Hello All!
Over the past few months I feel like I’ve been extremely busy! Busy attending conferences, doing guest lectures, giving a presentation in front of my department, applying for grants, and continuing to collect contextual information from both primary and secondary sources for my thesis. I’ve been doing whatever I can to help the team gear up for the coming field season and I’ve also been picking away at the enormous task of writing my thesis. It’s safe to say that there have been several times over the past few months I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed. Somehow, I always manage to get the rest of it done, however, sometimes I haven’t been able to meet my thesis writing goals. I’ve quickly learned that writing this is a tricky process! –sometimes the words just flow onto the page, and other times, it can be like pulling teeth.
In April, I decided to take a quick trip home to Nova Scotia. It was so good to spend time with my family and friends who I don’t get to see very often these days. The trip was also a wonderful opportunity for me to step away from my work, even it was just for a long weekend. Though my visit flew by, I did leave home feeling as if I’d managed to recharge a bit. I came back to St. John’s ready to work but within a matter of days, I was already feeling overwhelmed again –and even a little guilty for having taken that time off (silly, I know). I came to realize that it was time for me to look everything over and seriously change my approach. I needed to come up with a way to stop feeling weighed down by the amount of things I had to do, especially if there was any way I was actually going to get them all done! This brings me to where I am now –and that’s back in Saint-Pierre et Miquelon!
What am I doing in Saint-Pierre this time you might ask? Well, it’s something of a research trip meets writing retreat. I am at the local museum most days, combing through their impressive library of books related to the history and culture of the islands as well as their collection of primary sources which largely pertain to the later history -from the 19th-20th century. While this continued research is certainly enhancing my understanding of the islands’ historical trajectory, I am also here simply to write. Like Anna so eloquently put it in her fabulous post last week, this time away from home is “a source for new ideas and renewed motivation.” Although not an adventurous vacation (-I am still very much living the graduate student life!), this trip is similar in that it is a much-needed break from the graduate student atmosphere. No more lab, no more office, instead I’m spending time back in the community I research. I’ve been here for two weeks now and I am already having a great time. The pictures here were taken on one of many walks out to “La Pointe” on the southeastern edge of the Saint-Pierre harbour.
Being back in the culture I’m studying has also really helped me with my work. Most archaeologists and anthropologists work within a cultural context that’s different from their own. As a result, I’ve never thought much of me being an Anglo-Canadian working in a historical French context. Instead, I saw my graduate student research as the prime opportunity for me to actually learn French. That said, I’ve been working on this project for coming up on 2 years now and I’ll fully admit, I’m still not speaking it. I will say that I have been busy learning many other tools of the trade along the way so I haven’t actually been able to spend as much time improving my French as I would’ve liked –and truthfully, the time I have invested into has proven it’s difficult for me. Some people seem to take to other languages like nothing but what I’ve come to learn about myself is I’m just not like that. It’s funny because I usually consider myself a fast learner but when it comes to mastering my second language, that’s a whole other story it seems.
For the most part, not being fluent in French while also being part of this research project has not been an issue for me. Luckily, there is no language barrier when it comes to reading the archaeology! As well, being Canadian, I have had some level of exposure to French quite literally all my life. My reading comprehension in French is not bad but the formal or “old-timey” language of historical texts can still be quite challenging. However, being back here in Saint-Pierre and surrounded by the language all day, has worked wonders. Both my verbal understanding and reading comprehension has significantly increased –it’s as if a switch has flicked on in my brain! I’m not struggling nearly as much to work through some of these French texts half as much as I was when I was trying to read them back in St. John’s
Overall, this trip has turned out to be exactly what I needed to create a positive mindset for me to get things done. Coming back here has allowed me to establish the right environment to work through my thesis. Figuring it out, finding what works for me, realizing the right environment, and finally forging this right mindset for the current chapter of my graduate student research proved challenging! But here I am –still with a ton of work left ahead of me before I complete my degree –but I’m also finally in a place where despite all of that, I still feel like I can breathe! It took so long for me to get here, but now that I am it feels so so good. When it comes to writing a thesis, or carrying out graduate student research more broadly, what works for some other people might not work for you –and that’s totally ok. It’s taking the necessary steps to ensure you’re in the right place (-be it literally or figuratively!) for getting it done that matters. Since being back in Saint-Pierre, I’m beginning to figure out more and more what works for me. The past couple of months before coming here were not for nothing because gaining a better idea of what doesn’t work is really important too –after all, you’ve got to start somewhere!
An old friend of ours. We first met him last summer at the Point where our excavations took place.
As always, thanks for reading!
~Meghann
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