My PhD Journey

My PhD journey started in March 2009. I remember first time enrolled and found out that my supervisors were based in Monash Gippsland campus, which made me should be based on that campus too. Melbourne - Churchill (Gippsland Campus location) distance is about 170 km and at the first weeks I had to travel back and forth until we decided to rent a house there. I spend my first year on Gippsland campus and must travelled a lot back and forth to Clayton because my husband did not have a job yet in Gippsland no matter how hard we tried to find a job. So, I spent 3 days in Churchill, Monday morning I left Clayton around 8 am (lucky we travelled opposite the traffic) and usually we arrived at Churchill around 11 am, put my daughter in her childcare at the campus and heading to the office. At 5 pm, I went home to pick up my daughter and heading back to our home at Maple St, Churchill. It was quite a hard year, I must say, because my husband stay at Clayton and I must travelled with my 1 years old daughter who always asked me to sing on the way for around 2.5 hours.

My first office at Monash Gippsland campus. The desk was still tidy and empty. The expression was still fresh and happy to get my own desk :=)

This journey lasted for a year until I had my confirmation of candidature on September 2009. After my confirmation, we travelled back home to Indonesia for my first data collection. When I got back to Melbourne again, I delivered my second child on July 3rd 2010. As I delivered my baby at Clayton, I asked for unofficially maternity leave and stay at Clayton for four month without going to Gippsland campus at all. It was fine by my supervisors and I promised to get back to office once my baby was old enough to be left at the childcare. After I finished my second data collection on May 2011, I have a shock news. My first supervisor was moved out from Monash University to Charles Sturt University. I was shocked but this moment gave me opportunity to ask for moving my campus base to Clayton campus. In short, they approved my request and started to work from Clayton campus. It was around less than a year I had another shock news, my second supervisor, Dr. Kenneth Sellick was sick and should be working from home most of the time. He had lung cancer. He still did his work as my supervisor and answered my email but my progress was soo slow with one supervisor in another state and the other was not in a good condition. I was working with no progress at all.

The late Dr. Ken Sellick, one of my greatest support system on my first year

On 28 August 2012 I received a very sad news that Dr. Ken passed away. It was a very sad and shocking moment for me, thinking about my study in the future, how's the supervision things and who's gonna replace him and so on and so on.... It was really impact my study progress. But life must go on..My first supervisor suggested some names to be my supervisor replacing Dr. Ken and I decided to go with Lisa McKenna. I was really lucky to have her as my new supervisor. 

Time flies, with my final year as a student after 5 month intermission (which I thought I could do some work but not at all ^_^). During the first six months of my last candidature year, I only have managed to write 3 chapters and 3 manuscript... Now I think, what have I done with my time?? No progress at all, I was shame and disappointed at the same time with my self, although some achievements were obtained as well, such as all abstract that I sent out for conference had been accepted for oral presentation. Unfortunately I didn't have any chance to visit UK or US for conference due to budgeting and family matter. So, I used opportunity to attend conferences in Australia and NZ. I managed to attend and present my work at some international conference and congress such as International Association of Geriatric and Gerontology (IAGG) and International Council of Nursing World Congress and conferences in Melbourne. One gerontology conference in New Zealand. Emerging Research of Ageing conference in Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle also were part of my conference hunting journey. 
I have gained so much experiences meeting with experts in nursing and of course had a chance to see other part of Australia.

ICN Congress, I met my bachelor degree lecturers

Well...back to my progress, my original CoE (Confirmation of Enrolment) supposed to be due on September, but I asked for 3 month extension to my scholarship provider and was approved. On August 2013, my supervisor Lisa reminded me with my study progress and asking when I should submit. I told her, my CoE will be due on 20 December 2013. She then suggested me to revise my timeframe study (as I had, but not really stick on it ^_*) and she gave me a word that I would submit it on 20 December 2013. I told her, I could have lapse (condition when you reach your 4th year of study and not finish yet, you automatically can get lapse where you will have another 3 years to finish and submit your thesis without have to pay for tuition fee). However, she was very insist that I must submit on that 20 Dec 2013. She didn't want me to have lapse (which now I thank her so much for her decision otherwise I will keep writing my thesis instead of writing this blog ^_^).

The only messy desk in the PhD Nursing Room

So after that last conversation, I gathered all my motivation, ideas and spirit to continue writing my chapters, which was surprising me, I could write 3 chapters in only less than 3 weeks. I mean, amazing...frankly, I couldn't believe myself either. All this months, I was trying to write something and I got stuck and I stopped. But because I had aimed to submit on the 20 Dec, I must go on with my writing...didn't really care about the content at that time, as long as I write and write. On November, one month before the due, I started disbelief myself, whether I could finish on time or not. I haven't written the discussion part, which I've been told it took 1 month at least to write it but I don't have one month, I only had one week to write it. 

My lovely messy desk, PhD Room Clayton Campus

Alhamdulillah, I could finish all the first draft by the end of November. I submitted it to my supervisors and got all checked back in 13 days, put it to the editor for 4 days, submitted it to the binding services for one day, Alhamdulillah I could finish it one day before the submission day. Friends might see me lucky, which I thought I was very lucky to have such wonderful and supportive supervisors. I was lucky to that I didn't have to spent my days until late at the office. I went to campus at 9 am to 6 pm. I only spent 2 weekends at the office before I submit my first draft and that's all.

All the feedbacks sometimes made me down, and stop writing

Alhamdulillah, working from home like this was quite rarely, so I still have time with my family

Now, I look back to my journey, some burden have been lifted up from my shoulder.. doing PhD study in an English speaking country, should write at least 60.000 words in English, show your academic intellectuality when you were having discussion with your supervisors were not something easy to do, if you are a mother of two young children. But I think, I have managed my study well, unless for the rush bit at the end...I don't want to regret it, never and will not regret it. If I had a chance to do it again, I will still choose my supervisors but maybe change the topic to something more close to my passion. 

First time finish all the first draft, to see this on the screen was very touching

My 'baby' ready to be bound

It's ready...just one day before 20 December 2013

All experiences, starting my journey, meeting new lovely friends and finally submit my thesis was really give me a nice and valuable life experiences. Meeting friends from other part of Indonesia, meeting old friends, new friends. Meeting new friends from other countries such as Saudi Arabia, China, Malaysia really enriched my life. After I finished my first draft and ready to send to editor, my PhD fellows, lovely girls from Saudi and my best friend Nini, gave me a very nice surprise. I will miss them all.

Lovely surprise from my Saudi friends.....

Finally on the day, the submission day...I couldn't ask for more on that day...very relief and part of me disbelief that I finally could submit my thesis before I go home... now I will just wait for the best for the result, in syaa Allah wish for the best...Below some pics on the submission day.

Checking

With Lisa, my wonderful supervisor

Ready to be submitted

Mini celebration after submission ^_^

With all Indonesian friends

Well...that's my PhD journey, the main point of this story is, keep focusing on your aim to finish your study. Don't make so many excuses to prevent you from finishing on time. Family is not an obstacle in drafting your writing. And don't forget, just because you're writing a thesis, doesn't mean you can't enjoy your life with your friends, especially if you are study abroad, take a chance to explore the country. Keep calm and belief yourself that you can do it. And don't forget to pray...

In a few days I will leave this country, Australia, my place for almost 7 years..it's time to go home and build my own country. Indonesia, here we come.....^_*

Catatan akhir dan awal tahun (Dec 2013-Jan 2014)