Wednesday, March 29, 2006

 

Interviewing for dummies

Interviewing people is a delicate process that takes years, if not decades, to master. Interviewing hurricane victims is even harder.

These past few days, I've run around Biloxi and Pass Christian talking to people who were here when Hurricane Katrina hit Mississippi. I wanted to capture their stories on paper but didn't want to bring back their emotional trauma during the storm. I had no idea how hard it would be.

One particular woman I interviewed, whose name I will leave out to respect her privacy, stepped away to cry for a few minutes when I interviewed her. She said she hadn't cried like that since the hurricane first came. She was one of many who hadn't until I interviewed them.

Many of the people in Biloxi are still in shock from the hurricane. Asking them about the hurricane can add salt to their open wounds. I've been fortunate enough down here in Biloxi that many of these people have showed me their open wounds.

It is awkward standing there when a person I'm interviewing starts crying. It's not necessarily my fault and I debate whether I should offer a hug or something. But all I can really do is stand there and wait.

It's really hard to avoid making these people cry. I don't want to directly ask the Katrina victims "How did you feel when the hurricane hit?" I just want their responses to that question, if that makes any sense. The public needs to feel these victims' raw emotion too.

I need to report their stories because in many cases nobody else has already. What I have to do is gently walk them around the question with my buildup ones. I have to make them feel comfortable before they can start opening up to me.

I still have a few decades to go before I master this interviewing thing anytime soon.

Comments:
This is one of the toughtest things about interviewing. Sounds as if you're handling it.

Enjoying your blog.

carl
 
yea, interviewing trauma victims - which is what these people are - takes a whole new layer of interviewing skills. I didn't consider that when you were on your way - but we'll spend some class time de-briefing and learning from you when you return! Maybe a joint session with the other section./..thanks for continuing to share as you learn. b
 
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