I’ve had the best weekend ever, and I’m so glad it happened this way because I most likely would have been depressed if it were any different.
So, school has gotten a bit frustrating. I miss my professors at Clark, how inspiring they are, how engaging they are, how applicable they make things seem. Well maybe I’m mostly talking about Duncan, and he’s not even at Clark anymore.
I told my academic adviser here, Orli, I might be interesting in doing my ISP on consciousness raising through dialogue, how different people (children vs. older generation) are dealing with the past, how the younger generation learns their country’s past in school, etc. And how dialogue can be used as a reconciliation and peace building tool. This is Orli’s academic niche, which means she has a smörgåsbord of contacts and references, which is great. On the other hand, she could become too controlling, too critical, too…present in what I want to do because it is her thing. We'll see!
So with this in mind, I’ve been getting a bit nervous with the ISP. I was talking to my friend here, Becca, (who I’ve been getting a lot closer with and whose just a great person), about how her mother goes to Africa with nurses and travels around caring for the women the nurses treat. This is anything from giving them massages to painting their nails, talking etc. I have been thinking a lot about this kind of work, especially since I am interesting in going to massage therapy school to get the tools. I noticed it when I was in Mexico, how there are people who work so hard who don’t have any attention paid to their body. It’s important and it’s something that I really care about. Is it good enough? I don’t know. But I might go with her to Kenya next spring break, oh yeah Mom and Dad, just to let you know I’m going to Kenya next spring break! I might want to add this kind of theme to my ISP. Who knows.
Anyway, so that is why I needed a nice weekend. Friday night, after helping a local PhD student with her research (I volunteered to have my head hooked up to a machine to follow my brain activity with learning Croatian, weird I know, but interesting), I went to Becca’s host family’s house right outside the city. They live on a mountain in a very beautiful area. Her and her host bro’s and sister watched “Step up” and vegged out. It was exactly what I needed! I got 10 hours of sleep and we woke up and ate muesli with warm milk and coffee out on their deck. We decided to ride bikes into the city, down tot Lake Jarun, the biggest lake in Zagreb. Becca lives to the north of the city and Jarun is in the southern part. It was the most gorgeous day and I was so happy to get out into the sun and work my body. It has been really hard to stay active here for many reasons so I could feel my muscles remembering what work feels like. We got a bit lost but made it to the lake and rode around it twice (it’s 8 lm around). We got cappuccino and watched the swans waddle through the water. We checked out the night clubs that are the most popular in the city there. We rode back up to my apartment (in the center of the city) and ate lunch, where I proceeded to eat liver for the first time. I told becca not to ask what kind of meat it was because that is my policy here as a meat-eater. What I don’t know can’t hurt me. It turned out to be pig liver and I almost upchucked my lunch.
We rode back up to her house, up the god damn mountain! It was hard but worth it. That night we went back out to the city to dance and have a few drinks.
I woke up this morning and went on a 4 hour hike/walk with my family in this big national park. It reminded me of Beaver Brook at home, except a mountain and a lot more people (and of course in Croatia). I spoke with cousin dzenia, who came with us, a lot about Porec and Lubljiana, Slovenia, where I am going this week with SIT.
This trip has come at exactly the right moment. I am feeling myself feeling annoyed and overwhelmed by my host sisters, which is good because it means I am comfortable. I want to be with the group more, we all get along so well and have a great time together, and I want to travel! We leave in the morning to Porec, on the Istrian peninsula until Wednesday, when we’ll head to Slovenia for 3 days. The academic schedule is turning into more what I thought the program would be. We have been studying the history for so long that I forgot why I came here! Our schedule next week looks so interesting and fun! I might even get to swim in the Adriatic!
I hope everyone is doing well. Tomorrow marks one month since I left home. Happy (30th) Birthday Momma Getto, I love you so much and I keep you with me always! I love you too, Dad! Take mom for some LA Dim Sum.
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