Apples & Pairs

Preparation

• Take a deck of cards and create a couples that follows rules 1-5
• On each card, tape one restriction (see below)
• From the other side of restriction, write a number. When added up with the number of their perfect couple, the result is 100 exactly. 
  (I.e. if you pair red 3 and black 4, you put -20 on red card, and +120 on black card)
• Prepare a big papers with explanation of rules you are adding during each round 

Rules

• No player is allowed to show their cards to other players unless it is stated differently on their card. 
• All players must follow all instructions on their cards throughout the entirety of the game.

Description of the game

The aim of the game is to find a game partner with whom you can create a perfect match. The match represents achievement of life goals, meaning that if the match is not found, both of the people could not reach a state of fulfillment. 

The game is comprised of 5 rounds, where each round contains specific instructions. These instructions are accumulative meaning that new instructions are added on top of previous ones. 

The game starts by each player randomly receiving a card that they are not allowed to show to anyone else during the game. Each card contains specific restrictions representing metaphorically the different obstacles people face in the labor market when trying to look for a job or when trying to reach their life goals.

First round (5 minutes)

During the first round players are invited to form groups with other players with whom they think they could fit well in a work environment. They are also reminded to follow the restrictions they were given on the cards.

Second round (10 minutes)

During the second round, players are invited to form pairs according to the type of number present on their card. If they have an odd number, they are only allowed to pair with even numbers and vice versa.

Third round (10 minutes)

During this round, players are requested to not only pay attention to the number of their potential pair, but also the color of their card. Black cards are only allowed to pair with red cards and vice versa.

Fourth round (10 minutes)

During this round, players are asked to consider the suits of cards as well, where 

• spades are only allowed to pair with diamonds 
• and clubs are only allowed to pair with hearts. 

Fifth / final round (10 minutes)

During this round, players are asked to pair with someone who apart from all the previous characteristics, now has a number that is within one number of difference of them (e.g., number 4 can pair with 3 and 5). 

Additionally, the black card within the pair has to have a higher number (e.g., a 4 of spades can only pair with a 3 of diamonds)

End of the game

The game ends when round five finishes. 

All players ought to be paired in couples and they are asked to look at the points on their cards that were previously hidden. 

• If the sum of both numbers within the pair adds up to exactly a 100, the pair is perfectly matched and life goals are achieved. 
  
  
• If the number is higher or lower than a 100, the match is wrong and neither of the players in that pair achieved their goals. 

Reflection

Reflection happened by placing everyone in a circle so everyone can see and hear each other. 

Everyone was invited to sit/stand next to their final pair that they found in round 5.

They were then instructed to look at the numbers on their cards that were previously hidden. If the two numbers amounted to a 100 when added up, the pair was successfully paired. 

Participants that were not able to find their “perfect pair” and thus not able to reach their life goals, were asked how they feel. 

Participants were asked to discuss in couples any discriminatory situations they have been a part of before. They were asked to share between each other how they felt in those moments and how can they relate it to this game. 

After approximately 5 minutes they were asked to share with all participants what they talked about if they wanted to. 

The following questions were then asked to all participants:

1. Did you feel frustrated at any point by your restrictions?
2. Did you offer your help to others who were struggling because of their restrictions?
3. How did you feel if you were only allowed to speak in your native language?
4. Did you recognize any privileges you might have in your cards (yelling, walking normally, no restrictions, being able to show your card to everyone?
5. Did you recognize any privileges you might have in your everyday life?

The participants were given information about what each restriction represented metaphorically. The descriptions can be seen bellow. These information were used to encourage further conversation and reflection on the experiences of participants inside the game and in the “real life“.

Restrictions

• Yelling
  Represents a person that is taking up a lot of space and not leaving space for others. This is a privilege because this person is most easily heard in a chaotic situation with many people.

• Whispering
  Represents the opposite to the previous one, where for some people is harder to achieve to be heard while for some others it means no extra effort.

• Closed eyes and not hearing
  Represents all people with visual impairments (from complete blindness to lighter conditions). These people have to navigate the world and life with clues from other senses and are disadvantaged because of it.

• Native language
  In representation of those who do not have the meanings to learn other languages apart from theirs, so it is harder to achieve their purpose in life.

• One word per conversation
  Represents people who have different issues when talking and communicating. Either they themselves have impairments like stuttering and fear of public speech or they are not allowed to say much by their environment.

• Always singing
  Represents people who despite their difficulties find a way to make light of them. These people have a positive perspective on life and are in pursuit of their life goals no matter the obstacles.

• Yes or no answers only
  Represents people who are dependent on the attention and validation of others in order to be heard and/or seen. These people can hardly draw attention to themselves and have to wait for others to be interested in what they have to say, which will possibly happen only if they can benefit from that conversation.

• Tiny steps
  Represents people who cannot move fastly ahead in their life, maybe they did not have a head start or maybe they had to deal with family/community issues before focusing on their own life goals

• Walking backwards
  Represents people who don’t have a clear vision of their goal by their own choice or cause by the circumstances around them.

• Not talking
  Represents people who are mute but also people who are not given a chance to speak (e.g. minorities whose opinion is not considered when making important decisions)

• Holding hands with someone to move
  Represents a dependent state of people whom either are dependent on someone else because of a disease, or people with someone dependent from them so it is harder for them to move on.
  
  
• No restriction
  Represents people that supposedly do not have specific disadvantages but also don’t have specific advantages.

• Being allowed to show your card
  This is one of the privileged cards because it represents people who can more easily communicate their goals to other people and thus more easily reach them in the end.