Things to look forward to?

Study group last week was great; I love my group members - the way they think about their questions, the different holes, ideas, and questions that emerge when they read a manuscript. We suggested that Carolyn practice her interview protocols before she started her data collection, and this got me thinking. I started envisioning myself at the children's centre, sitting with the moderator and interviewing the children. I'm not someone who gets scared about the future, but I am a little scared about this. I suppose my biggest fear is getting it all together. I need to rely very much on a research assistant to help me with the transcription and translation. That is the trickiest part. I have no doubt that I can do all the interviews with the institutionalized children and the street children, since KM is invested and has bought in. But the school children I am slightly worried about; I don't have a real plan in place, but right now it wouldn't make sense to really make a plan. Things always change when you're in the field. And that seems to be the most nerve wracking point right now. Technical difficulties will be a frustration, I'm sure. Without DSL and 24 hour access to internet, I fear being cut off from my world here at Harvard, not being able to access needed resources, and just generally not being able to feel like part of my world when I am out in the field. I want to practice my protocols but I also know that these things change very much in the field. Be flexible. Relax. This will all get done.
At the same time, I have many things to look forward to. Stories! I simply cannot wait to hear their stories. I know they have some; I just hope they tell them as candidly as possible in that situation. And the inspiration; I am very much looking forward to the fresh inspiration that always comes with this process.
This is a process of inspiration, motivation, frustration, anxiety.
Yet, I am looking forward to it. It still sort of seems like a dream. Until I have my visa and my ticket, I think it will feel very far away. Even though I am preparing myself, I still have so much to do in Cambridge before I go. Once I go, zap, zap, zap, as Dad would say. Three down in three months, I hope. And then, let the analyses begin. Sigh. All these phases are so different yet so exciting: data collection, data analyses, data write-up. I'm so excited.