A Moment to Reflect: - Doing Research amidst Covid-19

This article is based on personal experiences of collecting data during the global pandemic of COVID-19. I employed qualitative methods to collect data on second-generation Mozambican migrant youth to explore their daily lives regarding how they identified and developed a sense of belonging in a small village called Hluvukani in Bushbuckridge in the Mpumalanga region in South Africa. The process was a complex one hence the essence to reflect on the process, my role and the role of the participants throughout. In this study, narrative enquiry was at the core of my collection methods. This was an appropriate methodology because it allowed me to understand participants' daily experiences in their natural setting and I could simplify and manage data without destroying individual complexity and context. It highlighted the relationship and arrangements between dynamics and the background in which the action happens and the new insights therefrom. I am exploring the hurdles I encountered during the data collection process as it happened amidst covid-19 global pandemic era. I am also reflecting on the ways I utilised to navigate the difficult terrain. I am also sharing participants' reactions and experiences of the research process. Upon receiving ethical clearance from the University of Johannesburg, I was set to commence with the data collection in March 2021 and had to travel from Gauteng to Mpumalanga Province for the duration of the fieldwork. The process did not go according to plan and I had to be flexible and innovative.