Shwell, on Wednesday, Mary came back and I felt a great peace about my summer as she was giving me a detailed overview of what they want me to do. I almost cried (out of joy!) when she handed me a notebook FULL of research and resources they already had. She also gave me a brief overview of their attempt to create the Mentoring Network of Miami. The notebook had almost EVERYTHING from the preparation for this, everything down to emails that said things like,"hey, here are some questions I have...". AND! they already researched and collecting contact information from most 22 of the mentoring programs in Miami. Com. Dev. Asset Mapping intern's DREAM COME TRUE! So, flipping through the book, I came up with a TON of questions about this attempt which Mary answered for me and referenced me to other staff members for answers to other questions.
So, between Wednesday and today, here's what I've done:
- Typed up a detailed history of FCFC's attempt to start MNM (some details still missing).
- Type up a questionnaire for my interviews with the mentoring programs
- Started writing a consent form, got frustrated with how fake it sounded, and moved on with my life (I do plan on coming back to this, no fears)
- Worked on my expanded field notes a bit.
- Observed a training orientation run by FCFC at a local church.
- chopped celery, peppers and broccoli (yeah, I'll come back to this in a second)
- sent an email out to some staff members asking if I could meet with each of them. (yeah, I'll come back to this one, too).
THE PROBLEMS
1. My host continuously tells me how he wants me to have a "well-rounded" experience, not just sit and read about things. Great! all about the hands on thing...however, I don't think he finds my research to be a priority. After the mentoring orientation he told me that he thought observations were dead ends and asked me how helpful they'll really be to my research. I explained that they are EXTREMELY crucial to my research and make up about 35%-50% of my data. He isn't too sure about it still (It's like trying to convince Dr. Mask that Asset Mapping is REAL RESEARCH). This morning, I was partaking in a VERY interesting conversation about Amachi when I was pulled away to chop vegetables for the Marriage Conference FCFC's hosting this weekend. yeah, kinda frustrating.
2. Yeah, that email? Sent it out yesterday to 5 people, all whom I met face-to-face and have had some interactions with. I must have been to nice (I know, weird, right?) because NONE of them have responded! It made me kind of nervous, because me and my crazy anxieties thought about the possibility that they don't care or understand my research. So, that thought is now being sat on by a mammoth of a thought called, "CALM DOWN!".
THE LESSONS
1. "Do everything without complaining"....anyone have a song stuck in their head now (haha!) yeah, I know that I missed an important conversation, but the questions that came into my head during that time will come up again, I can get those answers anythime. It wasn't like I was being kept from an interview with an organization or anything like that. And if that does happen, I can easily say, "no." but right now, I'm waiting for the OK to start interviewing, I've got time to chop!
2. "Be Patient, Don't worry"....anyone have another song stuck in their head? haha!
So, People are busy around here. they all have like 50 million different responsibilities to worry about. I need to be super patient because, contrary to my personal beliefs, I'M NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON AND MY RESEARCH IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK! yeah, stickin' that on a post-it note where I can see it everyday. in addition to this kind of patience, I have to be patience with miscommunication and misunderstandings. If someone thinks that my observations are pointless, so what? as long as I can still conduct them, it's fine, it's not a battle I have to fight or a grudge to hold against them.
BRIEFING
so, I realize this was a super long post, but it's where I'm at right now. And I won't be blogging for a while (this is my last day of internet access before my communications fast).
Your prayers are always desired!
ah becky dear i feel your pain oh SO MUCH! goodness real world research sucks butt! okay don't hate me for this, but i'm SO GLAD that you're feeling the same frustrations because i was starting to think "JUST LET ME GO BACK TO FLORIDA LIFE IS SO MUCH EASIER THERE COMMUNICATION IS SO MUCH EASIER THERE" well apparently not. anyway i am praying lots for you this week, especially now that i know what to pray for :)
ReplyDeletethis is in response to your comment on my last post "talaga?!" :)
ReplyDelete1. Will do! Don't think I can forget it. :)
2. I finished it in one sitting. Yup. THAT'S what I spent my free day doing (everybody was gone and obviously I couldn't go anywhere because why? because i'm alone and i'm a girl! ..okay that was not helpful to practicing contentment :D)
3. When I wrote that I thought of Dr Vos too! especially when the next part of the sentence originally read "the suckiness of it all" :D but i changed that one...too much "suck" for me. and i'm pretty sure i also had "nonverbal communication was telling me otherwise" in my post somewhere and decided that i couldn't really be turning in to that class so i took it out...haha.
love you! and i love that i can count on you to comment :) it's encouraging.
my gift from God to you! ps 61!
don't be sad that all of these comments are from me. i'm so lame. okay but i wanted to tell you that i AM reading a different book now! "The Poor Will Be Glad" hehe the chalmers center and covenant college are mentioned in there... it's coauthored by the president of HOPE international and somebody else...
ReplyDelete