Status so far

The field surveys are still on-going in Thailand. We are now on the 2nd to the last week and we will finish by the end of February. Simultaneous data entry is being done from filled-in questionnaires, and is a tedious process. No one is full time in doing it but come March it should really be done full-time. Of course by the local team who will be back from the field. However not all will be involved with database entry as some will be working on metadata of contacts, while others will be doing field work with others. The methodology of this research as a whole is proving to be a bit on the difficult side, for various reasons. Especially dealing not only with the technical and pedagogical aspects but also with personalities and differences in ways of doing things from various perspectives. These are issues which we have to face due to the nature of this project - interdisciplinary, multi-cultural, multi-level, and all other multi's one can think of. In the meantime, work has to be done, no matter what. I was hoping that somehow things could ease up once the field surveys are done, but there will be no chance of that. At this time, I have already started to plan ahead for the next activities. However based on experience, sometimes even the best laid plans fail. Especially if work has to be coordinated and integrated with other activities and with other people who have their own limitations, preoccupations, priorities and VIs (---censored text---). So that is project management. The key is how to keep one's head above it all, to survive being trampled upon (di gid magpalupu), to still be sane at the end of the day, and to still appreciate each day as it comes.