AbayudayAdventures, P. II

And we're back!
After about 32 hours of travel, I arrived at Nabugoye Hill early this morning, after which a shower and a few hours sleep were all I could muster before heading out to reconnect with old friends.  This was really wonderful, and the opportunity to come back--one I was certainly not counting on--was as welcome to some of my friends here as it was to me.  It was nice how comfortable it felt coming here.  I know my way around, I know where to go for what, I know the electricity might go out at any minute (but that's no reason to charge things just in case).

Some new things:
I'm re-trying metoke (~steamed plantain mush), and it's better than I remember, at least when it's slathered in something--today it was freshly harvested beans!
I've officially transitioned from bottled water to Steripen-ed (UV ray purification stick) water.  Really hoping I'm doing it right. I suppose I'll know shortly...
Baby Ziva, the rabbi's now 6 month old daughter.  Astoundingly well-behaved and adorable.

From today, I've already got a few interviews loosely set up and some others that should be easy to work out quickly.  I napped this afternoon (2 sleepless nights finally caught up with me) and afterwards spent the evening contemplating how I might frame my interviews.  My guess is this will change a lot over the next few weeks, but it's definitely a useful, if not essential, exercise to start off with something of a framework.  Right now, my questions encompass what people find to be the defining characteristics of their Jewish practice and identity and how/if they view these characteristics as connecting them to people (and specifically) Jews in other countries.  How much of a difference does it make that there are Jews in Kenya, and that they study here?  Does interacting with another Jewish community strongly affect Jewish identity or practice in any way?  The way I pose them to people will obviously shift depending on who I'm talking to, but that's where I'm at right now (thoughts and suggestions welcome!)  I've just read an interesting article called "Transnational Religious Communities" (yay Princeton VPN!) which has given me some good background and food for thought, so we'll see how much that and some continued academic reading helps with the whole researching process.

Who knows if I'll stick with these, but I'm hoping to start tomorrow (after a Yeshiva class and possibly a fascinating Bugisu coming-of-age ceremony I just learned about...) with a few interviews, and we'll go from there!

Note: this probably won't be as consistent as my last blog, but I'll do my best! Also it just started POURING.

Going back, going back...

Hello World!  I know it's been awhile...
Here's the deal in a pinch--(leaving to the airport super soon. No, I haven't eaten anything since last night. No, I didn't realize it was Tisha B'av when I booked my flight. Yes, I'll check a calendar next time.)
I'm heading back to Uganda for my third summer in a row, but this one's a little different: I'll be doing hardcore, official research for my senior thesis!  My first stop is back in Nabugoye, where I will be talking to people about religious identity and expression, but that's not all....I'll also be heading to Gathundia, Kenya, with my friend Samson (check out my last post for more about him...), to visit his community and do some comparative ethnographic research on religious identity in the two communities.
This trip will be fast--I fly back August 29.  This will probably mean less blog time, and perhaps less info-packed posting, as now that I'm fully IRB approved I'm also trying to be extra-special careful about what I write in a public forum.  But for those of you who may be interested in learning a bit more, or just hearing what my brain sounds like after trying to process conversations and thoughts into thesis-able data, feel free to check back!
Thanks for those who followed last time, and hope I can send a little more your way in the next month :).
(P.S. For those of you who were confused by the title, it's a reference to a silly Princeton song.)