Good News

Although the last few days I've felt quite anxious about things, I resolved to be positive about this and convince myself that whatever happens in Tz, happens. I'll just have to do my best and be flexible, knowing that not all the things I want to get done can get done. And ever since I've adopted that attitude, magical things have happened. Today I heard back from Kate; she agrees that talking about the timeline in person is a better strategy and she is bringing it up at a management meeting this afternoon; should any problems arise, she will let me know. So that's one monkey off my back (almost). Next, I heard back from Alice and she wants to host me at her place until I find a comfortable, safe, and affordable place of my own. Hallejulah! Katie Mitchell, the saint of a friend I met last time I was there, hooked me up with an ex-pat running club, translator/Kiswahili teacher, and American and Australian friends! So I won't be as lonely as I was once predicting I might be. Tonya Muro, another very dear friend, is there now but I won't be able to see her as she'll be moving to Dar in mid-September, but Fran will be there (phew!) and she's been such a help with this whole process. She's like a surrogate advisor and I love her for all her encouragement and support. The best news of it all though is that Alice's brother is interested in being my research assistant! I was incredibly relieved to hear this. If he is anything like his big sister, he is smart, dependable, hard-working and very honest. These are the precise skills I need for my research assistant.

So all this communication has lifted my spirits about my thesis and now I am really psyched to go. I am thinking ahead to the pilot test; I suspect the story-telling exercises won't need to be changed. I think there might be some interesting things going on with the survey and priority/importance scale. I am hoping I can clear that up in just a few days so I can get right into the data collection. That is the most exciting part. Fran says she's already seeing some very interesting things in the students she's been following for four years. When she said that, I desperately wished my study was longitudinal. That is not feasible for my dissertation, but I wonder if there's a way I can continue to follow these boys even after I have finished and graduated. There is so much potential and growth there and I'm very, very curious.