I wrote a really long post about my first impressions of Belgrade last night, but then I was disconnected from the internet and lost everything... here's to starting over!
We had a 7 hour bus trip from Zagreb on Thursday and got in mid-afternoon. Right away, I was struck by how different the two cities are. It's like comparing a less-interesting version of D.C. to a mid-town Manhattan that covers 140 square miles. There is a totally different beat/vibe/rhythm here. And it is HUGE. It's hard to navigate, because maps of the tram and bus systems don't exist. As in, the transit authorities have never published any. It's just something "you learn as a kid."
I managed to memorize the Cyrillic alphabet on the bus ride here, because Serbian is "officially" written with it. Seeing all the signs in Cyrillic make me feel like I am in someplace very, very foreign, but I'm getting much faster at decoding things. Last night, we played some Serbian board game called "Step by Step" that reminded me of Parcheesi. I managed to translate the box! Small triumphs.
I'm being hosted by Dragan and Jelena, a young couple originally from Niš, a city in south Serbia. He is 38 and she's 26. He is an electrical engineer who works for U.S. Steel - he speaks a lot of English on the job! Jelena is two months pregnant. She's sort of spazzy - she doesn't like living in the big city and gets flustered very easily. She loves astrology and reality TV. She thinks Belgrade is my city to connect with the universe in, because I am a Capricorn or something.
They are fantastic hosts and we've had some really interesting conversations. They were around my age during the wars of the '90s and Milošević's regime and have told me about some of their experiences. As much as I love exercising my language skills with my Croatian family, I really like talking to Dragan and Jelena.
Jelena and I went to the police station yesterday to register me. Yet again, bureaucracy ensued... Apparently, we needed the landlord and rental contract. Luckily, I ran into Gaby and her host dad, so I registered "the Serbian way" - that is, creatively. Jelena hid in the bathroom while Gaby's host dad pretended that the two of us were staying with him. Once we both had registered, I snuck Jelena out of the building and went on with our business.
She said that last summer, a friend was visiting from the UK, and on the day they went to register, it was the day Radovan Karadžić was arrested (he's in The Hague now). Apparently, our ward's police station is part of the Belgrade War Crimes Court, so they brought him in while she was there. She said there were cameras and security everywhere.
Also when we were there, I saw Ratko Mladić's Wanted poster (one million Euros, anyone? Maybe I can make that my independent study project?). It was all very intriguing... Karadžić's arrest happened right around the same time when I discovered the SIT Balkans program. I remember talking to KK about it when I told her I decided to go to ::gasp:: The Balkans. It all seems like such a long time ago!
Today, we went to Ada Ciganlija, the man-made lake and park in Belgrade. We met another Jelena, who is Dragan's best friend and our SIT coordinator in Belgrade, for a marathon coffee break in a little lodge on the edge of the lake. It was great to slow down for a bit and talk to some people other than my colleagues at SIT.
Well, it's actually getting late here, and I don't want to sleep all day tomorrow, so,
Ciao!
Лиз (Liz in Cyrillic!)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Marija Lugarić, MP
We went to the Sabor (Croatian Parliament) on Monday and met Marija Lugarić, the MP for part of Zagreb. She is 29 and is in her third term. She was first elected when she was 21! She is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which is the leading minority party in the Sabor.You can read more about the Sabor here (info in English).
She was great - she hosted all of us as her personal guests, because she said it was easier for us to get through security like that. The Sabor is in recess this week, so she was in a sweater, jeans, and sneakers (I had dressed up!). She spoke to us casually and frankly, and took us on a tour of the building, including the floor of the Sabor. She explained the procedures and functions of the Sabor.
After the tour, Marija took us into a committee room where we all talked about politics (Croatian and American) for over an hour. She told us about her early days in office and what it was like being a token female and a token youth. She said she was never really discriminated against, only because her party's constitution calls for women and young people to be represented in certain percentages. As a women under 30, she killed two birds with one stone. Even still, she said she called her mom in tears, saying that she couldn't do her job!
She believes that governments should be representative of the electorate and had major problems with the fact that Americans can vote at age 18 but can't run for office until older. Her degree is in education and she never planned on being a professional politician. She ended up running after joining the party in college. In Croatia, you don't need money or family or anything to run for office - people vote for the party and the party chooses officials. In all, she is really empowered and pretty inspiring!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Karneval in Rijeka!
The parade lasted for seven hours! It was huge! The floats weren't as elaborate as anything in the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans or anything, but there were almost 100 groups, each with between 50 and 250 marchers.
The city of Rijeka was really pretty. It was so nice to get out of Zagreb for a day. Zagreb can get sort of depressing, with all the grayness and graffiti and rain. Rijeka is right on the coast, so it was sunny and pretty warm for most of the day. It took just over two hours to get there by bus, plus the required coffee break at a little stop in the mountains (we had similar coffee breaks on the trip to Vukovar - I think they think that a two hour car trip is reallllllly long).
Since the parade lasted so long, we hiked up to the top of the mountain that surrounded Rijeka, to see Trsat Castle. The were thousands of steps that went straight up the side... but we made it to the top in about 20 minutes. I was sucking air! The view was totally worth it. We could hear all the noise from the parade clearly.
So, anyways, there were a ton of groups marching. They were all mostly funny, some were pretty scary though. I think all the marchers were drunk (every float had at least one keg that we could see...), so things got pretty crazy at points. There was a lot of satire about the EU (see pictures). Some of the groups just got lost in translation, so I can't really explain them.
In Rijeka and the surrounding area, the boys and men traditionally dress up in sheep skins and wear these bells that clang really loudly. They are meant to chase away winter. There were two big groups of them. I got a little replica of a bell as a souvenir. Here's a short clip I filmed-
and of course, photos from the day
The city of Rijeka was really pretty. It was so nice to get out of Zagreb for a day. Zagreb can get sort of depressing, with all the grayness and graffiti and rain. Rijeka is right on the coast, so it was sunny and pretty warm for most of the day. It took just over two hours to get there by bus, plus the required coffee break at a little stop in the mountains (we had similar coffee breaks on the trip to Vukovar - I think they think that a two hour car trip is reallllllly long).
Since the parade lasted so long, we hiked up to the top of the mountain that surrounded Rijeka, to see Trsat Castle. The were thousands of steps that went straight up the side... but we made it to the top in about 20 minutes. I was sucking air! The view was totally worth it. We could hear all the noise from the parade clearly.
So, anyways, there were a ton of groups marching. They were all mostly funny, some were pretty scary though. I think all the marchers were drunk (every float had at least one keg that we could see...), so things got pretty crazy at points. There was a lot of satire about the EU (see pictures). Some of the groups just got lost in translation, so I can't really explain them.
In Rijeka and the surrounding area, the boys and men traditionally dress up in sheep skins and wear these bells that clang really loudly. They are meant to chase away winter. There were two big groups of them. I got a little replica of a bell as a souvenir. Here's a short clip I filmed-
and of course, photos from the day
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| Karneval - Rijeka |
Saturday, February 21, 2009
[on a lighter note...]
So, earlier this month, we all had to go to the police headquarters to register our residence in Croatia. No problem, right? Think again. I've come to realize that much of the Croatian bureaucracy functions just like the Catholic University of America: it all depends on who you talk to.
My host mom Branka and I went with Fiona and Alex into the city, where we ran into everyone else and their mother (literally). We waited... and waited... and waited in line. I filled out some form. We waited.
Finally, it's my turn- I turned to Alex and said, "Watch me get denied. I'm gonna get denied. A man is gonna come through those doors and escort me from the building." Low and behold, the officer took one look at my form, stamped it, drew a huge X through it and gave it back to me, telling me to "come back tomorrow." Since it was Groundhog Day, I could totally feel where this was going...
Later that day, Branka went back with a friend and got it all straightened out. A few other people had similar experiences - who knew there were 16 different ways to register with the police??! We talked to Orli about it and she explained that all we needed was Vitamin P (p for prijatelji, meaning friends). Everything depends on connections here.
In addition to each having a different experience at the police, we each got different expiration dates too - my permit ends next Friday, so I'll have to go through all of it again when we get back from Serbia in March. ::groan::
My host mom Branka and I went with Fiona and Alex into the city, where we ran into everyone else and their mother (literally). We waited... and waited... and waited in line. I filled out some form. We waited.
Finally, it's my turn- I turned to Alex and said, "Watch me get denied. I'm gonna get denied. A man is gonna come through those doors and escort me from the building." Low and behold, the officer took one look at my form, stamped it, drew a huge X through it and gave it back to me, telling me to "come back tomorrow." Since it was Groundhog Day, I could totally feel where this was going...
Later that day, Branka went back with a friend and got it all straightened out. A few other people had similar experiences - who knew there were 16 different ways to register with the police??! We talked to Orli about it and she explained that all we needed was Vitamin P (p for prijatelji, meaning friends). Everything depends on connections here.
In addition to each having a different experience at the police, we each got different expiration dates too - my permit ends next Friday, so I'll have to go through all of it again when we get back from Serbia in March. ::groan::
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Visit to Vukovar
In 1991, the city of Vukovar (pop = 50,000) was the site of a major siege by Serb paramilitary/nationalist forces, supported by the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA). It was made a physical and symbolic target because of its multiethnic characteristics (including many mixed Croat-Serb families). From May to November, the city was shelled regularly and finally fell on 18/19 November 1991.
Approximately 2,000 people were killed over the course of the siege, 800 disappeared, and 22,000 people displaced (after the fall, Croats were expelled from the city). 261+ people (including 200 patients and staff of the hospital) were taken to neighboring Ovcara, massacred and buried in a mass grave by Serb militias.
The city was peaceful reintegrated (i.e. returned to Croatia) in 1998, with the first Croats returning in 1999. It remains the best example of peaceful transition in history of the UN, in that Vukovar is NOT a ghost town (despite what many of my pictures show) – it is being reconstructed and refugees are returning (current pop = 30,00).
Integration of Schools
However, 18 years later, Vukovar is still not entirely integrated, especially the school system. From kindergarten to graduation, Serb and Croat children are mostly educated separately. Vukovar is not the only town like this – many schools are still segregated. There are separate classes, separate shifts, and sometimes, separate buildings. There are Serb teachers and Croat teachers, and separate history books for each group. The versions of history the children are taught are not the same. This has significant implications for the future of Vukovar.
There are movements towards integrating the children, but it’s a lot of work. Surveys show that kids are the least likely to support integration – they don’t know any better. The teachers are in the middle (half of them would lose their jobs). The parents are most likely to support integration, because they remember an integrated, peaceful, multiethnic community. It’s really interesting – are “good Serbs” and “good Croats” being raised, or are good citizens being raised? It’s important for the future of the city, since Serb students go to Serbia for university (and stay there) and Croat students go to Zagreb or elsewhere for university (and stay there); the “brain drain” needs to be stopped.
Photos
I know the city looks like just a bunch of bombed out buildings, and I have to admit, it's hard to get past that. But, it's not a ghost town - there are 30,000 people who live there (Croats were able to return 10 years ago). The most haunting thing was the museum in the bomb shelter of the hospital. It's staged to look like it did during the siege and it is just really eerie. It's still a functioning hospital - I had to walk past actual waiting rooms, patients, nurses, etc. to get down there (I also had to stop to ask three different staff members - I was sure at any minute I was going to be asked to leave!! Nothing like that would ever exist in the States!). The "museum," like the memorial at Ovcara, was really dramatic and left an impression. I had goosebumps the entire time we were in Vukovar and they weren't from the cold...
Approximately 2,000 people were killed over the course of the siege, 800 disappeared, and 22,000 people displaced (after the fall, Croats were expelled from the city). 261+ people (including 200 patients and staff of the hospital) were taken to neighboring Ovcara, massacred and buried in a mass grave by Serb militias.
The city was peaceful reintegrated (i.e. returned to Croatia) in 1998, with the first Croats returning in 1999. It remains the best example of peaceful transition in history of the UN, in that Vukovar is NOT a ghost town (despite what many of my pictures show) – it is being reconstructed and refugees are returning (current pop = 30,00).
Integration of Schools
However, 18 years later, Vukovar is still not entirely integrated, especially the school system. From kindergarten to graduation, Serb and Croat children are mostly educated separately. Vukovar is not the only town like this – many schools are still segregated. There are separate classes, separate shifts, and sometimes, separate buildings. There are Serb teachers and Croat teachers, and separate history books for each group. The versions of history the children are taught are not the same. This has significant implications for the future of Vukovar.
There are movements towards integrating the children, but it’s a lot of work. Surveys show that kids are the least likely to support integration – they don’t know any better. The teachers are in the middle (half of them would lose their jobs). The parents are most likely to support integration, because they remember an integrated, peaceful, multiethnic community. It’s really interesting – are “good Serbs” and “good Croats” being raised, or are good citizens being raised? It’s important for the future of the city, since Serb students go to Serbia for university (and stay there) and Croat students go to Zagreb or elsewhere for university (and stay there); the “brain drain” needs to be stopped.
Photos
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| Vukovar |
I know the city looks like just a bunch of bombed out buildings, and I have to admit, it's hard to get past that. But, it's not a ghost town - there are 30,000 people who live there (Croats were able to return 10 years ago). The most haunting thing was the museum in the bomb shelter of the hospital. It's staged to look like it did during the siege and it is just really eerie. It's still a functioning hospital - I had to walk past actual waiting rooms, patients, nurses, etc. to get down there (I also had to stop to ask three different staff members - I was sure at any minute I was going to be asked to leave!! Nothing like that would ever exist in the States!). The "museum," like the memorial at Ovcara, was really dramatic and left an impression. I had goosebumps the entire time we were in Vukovar and they weren't from the cold...
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Picasa Web Albums
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| Zagreb |
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| The Galaxy of Remetinec |
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| SIT Classes |
Follow links to check out my photos from everything so far!!
Friday, February 13, 2009
It's finally Friday
Yes, I enjoy Friday afternoons in Zagreb too. This week has been realllllllly long. We've had between 5 and 8 hours of class everyday since Monday and we're all tired of being in the classroom. But, we had 3 guest lecturers and did a documentary marathon, so it wasn't all bad - and there were fewer circular discussions about conflict theory than last week, thank God.
We had a great field study seminar (FSS) class today. We discussed some of our impressions that we had of "the Balkans" (although I am increasingly seeing that as a loaded term) before we got here. Also, some of the reactions people have had to our plans: lack of knowledge about the fr. Yugoslavia, misinformation about violence, fears of human trafficking, etc. We talked about "war tourism," that is, coming here with our own agendas of sightseeing/voyeurism. I don't think any of us can say that we are exempt from this - there is a certain fascination that even I have with the history of violence here, even if it is at a subconcious level. It's intriguing. So, we talked about how to manage that and go about our study here effectively and objectively (we are not tourists!!).
I've been sort of annoyed with some of the coursework. I learned loads of Croatian before I came, when most didn't know how to say hi/bye/thank you. Luckily, they're catching up and Marija is doing a good job at challenging me. I'm particularly fed up with people who didn't seem to open a book about history (at least of the 1990s) here before they came. I'm really bored with the introductions to such characters like Milosevic and Karadzic, and events like the Siege of Sarajevo, Srebrenica, etc... and I'm tired of Orli saying, "Oh, but we'll get to discuss this more in Week 5." Everyone is really smart and they catch on quickly, but I expected more competition - I'm a little disappointed, that's all. I'm also bored with all the theory we're learning, it doesn't grab my attention...
We are doing a two day field visit to Vukovar and Ovčara next week. Vukovar is a town near the border with Serbia and was a site of a 3 month siege by Serbian paramilitary/nationalist forces in 1991. About 2,600-3,000 people were killed. Although it will be a very sad and humbling, it will be good to get out of the classroom for a bit.
More next week when I get back to Zagreb!
P.S. Happy 21st, Erin!!
We had a great field study seminar (FSS) class today. We discussed some of our impressions that we had of "the Balkans" (although I am increasingly seeing that as a loaded term) before we got here. Also, some of the reactions people have had to our plans: lack of knowledge about the fr. Yugoslavia, misinformation about violence, fears of human trafficking, etc. We talked about "war tourism," that is, coming here with our own agendas of sightseeing/voyeurism. I don't think any of us can say that we are exempt from this - there is a certain fascination that even I have with the history of violence here, even if it is at a subconcious level. It's intriguing. So, we talked about how to manage that and go about our study here effectively and objectively (we are not tourists!!).
I've been sort of annoyed with some of the coursework. I learned loads of Croatian before I came, when most didn't know how to say hi/bye/thank you. Luckily, they're catching up and Marija is doing a good job at challenging me. I'm particularly fed up with people who didn't seem to open a book about history (at least of the 1990s) here before they came. I'm really bored with the introductions to such characters like Milosevic and Karadzic, and events like the Siege of Sarajevo, Srebrenica, etc... and I'm tired of Orli saying, "Oh, but we'll get to discuss this more in Week 5." Everyone is really smart and they catch on quickly, but I expected more competition - I'm a little disappointed, that's all. I'm also bored with all the theory we're learning, it doesn't grab my attention...
We are doing a two day field visit to Vukovar and Ovčara next week. Vukovar is a town near the border with Serbia and was a site of a 3 month siege by Serbian paramilitary/nationalist forces in 1991. About 2,600-3,000 people were killed. Although it will be a very sad and humbling, it will be good to get out of the classroom for a bit.
More next week when I get back to Zagreb!
P.S. Happy 21st, Erin!!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
The crew: Alex Free, Emily, Fiona, Virgil, and Sarajane
Photo Tour of Zagreb
I finally have some decent pictures of Zagreb to share - a compilation from a few different days, so some are sunny and other are dark....
This is a statue of Ban Jelačić. He was a pretty great dude who freed the serfs and fought to protect Croatia from annexation by the Hungarians in the mid-1800s. Ban is translated as governor and means “king’s deputy” – there is a saying: “The king reigns and the ban rules.” The statue was removed because of “ideological reasons” (aka socialism) from 1947-1990, when the square was called Republic Square.
This is me in Dolac – the daily farmer’s market, which I love. It’s in the Kaptol neighborhood, which is one of the two medieval halves of the city (the other half being Gradec/Gornji Grad to the west of Kaptol). The statue is a monument to the vendors of Dolac, who have, historically, generated a lot of revenue to the city (aka paid a lot of taxes to the city – as much as 30% at times). 
This is me in Kaptol, in the square. The fountain has a really pretty statue of the Virgin Mary and the angels. Up the street, you can see the steeple of St. Francis, where the Franciscan monastery is located. The street is mostly lined with archbishopric offices and convents, etc.
This is the cathedral of Zagreb – The Cathedral of St. Stephen, St. Blaise, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (and you thought the Basil’ had a long name). It’s actually the third cathedral on the site – the first one in 1217 (destroyed by Tartars in 1242)… this one was all but ruined by an earthquake in 1880. Now, the limestone façade is melting away, so they are in the process of restoring it. I didn’t get any good interior shots, so Google it.
This is Stone Gate – the only remaining gate of the fortifications around Gradec. Inside, you can see the Chapel of the Holy Mother of the Stone Gate. There is a painting of the Madonna and baby Jesus, which was the only thing left wholly untouched by a fire in 1760 that nearly destroyed the city. It was proclaimed a miracle and now people make pilgrimages here to pray. You can see it housed by the ornate grill, surround by tiles that say “Hvala ti” (thank you), from people who have had their prayers answered.
St. Mark’s Church (aka the Lego church) is surrounded by a square that also holds all the Croatian houses of government – Parliament, the Government, and the Constitional Court. The coat of arms on the left represents the triune kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia, on the right, the shield of Zagreb. The church has existed since the 14th century… I wasn’t able to get in, I think its only open for Mass.
Lotrscak Tower is the 13th century guard tower where the southern gate of the Gradec town wall once stood. Everyday at noon, a cannon is fired from the tower – you can hear it everywhere. It stands next to the funicular.
The Zagreb Funicular connects Ilica Street (the longest street in Zagreb, which runs through Jelačić Trg) to Strossmeyer Promenade (up the hill in Gradec). It is the one of the shortest, steepest funiculars in the world, with a track length of 216ft and a height difference of about 110ft (incline is 52%). The ride takes less than a minute!
This is Trg. bana Josipa Jelačića – the necessary main town square – there are always a ton of people here. This is also where my program office/classroom is located.
This is a statue of Ban Jelačić. He was a pretty great dude who freed the serfs and fought to protect Croatia from annexation by the Hungarians in the mid-1800s. Ban is translated as governor and means “king’s deputy” – there is a saying: “The king reigns and the ban rules.” The statue was removed because of “ideological reasons” (aka socialism) from 1947-1990, when the square was called Republic Square.
This is me in Dolac – the daily farmer’s market, which I love. It’s in the Kaptol neighborhood, which is one of the two medieval halves of the city (the other half being Gradec/Gornji Grad to the west of Kaptol). The statue is a monument to the vendors of Dolac, who have, historically, generated a lot of revenue to the city (aka paid a lot of taxes to the city – as much as 30% at times). 
This is me in Kaptol, in the square. The fountain has a really pretty statue of the Virgin Mary and the angels. Up the street, you can see the steeple of St. Francis, where the Franciscan monastery is located. The street is mostly lined with archbishopric offices and convents, etc.
This is the cathedral of Zagreb – The Cathedral of St. Stephen, St. Blaise, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (and you thought the Basil’ had a long name). It’s actually the third cathedral on the site – the first one in 1217 (destroyed by Tartars in 1242)… this one was all but ruined by an earthquake in 1880. Now, the limestone façade is melting away, so they are in the process of restoring it. I didn’t get any good interior shots, so Google it. This is Stone Gate – the only remaining gate of the fortifications around Gradec. Inside, you can see the Chapel of the Holy Mother of the Stone Gate. There is a painting of the Madonna and baby Jesus, which was the only thing left wholly untouched by a fire in 1760 that nearly destroyed the city. It was proclaimed a miracle and now people make pilgrimages here to pray. You can see it housed by the ornate grill, surround by tiles that say “Hvala ti” (thank you), from people who have had their prayers answered.
St. Mark’s Church (aka the Lego church) is surrounded by a square that also holds all the Croatian houses of government – Parliament, the Government, and the Constitional Court. The coat of arms on the left represents the triune kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia, on the right, the shield of Zagreb. The church has existed since the 14th century… I wasn’t able to get in, I think its only open for Mass.
Lotrscak Tower is the 13th century guard tower where the southern gate of the Gradec town wall once stood. Everyday at noon, a cannon is fired from the tower – you can hear it everywhere. It stands next to the funicular.
The Zagreb Funicular connects Ilica Street (the longest street in Zagreb, which runs through Jelačić Trg) to Strossmeyer Promenade (up the hill in Gradec). It is the one of the shortest, steepest funiculars in the world, with a track length of 216ft and a height difference of about 110ft (incline is 52%). The ride takes less than a minute!The third week commences...
So, it’s Sunday night and I’m exhausted. I get so tired here, I just don’t understand it. I don’t know how I function when I’m at the CU of A, with 5 classes, innumerable jobs, and, you know, livin’ the good life.
I think my exhaustion has a lot to do with the fact that I haven’t really seen the sun in two weeks and I have hence been dying a slow, painful death due to vitamin D deficiency. This is similar to Kaitlyn’s affliction of having the immune system of an AIDS patient, but not quite. Pardon my dark humor.
Today, I went to the KIC (the cultural information center, which is, ironically, not a tourist information center, but rather a coffee/internet bar) for a smidge and downloaded all of my emails and everyone’s blogs… I just finished reading everything and it was great. I frown on the 6-hour time difference between the East Coast and me. (Shout out: Global Jeannie, you-mad-baller-you, YOU are epic!).
As I was able to quickly post on my blog at KIC, I did indeed eat octopus today. I’m not sure how appropriate the term “delicacy” is… The texture of the suckers freaked me out – I’ve never chewed something so fast in my life. I just needed to reiterate that experience! For a snack later, Branka made me warm polenta with sour cream, one of the best comfort foods ever (and the first thing that has sat well in my stomach since getting here – thank God).
I also wrote my first two assignments this weekend – one was an analysis of one of our required readings, the other, an essay reflecting on one particular experience we have had since arriving in Zagreb. I wrote about how Slavan told me he was going to give me a knife before I went to Serbia so I could "kill some Serbs" and how I was concerned about how parents relayed their memories of the recent past to the next generation, as these kids will inevitably have to deal with questions of enduring peace. I'm still not sure if he was seriously being hostile or was just being cynical... it's stunning/disturbing.
Kika just came over, so I should go… will post this tomorrow before class.
I think my exhaustion has a lot to do with the fact that I haven’t really seen the sun in two weeks and I have hence been dying a slow, painful death due to vitamin D deficiency. This is similar to Kaitlyn’s affliction of having the immune system of an AIDS patient, but not quite. Pardon my dark humor.
Today, I went to the KIC (the cultural information center, which is, ironically, not a tourist information center, but rather a coffee/internet bar) for a smidge and downloaded all of my emails and everyone’s blogs… I just finished reading everything and it was great. I frown on the 6-hour time difference between the East Coast and me. (Shout out: Global Jeannie, you-mad-baller-you, YOU are epic!).
As I was able to quickly post on my blog at KIC, I did indeed eat octopus today. I’m not sure how appropriate the term “delicacy” is… The texture of the suckers freaked me out – I’ve never chewed something so fast in my life. I just needed to reiterate that experience! For a snack later, Branka made me warm polenta with sour cream, one of the best comfort foods ever (and the first thing that has sat well in my stomach since getting here – thank God).
I also wrote my first two assignments this weekend – one was an analysis of one of our required readings, the other, an essay reflecting on one particular experience we have had since arriving in Zagreb. I wrote about how Slavan told me he was going to give me a knife before I went to Serbia so I could "kill some Serbs" and how I was concerned about how parents relayed their memories of the recent past to the next generation, as these kids will inevitably have to deal with questions of enduring peace. I'm still not sure if he was seriously being hostile or was just being cynical... it's stunning/disturbing.
Kika just came over, so I should go… will post this tomorrow before class.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
It tastes like chicken...
I ate octopus today!! It basically tastes like chicken, but I hate the texture of the suckers - those are seriously gross.
This is my host dad, Slavan, rinsing one of the three octopi last night. He was so proud of this Croatian delicacy - it cost 500Kn - almost $100!!
This is my host dad, Slavan, rinsing one of the three octopi last night. He was so proud of this Croatian delicacy - it cost 500Kn - almost $100!!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Yugo-stalgia
We spent a lot of time in class this week discussing frameworks for studying this region and got into a discussion of nostalgia (Yugostalgia/Titostalgia) today. It's hard to define the region in a name, not only for the people who have lived in a so many countries (even if they haven't moved), but also for me. Am I studying abroad in Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia; the former Yugoslavia; the western Balkans; southeastern Europe??
Here is a YouTube clip we watched in class today displaying some of this nostalgia... I know it's in Croatian, but basically says: we were once one / but then split into six / then came blood and violence / was this all necessary?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7SorJzdBtc
Here is a YouTube clip we watched in class today displaying some of this nostalgia... I know it's in Croatian, but basically says: we were once one / but then split into six / then came blood and violence / was this all necessary?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7SorJzdBtc
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Feels like proljeće! (spring!)
The sun finally came out today!!
So, after being here for a week (it feels like I've been here for at least a month), the sun FINALLY came out. The city is beautiful!! Here are some much better pictures of Dolac Market - me with the Cathedral in the background, and Alex, Sarajane, Virgil, Fiona, and me with some flowers we bought for our classroom.
So, after being here for a week (it feels like I've been here for at least a month), the sun FINALLY came out. The city is beautiful!! Here are some much better pictures of Dolac Market - me with the Cathedral in the background, and Alex, Sarajane, Virgil, Fiona, and me with some flowers we bought for our classroom.Monday, February 2, 2009
Pictures
Dolac Market - a daily farmers market up from Trg. Jelačića - the Cathedral is in the background.
Glavni Kolodvor, the main train station in Zagreb. 
SIT Ballin' Balkans, Spring 2009 (there are 16 total of us, this was the group leaving from JFK)Sunday, February 1, 2009
Ja sam Leez. Ja sam Amerikanka
I am Leez. I am American.
I was adopted by the Turić family on Saturday – wonderful people. They live outside the city center, near the Arena Zagreb, where the handball championship final (France-Croatia, France won) was held tonight. It’s a typical Bloc-style high-rise residential area – everything is sort of cement colored, graffiti everywhere, stray dogs, the usual.
But, the Turić’s live in one of the rare houses on a nice side street – the neighbors have lots of chickens and some turkeys. The church bells woke me up at 7am, before the sun even rose. Two other SIT students – Alex and Fiona – live in a building about 200 meters from my house, so we’ll spend a lot of time commuting together. It’s about 45 minutes by a bus and tram to Jelačić Square.
Mama – Branka – is a nurse, working at a hospital in Zagreb. She moved to Zagreb from Bosnia in 1989; she speaks very little English, but we get by. We laugh a lot. I’m getting the hang of all the polite phrases of refusal – she has been stuffing food in me since we met at the homestay reception on Saturday night.
Tata – Slavan – is a big Dalmatian guy. I haven’t really figured him out yet. He is a restaurant manager and doesn’t speak any English, and so I think I unnerve him. He likes sports and cigarettes, and that is about as much as I’ve gotten.
The twins – Brslav and Blaž – are 14. They look EXACTLY alike and are REALLY tall – I’m talking, like, six feet. They love sports too, especially basketball. They are sharing a bedroom while I’m here – I’m in Blaž’s room, it’s papered in basketball posters. They speak pretty good English, so they translate whenever it’s really needed.
Veronika, 12, is daddy’s little girl. She’s sort of shy, but I can tell that she is proud of her American sister. Everyone is so fascinated by me, it’s sort of off-putting.
The neighbors came to see me today – Marija (nicknamed Kika) is 17 and is so sweet. She couldn’t wait for me to come over to friend her on Facebook (she’s addicted) and to see her room and tell her if it was “American enough” (it’s great). She goes to a high school focusing on language and speaks really good English – she’s memorizing Caesar’s monologue (“Friends, Romans, countrymen…”). She wanted to hear all about shopping in the States – she only has H&M. There definitely isn’t a lot of selection here for the middle class.
Marija and Luka – Fiona’s host brother – showed me how to get into the city this afternoon. Luka is 16 and speaks really great English. He’s a character. He professes a love for capitalism and thinks that the McDonald’s Big Mac is the best help America has ever given Croatia. He wanted to know what Burger King is like… (I told him not to worry about it, that McD’s has better fries anyways).
I’m beginning to understand what life is like for these kids… I know that I already understand the excess of American life better than most people, but it hit me today… How must it feel to hear about Burger King, the Gap, whatever, and not be able to access it? They asked me how much a Big Mac costs in the U.S. – I said we can get meal for about $5 (20 kuna or so). Luka said that it was bullshit, that average Americans earn 4 times the average Croatian salary (about $1000/month) and McDonald’s is still cheaper for us.
Something about all of that seems unfair. I know that retail and fast food aren’t the most important things in life, but here are two incredibly bright, smart kids, who will probably live at home until they are their late twenties, because they still won’t be able to afford housing/living expenses, even though they will each have free college educations. There’s something that gives me the feeling of non-prosperity…
The past week has been altogether surreal – Today was probably the hardest day so far. I think I’m slowly progressing through the next stage of culture shock; I’m quickly becoming disillusioned with Zagreb, and although I like it and I’m happy for the most part, it’s getting easier and easier to find things to dislike – a phase that I know will pass.
I’m glad that I’m moved in, settled, and can begin some sort of routine.
Tomorrow I can continue my ontological and epistemological questioning of existence and meaning... Nothing like a foreign city, culture, language, family, that can make you question your world, knowledge, and experience.
I was adopted by the Turić family on Saturday – wonderful people. They live outside the city center, near the Arena Zagreb, where the handball championship final (France-Croatia, France won) was held tonight. It’s a typical Bloc-style high-rise residential area – everything is sort of cement colored, graffiti everywhere, stray dogs, the usual.
But, the Turić’s live in one of the rare houses on a nice side street – the neighbors have lots of chickens and some turkeys. The church bells woke me up at 7am, before the sun even rose. Two other SIT students – Alex and Fiona – live in a building about 200 meters from my house, so we’ll spend a lot of time commuting together. It’s about 45 minutes by a bus and tram to Jelačić Square.
Mama – Branka – is a nurse, working at a hospital in Zagreb. She moved to Zagreb from Bosnia in 1989; she speaks very little English, but we get by. We laugh a lot. I’m getting the hang of all the polite phrases of refusal – she has been stuffing food in me since we met at the homestay reception on Saturday night.
Tata – Slavan – is a big Dalmatian guy. I haven’t really figured him out yet. He is a restaurant manager and doesn’t speak any English, and so I think I unnerve him. He likes sports and cigarettes, and that is about as much as I’ve gotten.
The twins – Brslav and Blaž – are 14. They look EXACTLY alike and are REALLY tall – I’m talking, like, six feet. They love sports too, especially basketball. They are sharing a bedroom while I’m here – I’m in Blaž’s room, it’s papered in basketball posters. They speak pretty good English, so they translate whenever it’s really needed.
Veronika, 12, is daddy’s little girl. She’s sort of shy, but I can tell that she is proud of her American sister. Everyone is so fascinated by me, it’s sort of off-putting.
The neighbors came to see me today – Marija (nicknamed Kika) is 17 and is so sweet. She couldn’t wait for me to come over to friend her on Facebook (she’s addicted) and to see her room and tell her if it was “American enough” (it’s great). She goes to a high school focusing on language and speaks really good English – she’s memorizing Caesar’s monologue (“Friends, Romans, countrymen…”). She wanted to hear all about shopping in the States – she only has H&M. There definitely isn’t a lot of selection here for the middle class.
Marija and Luka – Fiona’s host brother – showed me how to get into the city this afternoon. Luka is 16 and speaks really great English. He’s a character. He professes a love for capitalism and thinks that the McDonald’s Big Mac is the best help America has ever given Croatia. He wanted to know what Burger King is like… (I told him not to worry about it, that McD’s has better fries anyways).
I’m beginning to understand what life is like for these kids… I know that I already understand the excess of American life better than most people, but it hit me today… How must it feel to hear about Burger King, the Gap, whatever, and not be able to access it? They asked me how much a Big Mac costs in the U.S. – I said we can get meal for about $5 (20 kuna or so). Luka said that it was bullshit, that average Americans earn 4 times the average Croatian salary (about $1000/month) and McDonald’s is still cheaper for us.
Something about all of that seems unfair. I know that retail and fast food aren’t the most important things in life, but here are two incredibly bright, smart kids, who will probably live at home until they are their late twenties, because they still won’t be able to afford housing/living expenses, even though they will each have free college educations. There’s something that gives me the feeling of non-prosperity…
The past week has been altogether surreal – Today was probably the hardest day so far. I think I’m slowly progressing through the next stage of culture shock; I’m quickly becoming disillusioned with Zagreb, and although I like it and I’m happy for the most part, it’s getting easier and easier to find things to dislike – a phase that I know will pass.
I’m glad that I’m moved in, settled, and can begin some sort of routine.
Tomorrow I can continue my ontological and epistemological questioning of existence and meaning... Nothing like a foreign city, culture, language, family, that can make you question your world, knowledge, and experience.
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