Preparing for Research

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After a very busy week arranging logistics for the three week market research project on housing finance we will be starting on Monday, I am a bit under the weather. I'm pretty sure it is due to the weekly anti-malaria Larium pill I take on Thursdays. This is the pill that, when you request it, they ask you a series of questions like "have you ever had any psychotic episodes?" since it can mess with your head and cause terror dreams in some people. I haven't had anything so drastic after three weeks of the pill, but I think I made a mistake taking it without food last night, and today am suffering the consequences of weakness and slight nausea, to the point I may call it a day at lunch.

While most of the logistical work has been challenging, since I don't know the area and don't speak the local language of Twi, one aspect of the long workdays this week was really enjoyable: The interviewing of local university students for the 12 research assistant positions on the project. On both Monday and Wednesday I spent a few hours asking them a short list of generic questions, and learning a bit about Ghanaian education in the process. Some of the interesting things:

-Every student does a fairly lengthy research project in their third year of university, which involves actual original data collection and analysis, which means we'll have a strong team to help with our focus groups and the subsequent data collection.

-More than one student asked me if, upon completion of the three-week project, they would be given certificates? This seemed strange to me, except that many of the students we met with kept pulling out a stack of certificates and little letters from various different activities to present to us, most of which were really irrelevant, kind of like me stapling a "Hall Monitor of the Year" or "Sportsmanship" award from high school to the back of my CV. Laughing inside at the severe and unnecessary officaldom of these certificates, I deferred the question of whether we'd help add one more to their stack by saying, "talk to Human Resources." People here definitely like official letters of presentation, and I am thinking maybe I should get one myself to put on my mom's refrigerator when I go home. Of course, I'm sure they can make me one in the Kejetia Market...

-There was an interesting mix of motivations for the students to want to join this project, which was split between "I am an accountant student and like banking," since our partner organization is a bank, and "I want to make a difference by helping people get affordable and quality housing." I'd have to say the majority fell into the former category, but some of the most impressive were the ones who got that this wasn't just about banking, that there is a real need in these communities for a new housing option, since they are priced out of typical mortgages and housing developments, and success will be measured not just by financial sustainability, but by the lives impacted.

-About two or three of the students began every answer to a question with, "Yes please, thank you," which sounded really rehearsed and way too formal, and drove me a little crazy. Even more funny was when I asked one student about his academic and professional background he started off like he was updating his MySpace page: "I like music, hanging out with my friends..." and then told me his entire family background. Needless to say, he did not make the cut.

-After the most impressive student left the room--he is working on his second degree, was a teacher and an investigative journalist beforehand--my interviewing partner turned to me and asked "what did you think of him?" I told her I thought he should have been in my chair asking me the questions.

So we have all but one of our 12 student spots filled, and I can't wait to get them all together on Tuesday for the three-day training session. It is a strong group, stronger than I could have hoped, and on a personal note I'm curious to learn a little more about what being a college student here is like.

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Comments

[Leslie]

This IS your Mom's refrigerator
Sounds like things are starting to take shape, Rafe. Hunter and I watch with awe and pride

[laurie]

i am reading
Hey this is great. i like hearing all the little details of your life out there. Can you post pictures to this thing too? i would love to see what you are seeing especially the market. Interviewing is so difficult in your own country i can only imagine what it is like in a foreign place. keep on writing. Love, LM

[Kate`]

cultural eyes of hiring
Rafe, I love hiring people in different countries. Sounds like you do, too. It is a sweet glimpse into the cultural differences you are experiencing, while we continue to hold onto our values and know when someone's the right one, no matter what background we come from. So insightful and powerful. Thanks for the posts, I'm reading and living vicariously through you, and ditto Laurie's comment about the photos. I want to see that Kejetia Market and the colors of local garb. Saludos and be safe. Abrazos.

[mark]

I love hearing about your life if Ghana! It was not a hallucination from the anti-malaria drug...the celtics won! love dad

[cam]

17
Raffe, great entry, based on the some of the horror stories about prevention pills you wonder if it is worth it. Anyways, sounds like things are monving along well, sort of like a class case study. To make your entries more like a case study I would suggest starting out with an action or conflict thought you had and then rehash the events leading up to it, such as "I never thought I would have to make this decision in the next 30 minutes..." and then explain how you came to that point. You are familiar with the format. On another note, according to world wide web media sources, the Celtics had a parade to celebrate their 17th championship. Big Baby removed his shirt on one of the duck boats...

[Ellen]

One of few computer things Nana wants to see
I find this fascinating. Thanks for sharing. Have been attempting to get Nana interested in computer world, but not until I showed her your blog did she spark an interest... can't wait for photos...