openended thematic interviews were conducted by three researchers. The interviews were tape- recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Approximately 10 h of audiotape resulted in over 40 pages of transcripts. A collaborative approach to analysis was employed. Intensive discussions on the phenomenological themes of the lived experiences were made among the research team, insights and understandings were derived from the data. The themes were examined, analyzed, reinterpreted and reformulated as appropriate during the process as suggested by Miles and Huber-man (1994). A range of themes were sorted and these are reported as below