I am arrived in Bembibre, west of Leon, north west Spain, mid-afternoon. It immediately struck me as a Spanish version of my home town, functional but lacking any culture and many facilities. I was not inclined to stay. After asking in a cafe I found the taxi rank and it became clear there was only … Continue reading Trying to visit Matavenero … and failing

As a geographer who has always conducted empirical data collection - that is gone into the world and talked to people, looked at what they are doing, taken photographs and recorded interviews - I am experienced in fieldwork. I have visited remote forest protest camps in Australia, interviewed Indigenous activists in rural Queensland, survived flooded tents in … Continue reading Challenges of research – going it alone

It might seem like a really stupid idea to try and conduct research in a country where you cannot speak the language, and perhaps it is. In an ideal world I would either be fluent or have the money for an on-hand interpreter. I have neither. I have also been staying with an Argentinan family in La … Continue reading Researching across language – No hablo espanol