When I was a bit lost on how to truly understand the issues and find solutions from the perspective of those who work in this profession, I thought about what I could do. Personally, becoming a masseuse myself wasn’t an option: 1) I didn’t have the necessary knowledge, and 2) physically, it wouldn’t be feasible for me. Then I came across a job advertisement for a receptionist position at a Thai massage parlor in London. I decided to apply, thinking it might give me an opportunity to gain insight. On the application form, there was a section that surprised me, possibly because it’s not something commonly seen in Thailand—it was a section asking about sexual orientation.
When I had my first tutorial with Elizabeth, I told her that I had applied for a receptionist job at a Thai massage parlor. She thought it was an interesting and unconventional way to gather information. She didn’t discourage me from doing it but advised me to consult with Zuleika first for my own safety. I followed her advice and spoke with Zuleika, who expressed concern that gathering information as a receptionist might not yield the most relevant insights for my project. She thought I would be trained as a receptionist and might not get the chance to learn things that are directly related to my project.
However, I didn’t fully agree with her because, before speaking with Zuleika, I had already attended one training session for the job. Some parts of what she said were true, such as the basic tasks a receptionist would perform, which wouldn’t be related to massage work or the core information for my project. For example, basic cleaning, scheduling appointments, answering emails, and managing files. But I also saw opportunities to gather valuable information, such as answering phone calls from customers, greeting and speaking with customers, and observing their interactions. I explained this to her, and she agreed to let me work there to gather information that could support my project.