subota, 29. prosinca 2007.

Sretan Božić: Merry Christmas

My first Christmas away from my family. A strange concept in theory, but in actuality, a very Merry Christmas.

On Christmas Eve day, my host family spent most of the day in the kitchen. My host sister Sara and I spent the morning making gingerbread cookies. Croatians do not mess around with their Christmas cookies. By the end of the whole cookie making process, we had about five different types of professional looking "cakes" as the Croatian word for cookies is keksi.

Christmas Eve day was also Aja's 80th Birthday. I asked him what he wanted for his Birthday, and he said, "just a kiss."

The traditional Christmas Eve dinner is meant to be rather bland and tasteless, since it is the night before the giant Christmas feast. Most people have fish and bean salad. The fish we had had been alive about three hours before we ate it, straight from Croatia's coast. Janet told me some years they have gotten it fresh and let the fish swim around in the bathtub for a few hours before dinner...

It snowed all day on Christmas Eve, and my neighborhood looked like something out of a winter wonderland scene, all quiet and still. Tomislav Janet and I went to Sloboština, the closest neighborhood with a church, and attended the 8 o'clock mass.

On Christmas morning, I was awoken at 8 (much to my chagrin) by Beka and Sara standing over my bed jumping up and down, shouting at me to "GET UP KELSEY, IT'S CHRISTMAS!" My Mom sent me my stocking from home, and there is was on the end of my bed. Since Janet is English, and Tomislav Croatian, the Tuškans do a combination of English and Croatian traditions, the stockings obviously being English. Regardless, having a stocking made me feel even more at home. We went downstairs and ripped open the presents in a blur of chaos and tearing paper. It was all over in about ten minutes. It was lovely to celebrate Christmas with someone who still believes in Santa. (Beka, age 9)

Later we ate breakfast, and Tomislav read the story of the birth of Jesus from the Bible. Around 2 we had a giant lunch. Croatians traditionally eat Turkey on Christmas Day-because a Turkey kicks his feet up backwards, signifying the end of the current year, and on New Year's the food is pig, because pig's snuffle forwards, signifying the New Year. I have to say I am not much looking forward to the entire suckling pig to be displayed on the table...

We played Croatian pictionary in the afternoon, the only word I knew being belly-button...with some luck, I will know more by next year!

Sretan Božić i Nova Godina.

utorak, 18. prosinca 2007.

Styr, Linz, Sierning, Vienna, i Salzburg

The Holiday season is upon us, and Zagreb is decorated to excess. There seems to be a Christmas Tree is every available space, and lights are strung up all around the city. There is even a Christmas Tree in the lobby of my school. No rules here about mixing religion and school...!

So. Austria. I took the bus from the main bus station in Zagreb on Sunday the 9th. The bus ride took about six hours, but passed pleasantly, minus my neighbor who kept yelling at me to take my feet off the seats.

My good friend Paige from high school is staying in Sierning, Austria, also hosted by the Rotary. Paige and her host parents picked me up in Linz. Austria was wonderful, but seeing Paige was by far the highlight. The town of Sierning reminds me of Peterborough, it is tiny, and requires driving on long winding roads. Of course there are some differences, such as the giant mountain and open fields complete with traditional Austrian manors.

Paiges lifestyle differs dramatically from mine for various reasons. The first major difference being her fluency in German. I must admit I was fairly green with envy by the end of the week. At the same time, it was amazing to hear her chattering away in German. Since she lives about 30 minutes from school, she gets up at 6 every day, and is driven to school by one of her host parents. It was so funny to be in a car again, as I barely spend any time in them here in Zagreb. I was at least cheered to see Paige does mostly the same things I do in school which is a lot of nothing. Styr is where her school is located, and strangely enough the school she attends was also attended by none other then Hitler himself. Everyone in her school wears slippers...I do wish we did that more often in America. On Tuesday we took the train to Linz and went to a great Modern Art Museum, and mostly just puttered around the city. Since Hitler wanted Linz to be the capital of his Empire, you can still see the two buildings he built as archways into the city. They actually aren't very grand, just ugly.

I was struck by the organization in Austria, everything seems to have a place and a function, nothing like the chaos of Croatia. Every bus and tram comes exactly when it should, not a second late. I discovered train is my favorite way to travel, stress free and relaxing. When Paige and I took the train to Vienna, we found a free compartment and both had an enjoyable sleep. From what I can tell, Austrian culture is no so different then American culture. People are much more reserved then Croatians, and not half as Nationalistic. Being in Austria made me appreciate the difference in cultures that I am getting to experience in Croatia.

Vienna was wonderful, much more international then Zagreb. We stayed with Paige's host sister, who has a nice apartment. We visited Belvedere Gardens, which is the home of Gustav Klimt's, The Kiss. We also went to Starbucks, and I had a bagel and almost passed out because I was so thrilled. Vienna is a truly beautiful city, and I look forward to returning sometime this year.

On Friday we took the train to Salzburg, and met up with all the Exchange students from Austria and Croatia. It was strange to be around so many Americans again. We took a walking tour of the city, and went to a church service as well. Salzburg at Christmas time look similar to a postcard, with all the Christmas Markets and snow. I was lucky that in a week I got to see all of the major cities in Salzburg.

All in all it was wonderful trip, though the best part was seeing a familiar face, and being able to gossip the days away.

Happy Holidays to all!

nedjelja, 9. prosinca 2007.

Aestheics and Austria

The first obvious difference between Americans and Croatian is the good old weight issue. You do not see fat people, you just dont. Note>The computer I am typing this on does not have proper puncutation, so please excuse the mistakes. Sure, you see the occasional older woman who could afford to lose a few pounds, but never do you see people who are grossly overweight, as in America.

Most Croatians have dark hair and dark eyes. Allegedly, men from the coast are rumored to be the eptiome of tall, dark, and handsome. There are few natural blondes, and no redheads. I have seen about two in the past three odd months. Croatians are big people. At first I thought I was imagining that the men were absolutely enormous, but the average height for a Croatian man is 6 foot 1, and for a woman, 5 foot 7. Out of the seven boys in my class, only one is under 6 foot three.

People often assume I am Croatian, but more often then not, they assume I am English or German. Which I am I suppose. Mostly everyone speaks enough English to converse, though not enough to pick out accents. I got asked if I was Australian the other night. I have a great time picking Americans out of a crowd. Somehow, they always seem to make it obvious they are American...

Croatians are much better dressed then the average American, and extremely style conscious. People never go out of the house unless properly dressed. I am yet to see a woman walking around in lounge pants, which is normal in America. You see very few people who are not meticulously groomed.

On another note, I am off to Austria today, for the week, to visit my friend Paige Simpson from Dublin, New Hampshire. She lives in a small town called Sierning, which is close to Styr. We are going to Vienna at some point to visit her host sister, and then on Friday, we will go to Salzburg for the Chrstimas Rotary Meeting. I will be back in Zagreb next Sunday, and a week from Christamas break!

Hope everyone is having a pleasant Holiday Season.

nedjelja, 25. studenoga 2007.

Sretan Dan Zahvalnosti

Translation: Happy Thanksgiving!
I do hope everyone gained at least ten pounds.

We celebrated Thanksgiving here at the Tuškans yesterday afternoon, somehow managing to cram 25 people into the living room. Janet was worried we weren't going to have enough food, which is quite funny, because I get the feeling we are going to be eating Thankgiving food for the next couple of lifetimes. We had all of the Rotary Girls (I can say Rotary girls, because there is only one male exchange student in all of Croatia, and he doesn't live in Zagreb) and their host families, along with our Croatian teacher, and one of our counselors, Ljiljana.

I made hand turkeys for decorations, and decided to color them during school-the reaction from my classmates was hilarious. They could not figure out why I had traced my hand and was attempting to make it look like a turkey. (Purica is the word for Turkey) They didn't understand that every American kid makes a hand turkey at some point in their life. But my class was literally in an uproar; crowded around asking what was wrong with me. It is also sort of difficult to explain the meaning of Thanksgiving to people, because there no real point to it, and there is no activity beyond gorging.

I did mangage to make cornbread, along with Walnut Pie. It was suppose to be Pecan Pie (Mom, I missed your Pecan Pie) but you can't get pecans in Croatia. I also got to experience chopping up an entire pumpkin for Pumpkin Pie. It took me about 45 minutes to chop the whole thing up-and I almost took of my hand a few times...

Time for lunch...wonder what we are having?

Lots of Love, thinking of you all.

utorak, 13. studenoga 2007.

Excessive America

A little blurb on seismic differences...

Everything in Europe is smaller then in the United States. Everything is more compact, and usually more efficient. I live in a family with seven people total. Our fridge is the about the size of a standard American freezer. It isn't an issue, and we are all well fed. Why then, do American insist on having giant fridges for families of two and three? "But we need them," we say.

Croatians seem to utilize their entire home, or in most cases, apartment. You don't see rooms that are simply for show. The average Croatian living space is painfully small when compared to American standards. It is normal for Croatian parents to sleep in the living room every night, and give the available bedrooms to their children. If a family has a garden, it is usually well tended to, and lots of vegetables and fruits are taken from it. Many families have tables outside, which are used in nice weather. Being an American with a generously sized room of my own, one begins to realize how much we take space for granted in the United States. We value our space, almost demand and expect it. I think we often get entirely too carried away with constantly making products bigger and bigger bigger.

Of course, these differences in proportions transfer over into food servings. The amount of food one is given here is normal, not excessive like in the United States. People don't take food home from restaurants; they are able to finish everything they are given. This is reflected in the lean physique's of most Croatians.

Cars. Large cars do not exist in Croatia. You see mostly Pegeouts and Volkswagens, occasionally a Smart Car. I have yet to see a Suburban of any type. Why are Americans the only people who feel it necessary to drive hulking cars?

Most families here do not have dishwashers. Most families here do not have dryers. The climate is not so very different then New Hampshire's climate; we could just as easily hang our clothes outside to dry. (I still haven't gotten accustomed to seeing my underwear flying in the wind...)

Watching people live everyday life without the luxuries we Americans don't consider luxuries makes one remember that bigger is not necessarily better. I must say, I think we Americans have forgotten that lesson.

srijeda, 7. studenoga 2007.

The Adriatic...Unveiled

After a much anticipated wait, I finally got a chance to see the Adriatic Sea-and was not disappointed.

In all reality, I think it a good thing I wasn't placed somewhere on the coast, or else I may not have ever wanted to come home.

We visited Poreč, (on the way back from Venice) a town in Istria, which is at the upper part of Croatia-you can find it easily on a map. Istria is also home to the town of Pula. Istria is well known for its unique red colored soil, due to the high levels of iron oxide in the ground. Poreč is known for a church called the Euphrasian Basilica, from the 6th century, a building dripping with antiquity. Some of the original tile work in still intact. My favorite part about the Basilica is that is smells like the sea inside-

The water of the Adriatic is a dark blue, but up close, it is green and clear, you can see all the way to the bottom, even in deeper water. We sat on a rocky beach (most of Croatia's beaches are rocky) and watched the sun set. I am looking foward to a swim in the Adriatic.

nedjelja, 4. studenoga 2007.

Slovenia and Venice

This weekend in Croatia was a national holiday; Thursday was All Saint's Day, known better as The Day of The Dead. We had school off on Friday, and the Tuškans decided we would take a family vacation to Venice.

The trip started off with me forgetting my passport, but luckily Janet reminded me it was essential to the trip before we had a chance to leave the driveway...
I'll admit I slept through most of Slovenia, although what I glimpsed through blurry eyes was beautiful. Slovenia is a small but prosperous country and historically, even during the days of Yugoslavia, it has done well. We stopped at Postlojna, which is one of the longest and largest caves in Slovenia. (Slovenia is famous for its caves.)

The cave is filled with stalactites and stalagmites, and also boasts a creature known as the Human Fish, a sort of newt looking fish, skin colored and slimy looking. You take a train through the first part of the cave, and then walk through the rest. The cave was cold and damp, and although I could appreciate the aesthetics of it, I wasn't too happy with being underground. At one point the lights were turned off unexpectedly-it was pitch black and eerie beyond belief.

You almost expect to see the Seven Dwarves or a band of goblins or elves around the next corner; it is a cave out of the science books I read as a kid. Postlojna has thousand and thousands of formations which have taken thousands and thousand of years to form. Spaghetti Hall is so named because of the hundreds of stalactites dripping from the ceiling in thin cylinders. The Curtains were my favorite formation-rocks which have warped because of continuously dripping water to form what literally looks like a curtain blowing in the wind.



Next was on to Venice. It felt sacred to be journeying to a city that is so loved and revered. We took a bus into the city center, and walked down the steps and into another world. My first impression of Venice was the lack of noise. There are no automobiles, and at first I couldn't put a finger on what it was that was different-but you quickly adjust to the quiet. We took a water taxi down The Grand Canal-which was an experience due to the massive amounts of people from all over the world pushing and shoving; not wanting to miss any of the city.

We went to St. Mark's Square and fed the pigeons. Actually, I didn't feed the pigeons, they freaked me out-they are so accustomed to people that they climb all over you and eat right out of your hand. When the pigeons all take flight it is a truly magical sight.
We wandered around the city, and saw the fish market, a market that is as old as the city itself. (It still smelled strongly of fish...surprise surprise.) I loved all of the depictions of the lion with wings all over the city (the symbol of Venice) there is a lion on practically every building.
I was impressed by the cleanliness of the city, especially the water-there are no plastic bags or empty bottles, which is amazing when you think about the constant flow of traffic.

The entire time I was in Venice I couldn't shake the feeling that I was in sort of alternate reality, another world so to speak. It feels archaic and looks archaic, a combination one cannot find anywhere in America. It is difficult to imagine being Venetian-one cannot imagine people actually live and work in such a city. Around every corner is another picturesque side street that you just want to explore-it is a labyrinth of endlessly intriguing streets. And as Tomislav so aptly put it-Venice is not a place for fat people, you wouldn't be able to fit down the streets.
We also visited the Rialto bridge, which provides a lovely view of the city. I enjoyed the feeling of standing on a bridge where thousands of people have stood before. All in all, I was completely captivated by Venice.

More about Poreč later...

utorak, 23. listopada 2007.

Novi Post

Bok.

I thought this might be of some interest; it might be a tad repetitive at some points, but it is the report I had to fill out for Rotary, a summary so to speak. Dobar tek! (This means eat well!)


KELSEY A. LIEBENSON-MORSE

OCTOBER ROTARY REPORT

ZAGREB, CROATIA

10.8.07

1.) How was your travel to your country? Was the travel agency helpful? Who met you at the airport upon your arrival?

The answer to this question should be short, but in my case, I think it might be fair to say everything which could have gone wrong travel wise, went wrong on my journey to Croatia.

To start the trip off, I got all of my cosmetics taken out of my carry on bag. (Entirely my fault, I wasn't aware of the new quantity regulations...) Normally, this wouldn't have bothered me, but when you are in a vulnerable state of mind, this sort of occurrence can be traumatic. Next, I spent five hours waiting in the Boston airport. Again, normally not a problem, but I was so ready and excited to leave, it was torture to be trapped in Massachusetts. I kept checking with the travel agents to make sure I would catch my connecting flight in New York. (I probably asked ten times.) They assured me, numerous times, that I would make it, no problem.

I got into New York around 8:45, even though my flight to Germany was departing at 9. Needless to say, I raced across the entire terminal, (I did feel rather glamorous, like the star in a movie, racing frantically across the airport) but to no avail. I was stranded in New York. I was also suppose to meet up with another Rotary student in order to make the rest of our journey to Croatia together, I was disappointed to have missed her, and frustrated that I had no way to tell her I had missed the flight.

Next commenced my overnight at the JFK Terminal. The Lufthansa agent was extremely unhelpful to me, and seemed not to know or care who or what the Rotary represented. When I told her what had happened, she simply told me she couldn't help, and that I would have to "make my own arrangements." Since it was already about 9:30 at this point, most of the airport was already shut down. This meant I would have to wait until the following day to make arrangements for another flight out of New York. It seemed decidedly risky to attempt a hotel room on my own.

At this point, an angel by the name of Jaclyn Janis rescued me. I was sobbing into a pay phone, (it is difficult when you have mentally prepared yourself for an event, and then have it drastically thwarted) and she cal my asked me "what happened to you?" We spent the night on the floor together, taking turns trying to sleep. She was on her way to South Africa, and had similarly hellish experience. My Mom was able to arrange a new flight for me by calling Lufthansa early in the morning. Sadly, the earliest flight was a mirror flight, so I spent the rest of the day in JFK. At 8:30 the next night, I boarded the plane for Germany.

Open arrival in Frankfurt, I made haste, and raced to my alleged boarding gate, determined to get to Croatia. But alas, I had been given the wrong information, and was at the wrong gate. My flight had already left. Four hours later, cut to Kelsey waiting for her flight to Croatia. It is now the 27th of August. I left Peterborough at about 10 in the morning on the 25th. I had, at this point, resigned myself to making a good first impression with my host family, since I was the picture of a weary traveler, and desperately in need of a shower. Unbelievably, I had managed to keep my level of excitement steady for the past two days, and I was still bursting to arrive in Zagreb.

My first view of the country was out of my sleep deprived eyes, peering out of the tiny plane window. I was struck by the greenness, and rolling hills, of a dark green color which one does not encounter in New Hampshire.

When I stepped of the plane, I was greeted by balmy heat, and approaching twilight. To my right were mountains, appearing purple in the fading light. When I walked inside the airport, I wasn't even expecting to see my luggage. After all of my failed travel plans, I knew my bags wouldn't be there. But I was desperately hoping my host family would be there. I had made several frantic calls from several different locations, hoping the Tuškans would be there when I arrived.

My heart sinking, I was already planning my next move. This was when I heard my name being shouted from somewhere above. Looking up, there was my entire host family (five altogether) shouting and waving. I think I must have fallen into my host Mom Janet's arms, I was so relived and happy to have arrived in Zagreb. When we reached the Tuškan's house, my host grandfather, Aya, (who doesn't speak any English) gently grabbed my face and kissed me, saying in Croatian I was his granddaughter now. This made me hellish flight well worth it.

(My laptop was also stolen out of my suitcase...but hey...such is life.)

2.) What were your first reactions and impressions of your country? How is your host family? What has been the hardest thing (outside of the language) to adapt to?

On my first morning in Zagreb, I awoke to sunshine streaming through my window. I had breakfast outside in the sunlight. My host sister Sara, (12) took me into the city center. I had no idea what to expect of Zagreb, other then what I had read in guidebooks, and looked up online. For a city of almost a million inhabitants, (and the capital of Croatia) the city center is comprised of two small, and manageable main squares. Both feature statues of men on horses. There are beautiful parks between the two squares, complete with well tended flower beds and fountains. Zagreb is an incredibly clean, safe city, with outdoor cafes on every corner. The main activity in Zagreb is to sit at a cafe and drink coffee, so this is what you see the majority of people doing on the average day.

After having been here for over a month, I can truly call Zagreb my city. I can get to and from the center easily and quickly on my own, using public transportation. This is an exciting feat for a girl from the town of Peterborough, population 6, 000. I have yet to see the famed Adriatic coastline that Croatia boasts of, but plan on going in the near future. I have been to parts of Zagorija, which is essentially the Croatian countryside, and also the Plitvice Lakes, one of Croatia's national treasures. (I also visited the town the Tito was born in) Some of the small town in Croatia look like something out a fairytale, with orangey-red terracotta roofs, and white exteriors. On my street, mostly everyone has beautiful and well tended gardens, with gorgeous roses and vegetables in profusion. To say in the least, Croatia is a country with endless sights to offer.

My host family is wonderful; I don't know how to phrase it any another way. I have had an almost seamless transition to life in Croatia, I think, because of the hospitality and warmth I feel from my host family. My nine year old host sister Beka in probably my best friend in Croatia. During about my second week here, she made a card addressed "to my sister." My host mother always introduces me to people as her "daughter for the year," never as a guest or just an exchange student. I am a member of the family. My host father Tomislav is constantly checking on me to make sure I am alright, that I have everything I need. My host mother and I spend lots of time together, mostly in the kitchen. The Tuškans are sociable people, and there is always someone coming in or out of the house. Right now we have a couple staying with us from Holland, and last week we had a man from Turkey over for lunch. In a strange way, I feel as though I have always known the Tuškans, perhaps because I have never felt excluded, or like a guest. Beka did a drawing of her whole family at school, and there I was, my hair scribbled in yellow with a crayon.

I can't say I have struggled with any part of the culture as of yet, minus the language, which was to be expected. One of my favorite aspects of life here is guessing which type of toilet handle a toilet will have. Everyone here thinks it is hilarious we have the same kind on every toilet in America. Go figure.


3.) How many times have you been in contact with your counselor? The club chairman? How many times have you attended Rotary meetings? Other Rotary functions? Are you receiving your allowance?

I have been to two Rotary meetings, and will attend another this month. I have received my allowance, and have met the club president. I am I relatively frequent contact with my counselor Gordana, who I love. We have had one organized trip.

4.) How is school going? Are you able to understand the language enough to survive in school? What subjects are you studying?

Schools in Croatia are much different then schools in America, they are largely still under the influence of Communism. This mean you have seven subjects a day, in which you sit in a chair and listen to the teacher talk. There are no projects, no discussions, and absolutely no essay writing. This had been challenging for me-sitting all day in a classroom would be hard enough, but since I can't understand most of what is being said, it makes it even more frustrating. But it has gotten better as the weeks have passed, and the kids in my class are great, welcoming and sincere. I am understanding more and more, and have time throughout the day to sit down and work with my Croatian. I feel as though lights are starting to go off, I can read signs and recognize words everywhere.

subota, 20. listopada 2007.

Attention

Check out the new post below the Greece post, for some reason is posted beneath-but it is the newest entry.

četvrtak, 18. listopada 2007.

Greece

Let me first apologize for my lack of recent posts; life has been busy.

But for those of you dedicated fans-here is a brand spanking new post, all about my recent trip to Greece. I would also like to add that since our tour guide spoke only in Croatia-I often didn't find out the significance of the sites we visited until two days later...It would also be impossible to describe the past week in less then a 500 page book, so here is the much abbreviated version.

The trip began with a twelve hour bus ride (I kid you not) from Zagreb to Ancona, Italy. Our boat departed from Ancona, and was more or less a twenty four hour trip to Greece. Since we traveled at night, it was difficult to appreciate the lovely scenery I am sure we passed.

Upon arrival in Greece, we boarded the bus once again, and traveled to Kalampaka. First impressions of the Greek landscape proved it to be hilly and dry, the bus winding up and down a seemingly endless path. Along the highways, about every twenty feet are tiny little shrines, small boxes shaped like churches with religious icons inside. I was surprised by the amount of trash on the road, and not surprised by the high number of stray cats and dogs. There are hundreds of olive groves, along with tangerines and almonds, and herds of goats and sheep who saunter slowly across the road. You can feel the age of the land, one feels as though they are in a different world completely. The Greek language helps feed this notion, as it look like complete and utter gibberish. For someone who loves Greek mythology, being in Odysseus's' homeland was a fulfilling and exhilarating experience.

From Kalampaka we traveled to Delphi, to see the remains of the Oracle. The site is built on a steep hillside, and looks out to the mountains, you feel almost as if you are in the bottom of a well, the sheer size of the mountains is overwhelming. The site consists of mostly run down temples, snaking up the hillside. At the top there is an amphitheatre which is still mostly intact. The town of Delphi was like a postcard, complete with white houses and winding cobblestone streets.

From Delphi we journeyed to Glyfada, a town outside of Athens. The next morning we went to The Acropolis. I wasn't prepared for the mob scene we were met with, I think I heard a language from every corner of the earth. In my Western Humanities class this year, there were several pictures of the Acropolis in my textbook which I use to stare at longingly. It was mind blowing to see it all in the first person. The view of Athens from The Acropolis is incredible, one can see the entire city of Athens, and all the way to the sea.

That night I went swimming in the sea, this was my favorite part of the entire trip. The water was warm, incredibly salty, and a bit dirty. (I swam into a whole tomato?) I was assured time and time again by the patriotic Croats that the Adriatic is a thousand times more beautiful then Greece's coastline, though I wasn't about to complain.

I should add somewhere that the entire week was punctuated by the raucous singing of Croatian songs, sung increasingly louder as the week progressed. I am impressed that we didn't get kicked out of Athens, seeing as there were about 50 of us parading down the streets of Athens at two in the morning, singing and clapping and causing a general disturbance. Croatian love their country, and want everyone to know it.

My other favorite part of the trip was traveling to the cliff from which King Aegeus allegedly threw himself into the ocean (so named the Aegean Sea) after thinking his son Theseus was dead. The day seemed to match the somber mood of the story, the wind was blowing wildly and the sky was black. The cliff is the most southern point in all of Europe.

We also went to a great museum with the original statues from all over Greece. We visited a monastery which is built on top of a cliff. We went to Mycenae, to see Agamemnon's Palace, and the Treasury of Artemus. We saw the Korinthian Canal. On the journey home we traveled through the day, and I was able to watch Greece disappear while sitting in the sun.

nedjelja, 30. rujna 2007.

Vukovar

I will admit I came to Croatia with only an elementary understanding of the depth and scope of the war. I wasn't prepared for the everyday impact it has on many Eastern European families-the Tuškan family being one of them.

My host father Tomislav grew up in Vukovar, one of the towns which was under siege for the longest amount of time. Vukovar lies to the far east of Croatia, along the Danube River. The entire town was destroyed by the occupying Serbs. Tomislav's father, Drago, left Vukovar (leaving his wife and other son Dražen) He was unable to get back inside the city, and has lived with Janet and Tomislav ever since. As for Tomislav's mother and brother, (Drago's wife and son,) they are presumed dead, although their bodies were never found.

A man who knew the story of their deaths agreed to meet with Tomislav and his father, but before they were able to meet, he died of cancer. Allegedly, both Dražen and his mother were shot on the side of a road; their bodies thrown somewhere into the unknown.

Years ago Janet and Tomislav went back to Vukovar to see the house Tomislav grew up in. They showed me pictures, and what was once a neigborhood was reduced to a pile of rubble and all sorts of debris. Janet told me the Serbian soldiers took everything of value from each house before torching it. When the visited, they realized eventually that they were standing on top of their former car. The only item they found intact was one of Janet's slippers.

I "read" the newspaper here every morning, and a few weeks ago, I found Tomislav's brother, Dražen Tuskan's name on the front page of the paper. It was a list of the dead from Vukovar. Three of the men responsible for the deaths of countless numbers of people in Vukovar were recently tried for their crimes. One of the generals was given 20 years, another was given 5, and the last was let go.

My host grandfather (Drago) was one of the many of outraged citizens who attended demonstrations against these sentences. The Prime Minister of Croatia traveled to Vukovar in order to try and quell the demonstrations.


Even now, bodies are still being recovered from the area inside and around Vukovar. Many are unidentifiable, but funerals are held for those who were lost years ago. Although being American is both a blessing and curse, we can certainly take a moment to appreciate our safety, something not everyone can give thanks for.

petak, 14. rujna 2007.

Grub

Hello All-
Sorry for the delay, but I am developing a sort of schedule now, along with some semblance of a social life, so sadly I can't spend all my time furiously typing...

The subject of this post is food. I know everyone has been dying to know what I eat here, and how I eat it, and when I eat it and all of that, and I would absolutely hate to keep anyone in suspense.


The typical Croatian family will eat a light breakfast, i.e., toast, coffee, or cereal. The big meal of the day comes around 2. Most people come home from work to eat a hot lunch. Dinner is generally quick and small.

But I was lucky enough to have ended up with the family who is not at all the traditional Croatian family. We eat a smallish lunch, and everyone eats a big dinner together.

Both Janet and Tomislav are fantastic cooks. Tomislav bakes fresh bread about every two days, which is delicious, he seems to throw it together out of nothing. They are very acccomodating when it comes to making dishes for me that aren't red meat. Last week they had wild boar (!) but I had pasta salad.

I eat more fruits and vegetables here then I did at home, since everything is so fresh, you can practically taste the dirt. (Sometimes you really can.) Last night we had giant mushrooms, fresh from the forest. You never know what will appear on the table.

Stuffed Peppers are Croatia's well-known dish. The peppers are hollowed out and filled with a sticky combo of rice and some type of meat. The peppers are then served in a tomatoe based broth. (Yum.) Many people snack on "Burek," which is a crumbly pastry filled with anything from meat to cheese. Apparently they are best when hot. (They sort of freak me out) Zagreb is also famous for its pizza. Croatians claim it is much better then Italy's pizza.

I am addicted to Croatian's chocolate, which is called Bayadere; a little rectangle of chocolate with a hazelnutty penutbuttery filling. The only food related product I miss from home are Wheat Thins. (Hint Hint)

So there it is, the fabulously exciting description of Croatian food.

On Saturday I will be visiting the Plitvice Lakes, (by the way, the c in Croatian is pronunced like tse, so try Plitvice out) and on Sunday, I am going to the countryside for some castle viewing.

Love to everyone in the United States of America, in Croatian the U.S.A translates to SAD, pronunced esade.

Kelsey

Only In Hrvatska...

Happy Friday to Everyone!

Here is a brief update on the past week, and upcoming events:

Yesterday was a sunny and beautiful (ljepa) day in Zagreb, around 75, with a bit of a breeze. I had the genius idea to walk to school, but I got tired sort of quickly, and ended up hopping on the bus instead. (Got to love public transportation.)

After school Chandra and I went to get coffee before Croatian class, and both ordered what we wanted without the waitress switching to English the minute we opened our mouths. Quite the victory.

I feeel I should insert something here about how delicious the coffee (kava) is here. For some reason, it is exactly the right temperature; thick, black, and yummy. Perhaps this is why the majority of Croatian spend their time sitting at cafes, chain smoking, and sipping coffee, seemingly for hours on end.

After Croatian class, (we found out there are reflexive verbs in Croatian, along with seven different cases!) Chandra and I went to Tango class again. This time I danced with the teacher, and found I loved it. It is a relatively simple dance, but the music is wonderful, and there is something sensual about it, though not at all sexual.

I then managed, (through a series of long and comlicated events,) to get myself locked out of the house. Luckily, having been raised to climb trees, I managed to make my oh-so-glamorous entrance through the downstairs bathroom window.

Only in Croatia does your gym teacher ask you, in all seriousness, what type of alcohol you like to drink. My gym teacher doesn't speak English, so this was all being translated, but she kept yelling the words PUNCH??? She seemed to think Americans like spiked punch. Hm.

utorak, 11. rujna 2007.

Politics

It is strange to know that today is 9/11, and be removed from it.

Yesterday my English teacher, who likes to grill me with questions about America, asked if I would even think about today being the anniversary of 9/11. Of course I said I would be thinking about it, even if I am across an ocean.

So far, this English teacher is the only person from whom I get the impression that she doesn't like Americans.

She has asked me in a slightly agressive manner, if most of the U.S. agrees with the war. I said that by this point, most of the country is against it. She then asked if this meant people openly disagreed with our President, and I said absolutely.

She then said she thought it was unpatroiotic to talk badly about one's President, and that we should stop talking about it. I was slightly taken aback, as the beauty of America is the freedom of speech, and the ability to express our own opinions. But I am lucky, as she is the only person I have encountered thus far who seems to have anything against Americans.

On a lighter note, the furance has been fixed, so I am going to indulge in a hot shower before school!

Love,
Kelsey

petak, 7. rujna 2007.

9. Rujan. 2007.

Good evening (Dobra Večer) friends and family.

Today my host sister Sara told me she thought I was going to be fatter and more bossy then apparently I am. What a relief!

Tonight I visited the town of Samobor, which is sort of a touristy destination for the inhabitants of Zagreb. Janet and I walked around through the park, and then went to a cafe and had Kremšnita, which is a delicious custardy like cake. Samobor is an old town, with no modern buildings. Very cool, very Croatian.

Went to my first ballet class this morning. Great teacher, and a nice studio. Unfortunately this class is only on Sundays (Nedljelja.) so I would like to find a few more classes a week.

Yesterday afternoon I went into the city center and had coffee with all of the other rotary girls. There was a big football (soccer) game between Croatia and Estonia, so there were tons of fans running around drunk, dressed in Croatian jerseys, which resemble picnic tables. But Adam tells me the jerseys are suppose to resemble chess boards.

School this week is in the afternoons, meaning I have class from 2 until 8, something that will take some getting used to.

Ciao.
Kelsey

četvrtak, 6. rujna 2007.

ZAGREB. WEEK 1 AND 2

Greetings Friends and Family,

I have decided to create a blog, since it is entirely too difficult to email everyone, all the time.
S0 I figured this would be a good way for everyone to check up on my life status, at their leisure. For those of you I haven't talked to yet...here is a brief summary...

So, here I am in Zagreb, I have been here for a little more then a week. I think at this point everyone has already had the pleasure of hearing about my harrowing journey here, it took about three days, and involved me spending the night at JFK Airport, losing my bags, and having my laptop stolen. BUT OH WELL.

My first view of Croatia was out the plane window, upon first sight it appears very green and hilly, with lots of farmland. Zagreb is a beautiful city, clean, with great architecture. (I will attempt to post pictures sometime this life.)

My host family is wonderful, they have made me feel so at home. I spend a lot of time with Beka and Sara, 8, and 12, who are always up for doing something. Yesterday, they gave me a makeover...My host grandfather Aya doesn't speak English, but we communicate nonetheless. My host father Tomislav is very helpful, we usually have breakfast together, and he helps me read the newspaper.

I have been running everyday, yesterday I went running in a rainstorm, with all the leaves blowing around, it was quite magical, to say in the least.

Chandra, the other student here, (from Colorado,) and I have been spending lots of time together, especially in school, since we are the weird exchange students. Just kidding, everyone is nice and friendly, and genuinely interested in speaking with us.

My other friend Klara down the street has been busy studying lately, since she has entrance exams for University on Monday.

It seems I am developing a strange British affect, since all my host siblings, and host mom speak with British accents. Wonder what sort of accent I will end up with by June...

Anyways, Croatian classes start tonight, which I am looking forward to immensely. And hopefully I will find a ballet class soon.

Lots of love to everyone.
Kelsey