Wow, it's been quite a while since I last posted on here. Up until now, that was mostly due to the routine nature of my days, but now that's changed!
In May I took a trip to Germany. I debated posting about it here since it really has nothing to do with my "Sarajevo Adventures" but then I realized that my experience there has impacted my perspective on my life in Sarajevo. I have been accepted to a Master's program (in International Humanitarian Action) in Bochum, Germany. I'm very excited about the program -- although a bit nervous about a return to school after a year of, let's call it, unintensity. When I got to Germany I actually had a bit of culture shock -- it seemed so much like home. In truth, I went in with no expectations because the trip seemed to come up so fast but when I got there I was pointing out all the Starbucks, it was pretty ridiculous. I wanted a sign around my n
Then my parents came! It was incredible because everyone here knows that I have been talking about their visit nonstop and then they were finally here! First we spent a few days in Sarajevo. If I can just toot my own horn for a second here -- I was an excellent tour guide! We walked around a lot and got to see different sites. That's the best way to see Sarajevo, I think, just to walk around and take it all in. Oh and eat delicious food too -- that's a must! So after two days of Sarajevo we went to visit Fojnica. We saw the town, the monastery where I worked, the school where I taught and then had a bbq. It was perfect -- the weather held up and even my friends from Sarajevo came, which made it really special! It was just such a lovely night. The next day we left for the Croatian coast: we spent a few nights in Baska Voda, a small resort-ish town an hour from Split, a day trip to Split and then a night in Dubrovnik. It was a lot of driving but it was well worth it! Very hot but gorgeous. There is nothing like the Adriatic Sea -- the water is so incredibly blue-green and the mountains with the ocean is a beautiful contrast. Then we went back to Sarajevo for a day or so, went to the Tunnel museum and a few other things we didn't get to see the first time. The last night we met up with my friend Caleb and had dinner on the top of the hill, looking down into Sarajevo's valley. Then the next morning the three of us took off for Vienna. Vienna is spectacular! I didn't really think about it because I was so focused on being a good host for my parents in Bosnia/Croatia that I didn't have time to think ahead to the last leg of the trip, but I was thoroughly impressed with Vienna. So much history is there -- the buildings are enormous and it seems like every single one is beautiful. Also because I was traveling with my parents I got to go to many different museums (that I probably wouldn't have been able to afford if I was just going to Vienna on my own) and the art rivals beauty of the city. Of course it was expensive -- not only more than Bosnia but then you have to factor in the conversion to Euros which adds insult to injury. But I truly was impressed with the city. I even met up with my friend whom I taught in Fojnica a few years ago who is now going to university in Vienna so I got to see a different side of the city too. Really a spectacular trip all around -- not to mention the quality time I got with my parents!
eck that said, "Yes I know I'm American but I've been living in Bosnia so cut me a break." Anyway, meeting with the coordinator of the program reaffirmed that I wanted to do this Master's come fall, but I also realized that I would be leaving a city that I truly love and has a unique beauty for a simple, normal German town. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it just seems that my years will be polar opposites: th
is past year I was in a place that I love nothing doing much and next year I will be intensely busy in a not-so interesting place. But it's for the best. I couldn't have gone through my first six months in Bosnia doing the program I will do next fall. Ha, but this does mean moving to another country where I don't speak the language. Of course...
So that was most of May and now it's the end of June. Can you believe we are talking about July this week? This is ridiculous! But I just came off of an exciting past 2 weeks. Let me start from the beginning.
So that was most of May and now it's the end of June. Can you believe we are talking about July this week? This is ridiculous! But I just came off of an exciting past 2 weeks. Let me start from the beginning.
Me, eating a Berliner
So my parents planned their visit in mid-to-end of June so I took that time off of work. Then I deliberated about what to do -- I knew that I was leaving for Germany probably the end of August and I was doing nothing at work, nobody was doing anything, so I wrote to my supervisor-person and asked if it would be ok if I were to just end my internship when my parents came (since I took off the rest of June anyway). I figured I would be in and out of Sarajevo with travels 'n such so it would be silly for me to feel the obligation to come to the office and just sit there -- I had been doing that too much for the rest of the past 9 months. So, he said no problem. Officially I guess I am still working with them but I think that they've hit a brick wall. They have no funding and I believe have let everyone go. This is all hearsay but it sounds pretty bad. So that's the internship.
Then my parents came! It was incredible because everyone here knows that I have been talking about their visit nonstop and then they were finally here! First we spent a few days in Sarajevo. If I can just toot my own horn for a second here -- I was an excellent tour guide! We walked around a lot and got to see different sites. That's the best way to see Sarajevo, I think, just to walk around and take it all in. Oh and eat delicious food too -- that's a must! So after two days of Sarajevo we went to visit Fojnica. We saw the town, the monastery where I worked, the school where I taught and then had a bbq. It was perfect -- the weather held up and even my friends from Sarajevo came, which made it really special! It was just such a lovely night. The next day we left for the Croatian coast: we spent a few nights in Baska Voda, a small resort-ish town an hour from Split, a day trip to Split and then a night in Dubrovnik. It was a lot of driving but it was well worth it! Very hot but gorgeous. There is nothing like the Adriatic Sea -- the water is so incredibly blue-green and the mountains with the ocean is a beautiful contrast. Then we went back to Sarajevo for a day or so, went to the Tunnel museum and a few other things we didn't get to see the first time. The last night we met up with my friend Caleb and had dinner on the top of the hill, looking down into Sarajevo's valley. Then the next morning the three of us took off for Vienna. Vienna is spectacular! I didn't really think about it because I was so focused on being a good host for my parents in Bosnia/Croatia that I didn't have time to think ahead to the last leg of the trip, but I was thoroughly impressed with Vienna. So much history is there -- the buildings are enormous and it seems like every single one is beautiful. Also because I was traveling with my parents I got to go to many different museums (that I probably wouldn't have been able to afford if I was just going to Vienna on my own) and the art rivals beauty of the city. Of course it was expensive -- not only more than Bosnia but then you have to factor in the conversion to Euros which adds insult to injury. But I truly was impressed with the city. I even met up with my friend whom I taught in Fojnica a few years ago who is now going to university in Vienna so I got to see a different side of the city too. Really a spectacular trip all around -- not to mention the quality time I got with my parents!
And now I'm back in Sarajevo, with the calming sound of the call to prayer floating in my window. It really gives me such a perspective about how much and why I love Sarajevo/Bosnia. I am sad knowing that my days in Bosnia are numbered (and are going all too quickly) but I know I'll come back. Now I just gotta make this summer count so I can take advantage of all my Bosnian experiences!
