Sarajevo

Who new there was so much interest my travel blog? thanks everyone-- I'm glad to hear that my adventures on the road entertain those of you stuck behind the computer. Well I'm back online again. The past week has been a humbling experience. To be here walking the streets with the scars and burns from the recent conflict so fresh is crazy. Although the Bosnian people are amazing and quite resilient. They have painted over the shelled exterior walls of their homes, come closer to the Muslim faith they were persecuted for and continue to rebuild this city and their lives everyday.

Yesterday I presented my paper on an education panel together with a Professor from the University from Sarajevo who spoke about the painful process of trying to standardize their experience and attempt to teach it in the schools. After hearing testimony from those younger than I, who lost family, friends and had treacherous stories about escaping to the UN protected zone...woah.

As well as connecting with so many of my former professors from Clark and Deakin I have made some really amazing lifelong friends. The theater students who leave today for Rwanda, the Clark grad student Tibi who on the long bus rides we entertain each other with stories about Worcester and makes me laugh even in such a dark setting, and the Bosnian students who come from such diverse backgrounds and are so eager and open to share their most personal experiences. This conference has been more than I ever expected.

But have no fear, we did see more of Sarajevo than the inside of the conference center and mass grave sites. By day we learn of the tragedy, but by night we learned about the life.

Standing outside for a beautiful concert of Ottoman music and a performance of whirling dervishes the rain started and we thought that we might not last long, but in a matter of minutes the people around us invited each one of us under their umbrellas and the dervishes whirled the rain away. It was magical! Following the performance we joined the dispersed crowd in a local bar and got introduced to the sliverich.... AKA plum brandy-- do they even have this in the states?

I can't say that I have gotten alot of sleep this week, but I move into the next phase of my trip with a warm feeling in my heart and soul about the 400 other people in the world who share my perspective that there is a chance humanity can change for the better....

Tomorrow morning I leave early in the morning for the coast and onto Croatia. Let vacation officially begin!

I love getting the notes from home and all the places I once called home... it makes me feel like you are all here with me. Keep writing me!

xox Morgan