I think I should write more here rather than writing on trips. Somehow writing on trips were much more relaxed but that were mostly leisure activities. I need a break sometimes but let's be real, this is my current business and I have to admit that by far this suppose to be the 'thing' to be noted at the highest back of my head.
So, am I going to Reading?
I remember the first time my supervisor (sv) coined out this idea. It was like a year ago and at that point of time I was like 'Is it for real?'..
UK or particularly any parts of it is a dream to me. I believe not only me. I like to think that to many of us, perhaps because of historical reason, in some way or another, dream to be able to go there for whatever reason we could think of. I read and met a lot of people who have been there and they really enjoy for being able to step their foot there. So, what have I done that makes me think that I will someday, step my feet there?
At the time i'm writing this note, there still a lot to be accomplished particularly the research which I am pursuing right now. I only managed until to date to write 2 chapters whereby I should actually completed the 3rd. I'm doing data collection right now, and if there is any reason to put the blame on, I am happy to put it with the process of collecting data itself. This process - collecting data, is the real work in any research. Some said without data, a research simply cannot proceed. I've spent months, completing and then perfecting the instrument and now I have to try to persuade people to answer it for me. It's not an easy task, for instance my pilot survey suggest that if I were to be too optimistic that by randomly selecting respondents I would get the response, then I would really used up all my resources without gaining any responses. So, I resorted to non random sampling, hoping that I would be able to gain as much responses to support the research.
The process is a painstaking one. I travel up to KL almost every month since April, some twice a month just to meet prospective respondents and try to persuade them to answer. Some were very helpful and I indebted to them while others were cold and simply not willing to answer. Well, I believe this is the process and PhD is not just being diligent, but physically fit as well. Intelligence? No. You don't have to be intelligence to do a PhD, prepared to be challenged mentally and physically, then you're good to do one.
So what is this Reading has got to do?
I was told by MOHE (now no more - merge as MOE) that for MOHE scholar holder, there are 2 facilities that could be applied for. 1 - the facility to present paper overseas and 2 - overseas research. I did some research and was astonished to discover that facility no 2 would be appropriate to support my application overseas. So, after discovering that, I report the finding to my sv and she was very happy to assist me to communicate with the overseas counterpart. It happen that her friend in Reading is the visiting professor here, and I was able to meet and discuss with him on my intention to go to Reading under his supervision. I met the Professor twice over the past one year and eventually I managed to get his consent to go there. It was a very joyful moment when I received the letter and I wait no further to submit my application to MOHE.
Many said that MOHE would take months (if not years!) to process the aplication. So, since I plan to go to Reading in October, then I made my own time allowance in order to make it sufficient for them to decide and finally giving approval. To my surprise, it took my application less than a month to be approved. I was so excited upon learning the news and to me, they key was to conduct some research on their organisation and nail the right person whether to follow up or tracking the application. I was very fortunate to have met the right person who did the upward processing of my application and even my calls were answered promptly.
The bulk of the ongoing tasks is now rest with me. Where to find accommodation, visa (required or not) and the probable expenses there. Alhamdullilah, I manage to get in touch with a colleague who just came back from Reading and she has referred me to her colleague who is now pursuing his PhD in Reading. I have been communicating with him ever since and I hope to get more information about the local area in due time.
I really would like to detail up the application process, but it would take me months to finish it. So, I hope Allah will give me strength to write more and I really hope that I would be able to share more about this.
To those who recently did answer a questionnaire, it might be from me or anyone else but whatever it is, I just would like to thank you for your understanding on why data is important to us as a researcher and hopefully your good deed will receive reward from Allah swt.
Till then and hope to update more on this!
Salam
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