Interpretation and Flexibility: Ethnographic Fieldwork in Vietnam

Indianapolis, IN

While participating in a university field study in Vietnam during May 2013, I witnessed a great discrepancy between my expectations of fieldwork and the reality one faces in the field. By responding to the reality of the onsite experiences with flexibility, I was able to continually evolve my interpretive methodology. My specific narrative chapter, titled "Home," exemplifies this altered field methodology and the subsequent evolution of my writing. This chapter examines the complexities of interpreting a returning Vietnam veteran's reactions to the altered, post war environment of modern Vietnam. My attempt to understand these veterans resulted in interwoven description and interpretation of the veterans' experiences as well as my ongoing insights and reactions. "Home" consists of a unique blend of perspectives from two different generations, 1960s era veterans and millennial generation university students, and their comparative experiences in Vietnam.