I'm back in Canada now. It's amazing; I feel as though I'm here for a two week vacation as I was back in April 2010. I'm sure reality will set in but as of yet, it hasn't.
Coming back to Canada was both a wonderful and sad experience. I never realised how deep the connections I made 'in the field' were until it was time for me to leave. In addition to the genuine life-long friends that I made, the people I met through my research made me realise how my time there affected them. I blame them for 180 Euro surcharge on my suitcases for my return flight, which charged for all the excess weight and baggage. They were wonderful at providing me resource material and Dutch paraphernalia so that "I wouldn't forget them or the Netherlands". Well people, I couldn't if I tried.
Although this blog was originally developed as a field blog, it will now follow my adventures as a thesis writing PhD student in Canada. I will at times include posts from the last couple of months when I was a bit too caught up in life to write (my apologies!). It will also resume its proper role as a field blog when I return to Rotterdam in May 2011. You heard me correctly, I'm returning for about 3 weeks in order to face the music. By facing the music, I mean that I will be giving a very short presentation in Dutch (be still my racing, palpitating heart...speaking Dutch still makes me extremely nervous as I'm sure it will do for many years to come) concerning what I've learned throughout my year in Rotterdam Noord. This is a time where people who participated or who would like to participate in my research can tell me what they think about my ideas and conclusions. I expect to hear a mix of "that's nice but have you thought of this point?" "Wow, I've never thought of it in that way before, I think you're right/wrong/confused/crazy etc." - I expect to hear many different things, many of which will end up, in some form, in my thesis. We'll see how it all works out, but that's the plan anyway.
For now, I sit on my living room floor typing at the computer (we're still in need of some furniture) physically being in Canada and mentally being somewhere half way across the Atlantic.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Changing Places
I'm sitting tonight booking hotels for my mother and I, for when she arrives next Friday to spend my last week in Rotterdam with me. It appears that my time as a researcher/explorer in Rotterdam is quickly coming to an end.
It's almost unfathomable to think that I'm wrapping everything up, that I'll be leaving this way of life here just when everything got rolling! (or so it seems)
I have been thinking about this for a long time now - that I very much appreciate the Dutch PhD system where PhD Candidates start out Year 1 on their projects so they can make their connections, learn their languages, etc. To do this, one must apply through a specific professor or their project and not apply to an institution, with their own project, as I did in Canada. The down side to the Dutch system (this may be true for other European universities but I am not sure) is the potential lack of creativity for one's own ideas for research and that one's project might have to stay closer to their university in order to facilitate their research project (i.e. Dutch students living and working in the Netherlands or surrounding countries). Having said this, there are researchers who spend a couple of months in the field on and off but there doesn't seem to be any year long stints in which researchers venture out in the great wild yonder to bust their learning chops in the field, so to speak.
I'm sure both systems have their advantages and disadvantages and I see my leaving the research portion of my PhD in the same 'pro and con' light. Pro: going 'home' to see my family and friends after an extended period of time. Con: having to keep up and better my Dutch languages skills from afar. Pro: having one whole year just to write up my dissertation. Con: being very far away from my research field and my contacts. Pro: McMuffins with Peameal bacon and maple syrup. Con: Lack of authentic Hagelslag/stropwaffles/dropjes, etc. The list is endless!
But unlike my list, my time here is limited. Very soon, I'll be changing places once again.
It's almost unfathomable to think that I'm wrapping everything up, that I'll be leaving this way of life here just when everything got rolling! (or so it seems)
I have been thinking about this for a long time now - that I very much appreciate the Dutch PhD system where PhD Candidates start out Year 1 on their projects so they can make their connections, learn their languages, etc. To do this, one must apply through a specific professor or their project and not apply to an institution, with their own project, as I did in Canada. The down side to the Dutch system (this may be true for other European universities but I am not sure) is the potential lack of creativity for one's own ideas for research and that one's project might have to stay closer to their university in order to facilitate their research project (i.e. Dutch students living and working in the Netherlands or surrounding countries). Having said this, there are researchers who spend a couple of months in the field on and off but there doesn't seem to be any year long stints in which researchers venture out in the great wild yonder to bust their learning chops in the field, so to speak.
I'm sure both systems have their advantages and disadvantages and I see my leaving the research portion of my PhD in the same 'pro and con' light. Pro: going 'home' to see my family and friends after an extended period of time. Con: having to keep up and better my Dutch languages skills from afar. Pro: having one whole year just to write up my dissertation. Con: being very far away from my research field and my contacts. Pro: McMuffins with Peameal bacon and maple syrup. Con: Lack of authentic Hagelslag/stropwaffles/dropjes, etc. The list is endless!
But unlike my list, my time here is limited. Very soon, I'll be changing places once again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)