A coffee at Wharerata

It was a sunny morning of spring in its full swing, at Wharerata. We chose the sweet things and the drinks at the counter, we decided to be outside in the garden, and we talked. We were open to every thing ranging from our children, our ex- boyfriends, our marriage, to women's thinkings and concerns, family's issues and the research. We were talking like mum and daughter, friends, and women. We got to know more each other as person, and felt connected.

"Let me take you for a walk", and we moved to under a big tree, in a bench, stayed silent to sense the difference and the unspoken love, and to feel overwhelmed, and we continued along the fern walk. We were hidden away from the reality and some possible current distance between each other and merged into one heart, in which we were feeling as humans without any boundaries. I became speechless then, was feeling the sensation and the purity of love, between two persons from two different worlds.

"I am from England and you are from Vietnam, and we meet", I was then being brought beyond any limitations to fully sense the connection of two humans and truthful love. It was too sensational to be verbally spoken. There was definitely much more than what I could utter "I love you".

That's how the coffee at Wharerata became a slice of my life, very flavourful and meaningful for me to realise how we can get connected and merged into the immensity of love.

Who I am

It is something I am seeking for answers when it comes to the question of Who I am. But, according to Prof White, I am not a gourmet in a buffet. Instead, I must be a scientist of a dish in that buffet. :)

The definition of who i am surely goes beyond the research area in order for it to be comprehensive. In this journey of seeking the definition, which i believe is endless, (and this post thus possibly is endless too), it is the elements that help giving meanings to the definition and the catalysts that help transforming the content that are captured and valued more than the final product of definition.

Elizabeth Gilbert: A new way to think about creativity

The second phase of data collection

It is not something as dull as the title may sound. Firstly, I did not think I would go to the second phase of data collection, simply because I had only one phase all together. So the unplanned phase came up with lots of surprise-behind-the-winding, which somehow aligns with the emergent and open spirit of this research. The much more worthy thing is thanks to this second phase, I have a precious chance to travel home, to spend Tet with my parents, to stay in my extended HOME, and more than those.

This entry is not devoted for a description of the second phase. I don't know what to say, but thinking of the possibilities ahead, I appreciate what life has offered me, with people and their relationships, with chances and opportunites, and above all with lots of lots of love and faith. Reflecting on the conceiving conditions of the second phase, I asked myself why that way. I dare not put the answer in this post, because i don't know for sure what causes what, but what i know for sure is nothing transcendent comes to you all of a sudden. When it comes to wondering how and why a venture comes its way to me, I find myself often feeling appreciated what life has blessed me, without very often understanding that I have myself been creating opportunities from a me digging a dark tunnel every day and also a me possessing assets like the ability to see the light in the dark and the ability to believe me.

I don't allow myself to expect to see my performance at this stage. What I really want to do now is to be able bridge the distance between a me digging a dark tunnel and a me with extraordinary abilities to create opportunities.

Writing methodology chapter

A big pile of things can be devoted to describe the stage of writing the methodology chapter. I have deserted this home for a while and do not really want to return with that big pile of things, at least because I am not able to produce that much this time. I have been diving in the ocean of research methodology books and still unable to emerge for a relief.

I would like to put up here a piece of reading I am doing at the moment because i find it such a thrill upon first reading it. Here we go:

"Exploration" as an Analogy for an Exploratory Case Study

When Christopher Columbus went to Queen Isabella to ask for support for his "exploration" of the New World, he had to have some reasons for asking for three ships (Why not one? Why not five?), and he had some rationale for going westward (Why not south? Why not south and then east?). He also had some (mistaken) criteria for recognizing the Indies when he actually encountered it. In short, his exploration began with some rationale and direction, even if his initial assumptions might later have been proved wrong (Wilford, 1992). This same degree of rationale and direction should underlie even an exploratory case study.

(page 29)

Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed. Vol. 5). California: Sage Publications, Inc.

I believe in you

"I believe in you", my supervisor has lifted me up and made my day with her such saying.I can read her eyes, feel her smile, and see her hidden love to me. Such a great person and a superordinary supervisor she is. No one is born a superman, but she is showing me you can grow super from your everyday's man effort. Be loving, be trusty, be inspiring, and you can grow up what you want to be.

I feel so inspired and energetic whenever we have a meeting. If what my supermom ( i call my supervisor supermom) says to me is such valuable, what from that spirit I can transfer to my students is a thousand times more valuable. I am going to model the students what and how I am modelled now by my supermom. How can i lift them up, how can i inspire them, how can i make them grow, they are my all-time questions to bear in mind and not to be answered overnight.

"You are growing a plant. Specifically you are working to create a favourable growing condition, and then you hope, since you cannot make the plant grow". This metaphor born by the supermom works well for me, and speaks a lot to me in the specific job of mentoring. "I am growing well and thanks to your care, I will grow up to what you hope for. Believe me" responded me.

Towards the confirmation day

I have been absent from this blog since final days last year. Entering the new year is a bit busier but more energetic for me. For the research i am working for and on the initial data collection phase and the initial interviews bring me good result, to be more exact good feeling. Despite of some lesson i have made for myself in terms of interview, i am satisfied with the interviewees and my preparation of the interview prompt.

I receive the time for my confirmation in a ready and welcoming mood. I am thankful to Gillian who has so enthusiastically taken care of this affair, from dealing with DRC to arranging time and more nicely emailing me in advance to ask if the time is fine or not. So now i have nearly a month to prepare. I have two weeks to work on the proposal and at the same time have to take care of the student's writing task 1 for data collection phase 1. I hope i will be as energetic as always.