Stepping into the fieldwork
Finding my rhythm in education research
I’ve always seen the doctoral journey as a spiritual process—a journey where a human being attempts to capture, document, and reflect a specific reality of a particular time, for others to read, to learn, and to remember. This is a magical process, which the researcher tries to piece together a story backed with one's own theoretical lens and assumptions.
Today, as I officially begin my fieldwork, doing something I’ve always dreamt of: driving across Malaysia, meeting inspiring people who are working tirelessly to improve the education system. This wouldn’t have been possible without the fieldwork grant from the British Association of International and Comparative Education (BAICE).
What makes this moment even more profound is the personal journey that’s brought me here. Just recently, I lost my father at the end of February—marking the fourth family member I’ve lost ever since being away from home. A niece, an aunt, a brother, and now, a father. Grief has become a companion on this path. In the midst of this, I am truly grateful to receive condolence messages from many but namely from the BAICE leadership team - Dr Alison Buckler, Namrata Rao, and Jennifer J. Agbaire. Not to forget, the larger body in BAICE - Surya Pratap Deka, Pritha Dahal and Kate Matzopoulos. As a nobody, this simple gesture made me feel seen and valued. I am not just professionally grateful, but also personally indebted to BAICE.
I feel incredibly fortunate to still be here, to still breathe, to be doing something as intellectually and spiritually meaningful as this. As a kid who grew up on the streets of Buntong, from a low class and low caste background, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine walking an academic path and speaking to elites. People like me aren’t expected to be here, but here we are.
I look forward to sharing glimpses of this fieldwork as I travel across Malaysia. This journey, I hope, will honor those I’ve lost, the people I meet, and the place I come from.