From vaccinations, insurance to invoices

Fieldwork preparation

My first trip to Morocco for fieldwork had a long lead-up because Morocco's airspace was closed for a considerable time due to the pandemic. It also required a lot of preparation, such as getting vaccinated, renewing my passport, and adjusting my insurance. For example, I upgraded my health insurance to worldwide coverage and took out additional work-related travel insurance.

_{Photo taken by Judith van Uden of a COVID test certificate.}

Finding appropriate housing 

Finding an apartment in Rabat proved difficult remotely. After hours of searching the internet and looking at temporary rooms on Airbnb, I found a suitable place with the help of a friend from the Dutch Institute Morocco (NIMAR) and Nada, who was on-site. This also meant subletting my place in Amsterdam for the seven-month fieldwork period and packing my personal belongings in a storage unit.

_{Photo taken by Judith van Uden of her empty bedroom.}

Fieldwork administration

In my blog post "Can you say that again?" I explain that many respondents speak several languages, some of which I don't speak well enough to conduct a full interview. This makes me dependent on translators and finding translators was a challenge. I once formally advertised a job opening, which was followed by several interviews. However, I found most of the translators indirectly through connections with Moulay Ismail University and NIMAR.

Once the translator agreed to participate in the project, the practical arrangements began. This included not only explaining the project and the translator's role, but also formalities, such as a confidentiality agreement. This is of importance because they also speak with respondents who share personal information. Next, I worked with Nadia to draft work contracts and make invoicing arrangements. 

All of this was just preparation for an in-person interview.