Bethany Waugh - Writer, Mercy Ships

Her interviews with crew members and their various roles are also used for global recruitment, ensuring the work they do continues.

“He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata! The people are the best part of this job! My personal highlight has been talking with patients about their challenges and hopes and seeing their lives completely transformed by the free surgery and care that they receive on board the Global Mercy.

“After graduating from UoA I was given the opportunity to lecture and tutor in the social anthropology programme at the University of Otago as a temporary role, which I did for a year. I was also doing some research assistant jobs on the side.

“Following this I pivoted towards the linguistics side of my expertise and took a full-time position teaching English as a second language with English Language Partners at their Aoraki centre. In this role I was working with former refugees from Syria and I absolutely loved the challenge of making English accessible to learners from an Arabic-speaking background.

“As I was coming towards the end of two years in this role I was looking to change location and was surprised and delighted when I was offered my current role of writer on board the MV Global Mercy. This role is a pivot back towards my anthropological skills and gives me the opportunity to live and work in a multicultural community, gaining first-hand knowledge of medical NGO work, and having the privilege of carrying and caring for people’s stories at the most vulnerable moments in their lives.”

I learnt how to be a good ally and advocate, and how to value people’s choices not to engage just as much as their choices to be present. These things have been the foundation of my work in each and every role I have undertaken since graduating.

“The Master of Indigenous Studies interested me because I love meeting people from diverse backgrounds and have had the opportunity to engage with people from Indigenous groups in several different parts of the world. I am also very interested in learning and understanding music-making practices in Indigenous communities around the world.”
One of the highlights of postgraduate studies for Bethany was the people she met.
“Working with my amazing supervisor, professors, and cohort - I learnt so much from each one of them and they made me look forward to coming to class each day. I think for me one of the biggest challenges I faced was the political nature of the degree. I don’t usually engage in politics but through my learning I realised how important politics are for Indigenous communities and how to engage with politics in a way that is helpful.”

“I chose to study at UoA for a few different reasons. Firstly, I wanted to diversify my academic experience and broaden my learning. Secondly, scholarship funding was available for me at UoA, meaning that I could focus on my learning rather than my finances. Thirdly, I found a supervisor at UoA who was very passionate and enthusiastic about my proposed dissertation topic. These factors combined made UoA the perfect choice for me to undertake my masters degree.”

Bethany believes people should consider postgraduate study for how it broadens the mind and opens doors both professionally and personally.
“It forces you to think in ways that you didn’t know were possible and to engage with ideas that challenge you and help you grow. It also expands your network and gives you the chance to meet and make friends across many different disciplines.

“If you are thinking about postgraduate study, I encourage you to reach out to potential supervisors and talk to them about what you want to do. Finding the right supervisor absolutely makes the experience! If you find a person who likes what you are doing and wants to support you through that, sign up and do it! You won’t regret it!”