Sarajevo Symphony!

Last Thursday evening we had the pleasure of attending a concert of the Sarajevo Youth Orchestra, as they welcomed a guest violinist for a performance of select pieces from Mozart. The concert took place in a former Military hall, that was originally constructed by the Austro-Hungarians, when they ruled over Sarajevo on the 19th Century. Here are a couple pictures from the evening...

Masa is here with her cousin Namik and his fiance, Zina.

Myself, Zina, and Masa as we await the second Act...

Sarajevo is a diverse and cosmopolitan cultural cultural city. I suppose that as a North American, I could describe it as "very European", and then realize how silly that sounds to say while I am sitting here. But the mixture of peoples, ethnicities, religions, and cultures is one that makes for a vibrant and exciting community.

Sarajevo Diaries Vol. III

Some things you have to learn the hard way.

Before getting to the “hard things” let us first point to some links just down the right hand side of the page that will guide you to some recent photo collections. Please check them out!

So, what have we had to learn the hard way? Tuesday morning I started my day with what was becoming a nice morning routine. A little espresso, some news, and some email at my new workstation. I chatted with my sister in Edmonton Alberta for a few minutes, and then was about to get started on the rest of the day and head to school. In the process of getting up from the desk I knocked over my delicious espresso all over the laptop…which promptly shorted out the motherboard and rendered the computer nothing more than a paperweight.

The last three days were spent scouring the city for possible computer repair shops and retailers who could either help us fix our caffeinated machine, or simply replace it. Masa’s cousin Namik was able to connect us with a Toshiba distributor, who confirmed our initial diagnosis of morbidity, but who was able to retrieve a few documents off of the desktop. That was small consolation for such a silly mistake, but was nice to get a couple of items that had not yet been backed up onto our external hard drive.

Ultimately we have purchased a new machine from a small retailer here – and for those who know me it is a sad truth, that we did purchase a Windows machine again. I was gunning for a new IBook, and there is a smashing new Mac store here in one of the University buildings, but due to this unforeseen expense, a shiny new IBook was simply not in the budget. Maybe next year…..

I must add that it was Masa’s laptop that I injected with the lethal dose of caffeine, and even though her baby was lost, she was incredibly understanding and did an amazing amount of work to locate a technician and negotiate for our new computer.

Oh yeah, you still need to get that “Check Up” done….

You may recall from an earlier post that when we had first arrived in Sarajevo we had attempted to go to the local clinic for a check up that I need to have certified for school, such that they can confirm I have not brought any lethal Canadian pathogens into the country. Well, this week the school actually arranged for a large group of us to go to the clinic together (read – please inundate the clinic staff with a large group of loud students with no translator), such that it would be a bit easier for everyone to go through the process at the same time.

Thursday morning we arrived bright and early at 8am, along with about two hundred other Sarajevans. Straight away we settled in for a long morning (read – all day.) The head nurse in the reception area was, how shall I say, one with a “rough exterior”. I offered this description to the friend of a schoolmate later on, wanting to describe her as tough and firm, yet reasonable, yet he took my Canadian euphemism as an expression of her simply being “butt ugly.” Sigh.

Our nurse-friend tersely explained (in rapid Bosnian) that we should take these forms, fill them out, and then go to one side of the building for chest x-ray, another side of the building for blood and urine analysis, the third floor for form stamping and psychology analysis (not sure why this was necessary – and for me the psychologist simply said “AH! Canadian from Edmonton Canada, but you look more Scottish. Welcome to Bosnia.), and then back to reception for overall certification of the results.

In the end, of the group of twelve of us Masa ended up translating for at least 8 throughout the process, and we eventually wrapped our day at the clinic around 2:30pm. I am apparently free of disease. Although it would be tough to say exactly whose urine ended up in my results, as at least 37 of us all left our samples on the “in tray” at the same time, each only loosely marked and identified. Oh well, at least I did not get results telling them I was pregnant.

So how did We Get here Anyway?

For those of you just joining our Balkan programming, perhaps you are wondering how Masa and I ended up here anyway. I thought maybe we ought to provide some historical context to our current situation.....

Our adventure began almost four years ago when we first started dating, and has brought us on countless escapades across North America and Europe. A good many of those have taken place all over South Eastern Europe, particularly the republics of the former Yugoslavia. I offer you these glimpes of our previous travels......

The Florida Diaries (2004):

Florida: (FLoh - ree - dah) - noun. Engine by Yugo, body by almost-Tonka. Car of the people...apparently was very well made before...but sometime in the last ten years the quality has slipped somewhat. We christened her, "the Mighty Plastic One". Our trusty steed will be taking us through Serbia and the mountains of Montenegro - elevation, 2500 meters. Arriving in Belgrade we anticipated meeting our driver, with our Florida, to take us into town and get us on our way. Apparently he never got the message. But while we were making some calls to sort things out with a few choice Yugo-sayings, "Fuck your mother", we were able to witness the locals in their finest form. Man leaves airport and crosses road - gets clipped by taxi leaving terminal...taxi stops momentarily to exchange a couple of pleasantries, and the police man standing there gestures for his ticket pad, but thinks better of the extra work and tells them both to fuck off. Welcome to Serbia. A few rules for your stay.... 1) Sidewalks....are really misnamed, these are generally reserved for driving or parking, not walking.2) Politics...are taken very seriously and are still divided in Serbia over everything. The larger than life poster of Slobodan Milosevic in the downtown district (on his political parties hq), was somewhat unexpected. 3) Coffee...is taken with every daily activity. The last seven days have been a whirlwind tour through Serbia and Montenegro. Belgrade is a fascinating city, reverberating with life. The downtown core is marked with some new developments and some buildings still damaged from the NATO bombing. The mood in the city is very mixed over the politics of the bombing and its impact on the people. We will try to get some pictures of everything online in the next few days for you to see. The people here are beyond generous and the customs surrounding hospitality for foreigners are strictly adhered to. To have a guest is to make your home their home, and everyone we have met has been extremely kind to us. IN the mountains of Montenegro we visited to village in which Masa's father was born, and the surrounding countryside where many of their relatives still reside. It is breathtaking scenery, much like the rocky mountains in western canada. Travelling in this area requires a strong stomach for the roads, and a few extra $$ to get yourself through the administrative stops along the way. "yes sir we stopped you as we saw you make an illegal pass on the highway.""what? (play dumb...) I am not from here....""I see, well this is a serious offense (that does not really exist), we would normally have to take you to the station and suspend you for three months.""I see....""but for 600 dinars, we'll get you on your way..." (approx 15 CAD). ...to be continued.....

The S4 Diaires (2004):

Our intrepid adventurers found themselves in Pljevlja (Puh-lyev-lee-ah) - a small mountain village in Montenegro. The Mighty Plastic One was wounded, and our heroes seemed doomed to spend an eternity drinking gasoline-based alcoholic beverages (more on that), unless some magical solution could be found to fix the Florida. The Gods were fortunate this day, or perhaps it was the sacrifice of my liver the night before that bade them to take pity on us. We joined Masa's cousin for a few cocktails in an amazingly happening little bar in Pljevlja (say it three times fast...but have seven beers first). Some rules about drinking in Montenegro: 1) You must always start with Rakja (RAK- ee-Ya) - one of three liquors made from grapes, plums, or pears. Pears = Kruska; Grapes = loza, and Plums = Slijva (Schliva). You might as well just crack open the Esso Extra, only this stuff does taste better. 2) Montenegrins make astonishingly great beer, truly. Niksicko (Nik-SHICH-Ko) - at least that's how it looked to me after a number of them, would do great in Canada. 3) Standard quantities for one adult male = grenade = 2 Litres. Per sitting. Best to go to bathroom often. 4) An outing will usually last four to five hours, and if you don't understand the language, like me, you'll not have much to say...leaving you more time to drink. This may help you comprehend the numerous slang/swear words. 5) Finish off with a Slijva, take two and you won't feel a thing in the morning. Masa's cousin's best friend came to join us. 30 seconds into the conversation we realized he and Masa were also distant cousins, maybe 3 or 4 times removed. The relations between the families are apparently somewhat strained....something about a shooting on the town's main street? Having reviewed the scene myself, and discussed the incident with other relatives, it was clearly self defense.....maybe I need another beer? Although the morning was blurry, it was not certain if this was a result of the hangover, or the coal smelter plant. Either way, it left a tough taste in the mouth. The Florida did not look likely to make it very far.... Our departure delayed by distant cousins coming to say goodbye - a mechanic across the street came to say hello.....turns out he knew Masa's grandfather - they used to go fishing. A legend the man was, apparently - and the Mighty Plastic One was road-ready again..... "Yes sir I think you were going a little fast there for this mountain road, and what is this driver's licence? You need a Montenegrin driver's licence here." "I am a tourist, I have rented this car" "I'm sorry sir, but you'll have to come to our station." "Perhaps you and your partner could take this ten Euros and go for a beer?" "Thank you and have a nice day." ...and onwards we went for Belgrade and then on to Sarajevo and through to the Croatian coast..... ...back in Belgrade we returned the Florida to the dealer, and picked up some bus tickets for Sarajevo. That evening Masa's uncle called to say that he would be driving in to town to pick us up and give us a lift. Back to the station to return the tickets, we relaxed in the smooth stylings of his Audi S4, and decided to spend our last night in Belgrade in the bohemian town centre. As two in the morning rolled around, we were singing Bosnian folk songs with the string band, and enjoying delicious Vranac - a Montenegrin wine. The next morning we made record time to Sarajevo, where we would spend one evening before continuing on to the Croatian coast via the ancient town of Mostar, and a stop for the classic Hercegovinian delicacy - frogs. Them's good. The S4, cruised through the mountain tunnels of Hercegovina, emerging into the Mediterranean climate of the Adriatic - and suddenly we were surrounded by wineries and olive trees. The sweet smell of the ocean was in the air, and new adventures await....

The Unbearable Whiteness of Being (2004):

Dubrovnik and Hvar - the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. Paradise on Earth. Really really hot. Especially when you are the Unbearable Whiteness of Being. Masa is so tanned we have started to sing Ebony & Ivory to each other. Dubrovnik, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, so rich with history and heritage. 800 year old stone walls surrounding the old city, protecting it from centuries of invaders. Sadly not protecting it from invading tourists, but despite an influx of thousands of people every week in the summer, the city is beyond beautiful. Travelling adventures have continued full force on the coast of Croatia. Some of the funniest things have been the Serbo-Croatian to English translations that are done (in complete literal fashion) for tourists like me. For example: 1) For the beaches around Hvar - "Come and visit natural nature and our virginal beaches"2) On the ferries between Hvar and the Croatian mainland - safety rules:a) In the case of emergency, bring life jacket and DON'T FORGET - take drugs if you use them.b) If you have trouble DOING life jacket, ask staff for assistance. Our ferry from Split, on the Dalmatian Coast, to Chioggia, the industrial wasteland outside of Venice, was a 14 hour time warp back to a 70's cruise ship from the north African coast. Complete with plush, crushed velvet seating in the bar area, silver mirrored dance floor, and all ABBA all the time. We cannot recommend Hvar highly enough as a destination. It was truly magical. Unfortunately our time in Venice was less than spectacular, as it was a bit of a shock to see the city in a state of such disrepair. So much garbage and graffiti everywhere, but amazing food. After a quick detour through Slovenia, having reconnected with the S4 "Balkan F1 experience", we have arrived back in Sarajevo for the remainder of our stay. Hoping this finds everyone well, and looking forward to connecting back home.

And now we are here as I am pursuing a joint program at the University of Sarajevo and the University of Bologna, the European Regional Master's (ERMA) in Human Rights and Democratization in South Eastern Europe. Masa has taken the opportunity to return to the city of her birth and reconnect with her roots, her family, and her friends.

After a little over a week, we could not be more excited to be here, and looking forward to the coming year....and then, who knows....

Sarajevo Diaries Vol II

“Hurry Up! Slowly.”

The last few days have progressed at a rapid, yet oddly slow pace. While we were successful at opening a bank account eventually, we have not been able to do much else in terms of items that were on our list of things “to do.” Things such as the medical check up I need to do at a clinic here, opening a safe deposit box, and getting internet access at home may take a week or two longer to accomplish.

“Polako” is the Bosnian word for “slowly”, and I have heard it numerous times in the last 72 hours. From an old Baba talking to her grandson on her mobile, to old mountaineers using the term to describe their approach to climbing and hiking in general…or life for that matter. Everything should be done slowly, and with great thought to when you will stop for coffee.

Spending some time *slowly* meandering through the old town last week, we found ourselves in a shoe store (big surprise for me), and I thought I would try on a pair of shoes. Having my absolutely incredible translator and Sarajevo Guide (Masa), I was able to communicate with the sales girl and ask all sorts of questions about the shoe, its price, etc etc. I should mention that Masa has been incredible in terms of guiding me through the process of getting set up for life here in Sarajevo….but apparently it was a bit embarrassing for her when I had her ask the sales girl what the stores return policy was….who knew there was not such a thing here?

We spent Saturday and Sunday this last weekend on a nearby mountain range called “Bjelasnica” (bee-yell-ash-nitza), where we were taken climbing and hiking by Masa’s two cousins, Namik and Edo. These brothers are accomplished mountaineers, ski instructors and mountain rescue guides, and all-around amazing guys. They’ve spent their lives in Sarajevo, and lived in the city throughout the war. They each have an amazing sense of humor, one that also pervades much (if not all) of the community.

Namik and Edo took us on a tour through three of the remote mountain huts on Bjelasnica, each of which is open year-round. Ranging in altitude from 1350 to 1850 meters, the huts can sleep anywhere from 4 to about 20 people at a time. We spent Saturday night at Podgradina, the first hut, and were regaled with hours upon hours of stories from Ferid, the president of the local mountaineers’ society who was our host at the hut, and his gang of ragged mountaineers. See some of the pictures here.

Ferid thought it was hysterical that I would come to Bosnia to study Political Science…..”Why would you come here for that? Do you want to be an expert on how to disintegrate Canada?” Even more strange that I would not do more to put Masa in “her place” in our relationship. He was joking…I think….and did add that the lack of this sort of physicality in the relationships of Canadians must be the reason why we “..have so many homos.”

Welcome to the mountains in Bosnia.

The area around Sarajevo on Bjelasnica reminded us a lot of aspects of Gatineau Park in Quebec, and at the higher altitudes we were struck by the resemblance to pictures we have seen of New Zealand. In fact we were anticipating the arrival of Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli at any moment. Sounds crazy, I know, but if you have seen the movies, and then look at these pictures here, you will see what I mean.

Sunday night we went out to meet a few of my classmates from the ERMA program, in advance of classes starting this week. What we thought would be only a handful turned out to be about twenty of us, as word had spread via e-mail that there was going to be a get together. In total the group in the program will be about 35-40 people, representing Canada (me), the U.S (one), Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Croatia.

School began on Monday when we all took part in the graduation ceremony for the class of 2005-2006. From all accounts the students had an amazing year and grew to be a very closely knit group. Having spent Tuesday and Wednesday this week in some seminars to start our term, I think that things bode well for us to have a similar experience.