Stressed, but alive and still going...

Finally I find a short moment to write on my blog before the end of the semester.  The past couple of weeks have been intense!  With five essays to complete by the end of the month, all my time is being spent reading and writing.  The hardest part is that I am slow at both!  So I'm surrounded by books and I keep going between one and the other looking for the stuff that I read that was really useful and that I know I read it in Weaver's book on Ecotourism... or was it Wearing?  Yes, it's been difficult and I feel the pressure more and more as I hear everyone finishing their papers and I am still behind.  It feels like I'm always behind.

This week I also met with my supervisor and he said I need to finish my essay as soon as possible, since I made the brilliant mistake to book my return ticket to Chile for the 28th of March, which happens to be two days before some of my deadlines.  When I booked the ticket of course I did not know it would be like this, and I guess I could just sit and write whatever, but I can't.  I can't because I want a good grade and I can't because the essay that I have to write for my Dissertation class really matters.  It is not just the basis for future work but it is actually most of the literature review I will do since as soon as I get to Chile I will be conducting my interviews... well, actually, it'll be as soon as my supervisor gives me the OK, which is why I need to read a lot and I need to read now!

The pressure is not making things easy though.  I'm tired.  I have been going to bed at 2 in the morning every night and waking up at 8 to try to work on everything and finish as fast as possible, but the lack of sleep is catching up with me and I just don't have time for it!  I have started to wonder if I should do my dissertation on Chile at all... the deadlines are coming so soon and I really want to do a good job.

Anyway, I guess I'm just venting.  Now to the point.  I have decided to do my dissertation topic on female leaders in the hospitality sector in Chile and my broad question is: Do women want to give up their career goals for their family or do they have to?  I have known a few female managers in hospitality who were really successful and, as they say, on the fast-track until they had children.  Then, they decided to give up their careers and either settle for a less demanding job or just not work at all.  While I know they did this because they wanted to be with their children, I wonder if also they felt like they didn't really have a choice.  Moreover, I wonder if they ever even considered that their husbands could take time off when the child was sick instead of them having to.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying women shouldn't take time off if they really want to.  I am not even saying that they should continue to have a career they no longer want if they really prefer to have more time with their children.  My question has to do with the fact that the alternative of having the man take time off is not even being considered.  Legislation certainly does not support it like it would in other countries such as Sweden.  If it did, and if men would consider it, would women keep their leadership roles?  Or would they still prefer to have more time at home?

I am going to do interviews.  I few of the people I am planning to interview I have worked with, but they are not my friends.  In fact, I haven't even really asked them yet, but I'm hoping they will participate.  A friend of mine also will help get in touch with a few more people and I'm considering interviewing men as well if I can get a hold of any male managers willing to discuss this topic.

For now I have found a few articles and books that I will list below in case you are interested.  However, most of the reading is still ahead of me.  I going to start today and I will try to finish by next Friday.  I am quickly running out of time and after this I have one more essay to write... I hope it all works out.  Now, to work!

Xiao, Q. and O’Neill, J. (2010), “Work-family balance as a potential strategic advantage: a hotel general manager perspective,” Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 34, pp. 415 – 439

Arber, S. and Gilbert, N. (ed.) (1992), Women and working lives: divisions and change, London: Macmillan
Stichter, S. and Parpart, J.L. (ed.) (1990), Women, employment and the family in the international division of labour, London: Macmillan

Witz, A. and Urry, J. (ed.) (1992), Professions and patriarchy, London: Routledge

Pinar, M., McCuddy, M., Birkan, I. and Kozak, M. (2011), ‘Gender diversity in the hospitality industry: an empirical study in Turkey,’ International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30, pp. 73 – 81.