Volim Snijeg & An Introduction

(Volim snijeg = I love snow)

So this is a little preemptive because, while it did in fact snow, at least in Fojnica, over the weekend, it has already melted and rain has returned. I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I saw the (little) snow that had fallen the night before but by the time we went to town to get coffee, it had melted. Soon though. I am getting quite sick of the rain (and the cars splashing puddles on me on my walk to and from work). You can see though, that in the mountains the snow has accumulated and is heavier than the light, wet snow that falls on the village. Sarajevo is in a valley of mountains so while I can see the snow all around me high up, it has yet to fall on the ground. I'm sure this is a case of "be careful what you wish for" and by March or April I'll never want to see snow again, but for now I am anxiously awaiting a real, winter snowfall. I mean, after all, tomorrow is December 1st.

Which means that last week was Thanksgiving! I hope everyone had a wonderful feast. I didn't really celebrate here, but that's ok. I'll more than make up for it at Christmas. --Wait! I have to stop this mid-thought because the raindrops outside have turned to big, wet snowflakes as I'm typing! Oh wait, back to rain...damn. --Anyway, I can't believe time has gone by so fast. I leave for Boston in a week and a half. I'm excited to go home --back to snow!!-- it will be really great to see everyone and you know, understand what people are saying around me. I've even made a list of the food I want to eat when I'm there. But I think I'll be ready to come back to Bosnia when my time is up. I'm starting to get the hang of things here and while there is still a struggle now and then, I am getting happier and happier here. I think that has to do with someone that I have yet to mention here on the blog. It's someone that is very important to me and while he's a new addition to my life we have grown very close very fast. I don't want to say that we're in love, but it's definitely going in that direction. He just really makes me feel at home here and, well, why keep blabbering on when I can finally introduce you to .... Harry!

My beautiful, new/old washing machine. I mean, I had to pay for Harry, he wasn't a gift, but see how well he fits in my bathroom? And guess what? He works! It's a miracle. Actually a Thanksgiving miracle because he arrived last Thursday. I proceeded to do all of my laundry that night and then found I was in a pickle because none of my clothes had dried in time. Ha. But I'm very happy with him. Actually, I am happy because after a weekend of being a little down, last week I took some proactive actions and finally got the washing machine and went to see the internet people. I mean, I don't know if anything is going to get done about the internet but I talked to people and made an agreement so here's hoping that something gets done. They'll probably call when I'm in the U.S.

Well, back to work. The rain has officially turned to snow, so we'll see if it stays that way.

Moj Stan (My Apartment)

So here are the pictures of my apartment! I got motivated and cleaned last night as well as remembered to take pictures. As you can see, it's pretty nice and really, it's too big for me, but it works fine. I've gotten used to it and it's home. Of course there are always little things and I have yet to really need the heat so we'll see, but it's my place. Also I've been reading my friends' blogs in the Peace Corps and I just feel too damn guilty to post my complaints. Also I think the pictures make it look better than it is, so we'll just go with that! But really, I'm content. However, I would say you might want to scroll down to the bottom of the post and work your way up since the pictures loaded in reverse. Now I just need internet...

View of my front door from the other side of the hallway/living room.

Ze bathroom! It's one of those where no matter how much you clean it it still looks dirty, so at least I have the comfort of knowing that it's clean (and smells like cleaning chemicals). The broken washing machine is behind the door. Hopefully someone will come to fix it soon.

View of my closet/door to the living room from my bedroom doorway.

My bedroom. On the walls are these needlepoint tapestries I guess you would call them, that are all around the apartment. Also next to the window is a door to my balcony where in warmer weather I hang my clothes to dry.

The other side of the living room/hallway.

My entertainment center. That bad boy bunny-ears gets me four channels. Also there is a decorated rakija bottle right next to a copy of the Qur'an, didn't plan it that way. And a few of my pictures. I have more, I just need to find some frames. Also, please don't forget that this room was covered in creepy dolls and stuffed animals that I have safely stuffed into drawers that I hopefully won't find until I move out.

The plants that I am systematically killing. I don't mean to, I just don't remember to take care of them. I think that subconsciously it's my little revenge against the landlady, like see you can overcharge me and not have a working washing machine, but I'm gonna kill your plants. Also, some of them are fake, it's hard to remember which one but the little one, second from the left is definitely real and definitely dead.

My living room!

View of the kitchen from the awkward futon. You can see at the end there my oven. The door doesn't stay shut but it has been working fine. Although I don't believe that it can actually change temperature, I think it just gets hot. In the foreground is a gas stove that I use more than the electric hot-plates on the oven. Also I heat my water on the stove to wash my dishes because my water doesn't really get hot in the kitchen.

View of the kitchen from the doorway. Those are clean dishes, mind you. Also, I had some carpeting in the kitchen for a while, it was actually really stupid and I had to vacuum every time I cooked, so I rolled it up and tucked it under the futon. Why there's a futon, I have no idea.

So this is the view of my apartment from when you walk in the door. Down the hallway, bright Communist red carpeting. My kitchen is to your immediate left, as you walk in the next room you'll be in the living room and if you follow it to the end it's the bathroom with my bedroom to the left.

Some Ponderings

So I've tried multiple times to upload the video of the Dave Holland Quintet and I think the file is just too large or something. If I were more computer savvy I'd be able to shrink the file or something cool like that and then upload it, but I'm not. So maybe I'll see what I can do when I'm back in the States for a bit.

Also, I am aware that there have been requests and empty promises made to post pictures of my apartment. I will get on it soon, I swear! First I need to clean my apartment, which isn't really that messy but I still find other activities to occupy my time instead of cleaning up. The apartment has been working out well. Although it's farther away than let's say other people's apartments in my language class, I've really become accustomed to my daily walk and actually enjoy it very much. And it's really not that far. The only two things I want/would change would be to get internet (one of these days!!!) and fix the washing machine so it works. Both very doable but since it's Bosnia, both will take a while to happen.

I had a good weekend in Sarajevo, got out and met some people which was a lot of fun. Also, the weather has been quite cooperative and that makes it all the more enjoyable! My class is coming to an end this week so I need to look for another one to keep going. I've also thought about private lessons and although they are more expensive I think I would benefit from the one on one time (also it was suggested to me by Caleb who is impressively fluent in Bosnian). So I'll have to check my budget and see what I can afford.

I've been thinking a lot about being in Bosnia. My thoughts and perceptions of Bosnia have changed even from the past experiences I've had here. I don't know if I like it, or if I want it to change because Bosnia has been such an incredibly special place for me, but I think it's only right that as I learn and live here Bosnia will become a different place for me. I get worried because my hope for Bosnia has wavered or maybe just my role in that has faltered. I feel like I wanted so much for Bosnia but a lot of Bosnians don't want it to change and who am I to come in and tell them what they should want? I learn the most through talking to different people but the contradictions in their own arguments frustrate me. I hear people my age "selling" me Bosnia, trying to convince me of how amazing and unique it is here (and frankly, they are wasting their time because I already know it, it's why I'm here!), how the people have souls and don't care about materials and money and then two minutes later the same people are telling me how they want the newest, coolest thing from the US. This, of course, is just a snapshot and not an entire experience, but it's part of it. It's the same in the nationality divisions, some people will tell you that they have no problem with another group, until they do. I'm not sure, maybe it's because I've never examined my own country like this before. I've never had this outsider perspective when thinking about the US and my own opinions about my country but I just feel that...jeez I don't really know what I feel.

Hmm, well those are just some of my current thoughts and updates. I'll try to get some more pictures up soon.

A Beautiful Fall Weekend

I hope everyone had a happy Halloween! I had a wonderful fall weekend in Fojnica. The weather warmed up and the trees stayed orange/red at least for the first part of the weekend and then the wind got stronger and by Sunday it was a lot browner. Luckily I got to take advantage of the weather and was outside a lot. I climbed up to part of a mountain and looked across at the rest of the rolling hills/mountains and could even see snow at the top of the higher peaks (although I didn't include the pictures because they were a little hazy). I also cleaned up some leaves (complete with leaf fight, of course), climbed up a different side of a different mountain (and had to scoot down on my butt because the path was so steep and the leaves and ground were slippery), and even finished out the weekend playing with kittens and puppies. I'd say that makes for a perfect weekend. I tried to carve pumpkins on Sunday in honor of Halloween but unfortunately there were no pumpkins to be had, but even without that activity it still made for a great few days.

Things have been going well here. Well up and down. This week is the Sarajevo Jazz Fest and unfortunately ticket prices don't make it available for an unpaid intern to go to a lot of the shows but I did manage to buy a ticket to the Dave Holland Quintet show on Thursday (on recommendation from Lonesome Bob) and have two people coming with me, so I am looking forward to that! My language classes are going well and this weekend I got some practice in, mostly I need to work on my confidence because I know that vocabulary will take time but I need to get over the intimidation-factor and just go for it. Slowly, slowly. I will, however, have to miss my class on Thursday for the show but it's all about priorities, right?

I decided that I am going home for Christmas, er, Christmastime. I have to say that I wrestled with it for a few reasons, one being that it is really expensive and another because I kind of feel like I'm cheating by going home. Cheating from what? I don't know but it makes me feel like I'm back in college if I return home after a "semester" but ultimately I am so excited to be going back to be with my friends and family. Actually I get to do a little tour and hit all of my main places: Boston for the first weekend, Chicago for 5 days and then most of the time back in Waterville. I decided though, that I want to be back in Bosnia for New Years. So I am looking forward to that as well. A good trip and a good return.

Work is going slowly. I think I can be a little disappointed in how it's worked out so far but I've only been here two months, we'll see what happens. I am keeping my eyes and ears open to other opportunities and will see what goes on. Maybe this will pick up to a steady work pace, maybe I'll find something else.

I can't believe that it's already November! Where did the time go? Although at the same time September feels like a long time ago. I had big plans when I got here to have a Thanksgiving dinner and I thought I'd be settled by the end of November but it seems that I'm still getting my bearings although I've come a long way. We'll see. You know, even though things are sometimes tough and emotionally frustrating, I am so happy to be here. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am in Bosnia, that I get to be here. I think it will be good to come home and interesting to see how I feel about Bosnia when I come back.