Today I genuinely have heavy heart as I leave TBL. It marks the end of fieldwork. Every time I come here, I feel motivated, inspired and downright happy. The people here are so welcoming I can’t even begin to describe how comfortable they have made me feel. Let me share with you about what we ...
Focus Group Discussions (FGD) are new to me! Through my work with Bien and Trung, I’ve learned so much about how to facilitate an FGD. However, for the writing up part, I based my techniques on similar or comparable studies I found in the literature. My project was an exploratory study, a means of assessing ...
Last week I returned from my first working trip to Thuong Bang La commune in Van Chan district in Yen Bai province. Let me tell you, it was such an experience and I cannot wait to go back! The purpose of this trip was to understand the farmers’ perceptions and lived realities in a changing ...
I still have to make it legal of course…..but the name is Cunningham, Ly Cunningham. It’s legitimate yes, my Vietnamese name is Ly. I introduce myself as Ly now, colleagues call me Ly and I even have a new email address…lycunningham32@gmail.com in case you want to get in touch. This week I was warned not ...
I’m currently sitting on a sleeper bus about to depart and begin a week of work in Yen Bai! About 5minutes ago I jumped on a big looking bus with my big bag…I was shook when I saw the inside! I have never been on a bus like this before 😂 My bag alone is ...
Today I went to Van Chan district in Yen Bai province for the day…it was absolutely amazing! Honestly, the people there were hands down some of the nicest people I have ever met. Irish people have a reputation for being friendly….but then there is the Vietnamese…. In the middle of the country, my research partner ...
Anyone who has been to Vietnam will know all about the storms. My God they are incredible. The other night we sat with all the lights off, looking out our window just watching the light show 😀 All you can hear are loud, thunderous bangs and claps as the flashes of light fill the black ...
I think we can all agree that, in general, things get pretty hectic when you’re doing a Masters. Then you add the extra layers of carrying out your research and writing your thesis in another country, in a very short time and hey presto….you have a recipe for insanity! Luckily, we are in the beautiful ...
The food in Vietnam looks seriously delicious and I honestly want to eat it all…there’s just one issue. I’m one of those awkward vegetarians. I’m not going to lie, it has been hard to pin down what I can, and can’t eat here. Some of things I ate had no animal ingredients listed but they ...
Today marks my first week working at IRRI! This week has been a nice way to settle in. I spent most of the week meeting my supervisors and colleagues and studying the literature surrounding my project. The week also involved some downtime; chilling outside in the lovely grounds of IRRI, eating my lunch 😊 It ...
