The computers in the homework help area of Girls Incorporated are my worst enemies. On my first day of volunteer work at Girls Inc., I was confused by the overwhelming number of girls who asked to use computers. Because staff was minimal that day, I didn’t have anyone to consult for advice on monitoring computer usage. The majority of the girls wanted to play games or watch videos and I didn’t want to fight them so I let it happen. While I helped one of the girls with her math homework, another one giggled wickedly at the computer. When I walked over to the monitor, I was horrified by what I saw. She was watching videos of horse races where the horses got injured. I told her to watch something else or get off the computers. When I turned my back again, she recommenced the giggling. This time, she was watching videos of sharks attacking people. Her laughter was terrifying. My field notes feature the word “WOAH” in huge, capital letters. When I asked the girl why she would want to watch such disgusting videos, she said she didn’t mind, she’d seen her dad shoot his horses. It was then that I realized that she was conditioning herself for the horrors she experienced at home. I am a vegetarian outsider to her world, where animals are capital and commodity instead of lives. Considering that it was my first day, the experience showed me that I needed to accept her way of living without questioning it. Clearly, I understood that she isn’t allowed to watch violent videos on the Girls Inc. computers, but it took me longer to realize that the cultures and lifestyles of Girls Inc. girls vary vastly.
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