The End

It's funny that after so many times that I simply wanted to hop on a plane and go home I now miss Tonga. Overall it was an absolutely amazing experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Really. Tonga was my home for three months of my life, which in the long run doesn't amount to much, but it's still something.

Right before our plane left our host mom, Uini, took us to the ocean so that we could harvest sea cucumbers. A pretty awesome last activity to do while in Vava'u if I do say so myself. The sea cucumbers were absolutely nasty but then again I tend to freak out about wierd ocean things like that. It was just really great to wade through the ocean one last time with these Tongan women and pick up sea cucumbers and the like.

Elise and I like to joke that we came full circle in this trip, that the first few weeks were like the last few weeks and to some extent it's true. But in all honesty the last few weeks were different, because, although some days were still slow, we were more comfortable here. The first few weeks we were basically alone but the last few we had friends and were confident enough to meet the stares of people in town and on the street. The last few weeks went quickly, in fact the whole trip went quickly. But I'm glad it happened. I learned a lot, not all of it to do with old people (my basic project topic) but all useful nonetheless. I learned to love these people and maybe someday I will see them again.

The 6th of August

It's now the day before Elise and I leave Vava'u, and it in now way feels as though we are about to leave this country and reenter our own. I imagine it won't really hit me until I'm back in America.

The past few days have been filled with many farewells to and from the people here. Last Friday the primary school here in the village we live in put on a little farewell for us. All the students in the school (not just the classes we taught) we're sitting in an empty building sweetly singing upon out arrival for the farewell. All the boys were sitting on one side of the room and all the girls on the other. Elise and I sat together at the front of the room and listened while the principal gave a speech of thanks to us in english. Then we were handed a piece pf paper with our name written on it (mine was written as my Tongan name Vikatolia) and laden with necklaces and other Tongan jewelry. It was really sweet. After that we each said a few words of thanks and parting. Looking at all the little smiling faces from where I stood made me want to cry though, I really will miss all those kids. Then all the children sang "God be with you til we meet again" in tongan and it was beautiful. For the first time it really hit me that I'm leaving and will probably never see these people again. But I'm really appreciative of the time I had with them and all that I have learned from them.

Earlier today all the parents from the kindergarten we volunteer at held a feast for Elise and I and gave us more parting gifts. These Tongan people are very giving and kind. That is something I hope to take home with me from this experience.

And So It Continues...

Time is an idea that constatnly boggles my mind. The rate at which it passes, the fact that it is always moving forward no matter what we choose to fill it with. Time is a guarantee, eventually it will pass. And all you're left with are the memories and learned experiences of what you once filled your time with.

I'm continuing to learn much on this field study in Tonga. My project is coming along, I've made friends and ultimately have the beginnings of a life here. People call out my name as I walk down the street and I don't feel nearly as out of place in social atmospheres as I once did.  It's almost like as soon as you really start to get settled in here it's time to leave. And it simply becomes that time I spent three months in Tonga. When I leave here, these people will continue to live their lives as they always have and I will return to mine. I haven't done anything exceptional or amazing here. I haven't changed anyone's life. I have simply observed and learned a little bit more about the world and the people in it.

The world is a big place with billions of people all leading thier own important lives. Vava'u is just one tiny island, admist many, in the middle of the South Pacific on the surface of this large world. What the people on this island do, how they live, think and act seems very insignificant when compared with the rest of the world. But it is significant in that there are people here. People with families and friends and lives. And I'm appreciative of having the opportunity of being a part of their lives for the last three months. It hasn't always been easy, but it's been worth it. I'll miss these people and this land, the beautiful sunsets, the friendly countenances and the gentle lull of the ocean. It is a very peaceful place indeed.

Healers and Doctors

At the start of my three months here in the field I began to develop some type of open sore on my chin. It stung and pussed and grew larger each day. It also began to spread to new places on my chin where new sores would then grow. It looked nasty and was very painful. My host parents, naturally feeling concern, took me to one of the local healers in our village, Leimatu'a. The Tongan healer, a man, rubbed some brwon colored Tongan medicine all over teh sores on my chin. It stung and burned like a hot flat iron blade being held against my face. Not to mention I looked like someone had caked mud all over my chin, how's that for a fashion statement?

Anyhow, the following day I went to the hospital, as is my habit being an active volunteer there. Naturally, the doctors (who consider me part of their 'family') were concerned by the strange sores on my face. They asked me about it and I told them I had been taken to see a Tongan healer. The reaction from the doctors was unexpected to say the least. The doctors, all Tongan by the way, started cracking up. They laughed for a good while and told me never to return to the healer, to tell my Tongan family that I'm not allowed to go back there. Then the head doctor, under her own name so that it wouldn't cost me money, prescribed me some antibiotics and hydrocortizone cream. When I returned home I told my host parents that the doctors gave me some medicine for my face, and that was that. We didn't return to the Tongan healer that day like we had been planning to.

Fast forward one week. My host parents notice that though my face was getting a little better it was still progressively getting worse in other places. So they concldued that the hospital medicine didnt' work and that I should return to the healer, that I should stick with the Tongan healer for at least five days. Except we had to go to a different healer this time because we apparently hurt the feelings of the first one by not returning and using the hospital medicine instead.

Fast forward three weeks. My face was still no better from the Tongan medicine. In fact I think the medicine had only made it worse. But my host parents were convinced otherwise. At one point I got sick of the Tongan medicine, the pain it caused, and the fact that it absolutely wasn't helping to heal my face. So I started putting the cream from the hospital on my sores again. One time my host mom saw me applying the hospital cream and ended chastising me about it with the help of my host dad. They told me I was messing up the Tongan medicine and that I shouldn't use the hospital medicine anymore because it didn't work before. They wanted me to only use Tongan medicine until it got better. I wanted to scream "but it's been weeks and it's not healing from your healers!" Don't worry though, I restrained myself. Instead I attempted to explain that the doctors didn't want me using the tongan healer anymore. They could have cared less so I continued to stick with the tongan healer. At this point my chin had been covered in open sores for about a month. That's a long time and basically no matter what I did to make it better I would be offending someone.

I started applying an antibiotic cream that Elise brought, in secret of course, and lo and behold my face healed right up. The three weeks I spent going to a Tongan healer everyday could have been avoided if I'd only used Elise's cream earlier.

Now another two months have passed and it's been interesting to see the differences between doctors and healers here. And my face, well, it has a large pink scar across my chin. Something that I hope will fade with time. And if it doesn't it will certainly forever remind me of this field study.

The Things I Eat

Vava'u is beautiful. It amazes me sometimes that I am here in this place where everything is breathtaking. I love the sunsets and the sunrises. I love the ocean, I'm learning to love the people. It's easy to forget how amazing something is if you are in it day in and day out. But I'm doing my best not to get complacent with it all.

I want to talk a bit about the 'things I eat' although this may not take long because the majority of the things are bread. Bread, rolls, buns, crackers. My diet is amazing. I learned working at the hospital a few weeks ago that Tonga is one of the top ten countries in the world for diabetes. In fact one of out every three people is diabetic and approximately three out of every four are overweight. It's easy to see why, so many people suffer from poverty and don't necessarily have the means to purchase healthier foods. You buy what you can eat and you eat lots when you have food. Combine that with a much less active lifestyle and you get a lot of people here in Tonga. I have however observed for myself that as the vast majority of middle aged Tongan women are overweight, the vast majority of Tongan men remain healthier well into their middle age. It's really interesting to see that gender difference.

Today I had the opportunity to watch some legit Tongan rugby games. It was a 7's tournament with all of the villages here. Our host Dad Ofa played and so that was really cool. I'm surprised they don't get injured more often with how brutal they can get. We were sitting the whole time in a sort of dug out with a few dozen Tongan men, Elise and I being the only white people and the only girls. I definitely felt out of place. But that happens a lot here so I'm learning just to accept it, the situation is probably only that uncomfortable for me. Anyhow I am running out of time on the internet so I'll end here.

In Tonga

I have thus far had difficulty maintaining my blog during this field study experience because of internet inavailability for the most part. However I hope to right now make up for lost time. I have officially been in Tonga for six weeks as of yesterday and I can't believe how fast it's gone. Although I suppose it also feels like I have been here for forever so maybe I can believe it. I am living on the island Vava'u in a village called Leimatu'a. The family I live with is LDS and has four kids all under the age of six, they are very nice people. The first few weeks really took a lot of getting used to, things here are very different from back home, the culture, the people, the way of life. But I'm learning to appreciate it and the people. At first it was a big shock, and I definitely have been going through some culture shock.

Getting my project up and going was much more difficult than I originally anticipated that it would be but I've been working on it. It feels as though I am having a culture experience with a project as almost secondary to it which may be part of the goal. Anyhow, it has great days and not so great days but I am able to appreciate how cool it all is.

Right now I divide my time between the hospital, I volunteer and observe there, the local primary school, and our family. Starting next week I am going to be conducting the interviews that I have spent so much time preparing and building rapport for. I'm excited both because I feel like I know have learned enough to make better decisions about the questions to ask and which people to interview. I also have observed a lot of their culture and can come to some basic conclusions for myself and my project although I recognize that three months really isn't that long. Even if it feels like a lifetime some days.

Learning Journal 33

Two more days of class, the final due date for the proposal, and the final exam. These are the remaining things for the IAS prep class for going to Tonga. Hard to believe it is almost over and the real field study experience is just around the corner.

Last Friday I had the opportunity to present my proposal/project to a few peers. It was a really good learning experience because, as I was presenting, I was able to see what was fuzzy and was really clear in terms of my project. When you have to really explain something out loud to other people, you learn the most. Hearing myself discuss my project aloud, and thoroughly explaining all aspects of it helped me realize that I think I am decently ready. I do believe that my ideas came across clear and organized, and it hit me that this is really happening. I am going to Tonga to conduct a research project of my own making. I am going to live with a host family and become immersed in another culture for three months, learning about them and about myself.

The project that I have created is only one aspect of the whole field studies experience, and I know that when I feel lost I can always turn to completing one piece of that project for direction. I recognize that this project is not going to change lives or impact the world in any way. But it will impact me, it will help me see the world through different eyes for three months, and with that I can bring awareness into other people's lives. This I am excited for.

Learning Journal 32

I have been reading up a bit about the local hospital on Vava'u island. Price Wellington Ngu Hospital is located in Neiafu Vava'u and is a small hospital consisting of only about two doctors and eight nurses. There are approximately 40 beds that these doctors and nurses see to on a regular basis along with obstretics, gynaecology, pediatrics, general medicine, and surgical units.

I hope to complement my field study in Tonga with the opportunity to volunteer at Prince Wellington Ngu Hospital. As a prospective medical school student, the experience that Tonga will bring me will be invaluable to my future medical career. I have decided that I will be extremely happy to volunteer in whatever capacity they need me. I have been thinking about the best way to go about obtaining this volunteering opportunity, and have looked online to see if I can find a contact email or something but have not succeeded.

I am thinking that after arriving in Tonga I can visit the hospital in person and offer myself as a volunteer if they need or could use me at all. I will also ask if I would be able to shadow them during procedures, this would be following the building of rapport of course. I don't necessarily foresee my being turned down, but if I am, the world moves on.

Learning Journal 31

We discussed the different phases of culture shock in class on Monday, and those included the honeymoon phase, aggression and rejection, isolation and frustration, and finally acceptance and adaptation. Not all people will experience all phases of culture shock in that order or even experience all phases of culture shock at all. I think it is important to recognize what culture shock is, and how you as an individual are most likely to react to it. Then you can do you best to overcome and defeat culture shock, as well as be less of a burden on the group members and people you are living with.

More than likely I feel that I will experience the honeymoon phase, that being when everything is new and special and awesome. Following that I feel that I may experience a phase in which I may feel homesick or lonely or that the things of Tonga are annoying. I will do my absolute best to not allow culture shock to rule my attitude and decisions. One of my favorite quotes is by Victor Frankl, and it's that "the last of human freedoms is to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances." Culture shock will inevitably be a factor in my field study experience in Tonga, in fact it is to be expected. And though it may affect me, and don't have to allow it to affect the moods of those around me. I can choose whichever attitude I wish, and I choose to be positive. To recognize that I am in a foreign place, that it is for only three months, that it will end, and that I will learn so much from it. I look forward to the experiences that culture brings and what I will learn about myself as a result of those experiences.

Learning Journal 30

It's been a little while, but I'm back. Anyhow, a few weeks ago I found out that the King of Tonga had passed away. I didn't intially realize quite what this meant for me as I will be traveling there next month. I learned that in Tonga, when the King passes, the whole country is to be in mourning for three months. That means that, upon my arrival in Tonga, the country will only have gone through the first month and a half of that mourning period. I will get the opportunity to experience the last month and a half of mourning with them all. I believe this will be a really fascinating cultural experience and I intend to respect it 100%. I also think it will be very interesting to learn how closely people follow the guidelines and rules for the mourning months. Some of these rules or 'encouragements' I guess, are to wear black often. Music and celebrations are also discouraged for those three months as well. I plan on making sure I have some black to wear.

With only one month left and my project being reviewed by the Institutional Review Board, I am working on preparing myself mentally for the new culture of Tonga. I will be living in a new place, with a new culture where I will know relatively no one. Last week in one of our classes we discussed challenges that people face while in the field. Amongst those mentioned were that often times people will wake up and feel lonely, sad, and question what they are doing in this foreign place thousans of miles from home. In order to avoid this type of thinking I will make lists of what I love about Tonga and its people. I will ask many questions and learn all that I can about the people and their traditions. I will be a student of their culture, and soak in everything I can for the three months that I am there. I hope to leave a good rapport behind for future students planning on conducting field studies in Tonga as well.

Learning Journal 25

Earlier this week we had to submit our IRB proposals to be reviewed. It wasn't easy, but I think in the end the final draft was pretty decent. I had had it reviewed mulitple times by different peolpe, and though it's not perfect, it is a lot better than the original draft. One of the main problems I encountered with my proposal was a lack of a good focus. My ideas were far too many, I had listed six or seven 'questions' that could be turned into full blown projects all thier own. I had to be reminded that I will only be in Tonga for three months, and that I can take a look at all the other topics I included but that there would be no possible way to really give them justice. In the end, I have chosen to focus on the Tongan perceptions of aging and the elderly with an emphasis on how they view Alzheimer's disease. When interviewing people I can ask about different things, but the main point is to focus on their perceptions.

Also, because I am donig a general observational study on perceptions of aging and of Alzheimer's disease, that essentially elimates the difficulty of working with a vulnerable population because I will not be working with Alzheimer's patients at all. Slight interactions may occur but I will not be interveiwing or studying them. The topics of aging and Alzheimer's can still get sensitive but not to the same degree. This whole research project is coming to life more than ever before and really beginning to seem real. Now I will just cross my fingers and hope the Institutional Review Board passes my project (even accepting it with changes would be perfectly okay with me).

Learning Journal 24

Whenever I am approached by strangers with whom I know nothing about, I am often very reluctant to give personal or sensitive information about myself. It is only after knowing someone for a while, trusting them, that I feel comfortable with that sort of release of information. With the people of Tonga, this would be no different. I can't expect everyone to be super willing to answer my questions or be comfortable with my presence when I know that in a reversed situation I probably wouldn't be either. This leads then to the building of rapport. When I am in Tonga, the first and foremost task is going to be the buidling of rapport within the communtiy I am in. It will probably take multiple weeks until I will be at a level with people to really begin meaningful interviews and studies.

My topic tends to be much more sensitive to people, and for good reason. This means that it will most likely take much longer for me to be at a place in the community where they feel comfortable enough with me to share information. Patience will be important. I think that it is important to remember that, with only three months there, the project shouldn't be rushed. It's more important to be on good standing within the community than to get a few answers to questions. The people are ulitmately more important.

Learning Journal 23

We have been continuing to work on and improve our IRB proposals in class this past week. I finished a first draft of it last week and am currently working on updating that draft this week. The whole IRB process has been an eye opener to me of what I have and don't have figured out for my project. In terms of conducting the research, different methods, and interviews.

I've been learning about interviews and the different kinds that exist, structured, semi-structured, or super casual conversations. For my project I think that semi-structured interveiws are going to be the best course of action. I can talk to people with general ideas set up, some probing questions, and then let the interview go where it will. I also learned about a new method known as freelisting. This is where I would ask the interviewee to list all things that come to mind when I say a certain word/phrase. For example, Alzheimers. Then, based on what they answer, I would ask why they put certain things in order to delve into what they thinking because most people aren't concerned or usually thinking much about subjects such as Alzheimers on a regular basis.

Another method that could prove pretty useful would be that of focus groups. If I were able to find enough caregivers who were willing to participate in a focus group for me, then I believe that could potentially be an invaluable source of information. I would let the people in the group discuss things, ask the right questions to get them talking myself, then sit back and listen. I believe I could learn a lot from something like that.

Learning Journal 22

There are approximately seven weeks until this semester (including finals) is officially over. Tack on anothe couple weeks beyond that and it will be time to go to Tonga. That's not a lot of time which means I 've gotta really get going on my project proposal, faculty mentor, and all that is involved with my field study. This week is going to be a little crazy in terms of everything needing to be done for my field study proposal. We are working on getting the IRB proposal done, course contracts are due by Friday and sections of the proposal are rapidly being due.

The IRB proposal is something that, because of my project, I need to really spend some quality time detailing and making very clear. I will be working with a vulnerable population, that being the cognitively impaired (Alzheimer's/dementia patients), and therefore need to be very careful and sensitive about how I go about and conduct my research. This is essentially the purpose of the IRB and I definitely want approval.

I'm currently working on my course contracts, due by Friday. There is a maximum of 9 credits allowed to take while in the field, three of which are involved in the IAS course. That leaves another 6 credits for me to fill. I have been hoping to take courses that will fulfill requirements for my gerontology minor, such as intership credit. I hope to take three credits of internship credit, followed by a course offered by my primary faculty mentor. The only issue thus far is that I don't quite yet have a faculty mentor. I will be meeting on Tuesday with one Lorilla Hawkins who is the coordinator for gerontology interships as well as the teacher of the course I would like to take in the field if possible. I am really crossing my fingers that all goes well with her and that I will be able to complete my course contracts by Friday.

I have been working on my proposal, but not nearly putting in the effort that I should be at this point. My plan for this week is to rewrite my Literature Review, because I now feel that I have a better grasp on what I need to put into it and how to go abou that. I am excited to really start making progress on my project and all involved with it. It truly brings this field study to life.

Learning Journal 21

Palangi. This is the Tongan word for white people, like me. I am going to need to prepare myself for situations that as an American white kid I am sure to encounter. For example, in class we talked about what you would do if someone came up to you and asked you to help pay for their child's education. I come with a stereotype of priveleged, rich, and white. And, yes, because of the circumstances I was born into I have had been more priveleged and had more opportunities in life. Now, if someone approached me like that, I would want to help them, but I know that I don't hardly have the means to do much good. We discussed in class, that instead of paying for education, simply share what knowledge you have and teach them instead. I think this is a really cool idea, sharing knowledge, teaching and helping out in that way.

When I go to Tonga, the last thing I want to do is force myself and my culture on their own. I will be there to learn about them and their culture, not to change it any one bit. I want to be able to go home to Alaska for a week and bring with me what I have learned (from three months granted) of their culture and share that with people. I want to return to Provo a better person from the experiences I will have encountered in Tonga. I recognize that this is a responsibility compeletely my own, as we choose the attitude we have in any circumstance and we choose what we take out of experiences be they good or bad. I want to bring home the good, and leave behind a great reputation for future Tonga field study students.

Learning Journal 20

I recently took the IRB tutorial to learn more about ethics in the field. This is important for everyone going on a field study because, no matter what research project you are conducting, you want to be a positive influence for the people you will be interacting with. I like to say 'leave people better than you found them.' It is important not to create negative effects for the people you are researching, do whatever you can to alleviate or avoid uncomfortable situations or topics for the people. It's not okay to make a whole bunch of peole uncomfortable or nervous just so you can get ahead in your research.You also don't want to hurt people. This is the purpose for the IRB.

In order to conduct our field study this summer, we all will have to pass IRB approval. Now for some topics, that should be a piece of cake, as certain things don't really deal in the research of people. For me, however, it much more relevant. When taking the IRB tutorial online, it mentioned what constitutes a vulnerable population of people. Though individuals over the age of 65 are not considered a vulnerable population, people with dementia or Alzheimer's are. If I choose to interview, speak with, and spend time with individuals with dementia, I will need to be extremely careful in the actions I make, and the questions I ask. The last thing I want to do is hurt someone. Now, I anticipate that a good chunk of my research will focus on speaking with, interviewing and interacting with people who are not dementia patients and therefore won't need to be as stringint with what I say. Although, if those peole are family members of a patient experiencing dementia, I will need to be careful so as not to make them uncomfortable or to bring up sadness. But speaking about dementia or Alzheimer's to a random member of the society, that is not a sensitive topic and will be easier.

As I go about formulating my project and questions I will ask, I plan on being very careful with my wordings. I want to build a strong rapport with peole when in Tonga, and I want to treat them as I would my own grandparents. I will be extra careful with my proposal, because I want to leave Tonga having made a positive impact on people's lives instead of the other way around.

Learning Journal 19

I conducted a second interview this weekend in order to fulfill an assignment for my prep course for the field study. The first time I did an interview I sort of just played it by ear, general ideas in my mind of questions I wanted to ask. I interviewed a girl from one of my classes whom I didn't particularly know very well, and I think the process went rather well. I asked a few questions which she answered diligently, the whole atmosphere was very casual and laid back. We talked between questions about whatever came up, or anything she was curious about. I believe that helped to build rapport. I was hoping for this second interview to find an older subject, someone closer to middle age, but the chance did not necessarily arise this weekend.

I interviewed a kid from my ward (but do not fear, it was someone I had exchanged very few words with before). I found in this interveiw that the interviewee seemed more distracted during the whole process, and almost anxious for it to be over. It's more difficult to conduct a meaningful interview when the person clearly does not care much about being there. I did what I could to build rapport, but it was harder this time, and I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps we didn't just 'click' as well. Anyhow, once again the interviewee was a person who hadn't much past experience with Alzhiemer's disease, but we talked a little bit more about her grandparents and elderly people in general.

I think the whole second interviewing process was a good experience because it shows that not everyone is easy to glean information from, and that you may have to try different approaches depending upon the person. You must quickly try to understand how the interviewee works and then apply an interviewing setting according to that. I'm sure that in the field interveiwing won't be easy, first of all there will be a language barrier, and secondly I will be someone very different, and will need to be able to build a solid rapport. I plan to continue interviewing people now in order to prepare myself for the field.

Learning Journal 18

I recently checked out and have been reading through a book entitled "Alzheimer's Disease: Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care." I have come across a lot of information in my research about Alzheimer's disease, and about the neurobiology of it all, which as fascinating as that is, does not necessarily apply to my project. However, the last few chapters in this book deal with the social and behavioral aspects of Alzheimer's and how families deal with it. I have found this to be much more helpful in my preparation for my project as it gives ideas as to how care can best be applied to patients. This will give me a reference point for my studies in Tonga.

According to this book, Alzheimer's has many "deleterious effects of the family memebrs of patients. As the patients deteriorate, they become less and less aware of their disabilities. Families continue to suffer the effects fo the illness....and as many as 80% of caregivers of dementia patients have been reported to be suffering from chronic fatigue, depression, or anger." (Khachaturian 278). This information is relevant because it will allow me to witness how the family members/caregivers are getting along with the disease. I will most likely use just participant observation with possible gentle questions to determine this.

Something that has occured to me, however, is that there is a possiblity that finding Alzheimer's patients may be difficult of the islands as they may be scarce or the disease may have gone undetected. If I make it to Tonga and fail miserably at finding any person or persons with Alzheimer's, I have decided that I will do a similar study only in how Tongan families care for the elderly instead. As I am sure that old people do exist in Tonga.

Learning Journal 17

This week there is an Inquiry Conference for BYU field studies where previous field study students present what they learned in the field. I have gone to a few of the presentations so far, initially with the mindset of "I'm coming because my class requires it." But a few minutes into the first one, I realized how interesting and useful the information being shared was.

The first presentation I attended was from a guy who went to Tonga (just like I'm going) and studied traditional vs. western medicine. I realize that this is different from my project, however there are correlations I found. He spent a lot of time in the hospital in Vava'u shadowing and volunteering. When I go to Tonga, I hope to have the opportunity to spend some time in a hospital, interviewing doctors and asking about Alzhiemer's disease in order to gain a professional perspective. If possible, I would also try and volunteer as well, in whatever aspect I can, just to gain a little experience that way. I will also be taking a look at treatments for Alzhiemers disease, both traditional and modern if possible. After hearing about the differences between healers and regular doctors in Tonga, I am interested to see if there are remedies for Alzhiemers patients from traditional healers and how different they would be.

I also had the opportunity to go see the keynote speaker wednesday afternoon, and I honestly thoroughly enjoyed his presentation. What he said about the world really not being such a bad place once you get out there struck me as real. It's easy to see the world as an evil place from the safety of homes here in the U.S., or Provo specifically. Sure there are bad parts to it, but there are just as many good parts to match those. I look forward to expanding my horizons this summer and to continue to do the same throughout my life.

Learning Journal 16

Often times I run into people who ask about my field study, where I'm going, what I'm doing there and for how long. I will explain it to all to them, and then at the end of the conversation their final questions tends to be; why? Why Tonga? What made you decide to do a field study. Or you're just a freshman, why not wait? And for the longest time I haven't really known how to answer these questions.

Why Tonga? Well, typically I will respond with 'why not Tonga?' It's there so I might as well go, and besides I've always been very interested in the South Pacific. But that's only the surface. I think that really I chose Tonga because it is so isolated, seemingly so far away from the rest of the world. And I have always wanted to go far away, to get out into the world like that. I mean, if it hadn't been for the money, I would have gone to college in New Zealand, and Tonga, well, it was closest to there. But as I have attended my Tongan language class, participated on the womens cougar rugby team, and studied more about Tongan people, culture and society, the more I have fallen in love with and gotten excited to research in this country. I believe I can honestly answer 'why Tonga' now by saying that they have a beautiful culture that I will feel honored to be a small part of for one summer with  people who I will be lucky to spend time with and study.

Why have I decided to go on a field study? And go at the beginning of my college career as opposed to the end? Well, honestly I hadn't even heard of a field study before I arrived fresh at  BYU last August. I knew already though, that I wanted to travel that summer, that I wasn't planning on going home. I first heard about the field study during freshman orientation but didn't really give it a second thought, coming up with a project on my own and stuff sounded like a lot of work. But then I went to the International Studies Fair and browsed, and ran into the Tonga booth. I asked some questions and picked up a pamphlet for one of the information meetings and there and then I decided 'let's do it', a field study this summer. And that was that.

I still didn't know what exactly was required of me, and the whole of it all seemed slightly daunting but exciting. I remember calling my Dad after I had made up my mind to go and telling him 'so dad, there's a pretty good chance I'm gonna be in Tonga this summer...' and he replied with 'where's Tonga'? and was 100% supportive after that. Now that I am halfway through the prep course and have most of a project figured out and am beginning to draft my proposal, I really think that Tonga was a good choice for me and I am excited to be there. Going on and participating in the whole process of this field study as a freshman has been and (as I'm certain) will continue to be a huge learning and growing process for me as a person. It will help prepare me for future field studies, future careers, and teach me how to better deal with people and situations in my life that are different. So once again why Tonga? Because I really believe that I can learn something from the culture and the people both in my field of study and outside it. I'm ready.

Learning Journal 15

My project will be in studying the elderly, although not necessarily always interacting with them. I will be studying how Alzheimer's/dementia is viewed in Tongan society, and how their culture may affect that view. This will involve interviewing more than just patients with the disease or their family members. I will hopefully see if I can get a broad perspective from the young and middle-aged as well. I hope to, however, visit patients and conduct particpant observation while in their homes. I will definitely see if I can speak with the patients themselves if given the opportunity, however it would not be in a formal interviewing setting, just little observational questions. I also hope to study to some degree how they are taken care of (the patients I mean) by their families. I want to see if their are Tongan remedies and how effective they are.

Right now I participate with First Choice as hospice volunteer here in Provo/Orem. Basically this means I get to sit, talk with, and entertain elderly individuals who are close to passing in order to give their families a break for a couple of hours. Many of the patients with First Choice have alzheimers to some degree, and I have had the opportunity of witnessing first hand the disease. I know for a fact that it is different for an outsider looking in, I don't have a history with them, a past filled with memories that they no longer can remember with me. But I can see the toll it takes on family members and loved ones. I want to see if it is similar in Tonga.

In fact, I have the chance tomorrow morning to volunteer and sit with an elderly lady for a few hours. The experience I am recieving as a hospice volunteer I believe to be invaluable for my ability to speak with elderly indivduals in the field. I still hope to find a volunteering opportunity possible at a clinic in whichever island I end up on, and plan to do whatever I can to set that up prior to leaving. The more my project develops, the more excited I get about going to and researching in Tonga.

Learning Journal 14

We watched a video in class Monday about a kid who went on field study one summer with the intention of studying entimology ( I want to say it was somewhere in Africa but I'm not positive). In order to complete his study of insects and the like, he was conducting interviews with the people there. He was frustrated, however, to find that when speaking the word 'insect' in the countries native tongue he recieved many answers such as 'chicken', or 'mouse'. These, as you and I both know, are not insects. This kid experienced quite a language barrier that made his project difficult to thoroughly study. He realized that what may mean 'insect' to us as Americans does not necessarily translate to the same thing in the language of the country he was in. I feel that, language, more so than culture, can be a bigger difficulty in conducting effective interviews while in the host country. How valid can the information you have gathered really be if the language was not translated correctly? I feel lucky that many people in Tonga are capable of speaking English, though that doesn't eliminate this barrier entirely.

In class Monday we discussed interviewing people and the different tactics you can use as well as the difficulties that come along with it. As discussed above there is definitely the task of overcoming language, but there is also being self-aware and conscious of the peoples' cutlure and customs. What is and what isn't appropriate to say or do, who would be an appropriate person to approach and who should you leave alone or avoid. We discussed the idea of 'rapport', of building a trust with the people you are trying to glean information from. You are more likely to get more research done if you are trusted. I have seen this in my own life, as I personally am reluctant to give up information or relate personal stories to people who I don't know and who seem to care only about what I can tell them and not about me as a person. I know what when I am conducting interviews I will be breaching sensitive topics and therefore must be tactful about the way I go about it. Being brash and straightforward is definitely not the way to do it. But building a solid rapport with the people, letting them understand that I am a friend and not going to hurt them, that will be the most beneficial.

As I continue to prepare for my field study to Tonga I plan on honing my language and interviewing skills so that I won't be completely a fish out of water when in Tonga, doing it all for real.

Learning Journal 13

I am really enjoying the class the prep class that I go to in order to prepare for my field study to Tonga this summer. Every time I go I learn something more, either about Tonga, how to further develop my project, people and societies, or how groups act. It's fascinating to learn these things because I can apply them to my daily life. I may just be in the bubble that is Provo, Utah but we are still a culture and society of our own. I can be a participant but observant in any given situation and learn how the people here act and what influences those things. Everything we have learned in my prep class aren't just applicable to the field study I will be going on, they are applicable to wherever you may be at any given time or place.

We made maps of our project ideas and the resources we have found thus far to help us learn about and understand those ideas further. The exercise was very useful in helping point out to me where the weaknesses in my project research lie, and which sources I have found that are pretty much useless in helping me with my project. I can now pinpoint better where I need to direct my researching focus. I need to find more sources that deal in Tongan remedies for Alzheimers (as I have none so far) and in studies done on alzheimers or dementia in the south pacific, Hawai'i, New Zealand or Australia. I'm working right now on finding very narrow sources, because I can find ones that are general and broad but not specific. I am working on finding better, more specific sources.

As I continue attending class and researching my project, new ideas are introduced to me, or come to me that will help me in my ultimate goal of a well thought-out field study conducted in Tonga.

Learning Journal 12

What defines family? Is it the people you grew up with, the people who raised you, the people who you can trace your heritage back to, or the people you find along your path through life? I don't think there is any one right or wrong definition for who is included in a person's family. It's all up to the individual to really say who is in their family. True, everyone has an immediate family, and an extended family beyone that, but those are only the people related to you. I believe family goes further and deeper than that.

When asked to define my family, I initially will start with my mom and dad, my brothers and sister, my aunts and uncles, my dozens of cousins, and my grandparents. But I don't necessarily like to stop there, I believe that my family consists of all those people who mean and have meant something to me, beyond a friend or aquaintance, throughout my life. I have some friends who I grew up with, just as close as siblings, whom I regard to be my psuedo-brothers and sister. It doesn't matter to me that we are not related, we are still family.

In my Tongan class a few weeks ago the teacher wrote the Tongan word for 'family', Famili, up on the board. A student in the class noticed how close the spelling was to our own enlgish word for family and asked why that was. Our teacher responded that intitally Tongan's didn't have a word for family, it was derived and adopted from the english language years later. We were told they didn't because they didn't really need a word for family in their culture. Family means so much to Tongans, and extended families and the like were so close, they really didn't have the need to define what a 'family' was, they all just knew. They had however, and still have, a word for 'kin', and that was enough.

I will be integrating myself back into a family when I go to Tonga. I will be living with a host family, listening to the parents as if they were my own, and fulfilling chores just like as I would back home. I am working on, right now, mentally preparing myself for the challenge and experiences that will come from living in a host family, from being part of something bigger than myself. It won't be easy, I'm sure, finding where I fit in. It's something that I can only really figure out once I'm in Tonga. It may not be easy but I'm sure it will be worth it. So what defines family? We define it.

Learning Journal 11

I would like to start this journal by saying that it is the 11th one, and 11 is my lucky number. Therefore this is obviously going to be the best journal. Anyways, I have been attending the Tongan 102 class here and the more I go, the more I really enjoy it. Learning a new language (even if it's only the basics) helps me realize that I'm going somewhere amazing. The little bits I learn, sentences, phrases, and single words, get me excited for when I will be immersed in a country that natively speaks this beautiful language.

One of my goals for when I am in country is to learn as much Tongan as I can. I realize that the majority of everyone I will be interacting with on a daily basis will speak English, but I will still do my best to pick up Tognan. I think it is important to note, however, that although most people speak English, there will certainly still be differences. For example, phrases might have different meanings because of the culture differences. I think it is possible to run into situations where we will be speaking the same language but not necessarily meaning the same thing. It is then important to be careful in what I say and how I act. To be considerate of their culture and respect them. Language can be a barrier, but can it also open up a whole world of possibilites. I am sure that I will encounter situations wherein I will have no clue what is going on perse but I'm ready for it.

My project, since it deals in gerontology, will most likely focus on interactions with the elderly. I said above that many people in Tonga speak English, which is true, but an exception to that would be the very old. This is another reason that I wish to pick up more of the language. It will be increasingly difficult to conduct my project if I cannot effectively communicate with the patients I interact with. I look forward to the challenge that this language barrrier brings, and all the learning and joyous experiences that are sure to come with it.

Learning Journal 10

I have spent this past weekend trying to pay attention to and notice different things about myself. How I walk, the gestures I make with my hands, and small habits I have. Things that I otherwise do unconsciously. I noticed that I tend to walk slowly (when not in a hurry) and gaze all around me. I stand up straight and rarely look at the ground or my feet when I walk. When either alone or with friends I have noticed that I don't like to keep my hands still. I often twirl my earrings, run my fingers through my hair, tap and click a pen or pencil consistently, or doodle. I often gesticulate when I talk to people, be it a presentation or me telling a story to friends. There are lots of little things I do, which means that there are tons that other people do as well.

Noticing the small nuances that I do has helped me pick up on what other people do. And the more observant of these things in others, the more conscientious you can be about how to appopriately approach and maintain conversations with strangers. If you can read the body language of people (because body language can tell you tons) then you can respond in such a way that will aid you in obtaining the results you desire. Body language can tell you so much about what a person is thinking or feeling (be it conscious or not), from the way they look at you to how they sit in a chair. For example, a person not making eye contact you or fidgeting terribly is probably no longer engaged in conversation. Understanding body language and being concious of these things can help when I go to a new culture, Tonga.

As I recognize the things people here at BYU do, it makes me excited to learn and grow from the gestures and customs of the people of Tonga. And now that I am more concsious of what I do and how I act, I can (hopefully) better integrate myself into their community and culture.

Learning Journal 9

The more experiences I have, in general, the more I begin to recognize that what I focus on, what I dwell on and think about most tends to be the bulk of what I learn in any given situation. From there, I recognize that what I think about most is derived from values that I hold as a person, be they conscious or not. As I prepare to go Tonga this summer, it is important to start realizing what I expectations I hold for the time I spend there. That way, once there, I won't be as much of a lost little sheep. As much.

Anyhow, in class on Wednesday we made a list of what expectations we have for when we are in Tonga. They were just simple jottings of things, and some of mine included things like making lasting friends, learning some of the language, becoming immersed in the culture, and trying new things. A lot of it seemed to focus on ways that I can expand myself, ways that I can learn without imposing myself on their culture. Academically I have expectations as well, to conduct a well thought out research project. To learn how better to approach people, and how to tactfully conduct sensitive interviews. It would seem then, that a lot of my values lie in bettering myself and learning, as well as forming friendships. I value people, learning and growing experiences.

The more I learn, the more I can discover what I will expect from the country, though, to a large degree, I recognize that things will be better than I expected or not measuring to exactly what I expected. I look forward to the experiences that this field study will bring, and how much I will grow from that. I look forward to, and am nervous for, experiences that will challenge my social norms and make me think about what is right or wrong. It will be an adventure.

Learning Journal 8

In class on Monday, we discussed the concept of time. Now, time in the first place has always been something really fascinating to me, it is always there, always passing, but never tangible. We try and fill time with the most productive things we can (sometimes), we try to make the most of our time, we want to make an impact with our time. But, no matter what we do, as we get older, it just passes more quickly and more quickly, making it seem more fleeting with every passing day. In class we discussed two forms of time; monochronic and polychronic time.

Monochronic time is like scheduled time, I have to get this done in this amount of time and that in that amount of time. Polychronic time is more fluent, it is time that we dedicate to people and doesn't necessarily have a beginning or an end. When first these two ideas of time were proposed my automatic response was to reject them, to say that this is just something that some guy (ironically with too much time on his hands) thought up and decided to throw out there. It was just one person's idea of time, and my initial reaction was to refute it, we all have different ideas of how our time is spent or what it's worth. However, the more we discussed mono and polychronic time, the more sense it really made. Yeah, I still don't necessarily believe that everything can be categorized into those two ideas of time, but they do have merit.

Over the past few days I have begun to recognize monochronic and polychronic time in my own life, as I rush to class, or practice, or a meeting. I see polychronic as I spend time with a friend, without a real beginning because the amount of time with them doesn't matter, just the fact that I spent time with them. I think it truly is fascinating to see how we spend our time, and realize that no matter what, we are never as busy as we say we are because the ways we spend our time is always a choice. Even if that choice is hard.

Learning Journal 7

My project, dealing in studying the social repercussions of Alzhiemers disease on the Tongan people (or at least on those individuals whom I will come into contact with) is slowly shaping up into something of substance that makes a little sense. As this is happening I have been thinking about different ways to accomplish my project while out in the field. What I want to do (at this point) is to interview families who are caring for a person with the disease, friends of those families, and then even the patients themselves. The problem that I foresee, however is first and foremost in coming to contact with and finding these individuals. There is no way that Tonga will be filled with signs that say "Our Grandpa has alzhiemers, call this number!"

The second problem that I foresee is the ethical portion of my project. In no way is asking people how their alzhiemers is going something that is going to bring up happy feelings. I need to find a way to accomplish my project by finding the people first, and going about it in an ethical and well thought-out manner.

I have a few ideas at this point, in solving my problems stated above. First of all, I will need to find the Alzhiemers patients before I can study anything. Therefore, I plan to look up (before going to Tonga) and see if I can find a healthcare facility that deals (at least in some part) with alzheimers patients. From there I will see if volunteering in such a healthcare facility is an option, if not I will still go and interview the doctors and see if from there I can be referred to patients. I plan to ask the doctors questions about the disease and gain thier professional opinion regarding it. In terms of the ethics of my project, I will think about formulating questions that are tactful and don't necessarily talk about the disease in particular but will still be helpful in gleaning information about what families and individuals are feeling as a result of it. I plan to be very observant, as pictures are worth thousands of words. I will work on finding out what needs to be done in order to make my project proposal as ethical as possible.

As I further delve into what my project is and how I am to accomplish it, I come across better ideas, unforeseen difficulties and the like. I want to be able to work all these out so that when I do go to Tonga in May, I will have a solid project to work off of.

Learning Journal 6

Wednesday in class we went over some more Tongan history, the first time we did we focused on the legends and ancient history, which was interesting because it gave me insight into more of their culture and beliefs. This time we talked about more recent history, about how Tonga became a democracy and we read different accounts of riots that took place in 2006. Key word being 'different' accounts, because each article dealing with the riots had a different focus or main idea. This just goes to show that no matter who is telling you the story, you will never really understand the whole story. You will only gain a full understanding of the side of the story the person telling you is saying. So basically, when I go to Tonga, I can't generalize what people say, I can't generalize what people do, and I can't understand all Tongans based off the few I speak with. This also means that, to gain a full understanding (or a better one at the very least) of the social affects of Alzheimers on the Tongan people, I will need to talk to AS MANY people as I can. A broader scope will provide more accurate results.

Learning Journal 5

We did an activity in class on Monday essentially in ranking individuals based on how right or wrong we thought their actions had been. It's interesting, in such a situation, to see different people's responses and thoughts to actions regarding morality. Even in a classroom where we all (probably) share the same religious views, there are differences in how certain aspects on moral decisions are viewed. How right or how wrong people perceive others' actions. This can easily be applied to spending time in another culture because no matter where you go in the world people and societies will feel differently than you on issues. It's important to remember that even in a close knit community differing views arise, and that if they didn't the world would not progress as it has.

In that same light, I think it is also important to recognize that you also cannot generalize an entire group based off what just one or two people from that group say and do. For example, I am a kid from Alaska, and although I am considered just as American as a kid from New York City would be, you couldn't say that my lifestyle, views, and actions are what defines an American. That kid from New York City has been raised differently, probably thinks about and lives differently from me too. And yet, regardless of our immense differences, we are both Americans. You cannot generalize a population, you cannot generalize a nation, you cannot generalize a culture based off of what one or two people are like.

I will traveling to Tonga this summer, learning many new things about the world, myself, and the people of Tonga. I am excited to spend three months in a country that fascinates me studying a subject I enjoy. I am a white kid from 'the last frontier' ready to head south to the beautiful islands of Tonga. Such a contrast from where I was raised I am excited to expand my worldview and experiences.

Statement of Intent

I intend to study the social aspects of the disease alzhiemers/dementia in Tonga. I plan to find how the disease is viewed culturally, is it accepted? What different age groups feel about the disease and how families taking care of elderly members with alzhiemers feel about it. What is their take on having the disease in the family and does the Tongan culture influence that. I plan to accomplish this primarily through interviews and observations of people.
I hope to learn about another culture, to become integrated into another society such that I will learn more about myself and about the people with whom am I living.

25 Questions

Here is my list of 25 questions to further develop my project ideas

1). What is alzheimers?
2). Does Tonga have a medical facility that treats for alzhiemers?
3). What is the typical age that the Tongan people show the disease?
4). Is that age typical for most people or does it vary person to person?
5). Socially, how are people with the disease treated?
6). Is there a correlation between the number of people with it and where they live?
7). Is there a Tongan remedy for alzhiemers?
8). How do Tongan's care for their elderly?
9). How respected are the elderly in Tonga?
10). Do families care for the old once they reach a certain age?
11). Approximately what is that age or is a case to case basis?
12). Is there active research going on in Tonga in relating to alzhiemers?
13). Do the elderly appear to be happy?
14). How well, if any, does Tongan medications for alzhiemers work?
15). Culturally, how is the disease viewed?
16). How is alzhiemers/ dementia viewed by all generations, young and old?
17). What is their word for alzhiemers? connotations?
18). Culturally, how are people with the disease treated?
19). What are different peoples views on death?
20). Do those views vary depending on the age group you ask?
21). How are people with the disease taken care of?
22). Are elderly with treated as if in a different social class?
23). Culturally is it feared?
24). What are the current levels of alzhiemers in the country?, or is it even recorded?
25). Is it seen as something of a curse?
26). Generally, what is known already about the study of the social affect of alzhiemers?

Overarching Question

The purpose of this post if to put my project ideas into one or two questions. So here goes:
What is the effect both socially and culturally of the disease Alzhiemerss on Tongan people?
What are the medications that are just from Tonga, and do they work?

Learning Journal 4

In class on Friday, we discussed things such as reactivity, which can be defined as the fact that someone's knowledge of something is likely to change their behavior. For example, say I'm in Tonga and I am doing a study I'm asking elderly people to chart when they wake up and go to bed for two weeks. Their knowledge that I am studying based on something like that, could easily have them change what they would normally do. This idea is something important to keep in mind for all projects, it can almost be equated to uncertainty in a physics or chemistry lab, but with real people.

This idea of reactivity can be related to my idea of  studying Alzhiemers in Tonga because I would be dealing directly with people, asking them questions, studying them, etc. It is important, in that case, that when someone knows you are studying them (or an aspect of thier lives) there will be some level of uncertainty in their answers.

I have been narrowing my focus for my project (well working on it) and am wanting to focus on the disease Alzhiemers in Tonga, how the people are treated, how common it is, how the culture accepts it, and remedies for it. I will be meeting with people this week to further discuss and develop my ideas for, and to gain feedback on them.

In class on Wednesday we learned a bit about Tonga's history and folklore. It was pretty interesting and gave a little more insight into the country I will be spending this summer in. I'm also working on gaining a more direct focus for my project and am thinking about centering it more around the disease Alzhiemers. Perhaps see if I can do a comparison with smaller towns and larger cities and the level of Alzhiemers in each, or study current Tongan remedies for Alzhiemers and thier effectiveness. Anyhow, these are my ideas at the moment.

Well, we have yet to have class this week as monday was a holiday, so I have decided to focus this post on my project a little bit more. Describe my ideas for it and whatnot.
The broad scope of my project has to do with gerontology, the study of and social aspects of aging. I'm still working on gaining a more direct focus, and my ideas thus far have to do with studying the general scope of happiness of the elderly in the country; do they live at home with their families once they reach a certain age and how respected are they in their communities. I'm also curious to whether there is a high level of alzhiemers disease and if that level has any correlation to the culture or society.

So this is my first post, this blog is all about my own personal reflections, ideas, concerns, and thoughts as I prepare a research project to study in Tonga. This first week of class we have been discussing what we think 'culture' means. I heard many good definitions by other students, but to me culture is what an individual identifies with in a society. What we are comfortable with and what makes us who we are. Culture isn't something set in stone, it's always progressing and changing to the needs and desires of its people. Culture doesn't limit us, it allows us to branch out and learn.
  I am excited to go to Tonga this summer and learn all about their respective culture. I will be conducting a research project in the area of gerontology.