Reggae in Prague

Is no easy task, but must be done!

I will have my first interview tomorrow (EXCITEMENT) with a man named Synchro. He is also having a show at Palac Akropolis so hopefully I will be able to stick around and enjoy it! I WILL try to take pictures etc.

Tomorrow I plan on taking a brief trip to the Czech country side. I’m not sure what the town is called but of course I will update you all on that as well. I hope to do some gardening there!

My landlady, Hana, has started this NGO called the L.A.F. Project, it sounds awesome. I don’t think I fully understand it but I am definitely intrigued! Check it out: www.lafproject.org/

This will be a short post because it is almost 11 pm here, and I am sleepy! At Haverford I feel like I was always on high-alert with something to finish or to start, it’s nice to relax ( a little ) and still have an agenda.

All the best!

I am in my new apartment! Woot. While typing I am trying to upload some new pics that I just took. I am totally digging it. It’s a nice one bedroom with all the perfect amenities (internet, laundry machine, dishwasher). I mean, no offense, but this totally beats  HCA.

In addition to moving in I am also unable to sleep. I think I have been somewhat shell shocked… this is my third time in Prague and it isn’t for leisure. I have an agenda to stick to with expectations and results that can shape my academic career. PRESSURE! haha. So I am dealing with some anxiety and consequently have not been able to sleep.On the bright side, the man to fix the gas is coming at 8, so I need to be up early anyway.

Later, I will explore the neighborhood and check out what’s around here.

For today I plan on emailing some local Czechs I have met before and some others I don’t know… That part always seems a little sketchy but it needs to be done. I hope/pray that they will reply and consent to an interview. I will also touch base with some professors I met while abroad, hopefully they can provide some additional support and insight into Czech culture. I will let you know how that goes as well! ha. I love blogging. Outside the window

my apartment

Messy, the way I like it.

OK- more later!

Nashle! (bye)

YaY, I am finally here. Please forgive me for any spelling errors, I have yet to master a foreign keyboard.

My Czech Airlines Flight could not have been more perfect and the complimentary Czech beer definitely didnt hurt!

I have not moved into the apartment yet but will do so very soon. Tomorrow I will register at the library and check out the apartment. Then on Wednesday morning I plan to move in. I think I will spend these first few days settling in and getting used to a new atmosphere before I nose dive into the research!

I feel that a lot of people focus on the physical landscape of Prague instead of the people…I hope to change that during the course of this blog. But this is a really pretty city. This is a picture of Charles Bridge that was built in the 1400′s by King Charles ( the same guy who established Charles University, Prague Castle, and something else that’s really famous, that was probably also named after himself!). The shadowy figures in the image are all scultpture of various saints. The picture was taken very very early in the morning (sunrise) b/c usually this site is littered with tourists. If you take this bridge it leads right into the Old city and then to Prague Castle and St. Vitus church. When you go here you can see an absolutely spectactular view of the city…like whoa!!

Random Prague Street found on Google

I think this picture really captures my image of Prague. It’s a mysterious city that does not give up its secrets easily but does not conceal them either. It’s place filled with wonder and confusion, that can be frustrating and/or exhilirating.

To Prague…not Cali.

I went there to study abroad fall semester of my junior year and now I ‘m heading back to the Czech Republic for some intellectual investigations! When I landed at Ruzyne airport, the last thing I expected to find was reggae and other remnants of Jamaican culture. Being Jamaican, when I noticed this culture here I was immediately excited and intrigued! I thought ‘Wow..what in the world is reggae doing in Prague? Who are the people who keep it alive? What  is the the appeal?” These are some questions I hope to begin to answer over my 2 1/2 months there.

I am happy to say that I started some light research during the last six weeks of my study abroad trip so I have an idea of who I would like to contact. I will spend most of my time trying to be a fly on the wall and observe the scene and conduct interviews with fans, go to outdoor festivals, meet promoters and hopefully get to meet some awesome, talented musicians. The thing about fieldwork for cultural anthropology is that it is almost completely dependent on other people. I can’t just go there and watch I have to participate (participant observation ;D). In other words, to really get a meaty thesis and insightul information I have to almost become a part of this scene. This will be NO easy  task!

To supplement my time I will also try to volunteer at a local organization called Humanitas Afrika, that seeks to combat stereotypes and promote knowledge of African cultures in Prague and the Czech Republic in general. We’ll see how that goes.

Apart from all of this, I also intend to travel around the country and discover the absolute beauty of the Czech Republic. In my opinion, this might be the most interesting part of the trip! I’m not exactly sure where I plan to go, but of course I will keep you all updated!

OK- It was nice meeting you and I hope you enjoyed my introduction to my new CPGC Summer Internship ’09 Blog, but now I have to do some more packing!

Cau! ( a way to say goodbye in many languages, but spelled in Czech!)

Misha Baker ’10 will be blogging about multiculturalism through reggae in Prague, Czech Republic.