Research: In progess

For those of you who might have thought that I am just goofing off here in sunny Bharatpur (like the park director who said to me, "What are you doing? What have you done?), I acutally did some real work this week. I finally was able to get some interviews this week which makes me think that I might actually get a PhD yet. It isn't necessarily the way that I envisioned things going and problably not how fieldwork manuals would recommend, but I'll take what I can get. My one RW, Gurdeep, took it upon himself to recruit people in his typically smart-ass way. He went over to another RW who was dozing in his rickshaw and said, "Madam needs to take your interview. Go over there and talk to her." Of course the sight of me tape recording our conversation brought over other rickshaw-wallas as well as people passing by (that is really not ideal). But after the first person did it, others were more willing to sit through the process. So far, the interviews have been a little shorter than I want them to be which might just be a result of the fact that we are sitting on the edge of the road with five to six people listening in. But its a start...I can always follow up with people later.

Besides that, Ian went to a near by village for three days to attend a function at a temple there. He said that it was frustrating sometimes that he couldn't understand what people were saying to him because of the rural dilect. I told him that he couldn't complain. That is the way it is for me ALL the time. And he didn't have someone telling him that his spouse's Hindi is SOOO much better than his own. I have to remember sometimes not to get angry at Ian for his Hindi compentency but it always irks me when people compare us.

One of our professors from Syracuse will be visiting us in two weeks. Initially I was a little nervous...what if she thinks I'm not doing a good job? But now I am just looking forward to spending time with someone who knows the other me. :)

Weather is still hot and sticky. It rained this morning but we need more.

Interview, anyone?

Well, this is the end of the first week of the park being open. Though the tourists have been spotty, I think everyone is glad to be back even if it is just to sleep in their rickshaws. I have started asking people about interviewing them and they are a little suspicious of the whole enterprise. I'm hoping that if one person gets interviewed, he can pass the word along that I am not going to stick pins under their finger nails or ask them ridiculously hard questions. So, I am going to keep plugging away at it. Hopefully, I can pin down either Bhagat or Gurdeep to be my first "victim." :)

In other news, our landlady's daughter is getting engaged this week so I am actually going to be taking off two days at the park to spend with the Sharmas. Auntie drives me crazy but I like Priyanka so I don't really mind. I'll try to remember to take pictures so I can show you my digs (which I haven't done up to now...weird, huh?)

Ian is still in Delhi. He was planning on coming back a couple days ago but our friend Mather was in an accident. Overall, she is okay, but she broke her collar bone so Ian decided to stay with her while she is in the hospital. Mather took such good care of Ian when he was sick with his fever last fall that I'm glad he is there to help her now.

It rained all day here yesterday which is good news. I hope it can keep in up! If you are the praying type, please put in a word or two.