Anthropologize

This blog is about anthropology, right? So I saw some tonight.
In the airport.
It’s like an awesome United Nations of travelers tonight at JFK and I have 4 hours to observe the culture clashes.
Picture the waiting area for a flight to Accra and then on to Nigeria.
The gate is near the lovely booths where you can sit and plug in your electronics.

Phase one: The Wait

There are all kinds of African-Americans, and Africans, milling about mixing with all of the white business people looking for outlets, some hovering hawklike near the “outlet seats” waiting for the flight to board so they can swoop in, to plug in their Macs and phones. (Have no fear, I’ve already swooped. Two plugs. Done.)

Phase two: The Cluster

They announce that they will be boarding the flight. All of the black people get up, come over, etc. There is no line. The white people all look very confused.

Phase three: The Panic

The gate agent makes an announcement to the effect of “Please stand back if you are not in the first zones to board. I promise everyone will get on the plane.”  No one listens. There is still no line. The gate agents look entirely claustrophobic with so many people clustered up by their red do-not-pass tape.

Phase four: The Solution

The gate agent makes another announcement. “We are sorry for the delay but we will not be boarding this flight for 40 minutes. Please take your seats. There is no need to stand at the gate. We will not be boarding this flight any time soon. We apologize for the inconvenience.”  Reinforcements arrive and herd everyone into a semblance of a line.

Phase five: The Aftermath

Everyone taking their seats, when all the non-Accra people have now sat in the places with outlets that they vacated to get into not-line, means that there are Nigerian children EVERYWHERE. With no sense of personal space, and mothers sitting far away, watching, but letting them “figure it out.” So they are now figuring it out with their elbows in my back and adorable tinyness climbing all over the booths next to me as they fight over the Tic-Tac-Toe machine.

Sometimes I really, really do love, love New York. : )