Describes the creation of an ethnographic record documenting the resettlement in Grand Rapids, Michigan, of 5 unaccompanied minors arriving from Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp between November 2000 and November 2001. The subjects, 17- to 20-year-old Sudanese males, were interviewed under the auspices of Bethany Christian Services, which specializes in refugee foster care programs. The subjects also were among those youths who fled their war-torn country without their families, trekked for many miles and months through extremely dangerous terrain, endured horrendous hardships, and became known as “The Lost Boys of Sudan.” The stories the subjects tell span life in the refugee camp, where robbery, murder, poor nutrition, and disease were commonplace; expectations of life in the United States and subsequent surprises such as snow; early experiences with foster families, including initial fears, difficulties learning rules, and social isolation; encounters with caseworkers; academic adjustments; the challenges of independent living, notably cooking for oneself; notions of freedom; and future plans. These resilient immigrants quickly developed coping mechanisms that helped ameliorate the initial stress of resettlement. Also includes list of interview questions and the consent form used for the study.
