getting my ass in gear (sort of)

My roommate, who is writing his thesis in history, is currently frustrated. He recently found a published article that deals with his same topic, and he is terrified that it will be exactly as he was planning to write it, which will do him nor the greater community any good.

Though I feel bad for him, hearing this story, as I was also empathizing, made me at least feel less alone. (I also had a talk with a former grantee who assured me that some of the things I’m going through have indeed been gone through before.) Yes, so my original plan was to research my topic from the rural standpoint, which would have been more interesting and “fresh” (not to mention that I wouldn’t constantly have a short temper from city life, but that’s another story). But I can still do it from the urban perspective – as in, begin some on-the-DL-interviews with migrants here. Hopefully, my roommate will be able to put a new spin on his topic as well, so that he can write his thesis without feeling like he’s copying someone.

I do have a great opportunity here, and I’m going to try to make the most of it. My plans also include partly working with The Nature Conservancy and sitting in on an economics class next semester. Hope things work out…

In other news, I am going on my very first business trip. Next week, I will be going to Deqin, Zhongdian, to Tibetan villages. (Note to self: Buy warm clothes, now!) The NGO I’m with, Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge, has a few projects there (dealing with traditional housing, watershed governance, etc.) and I guess I’m just going along for the ride.

I suppose before I leave I should talk a little about my four-day trip to the village I was supposed/expecting to be in during my time in China. Therefore you readers don’t get everything mixed up (I know all Chinese villages all seem the same, but I’ll try to make it less painless for you). More will come later.