Data+Analysis

(GP Paper (Elizabeth and Anchalee)


 * Communication/Reflection**

August 19, 2011: I'm going to add my update here at the top, so it is easier for you to find. I'm almost done going through all the data and dividing it up into different themes. Most of my themes are really big, so my next step is to go through each theme and sort information again. (I'll be really familiar with the data by the time I'm done with this step.) At this point in time I'm considering "throwing out" E and R - and the main reason is that for those two narratives, they are both set in the USA. E is an international student who uses his time in the USA (7 YEARS!) as the basis for his culture learning, and R is an American who is matched up with an international friend. It is not that these are not valuable experiences, but they are significantly different than the others. So - if we throw those 2 out - the remaining narratives are ALL set outside of the USA - either study abroad or short term service projects. That means we still have 18 narratives - which I think is still enough data for a paper. Then, the focus of our paper is based on what types of culture learning happens through international experiences. I think it can be more focused that way.

I'm debating about adding N to the list to throw out, too. N fits the criteria of being a study abroad program (in Turkey), but it is an international student from China, in the USA - going to study in Turkey. She has so many deep insights in her paper, but part of that is from comparing at least THREE cultures - China, the USA, and Turkey. The other students are all US students. So...I could be persuaded either way - to keep this in the data or to throw it out.

Going through the data has been helpful for me - and there are ideas bumping around in my head. I'm not quite able or ready to write them down, yet, but hopefully by tomorrow morning will be able to articulate some of these better.

In full work mode, now!!!!

August 18, 2011: Thought I would write a bit here for you, Anchalita!

What I decided to do today is to go through each paper and just start writing down, organizing the info. into any themes that strike me. I have assigned an alphabet letter to each paper, so that is how I'm organizing stuff at the moment:

Elizabeth - I copied all the students' names and code into a Word Doc and deleted them from the wiki -- just in case they are searchable by others!

So, here is an example of what I'm doing. The 'label' on the far left is the "theme" that I'm using to categorize (adding new themes if they come up as I proceed). The comments under the theme start with the story letter (A for Lauren, etc.) and then I'm just typing up a summary of the comments. I'm doing this just to get a better feel for data and to start playing around with it - hopefully I can get through all the stories by tonight (whew - if I push hard, have one done 3 so far!) and then my next step is to look within each theme to see what the combined data might be telling me. :)

I admit that the last 2 days haven't been the most productive, but, today...have a good feeling that I'll get through a lot! ;)

Feelings: A: feeling awkward when first met host family in Costa Rica

Relationships/Hospitality: A: became close to host brother and friends – go back to visit them B: people around her made her feel at home – children would run up and give her hugs, even if first time to see her B: wanted to talk to the women in the tribe…most of activities participated in by men B: Learned that you don’t have to speak the same language to have a great connection and friendship with someone D: memorable to travel with new friends that he barely knew (to places he didn’t know existed) D: would see a hotel worker on a daily basis to buy water – and he would make the participant have a short conversation in Italian before giving him “rewarding” him with the water

Living Tasks/Accommodations: A: buying a cell phone was memorable (use of Spanish to accomplish the deed!) B: finding a tarantula on bathroom floor at 3 AM D: memorable to live in close quarters with 13 other students D: had to share the bathroom – learned this was “normal” to have small living quarters D: felt like he experienced day to day life as an Italian D: one washing machine – no dryer – so had to hang clothes up to dry D: had no TV

Transportation: A: took first taxi ever (!) in Panama D: walked around like Italians did (had a 30 minute trek to school every day) D: had to walk or ride a bike to the grocery store to get some food

Language issues: A: host brother and friends more culturally aware, spoke English + a third language A: was able to use Spanish to buy cell phone, speak with phone representative, etc. – was able to communicate needs A: all conversations in Spanish with host mom A: carry language dictionary everywhere A: learned important lesson about pronunciation of final “s” with fish bones A: frustrated by how many people in Costa Rica spoke English, many of them wanted to practice English with her A: had to request people to stay in Spanish, only ½ agreed B: wanted to speak with tribal women in Ecuador, but limited English by both participant and tribal women B: language one of the biggest barriers of the trip, wish had practiced Spanish more before the trip B: hard to translate some specific words, especially when telling a story B: had to rely on smiles, laughing, hand gestures, pointing, etc. D: no experience in Italian before arriving, by end of the trip could confidently order food (because people at the restaurants so helpful) D: fully immersed in Italian (with no previous experience with the language) D: would work on Italian through weekly trips to the grocery store (a self-teaching process) D: the waiters and waitresses would help you say what you wanted in Italian

Food: A: learned food more important to her in Costa Rica than in USA, can’t skip dinner at all in CR A: Couldn’t be a picky eater in Costa Rica, had to eat foods she disliked to be polite A: gained almost 10 pounds in trying to adjust to different eating habits A: learned how food was very important to social events and gatherings – people cooked together and ate for hours B: eating soup for breakfast and being thankful for it B: tasting traditional chichi that the women of the tribe made B: eating guabas (?) – best fruit ever D: memorable to experience the restaurants of Florence D: had food coupons through the FSU program – so got to regularly visit restaurants (and this is how had contact with the locals) D: found a place that had the best lasagna (and best waiters)

Cultural Differences: A: living in a family in Costa Rica – saw extended family life (grandkids at the house, introduced to neighbors, much more communal living) A: had to learn to say grace before every meal – by the end of the stay, was asked to actually speak it in Spanish B: everything around me completely different from anything I’d experienced B: behaved more respectfully around the older people B: had fun teaching games to each other – they taught them card games, and the Ecuador people taught participant how to shoot a blow gun D: learned it was easy to spot Americans, so…tried to dress more nicely and take our time D: had to be respectful around artwork, churches, and cathedrals D: as long as you were respectful for your surroundings, others would in turn respect you

Assumptions: B: thought that people would live in a more traditional atmosphere, but…found out that people were actually very modern – a few houses had TVs and indoor plumbing B: people she hung out with her “very liberal”

Personal Changes: B: had to overcome personal inhibitions like needing to be clean or wearing makeup – felt liberated when covered in mud, etc! B: was impressed with herself throughout the trip (most physically and mentally challenging experiences of her life) B: think she always had this strength in her, but…it just took a week in the Amazon to bring it out D: watched himself grow into a new person D: became more comfortable in uncomfortable situations D: learned to take his time, and to view things from multiple perspectives D: learned that everything will work out if you stay calm and treat the situation as it is and make the best of it D: came back to FSU as a new human being