Brief description of the visit
My name is Cristina Suero, and I am a predoctoral researcher at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid.Thanks to the Transnational Access Visit programme, I was given the opportunity to spend some days in September 2022 at NIDI, in The Hague, with the support of the Coordinate Network. During my stay, I was granted access to the Generations and Gender Survey (GGS), a panel study carried out in more than 20 countries containing information on life course trajectories, families and gender relations.
The project´s topic
Thanks to the data of the GGS, I could not only assess the events longitudinally but also compare them in different countries. One of the chapters of my dissertation focuses on the effects of the distribution of childcare within the couple on mothers´ fertility intentions. I used the GGS to evaluate whether there is an effect of the context on this relationship andin final fertility. This is an excellent opportunity since, in Spain, we do not count on many longitudinal databases to assess life course events.
The GGS is an open database, so you only need to register to access the data. Nevertheless, it was conducive to count on the GGP team’s help during my research’s preliminary stages. When you still do not know a database, you can benefit from the knowledge acquired by those who have produced and worked with these data.
Engaging in further academic activities
During my time in The Hague, I could also participate in all the meetings and events organised at NIDI: brown bag seminars, Family and Generations Research Group conferences, etc. I also had the opportunity to meet researchers relevant to my field and establish possible future collaboration networks.
But not all of the events I participated in were strictly academic. They also arrange the wicked workday, where some of the researchers at NIDI bring meals typical from their countries of origin. Moreover, at NIDI, a friendly group of people also organise events beyond working time.
Sightseeing in The Hague
On the weekends, I explored The Hague and its surroundings. Since it was the end of the summer, the first days I could enjoy the Scheveningen beach. I also visited Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Delft, beautiful and charming places close to The Hague.
Concluding thoughts
Considering the enjoyable experience ofworking with the GGP team, I would strongly recommend visiting them for those who want to use longitudinal information on life course events.
