Dear residents of Quadra Island,
My name is Phillip Vannini. I am a professor in the School of Communication and Culture at Royal Roads University in Victoria (see http://www.royalroads.ca/about-rru
/the-university/news-events/media-directory/
v/vannini-phillip.htm).

For some time now I have been doing research of anthropological nature on life and culture on the BC Coast. My work focuses on the role played by BC Ferries in shaping everyday life sense of time, the meanings of space, lifestyle and daily routines and traditions on island and coastal communities, values toward land development, collective memory, regional identity, commerce, technology and material culture, and more.

My research is of an ethnographic nature. That means that I'm interested in learning from people's stories, artistic expressions, opinions, and perspectives that either purely personal or informed by institutional role membership (as members of organizations, associations, etc.). All people who live in coastal and island communities have narratives, opinions, thoughts, and experiences related to BC Ferries and to (as they say in their slogan) "life on the coast."

If you'd like to, you can learn a bit more about my work by reading this brief article:
http://www.royalroads.ca/about-rru
the-university/news-events/inroads-newsletter
/2007-Spring/VanniniFerryStudy.htm


My plan is to travel to every location served by BC Ferries over the next months and years. On my trips I like to meet with ferry travelers, community residents, and members of various associations and civic organizations to chat about the ferries and what they mean for the livelihood of the places they touch and they people they connect (or even disconnect).

I will be doing research intermittently on Quadra during the months of August and September. I don't know anyone on Quadra yet, and I would love the opportunity to meet and interview as many people as possible when I'm there.

Please don't think of this as a formal survey-type "interview." More simply, I just like to chat, perhaps over a cup of coffee/tea, about life on the island from your perspective.

If you believe you will have some time, you can simply contact me by emailing me at phillip.vanniniroyalroads.ca and we can take it from there. If you would also like to recommend anyone to my attention who might be willing to talk with me, I would appreciate that.

Thank you so much for your attention.
Phillip Vannini.