This article retells the story of a researcher from the time she prepared for the data-gathering in her home country, to the time she was in the field. The story, in her own words, are reflections on how she utilised the advantages of being an insider to the studied context. The lessons illustrated by the researcher in this article may help other…

In this article I discuss my experiences as an international PhD student conducting research in New Zealand. This reflexive paper will discuss the challenges and difficulties I faced as a novice researcher and as an 'outsider' who needed to understand and embrace the uniquely Kiwi-Maori culture that permeates New Zealand society. In particular,…

This paper presents data generated during a semester-long programme to support international students from countries in Melanesia and Asia embarking on masters research in education in a New Zealand university. All were scholarship recipients. The researcher-and facilitator-of the programme, was interested in documenting and understanding the…