ABSTRACT
Some experienced field researchers suggest, with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, that fieldwork is one part intellectual exploration and ten parts daily maintenance. Logistical hiccups are a universal experience for which the best advice is to be flexible and patient. The chapter discusses the myriad logistical issues involved in establishing and executing a field research project overseas. The laptop’s only rival as the most essential field research equipment is the cell phone. Most overseas field researchers hire someone to assist them at some point in the research project. Assistants are sometimes hired for simple and short-term tasks. Hiring research assistants is often the first time many researchers have been employers. More and more countries expect researchers to abide by national labor standards. Understanding and managing those regulations can take a substantial amount of time, and it may be worth partnering with a local research organization that has the infrastructure to manage the policies.
