Field Workin' it

A couple weeks or so ago my class group and I had the opportunity to partake in some field work. The assignment was to do a monument analysis of a local cemetery. My group and I elected to study the Jewish Cemetery. It's a intriguing place - there is a great mix of historic monuments and newer monuments. It's actually the oldest Jewish Cemetery in Western Canada. According to Dr. Kool, a member of the Jewish congregation who was nice enough to show us around, when the cemetery land was originally purchased, it was in a rural area of Victoria. However, today it is tightly surrounded by numerous residential streets. 

Image via Van. Isle Masonic History

Anyways, the Field Work. At first, it was somewhat intimidating. Dr. Kool and Jeffery (the cemetery caretaker) treated us like "real" researchers. They were incredibly nice and helpful. I think they may have called us "the researchers" at several points, which almost made me feel somewhat nervous. 

At the beginning, the research was seamless. I was really enjoying being outside, and the monuments themselves were fascinating. Dr. Kool and Jeffery were great to be around - they told us a lot of interesting stories about the monuments, and the individuals who were buried there. My favourite had to be about the man who was known for always talking on his phone. According to Dr. Kool he was a huge networker. When his coffin was being put into the ground a mourner's phone slipped out of her hand, and became wedged beneath his coffin. In the end they couldn't get the phone out! So the man that was constantly talking on his phone was buried with a phone. I thought that was great. 

Image via Van Isle Masonic History

We were at the cemetery for about three hours. And it was REALLY cold. And I was REALLY not prepared for the cold. At the half way point of the field work it really started to take its tole on me. I was shaking, chattering and I couldn't properly write anymore because I was so cold. If I was to do field work again I'd make sure to be properly dressed. 

All in all, I'd say field work was successful. It was fun, and there is certainly something to be said for being outside researching, as opposed to behind the computer.