Saturday, Ana and I headed to Ado (a lake in Belgrade) to enjoy a little bibliotherapy and relaxation in the hot sun. We then headed back to the apartment, by taking our time walking through the streets of Belgrade. We had dinner with her mom, and then we surprised Lili (Ana's aunt) who was arriving home after vacation in Turkey. She didn't know Ana was going to be there, and boy was she excited. After chatting with Lili, Snezana and Baba, Ana and I headed to her cousin, Sanja, family's cafe, to catch the end of the consolation final of World Cup, between Germany and Uruguay. Being the Canadian that I am, I was rooting for the underdogs (who put up at great fight) but they were defeated by Germany. We hung out at had some drinks at the cafe with Sanja and her friend Jelena, and then headed to the river. Belgrade is situated where the Sava and Danube rivers meet, and the nightclubs are unique as they are floating clubs right on the river. We had a lot laughs, the music was great, and it was a different experience to feel the club rock and sway as the club got busier and louder. You had to be careful when putting your drink down, and it was best to have a few sips of a full glass as a precaution against spillage.
The next day, Ana and I headed to her Baba and Deda's house for a morning visit. Her grandparents are lovely, and hilarious. Her Deda speaks fantastic English, and I was able to communicate a few phrases with her Baba in English and Serbian.
We had a great visit, and then Ana and I headed into the city to explore the sights. We headed to Kalemegdan Park via the pedestrian walkways of the centre, lined with shops, cafes, and street vendors. Kalemegdan Park is an old perserved fortress, overlooking the Sava and Danube rivers below, dating back as early as the 1st century. It is a collective mix of Roman ruins, Turkish and Austrian/Hungarian walls, towers, and structures making up the oldest part of Belgrade, and currently a park occupied by elderly chess players, musicians, performers, friends, tourists and couples in love.
After spending only a day in Europe, it's not hard to observe that parks are the PDA (public display of affection) hotspots of any city. Most Europeans live at home until they're married, and parks are seen as a great place to get some loving. So needless to say, the days are hot and the nights are warm, and the couples were seen out and about in full force.
Kalemegdan Park was beatiful, with lots to see, and then Ana and I headed back home to shower and get ready for the nights festivities. We had some dinner that her aunt prepared (that was AMAZING-- I'll comment on the food later!), and then headed out to watch the World Cup Final, Spain vs Netherlands. We found an outdoor cafe that was playing the game, had some beers, and watched (in my opinion) the slowest, most uneventful 120 minutes of midfield keep away. Although I was very happy with the outcome of the game (VIVA ESPANA!!!), it was lacking the excitement of fantastic attacks, shots, saves and defense that should have occurred in a World Cup final game. Anyways, long game short, Spain won, and that's all that matters!! We then went back to Kalemegdan park, to a cafe/pub that had a live band, had some drinks and wasted the night away. The band, however, were amazing, and we could have listened to them for HOURS (well- we did haha). We met 2 of the most interesting fools on our walk home, who were strange, yet hilarious. We found our new friends entertaining, and like all European males, they walked us home, to ensure our safety and enjoy our company.
Monday, we woke up early, and explored the city for the morning, enjoying the last little bit of Belgrade before getting on our 7 hour bus ride home. Lili and Snezana fed us one last amazing homecooked meal before our trip, and we waved goodbye to them, as our bus took off, and our "workday" began. Ana and I then engaged in discussion about the survey's and interviews that we have completed with the mothers and members, and then came up with a loose framework for our interviews that we'll conduct this week with Nermin, Hana, Olga, and Silva (the professionals at the centre), and then different questions with Hasena and Azra (the co-founders). Once we finished our "workday", we were entering the mountainous zones of Serbia, and the natural beauty continued until the sunset, and we arrived in Sarajevo.
This morning, we arrived at the centre for 9am, and were warmly greeted by Hana. We had morning coffee with her, and caught up regarding our weekend festivities. We also discussed where we're at with our project, and how everything is going. We decided that our interviews with Hana and Nermin will be away from the centre, so it doesn't take away from therapy/group time. I'm not sure if a needs assessment over pivo (beer) is allowed in Canada, but they suggested it, so Ana and I are deeming it culturally appropriate, and we're planning to meet up one night this week to interview as professionals, followed by a fun night with good friends.
The centre is always filled with unpredictable events, and we never know what each day will bring. Today, again, was one of those days. Ana and I managed to get almost all the remainder of our interviews completed, shuffling around to different corners and rooms in the centre, struggling to find a quiet place to interview some of the more complex individuals. Over morning coffee, Hana informed Ana and I that one of the members had fallen on her face pretty horribly, knocked out a few teeth, scraped her gums, and isn't doing too well. Hasena then received news that her sister-in-law had gone to emergancy, but they couldn't find her. Olga's daughter and son-in-law paid the centre a visit in the afternoon. Olga's daughter is a pediatrician, and her husband is a pediatric neurologist, and they are visiting from Germany. They apparently do some consultation with the centre, and do annual "check ups" with the members. So although there were some tears shed today, the members and mothers came together for eachother, and the laughter, chatter and banter ensued over afternoon coffee. I managed to contribute 3 new sentences to coffee this afternoon, which was praised and I was congratulated, and forced to repeat for those who didn't hear me the first time. The Mothers then said that I now need to find a husband, and stay in Sarajevo forever! We came to an agreement that I just need to stay in contact, and never forget about them. Even with the dementia that runs in my family, I swear I will never forget my time here. Each and every person puts a smile on my face, and I'm always happy and excited to go to placement every morning.
Although Ana and I do most of our own cooking here in our apartment, the food in the region is so simple, yet delicious. I don't know what it is, but the food is so fresh and doesn't require spice or sauce. Ana and I often just have salad with a little olive oil, or we through chicken and vegetables into a pan, pop it in the oven, and it comes out as the greatest meal! It was similar as the meals that Snezana and Lili cooked us in Belgrade. So simple, so healthy, yet so delicious. I guess something can be said for quality ingredients. I have learned the essentials are garlic, onion and olive oil.
But I should get going. I bought a Bosnian magazine today, and I'm going to go attempt to read it. It may take me 2 weeks, but I'm determined, with the help of my dictionary and Ana, to get through it. Wish me luck!
xoxo
1 comment:
Glad you had fun with Ana's family. Sounds like a wonderful little trip. Can't wait till we get there to try all the delicious food you've been mentioning. Oh yeah...Whatdya mean the dementia that runs in your family??!! (you DO look familiar though....) Love you xoxo Mom
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