk to local people, they know best. I talked to strangers on the streets, clerks at convenient stores, homeless people, drunk people at bars, and figured out what’s real and what’s a tourist trap. Use the internet as a reference only!
We also figured out that since Austin is a BBQ city and famous for their meat, the air tends to smell like meat as well.  We quickly assumed from the restaurants we ate at and the research we did, that Texas is not a vegan/healthy food kind of city. However, after talking to locals, we were quite surprised to hear that Austin is one of the most health conscious and vegan friendly cities in Texas. Case-in-point, you’re first assumptions are not always right.

2.    Be Adventurous, Try New Places
If you have the opportunity to either go to a local coffee bar or a Starbucks type chain, go local− chances are the Starbucks will be exactly the same in any and every city. You could learn a lot about the culture and the people in a city by visiting places that are quaint, or a ‘hole in the wall’ type place. If you think you see an interesting or unique place, peak your head in; there is nothing to be shy or nervous about. Plus, you’ll be leaving in a few days anyway; you don’t want to have any regrets.

3.    Blend In, Stand Out
When you are in a new city, go with the flow, do what people do, eat what people eat, and wear what people wear. However, be yourself and don’t be afraid to let people know that you are not from the city. Ask questions, remember details, and listen− people love talking about themselves and love telling their stories.

4.    Walk Everywhere
Walking is a key tool in helping you familiarize yourself with the size, scale, people, and environment of a new city. We even walked along highways because that was a big part of Austin. They didn’t have a subway system or anything. Everyone drove cars, especially trucks and not many people live downtown except for the high-end rich people.

5.    Be Interested, Stay Interesting
It is essential to always stay “alert” and be interested in what people are saying and it is also important to sometimes just listen. You need to know the art of carrying a conversation, infuse your two cents when necessary, but sometimes you have got to just listen, and listen, and listen. However, if the conversation is going in an unusual or unrelated direction, it is key to know how and when to direct the conversation to get the information you want and need.

6.    It’s Nice to be a Girl
I know this is something that we obviously don’t have control over, but if you are a girl, chances are people will be friendlier to you, nicer to you, less threatened by you, and most importantly, people will be more open and willing to tell you the things you want to know.

Lessons Learned- I have a lot more to learn but overall this was a fantastic experience.  The only question I have left is, when is my next business trip?