Transcript
Monica – interview with Iranian woman - Piccadilly Gardens Sunday September 19th 2010
M we’re from Lancaster University we’re doing some research into how people use technology
IW Yeah sorry, have to take a call (takes a call)
M We’re just doing some research on how people use technology in public spaces and we’d like to interview people , show them some pix and get them to draw a map and buy you a coffee.
IW Um well, actually, I’m waiting for a few of my friends
M Ok
IW …to do some shopping
M Can I just ask you?
IW yeah
M So, you’ve arranged to meet them here?
IW Pardon
M You’ve arranged to meet with them?
IW Yes
M Did you arrange to meet here?
IW Yes
M Yeah, so what was that call about?
IW They were supposed to be here two or three minutes ago
M Ok, so they’re approaching
IW Yes
M Yeah. OK, so what else do you use your phone for?
IW Just, just calling. Yeah actually, I’ve got a I’ve got a Pay As you go, but I’m going to get a contract and I’m going to change my mobile cause um you know, you need a high tech phone, yes, nowadays there is so, yeah I’m I’m going to change my phone today (laughs nervously)
M laughs. Yeah, you’re going to buy a phone. What particularly are you looking for?
IW (Responds immediately) I phone
M Iphone? Right and what do you want to do w it?
IW Um, because I don’t know when you are not from England
M Uh huh
IW and I don’t know, when you (are) in the streets you, you know, you need an address or whatever you know, cause I’m not that kind of technology (laughs) person at all ??
M But you can see the map where you are and can find where you need to be
IW And also with Skype (checks to see whether M knows Skype) or ‘yoo hoo’
M Skype or?
IW ‘ Yoo hoo’. Yeah, it’s like Skype, yeah for contacting my family
M To call people for free?
IW Yeah
IW Yeah, that’s it
M Do you listen to music?
IW No, I use my ipod for that
M Yeah, ok
IW because you know, phone is a phone right? You have camera, you have iphone, but your iphone, that’ll be (?) iphone is alright but other I don’t know, other phones can be MP3 player and the product (??) the quality will be low, so
M So you have a specialist advice for listening to music and things - yeah
IW That’s it
M Thankyou, and do you think – one of the things we are interested in is how you know, in the past when people didn’t have technologies, when they were in public spaces, they made eye contact or they had to ask for the way if they didn’t know where they were (IW (murmurs assent) and one of the theories people have is that using technologies it will be much more individualized and people won’t talk to people any more.
IW Yeah that’s the bad part about that, yes.
M So you experience that?
IW Yeah, I think we all experience that now
M In what way?
IW (panics) I don’t know, I don’t know (laughs nervously) um (pauses to think) Like for example when you are on trains, everybody, everybody doing their own thing like you know in the old days we used to talk about, I don’t know, weather or politics with other people, but now you just focus on what you do
M Yeah?
IW Yeah, playing with your lap top and mobile…just…
M Do you thinks that makes people more lonely or…
IW Yeah, of course (said v definitely), I think yeah
M Only more lonely or are there other aspects of t…
IW (thinks hard) the bad…the disadvantages?
M Or maybe there are also advantages
IW Oh no…laughs
M Being able to talk to your family for example
IW Yeah, of course.
M Yeah, do you do that a lot? Do you text with them a ot or…?
IW Um yeah, oh yeah cos my mum, she’s in America and my dad is in Iran (I’m Iranian)
M Uh huh mm hmm
IW and um I use the Skype to talk to them and see them you know. It makes you, it helps you feel less homeless and you know…
M And it makes them less worried about you as well
IW Yeah
M Yeah and when you’ve got your iphone, in theory they can see where you are. You know they could use 4 square or Google latitude
IW Yeah yeah
M How would you feel about that?
IW Yeah that’s really nice (laughs)
Don’t you …(inaudible)
IW My dad would love that yeah…
M What if you were like, you know at one o clock in the morning, you were in a club somewhere?
IW (laughs) I don’t know. That’s alright, he’s alright. I don’t know, if the situation is, haha, not good, I wouldn’t answer
M YEAH
IW So, I don’t know, that was all?
M Yeah, great Thank you very much. We’re over there in the C Nero if you want a coffee at any point with your friends. Thankyou…
END
