Last of the chapter

I got home on Wednesday really late at night.
Michelle came to pick me up and brought me some groseries... she is the best!
It seems that on Tuesday afternoon I cought a cold that didnt let me go until today. Good thing Michelle got my that food as I didnt leave my apartment for the first 48 hours.
Now I am feeling better, eventhough my throught still hurts, my nouse is still running and I am still waking up at 6am everyday due to the time difference.
Anyway, my trip got to the end and in a week I start classes again.
Thanks again gor reading me and I will keep you posted about my life through mail, phone or ... yea, just mail or phone.
Ahhh, before leaving, I decided to make the official day of the friends and family I have spreaded around the globe, is going to be the 8th of each months so, around that date, I pretend to sent an email or call you all. Hope it works, I really want to stay in touch with you.
So, lets talk on the 8th,
Savi

Flees, Toledo, milanesas and goodbye

On Sunday I went to the flee market in Madrid, a huge market full of great cheap stuff. I went with the daugther of a friend of the family and we have a lot of fun.
Then I went back to the hostel and my stomach start feeling funny so I decide to stay in bed.
On Monday I went to Toledo, preety town, Renee and I walked like crazy... I dont think we left any street without our footprints, it was great! After that we had dinner with a new friend and then I came to Tita's house (a friend of my family). Since then she has been spoilling me. I ate milanesas, and got in the pool, among other things...
Tomorrow I am leaving back to Denver so I will let you know how I arrived.
Before saying goodbye, I want to say thank you for reading me and for being in touch with me during all these three months. I went through good and not very good times and it was nice to know that people were reading me.
Thanksssssss!

Valencia - Madrid

Valencia was very preety too, I dont know how Renee and I managed to see it all in one day. We are the best, what can I say...
After 6 hours of train we got to Madrid and from second 1 I fell in love with it. Is a beautiful city. We couldn´t do much yesterday night as we didn´t have a map and didn´t know where to star. We decided, instead, to go "de tapas", which means to have little glasses of beer and something small to eat with. I just had 2 because, as everybody know, I don´t need much to get tippsy.
Anyway, today was a much productive day. We saw everything that is on the side of the Palacio Real (I can give you details if you want). Now I am planning on going salsa, and then who knowssss...
Tomorrow I will have an adventure with flees...no more details...read me tomorrow.
Bye!

Mallorca-Valencia

I must say Mallorca is a beautiful island. Beautiful beaches, town and weather. Fernando and his roommate Ana treated me very well.
I got to see very nice places and I got a tn that you wouldnt believe (mom, I am not burned, dont worry)
But, after one week there I realized it was time to move one (on every sense). Renee came to "pick me up" and we both came here to Valencia via Ferry. Yes, I know I said I was not using ferry ever again but ist saved me 100 euros.
Today we are going to explore the city and tomorrow we go to Madrid by train.
I will probabbly have more to say on my next blog.
Ahhh, thanks for keep on reading me, is nice to knowyou are there... are you??? eco, eco, eco. Just kidding = P

Mallorca

I am in Mallorca now.
Arriving here was a miracle as I almost missed my ferry. The wach I was looking at was one hour behind. I cought it be miracle.
Once on the ferry Imet two nice people that were also traveling by themselves so we start traveling together. Nice. It was then when we realized that our expensive ticket was good for a chair in the cafeteria of the ferry, so we were sopouse to sit on a chair for 7 hours, from 11pm until 7am.
Fortunatelly we squized on other place with regularsits and slept there the whole night.
After this adventure I stayed in touch with my new friendTara and I have been seeing the island with her, she and her friendCarlos are the best!
I dont have much time right now as I hve to go to the beach, writeyou tomorrow or on MOnday..

Barcelona...checked!

Yes, today was my last day in Barcelona and I got to do everything!!!
I walked all day long but I got everything acomplished. I am not going to list all the places I went to fot time reasons but if you want to know i can tell you laterrr.
The highlight og the day... the sonrisas´ cookies I fount on a market, my favourite Argentinean cookies.
At 11pm I leave to Mallorca, hope I will get some sun there, the other days was raining.
See you later..

I have a roof over my head

Yes, I founded a hostal that took me for yesterday and today night.
I have been doing a lot of sightseeing and picture taking.
Barcelona is too turisty for me and I get tired of all the people steping on my toes.
As you could see, my mood is not the best on this days but hopefully it will improve.
Tomorrow night I am leaving to Mallorca via ferry, I will be traveling all night but at 6, when I get there I will try to get to the water.
I am planing on staying there for about 2 weeks, but everything depends of for how long Fer can put up with me.
After that I will go to Madrid and expend a couple of days there. I finally won the fight against Iberia and they let me take my flight there instead of making me go to Paris, thanks Michelle for all the coaching!
I will write again im Mallorca, wish me luck on the ferry... I will need a Dramamine

First hours in Barcelona

I expent the first 5 hours of my trip trying to find a hostal because everything here is booked.
I finally found one but just for today so I dont know what I am going to do tomorrow... by the way, Barcelona has the most expensive accomodation of the world!
As you can see, my day could be better, hopefully tomorrow improves.

Praga

I dont even know here to start...and probably that is why is going to be a short blog, but sometimes experiences are too good to put in words.
It was a great city, beautiful.
Scott and I saw absolutly everything that it was possible to be seen.
We ate a lot, from local food to Mc Donalds fries.
We took tons of pictures and the last day we even staid in a boat-hotel.
This morning we said good-bye and I start my jurney by myself coming to Spain...
I want to say a public THANKS to Scott, I had a great time and this trip wouldnt have been the same without him... tons of thanks to you!!!

Pequeñas delicias/ Luxiouries

This blog is in name of the stand to put the shower head. Yesterday I took, for the first time in 2 months, a shawer with my two hands!!!!
Yes, hard to believe but I finally got to a place where showers stand and you dont have to hold them... you dont imagine how easy it is to wash my hair and my arms like this.

The other news that I have is the fact that, believe it or not, I am using my Bosnian to comunicate with the Czech. Numbers, days of the week, beer, and coffee are said almost alike.

From Sarajevo to Satu Mare

The last 4 days I was traveling and traveling, from train to train.
Scott and I left Sarajevo and went to Budapest, there we had a night and a morning to see all the city. It was fun and we took tons of pictures, the city is realy beautiful. It was really nice to see the capital of the country where 50% of my roots are.
Next day at noon-ish we took a train to Satu Mare (Rumania, but Hugary when my grandmother was born). We got there at night and, helped buy a nice train-man we got to our hostal. For our surprise, the hostal did not reserve a place for us and at 8pm it look like we were going to sleep outside in the rain. Fortunatelly, people in Satu Mare are the nicest people in the world (not just because my grandma is from there) and the train-man and other nice man helped us to find a place to stay.
The next day we expent it in Satu Mare trying to find the house where my grandmother was born. It was really hard as the names of the streets have changed so many times in the last 80 years. However, when we tought the cause was lost, a random nice lady was able to tell us the actual name. It was an unforgetable experience to be standing in font of the door of the house where 80 years ago my grandma lived.
At 4am next morning we took the train beck to Budapest and at 1pm other to Praga. We got to Prage exausted we are planning on hanging out now, enjoying being turist. One last thing I would like to say here is how much we miss Julie, without her we are not the trio, but we understand the change of plan and we love you everyday (we will bring you something)...
...to be continued

Leaving Tuzla

Yesterday I left Tuzla which, despite of the ruff times, it was a hard thing to do. I said bye to my NGO and neighbors, took pictures and gave little presents.
Today I am in Sarajevo, getting ready to go on my next adventures.
After today is going to be harder to stay in touch with you and to post blogs, but I will do my best to keep you posted.
See you...

Serbia

This weekend Michelle and I went to Belgrade, it was a shorter way than what we thought and 4 hour later we were there. The man at the border was strange with me and my passport but he finally stamped it.
Once there we met with Amber and Renee that came by surprise (for Michelle and me).
Belgrade is a huge city, so many people and sooo many things to do that coming from Tuzla we were very overwhelmed.
Amber B-day was another surprise, she became one year older this Saturday, and I made sure to remind it to her every hour.
It was very nice to be there for four days but, I should also say that I realized how biased I am with the discourse I heart about the war in Bosnia, it was really hard to try to remain neutral.
Anyway, I also wanted to say here that on Wednesday I leave Tuzla so today I made all my laundry and tomorrow is packing day.

And now???!!!

First of all sorry that I either write once every 1000 days or 3 times on one day... is just that I have a lot to say today.
My plans for the next month ish are as follow:
This weekend Michelle and I are going to Belgrade, Serbia, to meet with Amber and see the city... tell you on Monday how it went.
Wednesday is my last day at "work" and after saying goodbye, Michelle and I are going to Sarajevo.
On Friday early morning Scott and I are going to Budapest and after expending a night there we will head up to Satu Mare, the town were my grandma was born.
Once we have taken 10000 pics we will go to Praga for a couple of days and hopefully meeting with Julie jolie.
On the 10th I am planning on going to Italy to see my cousin Ada and her family.
Around the 15th I will head up to Spain to visit Fer.
So far this are my plans, however I am waiting on some people (yes, Ada and Fer) to tell me some details. I will keep you all posted on the news.

Wraping up

Hard to believe that I have been here for almost 2 months. Now that I am leaving in a week, I look back and I remember asif it would have been yesterday when I came.
I realized that I haven wrote on my blog things about the Tuzla, so here I go.
First let me tell you that Tuzla is a pretty and pretty small town, even if is considered that third biggest town in Bosnia.
People here, I think, are nicer than on any other place in Bosnia. Even when the language is a barrier, they really do their best to make the communication possible.
At my field placement people are really nice, always saying hi and asking how am I doing and what I have been up to.
By now I now a couple of random words and aproximately 10 useful sentences and everytime I use them they are sooooo happy I can speak Bosnian... if they would know that I am using all my "repertorio", all what I know.
My neighborhood is really nice too. Neighbours are friendlyand we say hi everythinme we see each other; aside from the rousters that sing at any time in the day, and the dogs that have thir conversations all along the night is a great place to be.
I know I should have wrote this at the biginning but I left it for later and later and now that I just have a couple of days more here I decided is time to let you know how the people have been with me here.

We survive

The heat wave finally left us an we survive, or I am in heaven??? It doesn't matter what it is because is cooler.
Scott came to visit last weekend and we barely did something. Good thing Tuzla is small and we could do all the sightseeing very fast.
We expent all weekend taking showers and lying on our couches, I hope he didnt got too bored... He said he wanted a quiet weekend and I couldn't imagine a more quiet weekend than that. Sorry boy...

Heat??!!!

How high the temperature needs to be in order to be hot??!!!
Come to Bosnia and you will find out that saunas are not necessary...
This week has been hell, and not only for for my horrible day at Vive Žene (from which I should say, I feel much better now), but also from the 45 C /104 F that have accompany us almos 24 hours a day... shall I mention that we don't have air conditioned?.
My roommate is melting and I am almost there but the 4 year in Puerto Rico trainned me welland I think I will survive.
By Wednesday is suposed to be better, wish uis luck!

Feliz Dia!

I couldn't write yesterday and that's way I am writing a day late to say:
For all my dear friends around the world... Happy Friend Day!!!... Feliz Día del Amigo!!!!
Los quiero mucho y los extrano un montón.

La verdad de la milanesa

Ok, I will try to write this as clear as possible eventhough I am totally pissed, frustrated, ungry, upset and other thigs that I cant put in words right now.
My internship sucks!
Today I got back and I found that my supervissor has desapair, out in vacations, I have literally nothing to do and my mentor is trying to find me something to do. She comes up with the idea that I can entretain a 13 year ald that is bored as is the only kid in the safehouse. So now I have just two things to do for the next three weeks: baby-sit a kid and go one day to a refugee camp. The worst is that I have been putting up with this from week one, hoping that by week 5 it will get better but it hasnt, if something is getting worst.
I dont want to say anything bad about my mentor as she is doing her best. Is the people in charge, Challenges World Wide, DU and my supervisor at Viva Žene the ones that should have though this better from tha biginning.
Is sad to say, however, that I am not the only one going through this. I am one of the many thatthis summer have had nothing to do.
I know that we are limited for not speacking the language and for our level of experience but from that to work 3 hours a week, I think there is a difference that ismore than a lose intranslation.
Anyway, thank you for reading me, I already feel better.
PS: Tuzla is still beautiful and I still like this country

Adventuring in Montenegro

Julie, Hannah, Michelle and I went to Montenegro for Thursday, Fraday, Saturday and Sunday. Julie and Hannah rented a car and let us share it with them. It was a great trip. I was pissed of traveling by bus and the girls saved me offering this great idea.
We got the opportunity to go from the sea to the mountains in a day. Amaizing experience must be to be in the beach and six hours later be able to ski, must come back in winter. We went through dirt and wavie roads to get to the most amaizing sceneries.
We got stopped twise by the police for random reasons, fill our car with gas instead of diesel and in all of our adventures always got saved by nice persons and our own skills.
It was a fun and beautiful trip, I will give more details in person as if I write everything this will look more like a novel.
On Monday, after Hannah, Julie and Starmy finish working we went to Mostar, a small town (smaller than Tuzla), with a famous bridge. This bridge devides the Muslim from the Catholics parts of the city and during the war it was broken. Two or three years ago the bridge was rebuilded symbolizing also how the relationship between this two comunities is improving. This part of the trip was a "Yapa" (I dont know this in English) and was equally great, the only boomer was that we couldnt meet with Maria, our dear classmate, who works there.

Emotions from one extreme to the other

It was a great weekend! The bad new is that Stormy forgot to bring her passport so when Michelle and I got there, we just found Scott.
We had a failure attempt to rent our first sobe (apartment) but the second one went great and the view was awsome.
We stayed at the beach almost the hole day and when we finished there we ate mussles.
At the end of the trip Scott and Michelle were tan (red tan) but I am still as white as when I left Tuzla.
We left the Montenegro trip for later as the bus we wanted to take was full. We came to Sarajevo a day earlier. On Monday the Genocide Convention started and so far it has been very interesting. Amber came for it so I got to see her = )
On Wednesday, as part of the conference program we went to Srebernica. It was a gray day, just as the part of the history we were commemorating. During the week of July 11th 1995, a masacre ocurred where thousands were killed. After this, they have been finding their bodies in mass graves and each year and after identifying the bodies through DNA test they give a proper burial to them. It was a really powerfull and sad experience. Thousands of people were present to bury their love ones or support their community.

4th of July

Let me tell you about my 4th of July first experience. Patrick from Portland threw great party; Michelle made me wear my read shirt to be on USers colors; there was great food, drinks and dessert, and to mke it perfect we met great people. Thanks Portland for the great evening!

I just check Michelle's blog and she is writing more than me. Go and check hers and you will know all what I am up to... she is my roommy

Half Way

This week was an interesting one. I finished my internship at Horizonti. This week there was acctually the only one that I did something. Sarah and I gave two workshops on Domestic Violence and Gender Equality. It was ok but I think we could have done more and more meaningful things there.
Today I went to Špionica again for a women group therapy. This was the session before the last one after 8 years of the therapy. Even though this seems to be a long time is nothing compared with the time they have been living in the refugee camp when, after 12 years that the war finished they are still there. Really sad.
Now I need to leave because as part of my selfcare plan, Michelle, Stormy, Scott and I are going to Dobrouvnik for the weekend, see you on my way back!
PS: I am not posting pics because the connection is too slow and it times out.

Tercera Semana

This week was very bussy...finally.
During the weeks a man from Germany came to give supervision to Vive Žene. It was interesting as the man had a lot of things to say, however, when he was not saying anything he was folling asleep while other were talking (pritty embarrasing). The best of this supervision time was that I got the opportunity to meet all the staff and they got to know me and we all had fun together. It was great, at the end one of the ladies said, that having me there was the highlight of the week (humble ah?!)
Tuesday was very interesting too. It was the International Day for the Victims of Torture and we were in Downtown Tuzla collecting signs for new laws and informing the community (as if they wouldn't know better than me).
The other highlight of the week is that now I change from having 2 roommates to have just 1 - I kept the good one ; ) - so now there is more room for guest. Feel free to come whenever you want!

Worst bus ride EVERRRR

Sunday afternoon Michelle and I came back to Tuzla.
We came back VERY EARLY afternoon, under the hottest sun, as Michelle didnt want to miss the last one.
Buses in Bosnia dont have A/C and when they have it they dont use it. or this reason our bus was like a sauna. After 1 1/2 hours of many turns we finaly stop for a break. Ones out of the bus my dear roommate (Michelle) offered me a ice cold Sprite (probably as she was feeling a bit guilty for the torture she was making me go through). Right befor finishing it, an old tired and thirsty lady came to ask something that we couldnt understad but I guess was that she wanted some of my presious Sprite. With my hart on my hands I gave it to her, and she dumped it while she was smiling to me. SHE JUST WANTED THE BOTTLE TO FILL IT UP WITH WATERRRRR.
Anyway, the 20 minutes went by and it was time to get on the sauna again. We got in and start riding. Half an our later a lady and a kid sat behind me, and I made the mistake of thinking: What if the kid throws up on me???. Almost exactlz what happened. I was lucky that my dear roommate told me just on time and safed me of something even worst (if possible that afternoon).
Finally, after 3 long hours we got to Tuzla and I was able to take a great shawer and have a ice cold beer and pistaccios.
PS: I just want to tell all of those that are planning to come to Tuzla that this is not normal and that I am sure your ride is going to be a pleasent one.... Hope to see you soon!

Sarajevo

This weekend Michelle and I went to Sarajevo. Was really nice to see almost every first year that is in Bosnia, just Scott was missing and we miss him tons. However, we knew he was bussy making sure that his friend was going to get married and that everything was going to be unforgettable...
After crying for his absense, we went out, went to the Tunel and visit the city.
Going out was fun but the other two experiences were very intense.
The Tunel was built in completely silence to make a "safe" pass between Sarajevo and the free territory. It was 800 mts long and was built under the airport (the only place protected by the UN). Now just about 20 mts exist of that tunel but that and the rest of the museum gives me an idea of the situation of that time.

The city is bigger than what I though and a beautigul place. Never the less by itself also gives an idea of how things were for those years. A big amount of buildings are still marked and the floors in many passways are still craked by the attacks.

Summerizing it was a very interesting and fun weekend and I am already looking foreward to visit again.

The first two weeks

Now that the first two weeks are gone I understand better what I am going to be doing. In Horizonti, where I will be just for four weeks I will be doing workshops abot Doestic Violence to a group of volunteers.
For Vive Zene, where I ewill be for the 8 weeks I will be doing therapy with the children, participating in the intakes for new clients and working in refugee camps. Yes, after 12 yeras there are still people in refugee camps.
Today is my first day going to the camp, I will let you know how it goes.
I will be in Sarajevo for the weekend.
See you

First Week

Things on this first week went slow. Will se what happens on the next one. For now I am working with two organizations that work primerelly with women. Not my main interest or strength, will see.
I need to write later as my internet is dying
See you tomorrow

Be culturally competent...

If a Bosnian offers you pizza, put ketchup on it!!!

I promise this is the longest mail I will be writing....

I left Denver on June 2nd and went to New York, there I met my cousin, Valeria (Ronit) with whom I had a blast. We went to some parties, salsa dancing and visiting every subway possible. After that I left to France with my classmate Renee. It was a great flight and we met fun people which made our journey lighter, drank Cuantrau, watch a black and white movie, and joke for hours. On our stop in Spain, Renee and I were separated and my backpack left with her to CDG (All a misunderstanding mostly from the check in lady). After we finally met again 5 hour later we went to meet with her sister.

After some days of sight seeing in France where I also get to meet with a very dear friend I start the journey by myself to Bosnia. I flew on two planes one smaller than the other and finally got to Sarajevo, there I finally met with two class-mates (Liz and Michelle). It was sooooo good to see them. Being in a country so different with different money, language, culture and not knowing where I was going was a little scary.

The next day we came to Tuzla, the place where I will be staying for the next 2 month. This town is nice, people are really friendly and solidarity.
My 2 internships are starting to move, really slow. Will see what happen next week.

See you later...