#fieldwork is hell

i was having too much of a 'stumble' to transcribe some of my fieldwork interviews immediately after; i used the word 'immediate' loosely.

upon transcribing a particularly ELITE interview, i find myself making the same note '(unknown context)' with increasing frequency.

after i finished transcribing, i reread the interview. it's (mostly) rubbish. i remember immediately after the interview feeling a bit like my ELITE hadn't answered my questions, like i needed to interview them again. nope - the ELITE's responses were mostly in analogy form (something about a WWI general knowing the blitz is coming) and a bit incoherent. 

turns out this ELITE is just really good at their job.

which is apparently dodging entry-level researchers' questions.

I have arrived in DC!

NO HURRICANE CAN STOP THE FIELDWORK 2012.

Biggie ups to Hilltop Hostel off the Takoma Metro stop. Been here 2 hours and already highly recommended.

...have to say though, planning 10 am interviews at World Bank the day after Halloween and my arrival, not becoming of the PhD drinker.

All(s) I'm saying is, I have 2 bottles of Islay scotch, at least 1 drinking buddy for tonight, and the heavy weight of responsibility on my shoulders.

Fieldwork 2012 begins in Washington DC tomorrow.

Where I'm interviewing some super elites in US trade and World Bank-y-ness, but because all of my interviews are anonomous, I can't brag about who they are.

I thought when you take an interruption you get time to work on/fix you.

nope. still fucked from geneva.

Right. It occurs to me that this experience has given me some knowledge to impart for researchers, world (solo) travellers (NOT GYPSIES), or people coming to Geneva...

Im sitting at City Hostel Geneva (which I recommend over any other lodging in Geneva), wishing time would pass faster so I can catch my easyjet flight back to Sunny Manchester... when I say that travelling, people always ask, 'IS IT REALLY SUNNY?' lol. no. no it is not.

Here is what I would like to share.

'when you travel alone, you hate other people; but not as much as you hate yourself' and that's okay... but make sure you know who to call when you are ready to love yourself again.

don't be afraid to tell someone you want to be (left) alone.

don't drink alone.

if you are not going to be eating much, make it count: fruit, veg, bread.

you meet the best people at hostels; people that often become the only relief from the lonely and the isolation. people who tell good stories...

if you are staying in one location for more than 3 days, pick a place where you can prepare at least one meal a day.

ASK QUESTIONS - don't fear looking like an idiot... you're foreign; they understand.

know that the work is probably going to be the best part. your work is your comfort. when you are at your lowest, write a paper... it helps.

for fieldwork: dress conservatively, comfortably, and classically. these things matter.

share. anything. everything. and be highly suspect of people who take more than they give.

must haves (specifically for women):

handkerchief

talc

sunglasses

headphones: sleeping in hostels requires headphones!

lock

towel

sustainable (not plastic) water bottle

don't be afraid to 'be rude'/tune out if men are staring/creeping. you do not have to say hello just because someone else says it. and reconsider all eye contact.

(and most significant) don't buy kitschy, tourist crap, like ever... you will have to lug it around, and whoever you are buying it for... they will keep it for a while, and then it will become rubbish... part of the problem... part of the environment.

There's nothing new here, but I ran into quite a few young/inexperienced travellers who could have benefited from this knowledge in advance.

Also, being a woman travelling alone, the overt sexualisation of your gender begins to change who you are. You become less of yourself, and that's not acceptable or beneficial. Until each skeezey perv has a beautiful daughter and learns what sexual harassment does, we will still have to fight to have an identity as a woman that is separate from a sexual object. That fight, unfortunately, is emblematic of learning how to say 'piss off', 'don't touch/talk to me' in many languages... or just one - ignoring them/it.

Best of luck to all my travelling companions, the ones I have contact with still and the ones I do not.

Geneva fucking sucks… And to everyone who keeps saying ‘I’m glad you’re having fun’, ‘enjoy your holiday’, or ‘have a lovely TRIP’ … Yeah I really feel like you’re not listening. Like the lot of you who said ‘I’m sure you’ll work it out’ or ‘I’m sure that won’t happen’ when I told you Will was leaving the UK.