Today is just one of those brain-dead days when nothing I've been thinking about relates to Ghana or doing research there. I've been planning for fall semester you see, and I just can't focus back on the summer. Let's see...
When I go to Ghana, I'm worried about a lot of unknowns involved with research, travel and relationships. It's a major challenge to my research preparation, but an understandable one that everyone probably goes through--there is just no way to prepare for some things until your in that situation.
However, in class we've talked about the importance of preparing the way we can and then being flexible while you're in the field. I'm sure that since I've struggled to develop my project and methods this entire semester, they will experience many changes in the field as well. I'm not sure how to let the IRB know about those changes but I expect that I'll learn about how to do that before I go.
I'm also nervous about the food I'll eat and how exactly we'll get to Wiamoase from Accra, but I'm sure that we'll be able to cover some of that in the Marathon meeting. I hope to have all of the numbers I may need (the US Embassy, Ashley, Andrew, the number on the back of my debit card, and Esther's number) but I feel like once I've got all the information I need and feel prepared for anything, I'll be more flexible with whatever may happen because I'll feel like I can handle whatever may happen.
I'm grateful for the lessons I learned on my mission about approaching people, relating to people, developing rapport with people, networking, working efficiently in whatever time I have with a person, and focusing on what matters most. I appreciate that since I could handle that experience so well, I feel more capable of handling this experience, and I'm grateful for the advice I keep getting from others that are concerned for me and help me know what to do in different situations.
I can't wait to grow! But I'm still nervous about how it will happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment