Got an interview

Got an e-mail saying that I've been shortlisted for an interview at Exeter.

Your interview time is at 11.45am on 03 April 2009.

It says that I have to prepare a 10 minute presentation for it, which although unnerving gives me something to prepare.

I also got a reply from an academic associated with tourism

Thank you for your proposal, which looks most interesting - the research will certainly be fascinating to carry out.

 

I am not particularly up to date with sources on backpacking tourism, but you can find a good many listed on Google Scholar, and it may be worth contacting Kevin Hannam, at Sunderland University, who chairs the Backpacker Research Group for Atlas.

 

For your methodology section, you will need to be much more rigorous in explaining how you select your backpackers for survey or interview. You also need a much better understanding of what quantitative research is!

 

Where are you thinking of doing your PhD? It's the sort of thing that the Centre for Tourism & Cultural Change at Leeds Met might be interested in.

I've suddenly realised how wholly ignorant I am of all things backpacking. Its more than just putting a bag on your back. However, I have been mulling it over so hopefully will have something to present next Friday. I am nevertheless, finding ways to put it off. Have started my critical bibliography and am thinking of doing waiting for godot for my performance analysis. Spent the morning helping my flat mate emily with a photobook for her nephew's first birthday. Going to walk to Tescos now, and the weather is absolutely awful!

Some News

Got a notification from QMU that they have recieved my application. This combined with my Mother's recieval of her Mother's Day card has given me faith in royal mail.

I've also heard back from one of the guys who was connected with the Global Nomad project.

"Dear Mr Darby,
Thanks for your note. I find your project innovative and interesting, 
though  do not see how the quantitative BP data fit in. In fact, the routes 
you describe, and which exhibit a highly post-modern character, are probably 
not specific for BPs. 
There is a strand in tourism studies looking at tourism as performance (Ed 
Bruner, B. Kirschenbaum) with whom you might be familiar.
Re the BP Research Group: I am not a member of that group, but you might 
approach Greg Richards, who will be able to respond to your question."

I've already e-mailed Greg. "innovative and interesting" is a bit encouraging though. The only bit of info I've heard from people so far, and I know how to apply it to Qualitative research.

Got another reply from an academic connected with backpacking:

suggestions: 1) get at backpacker experience rather than survey  2) you don't site the relevant backpacking literature which is extensive (people at Leeds could help you here 3) just because you are a backpacker be careful not to impose your ideas on the data.

I totally agree with the experience, as it is necessary, however, I think to give it structure, some form of quantative research is necessary. I am really wholly ignorant on backpacker literature so will e-mail Leeds. And finally, this enters the question of ethics in my proposal, something I've been umming over for a bit now; how involved do I get in the interviews? 

Waiting and Reading

I've broken up from Exeter for the Easter holidays. But it doesn't feel like a holiday.

On Thursday I completed two application forms for PhD funding (one at Exeter and one at Queen Mary). I cannot believe that I have even considered such an idea. It quite frankly didn't seem possible. Since starting reading at the beginning of February my ideas for a possible PhD research topic have evolved a bit. I began with looking at narratives and their existence in design, focussing on architecture. I then moved to travelling with a bid to examine travel philosophy and its place in the rehearsal environment. I then moved from that to Psychogeography before finally deciding to examine the backpacker and their relation to ambulatory performance. But as my Professor puts it, we're still all feeling around in the dark. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing.

To be honest I'm torn. I know that if I get offered the funding I will have to take it because its rare that it happens. However, it does mean that I will be living in the world of accademia for three more years. If I don't get it, career-wise it'll be harder but it would encourage me to stick a pack on my back and leave the country. I'm not ready to settle down, find a 9-5 job and thats it. Not yet. There's still a lot for me to do.

Went home last weekend and saw two of my heroes on stage. Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart. I still cannot believe I saw these two giants together before my eyes doing star jumps on stage in Waiting for Godot. Its a classic, but a classic that has been done to death my many students over the years. However, Paddy and Ian were fantastic, and I felt very lucky to be able to see them.

I have a big map of new zealand on my wall right next to me. There's a pin in Wellington. This is my back up. If I get rejected from both Exeter and QMU, New Zealand will be my last chance this year. There, I would get to travel and study and not feel torn. However, its more of a leap than what I'm currently hoping for. I mentioned this to my professor, and he reckons I should go for it.

Nevertheless, I am really setting in to the department here at Exeter. I've been keeping myself busy, as usual, doing rehearsed readings and performances. I'm currently helping Judith with her applied theatre project, Lauren with her clowning shakespeare project, Ioannis with his PhD project and have just got a part in a 70s cop series entitled 'Shields of Justice' which will be filming this Easter, which I'm excited about because I always enjoy short films. 

This enters me into a further difficulty. I don't know if I can do a PhD here without the guys I'm studying with. All my life I have been very lucky with the people I've worked with. There are only 6 of us on my course, but they are all truly remarkable and wonderful individuals; intelligent, well read and most importantly hilarious. We went for a picnic yesterday (its not snowing anymore) which was lovely, soaking up some Vitamin D and swatting bees.

So at the moment, I'm waiting. Waiting to see if Exeter will accept me for an interview, and reading, just in case they do. Its the calm before the storm. However, until the storm arrives I'm enjoying this sunshine.