Notes From A Nomad

"Litany" Poem--April 2010

2010-04-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

Key West, Florida, 1995

Blue striped geckos lose their tails independently wiggling bodies,

tree frogs in the deep dark well at the end of Passover lane,

browned grass baked dead by the sun's relentless attention,

an uncompromising lover. We want green, how it withers &

shrivels & dies, three times over & sticky anemones

beneath the pier, urchins & sea cows in clouds of purple ink.

Portuguese Man-Of-War float far out barracudas & clownfish & brain coral.

The cemetery across the street we play in

forts constructed on headstones stomping carelessly unaware of death,

instinctively we shy away from small graves.

& how we adore big fat drops of water,

running down soggy streets to jump in puddles

feeling wet & cool on our feet, thinking the whole world lives,

barefoot & sweating & half-clothed & wild.

& coconuts split open by machete

white & bitter, milk not milk to us

but the ocean which surrounds us--

keeps us here, thick mangroves imprison us,

one highway stretches down to this place,

heaven, where tourists flock rejoicing in white sand,

lemon sharks lay close to shore,

Cuba ninety miles by raft.

Rejects, idealists,

junkies, wanderers,

settling here with tattoos

& tie dyed t-shirts, scarred arms

& long hair & towels for clothes,

my father & our house with screens

& mismatched wood, my mother, her guitar

our home, is no home for children & young minds,

we watch the island beyond our latched wooden gate,

keeping them out, and us in, laying beneath slow moving fans,

taking refuge in the scent of jasmine the curl of bougainvillea

& the yellow center of frangipani--the softness of hibiscus petals.

2010, March 7

2010-03-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody--

I probably need to change the title of this blog, but I've been taking various poetry courses for the last year and a half, and wanted to share some of my recent works. I haven't had time to blog recently, but wanted a place in which to publicly share my work.

I hope you enjoy,

feedback is much appreciated.

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1. Lottery

(An experimental prose poem, commenting on life in California)

The woman at the bus stop with a guitar poking out of a brown paper bag, clutched tightly, frantically waiting. The man who can't stop tapping his toes on the train, all the way from Oakland to San Francisco. That crazy question, where do you see yourself in ten years? asked gently, winding along the California coast, fruitlessly searching for lighthouses, far out to sea, a barge from China, packed with some mystery good, something we all need a little more of. CAUTION, blaring in yellow, people have fallen from these cliffs, people have drowned in this ocean. This ocean which offers neatly ordered rolling spraying ocean, protected spaces for blubbery sea lions who have long since left this grainy beach. In a smoggy shop full of men with dim lights and brightly colored lottery tickets, the bus smells like mothballs and marijuana, the fat happy baby kicks his feet and gurgles, content to squirm on his mother's lap. The teenagers, playing and fighting and flirting like puppies, why you in my mother fucking mouth, spat out in the beginning stages of flowing rushing gushing hormones. Again, a question, what do you call home? A question no one knows how to articulate. A place, how location does not leave us, even when everything else does, how our bones remember spaces and the time we spent in said places, the time we spent away from them, the people in these spaces/places blurring and fading and changing in our unreliable minds and memories of our minds, the place/space seared into the make up of our faces and hands, tucked behind our ears, underneath our nails and behind our wobbly knees.

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2. Fall's Fall

(My attempt at a Shakespearean Sonnet, much of which is slant rhyme)

Through the passing of a life from fall's fall

to the growing of fleshy orange pumpkins

the curling of a sunflower's round ball

weaving a new found founding function

the cucumbers fat and tubular and green

squash green and hard and squash yellowing

the coarseness of a bloom the delicate sheen

unraveling as winter's cool shelling

breathing frost and cold into tangles of earth

earth's smooth silence and stoic waiting

spreading out and over the tired birth

this place of growth and slow moving baiting

sparrows peck at the topsoil wiggle worms

all in the hopes of watering new germs

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3. Spain, 2007

(Free verse, memories of my first trip to Spain, specifically the tiny charming town of Gomez)

The little town of Gomez boasts

round juicy peaches, endless cornfields,

stray dogs and restaurants-

pitchers of dark red Sangria,

wedges of oranges & lemon floating on its surface,

set next to platters of fresh dripping vegetables,

golden olive oil pooling around the edges of mouths.

We eat dinner on the patio,

whole shrimp resembling ancient sea creatures-

rolled about in garlic and parsley, soaked and grilled,

the lights of Barcelona barely visible

in the murky purple distance.

Beneath, on la calle,

matriarchs and patriarchs sit in flowered lawn chairs,

or on their front stoops-languid, careless,

confident in their position in this world,

smoking cigars, chattering, gossiping, quietly, steadily.

Night after night, dark eyed dark haired children

chase and tease each other, pulling hair, laughing.

Babies with pierced earls are gently held by wrinkled hands,

kissed & cuddled & admired & adored.

The soft buzz of Catalunya is muted by a stirring wind,

lifting the dry Mediterranean air onto exposed necks,

tunneling through sticky shirts and shorts,

Gomez exhaling as cool air hits

warm, pumping bodies.

Final Rotary Report

2008-04-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

Kelsey A. Liebenson-Morse
Rotary Report # 3
April 2008

1. Have you traveled outside your immediate area? In groups with other students? With Rotarians? As part of your school program?

One of my goals for my exchange year was to travel as much as possible. I had no idea I would be so fortunate. I have traveled to Italy, Turkey, Greece, Austria, Slovenia, and Serbia. I have visited several towns and cities within the country of Croatia. On May 5th I will travel to Dubrovnik, Croatia's most adored city, supposedly one of the most beautiful in the world. Most of my travel was done with other Exchange Students or my host families. My Rotary hhas taken us to Plitvice Lakes, one of Croatia's National Parks, along with Zagorija, the upper part of Croatia. And on May 25th I will embark on a three week tour of Europe, sponsored by the Rotary.

2. How has your social life been? Parties? Family events? Close friends?

I will never forget my first real Croatian friend, and her initial kindness. She was a neighbor at my first host family's house, and I can vividly remember walking over to her house on my second day in this country. I can remember walking into her room, and her just giving me this giant hug and looking at me and seeming to say, ok, you can relax now...I have made friends with my classmates, I have made friends with people from all over the world. Breaking into a new social circle can be difficult, but you begin to remember how to go about making friends.
Another exchange student here, is a friend for life. We have already planned her visit to New Hampshire. My close friend Phillip, is also planning to come visit this summer. My big group of Croatian guy friends who call me Chelsea (as in the football team) are like a band of brothers, who would do anything for me if I asked. I was/am lucky that I met people who truly care about me as a friend, people I will stay in contact with for years to come. Writing this makes me realize how difficult saying goodbye all over again will be.

3. Have you had visitors from home? If so, when? Who? Comments?

This Friday, April 18th, my father and sister will arrive in Zagreb. I am excited beyond description. Mostly, it is a surreal feeling; to picture seeing my family after a long period of time (the longest in my 18 years) and seeing them within this new life that I have been living alone for 8 months. Both of my host families, present and former, are looking forward to meeting my family. I am looking forward to seeing my three families together.

4. Have you made your arrangements to come back? Date returning?

I will be back in Peterborough, New Hampshire on the 13th of June, sometime around 8 o'clock in the evening.

5. How many host families did you have? Please comment on how you liked being in different families? Too many different families... not enough families?

I have lived with two host families this exchange year. My first family is, to me, like my family at home, so leaving them was extremely difficult. In some ways, I think one is guaranteed to forge a stronger bond with the first family, simply because of circumstances. When you first arrive in your country, you are vulnerable and friendless, and essentially mourning the loss of all that is familiar. You spend much more time at home during the first few months, due to lack of resources and friends, etc. Your first family are those who help you to establish a life for yourself. By the time I switched to my second family (in January) I already had a life going, with things to do, and friends to spend time with. In some ways, this has been challenging for me-I am torn between wanting to be with friends, and spending time with my second host family. To me, two is a good number of families, I am not sure I would have liked to switch lifestyles again. I do believe no matter how hard it is to leave your first family, change is inevitably good.

6. In general, please evaluate your exchange experience. Anything you would have done differently? Would you recommend the program to others? How are you different from when you left in august?

I have to admit, this question makes me laugh. A year abroad cannot exactly be summed up in anything less then a novel. I will spare everyone the torture of hearing a blow by blow account of my crisis, growth, struggles, and adventures, all that I have seen, heard, learned and experienced.
I can say, without a doubt in my mind, that no, I would not have done anything differently, nor would I have chosen another country. Since Croatia is a small country, without many foreigners, everyone always asks me, why Croatia? And honestly, I have to tell them, it was by accident. Croatia was my fourth choice and I never thought I would end up living here for a year.
I had no idea what to expect, all I knew was that Croatia was rumored to have nice beaches. Honestly, I pictured myself sitting under a palm tree all year, and being swept off my feet by some dark eyed European.
But, as I am sure other exchange students feel, your home country becomes dear to you in a way that is hard to word. You feel as though a part of you now belongs to your home country. There are traditions and recipes and sights and a language that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I now feel as though I have a home away from home, a country that I am perhaps not through with-I have a feeling Croatia will play a part in my life sometime in the future. My first host family is my family now. I can picture them at my wedding. My nine year old host sister will most likely be the hardest person to leave. One of my greatest comforts when I first arrived was being able to read her books and tuck her into bed.
Truthfully, I feel the enormity of this year will hit me upon my return to the "real world," as I think of it now. I feel as though everything that I wasn't able to process here will hit me, and once again, I will be adjusting. The life of exchange student is a padded existence. School for me is a complete joke at best, my host family cooks for me, my host mother folds my laundry and puts it in my room. I have no serious obligations, expectations or jobs to do on a regular basis. Basically, I can do what I wish, within reason on a day to day basis. I have never had that type of freedom before, and probably never will again.
I will miss Europe and I will miss being able to blend in as a Croatian. I will miss "getting coffee" for three hours, as Croatia is a coffee culture. I will miss waiting for the bus, I will miss taking the tram, I will miss walking home alone late at night. I will miss every person here who offered me something, from the lady on the street, to my best friends. Overall, I feel lucky.
Over and over again, I would find myself in these situations, for example, looking at a view of the Adriatic, and think to myself, whatever did I do to get myself here? I filled out an application and got accepted. I would recommend exchange for everyone. I don't think it is possible to have a negative experience. Everything that once seemed negative inverts and becomes positive.
I have no idea how I have changed. I suppose I will discover that upon arrival in America, when I see the people who know me best in the world. I hope I am more organized, perhaps my moods are more controlled, and absolutely, capable of achieving what I want, on my own. The exaltation of being reliant on yourself is a feeling no one should miss.

April Happenings

2008-04-04T03:41:00.000-07:00

Today is an "exciting" day for the small country of Croatia, especially for the capital city of Zagreb. None other then our dear American President, Mr. George W. Bush will be visiting the city. He has successfully managed to immobilize most of the city, arriving with about 25 planes and God only knows how many security guards and assorted members of the C.I.A. Trams and bus are not running on regular schedules. Since I live on the main street which enters the center of the city, my host father was forced to bike around the entire city in order to get to work...

Walking home today, I was distracted by the unholy amount of police men stationed on all street corners, (every 10 meters) attempting to look as though they were doing something productive...most schools were either canceled or shortened today...due to the fact that Mr. Bush would, at some point during the day, be driving by. Homes which are located on streets which Mr. Bush will drive by have been ordered to shut their shades and stay inside...rather unbelievable. I am a bit embarrassed that our President is making such a ruckus by coming to this tiny country. I am not planning on doing any flag waving or anything of that sort. Protests have been organized, although the police are already trying to put a stop to them.

On a different note-
Today, I will be on Croatian National T.V., for the second time this year. It seems to me that Croatian reporters don't have too much to report, since they keep contacting all of us exchange students, asking to do interviews. (Shows you how few foreigners there are living in this country.) The last interview I did was in English, comparing the school systems in American to those in Croatia. I was allowed to answer in English. The latest interview, about why I was in Croatia, had I found love, (everyone asks that question) etc. was conducted entirely in Croatian. More then a little nerve-wracking...I honestly have no idea what I said...so at 1:20 today, we shall see how incredibly unprepared I appear...lovely.

Other news-
I was finally able to meet up with my friend Mirta, who was on exchange from Bjelovar, Croatia in Hopkinton, New Hampshire this past year. We met at my Rotary Orientation, she was my first Croatian friend, and was wonderful about me grilling her with questions. She taught me my very first Croatian words...Although Bjelovar isn't far from Zagreb (about 1 and half hours) we have missed each other for various reasons. But last Thursday Mirta was in Zagreb, so we were able to get coffee and spend some time together. Hopefully we will see each other again sometime before the 13th of June.

Hope everyone is enjoying the snow in New Hampshire...I got myself the beginning of a tan on Monday afternoon, it being more then 75 degrees in the sun.

Life Updates

2008-03-12T03:36:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and Family and assorted blog fans-

First off, my deepest apologies for my lack of postings as of late...life continues to speed up, and time for blog writing shortens considerably.

This past weekend I went skiing in Bad Gastein, Austria. A great town with great mountains, even for someone who doesn't especially enjoy skiing, I do admit I enjoyed myself. Perhaps the most interesting part of the trip was the international feeling...riding up the gondola you could hear five different languages being spoken. The trip was also relatively easy, Chandra and I took the train right from the center of Zagreb, and landed about two feet from our youth hostel. The hostel was a five minute walk from the mountain.

I surprised myself by being able to ski without injuring myself too badly, I haven't been skiing in over two years, and never before on such a large mountain. When you reach the top, you are surrounded on all sides my snow capped peaks. We had sunny weather both days. I must admit that each night I feel asleep at about 8 o'clock, and I am still recovering even though today is Wednesday. We also visited a spa which boasts outdoor pools that are filled with naturally hot geyser water...we soaked in the pools for about two hours. OK, so I do admit, that was probably my favorite part of the whole trip...much more my speed then trying not to kill myself coasting down the mountain.

For those of you who don't know I have my return date booked for the 13th of June. Time is flying by. On the 25th of May I embark on a two week Euro Tour that ends the 10th of June. So my exchange as I know it will be over by the end of May, a mere two and a half months! School ends the 16th of May, also another joy. And the 1st through the 5th of May, I will be visiting the world famous "old city" of Dubrovnik.

My Croatian class ends next week, and although I feel as though I could keep going for the rest of my life and still not know Croatian completely, it will be nice to have my Monday and Wednesday nights free. At this point I am understanding mostly everything that is said to me directly, although I don't have the words to reply as I would like to.

Two weeks ago I gave a two minute speech in Croatian for the Rotarian's Presidents Meeting. It was more nerve wracking then I would have expected. Since I memorized it, I had nothing to fall back on when I messed up, but in the end it worked out ok. The Rotarians seemed to think I was cute for trying. Croatians love when you speak their language, no matter how you butcher it.

I have a two week break for Easter at the end of March, and will be going to my host family's apartment in Rovinj, a town on the coast, about an hour and half from Zagreb. I am looking forward to it very much, especially the sitting on the beach aspect of it!

Hope all is well in the United States. Missing driving and movies without Croatian subtitles...

Veljača

2008-01-29T07:37:00.000-08:00

Spring has come to Zagreb, and with it, a new host family.

By now, most of you probably know I am living with the Mirić family, consisting of Mladen, (host father) Milica (host mother) and Mirela, (host sister) age 11. It was more difficult then I could have anticipated to leave the Tuškans, thought less difficult then I imagined to adapt to a new living situation. Being as I have lived in Zagreb for five months (and counting) and have a relative grasp on the language, nothing is as difficult as it was in September.

To come into a second family is not as daunting as a task the second time around. My new family is a very traditional Croatian family-both of my parents come from a tiny village called Gospić which is still very much a village.

The Mirić's have been wonderful about adapting to my non red-eating meat habits, my host mother jokes about being on a chicken and fish diet for the next five months. Both the Mirić's are great cooks (I am starting to see everyone in Croatia is a whiz in the kitchen) They are constantly concerned with the amount of food I have or have not consumed, in an endearing way of course. Luckily we just learned the past tense in my Croatian class so I can say, jela sam (I ate!)

Other new developments:

1. On April 18th my Dad and sister will be coming to Zagreb! It is impossible for me to convey the breadth of my excitement.

2. I was on Croatian National T.V.! It sounds much more thrilling then it was. The program was about school systems in comparison to Croatia's school systems-which were more challenging. Sort of a trick question, because one can absolutely not generalize about schools in America since they differ so dramatically from state to state and town to town. Basically I talked about how my high school put the emphasis on learning how to learn, as opposed to memorizing facts, which is the focus here. (Granted, I did my fair share of busy-work, but that is another story.)

3. My cousin Amy is in Rome studying, so I am planning a trip for the beginning of March.

The language is speeding up for me, partially since my host dad doesn't speak English, so I don't feel self conscious about completely botching a sentence. I called home the other afternoon and we spoke entirely in Croatia. Quite a nice feeling.

Hoping everyone in the U.S. is well-
Much love from the Balkans.

Report

2008-01-15T02:40:00.000-08:00

Here is my second official Rotary Report, it might be a bit repetitive, but could potentially be of some interest. Make sure to see the blog about Turkey below.

Rotary Report # 2
KELSEY A. LIEBENSON-MORSE
January 2008

1. How was the holiday season? How did it differ from what you are
used to back home? How is the weather?

My Holiday season in Croatia was perfectly lovely. I had three weeks off from school. I could not have asked for a better Christmas experience away from my own family. One realizes that the concept of the holidays boils down to being with people that you love and care about. This may not be your "blood family," but this is irrelevant. I missed my family, but no more then I always do.
Croatians are 98% Catholic, so Christmas is taken seriously. Since my first Host Mother is British, I had a stocking and fruit cake, making me feel right at home. Croatians have traditional meals they eat on Christmas Eve (fish) and Christmas Day. (turkey) Probably the only downside of all of this festivity is that I ate an astronomical amount of Christmas cookies. (Croatian Christmas cookies=unbelievable) We had a "Bijelo Božić," meaning a White Christmas. I was able to travel to Turkey the last week of my break, yet another culture and country to experience. I have switched host families, and am beginning to build relationships with a new family.

2. How is the language coming along? Do you think or dream in it
yet? Have you made new friends (natives or other exchange students)?
We suggest you concentrate more on the natives for the best exchange
experience.

Croatian continues to be a challenge. But, fear not, progress it being made. I can read signs, and understand the general gist of most conversations, especially among young people. I "read" the newspaper every day. I can say things such as, "I need," "I will," etc, along with form short, simple sentences. I am still at the rudimentary stages of learning a language, which is o.k. with me. The group of Croatians who I spend the most time with don't speak English too well, which is wonderful. They address me in Croatian, and if I don't understand, someone will translate for me. I can buy things at the store. For all intensive purposes, my Croatian is good enough to live, though not nearly good enough to have conversations about the state of the nation. These days, people do not immediately switch to English. Victory! I will continue to work on Croatian, building my vocabulary and practicing my pronunciation. Perhaps I will have a dream in Croatian sometime before June.

3. How often do you meet with your counselor? Have you presented
your program at Rotary yet? Have you done a program for other groups?
Are you receiving your allowance? Is it adequate for day to day
expenses?

I go to Rotary Meeting once a month. My counselor travels more often then not, so I don't see her on a regular basis. I have not presented to my Rotary yet. I receive 400 kuna a month, which works out to about 80 dollars a month-more then enough.

4. How is school going? What subjects are you studying? The same
ones you started with or have you changed subjects or levels in
subjects? Are you involved in activities outside of the classroom?

School. I have to be honest here and say that the tedium and boredom continues. I am not sure why I bring a bag to school. I am not sure I have written anything down. I am in the process of trying to switch to some sort of dance school, so maybe I can feel as though I am not wasting my time sitting in a classroom (reading-if you need some great books recommended, let me know) all day long. My teachers take no interest in me, in fact, I would be surprised if they knew my name. To be fair, part of my struggle is with the Croatian school system itself, it is rigid beyond belief. One comes into class, sits down, and listens to the teacher talk for 45 minutes. If you are lucky, you might get an oral exam. I must admit, I am disappointed with the way my school situation has worked out, but there is still time for adjustments to be made. My school does not offer any extra-curricular activities, but I continue to take ballet class four times a week. Hopefully by the end of January I will begin to do some English tutoring.

5. Would you say you are happy? How are you healthwise? If you have
had to use it, has your insurance worked?

Certainly, I am happy. Life in Zagreb is my life now. I know that the second half of exchange will melt away before I know it. I am trying my best to enjoy the luxurious life of being an exchange student. Never again in my life will I be able to travel with the ease and freedom that I have experienced this year. Health wise, no complaints. I still marvel at the fact that I haven't been hit by any crazy Croatian tram drivers, they seem to dislike the concept of stopping for pedestrians.

6. Do you think you were well prepared for your exchange year? What
should we have concentrated on in your orientations last year?

Above all, I think it is important for students to have no preconceived notions of how their exchange year is going to unfold. If you expect it to be a certain way, then you are setting yourself up for disaster. The reality is that your exchange year is beyond what you can imagine for yourself. Flexibility is key to survival.

FREE SPACE: (Comments, suggestions, joys, sorrows…..)

Joys: Walking across the River Sava at sunset. Becoming part of another family. Letters from home. Being teased, but more often, kissed, by my Croatian non-English speaking Grandfather. I could go on for pages...

Antayla, Turkey

2008-01-14T02:37:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to visit Antayla, Turkey over my three week Winter Break. My new host family, the Mirić's, took me, and two other exchange students, Chandra, from Colorado, and Bruna, from Brazil.

I am not sure what I was expecting of Turkey-perhaps it is fair to say I had some skewed image from National Geographic pictures, and old memories of Sophomore year Geography class. I was not prepared for the sheer beauty of the country.

Turkey has a varied landscape, there is no real consistency or continuity between one area to the next. There are snow capped mountains, sheltering the sea, and orange groves which go on for miles. There are small towns where people seem not to have schedules, and old men sit outside, smoking cigars and playing cards. There are skyscraper cities, with city buses crowding the streets and bazaars along every street. And of course, there is the Mediterranean Sea, a deep turquoise color, which seems to scream, "come swim!" And, despite the fact that it is January, I was able to go swimming one afternoon. The water was salty, cold, but refreshing. It was such a joy to be away from Zagreb, where I don't think the sun has been seen in several months.

We had perfect weather every day, a breezy sixty degrees. In the sun, about 70 and hot. It is certainly interesting to be a foreigner in Turkey. Especially a blond foreigner. I have never in my life been so blatantly stared at. When we were walking through Antayla, I felt overexposed with my capris and uncovered hair. It was a strange sensation to be on a Turkish bus and see only covered heads in front of me.

We visited the inside of a Mosque, which I had never done before. I liked the atmosphere inside the Mosque, since it is all carpeted, and there are no pews or chairs, it has a feeling on openness; for a child it would be paradise, and entire room with nothing in it. I was struck by the physicality of Muslim prayer, you can see 80 year old men rocking back and forth on their toes, standing up and then bending over in half. Hearing the Call to Prayer during the day was an experience which is difficult to describe accurately. Suddenly, the streets become quiet, and the eerie sound seems to echo from every corner of the city.

Turkey is a country of men. In the town of Myra, I saw about three women, the streets are dominated by groups of men. I felt as though Turkey is in a state of perpetual waiting. People seems to just float from one place to the other, stopping to talk or drink a coffee, or simply to sit on a bench, waiting. Maybe this is only a small town vibe, but I got the impression everyone was waiting for something. There is none of the determined feeling one gets in American cities, heads bowed down, walking fast through the streets, as if always late.

My thoughts were with my friend Lila, who has bravely made a life for herself in the city of Istanbul. Having been to Turkey, I am endlessly impressed that she has forged a life for herself in such a different world.

I look forward to a return trip sometime in the future.

Sretan Božić: Merry Christmas

2007-12-29T03:27:00.000-08:00

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.

Styr, Linz, Sierning, Vienna, i Salzburg

2007-12-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

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!

Aestheics and Austria

2007-12-09T02:34:00.000-08:00

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.

Sretan Dan Zahvalnosti

2007-11-25T04:42:00.000-08:00

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.

Excessive America

2007-11-13T00:39:00.000-08:00

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.

The Adriatic...Unveiled

2007-11-07T02:21:00.000-08:00

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.

Slovenia and Venice

2007-11-04T01:56:00.000-07:00

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...

Novi Post

2007-10-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

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.

Attention

2007-10-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

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

Greece

2007-10-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

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.

Vukovar

2007-09-30T01:53:00.000-07:00

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.

Grub

2007-09-14T04:12:00.000-07:00

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...

2007-09-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

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.

Politics

2007-09-11T03:37:00.000-07:00

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

9. Rujan. 2007.

2007-09-07T02:21:00.000-07:00

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

ZAGREB. WEEK 1 AND 2

2007-09-06T01:53:00.000-07:00

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