An increasingly multicultural Aotearoa early childhood education (ECE) landscape forms the context for my doctoral study in progress. My research explores the culturally embedded and negotiated environmental identities of a growing number of migrant Indian teachers. This article documents my experiences of confronting and navigating the unexpected while planning and conducting the data collection for my research. The primary challenges were access to participants as well as participant dropouts. I discuss how I mitigated these challenges by employing an alternate sampling method as well as accounting for participant attrition and trustworthiness of data. The modification strategies highlight flexibility and responsiveness as critical research tools. This article has implications for early career researchers intending to plan or begin their research in the light of any future disruptions, such as the current COVID-19 climate.