Hmmmmm. As I sit here, I can hear my host mom making палачинке, pronounced "palachinke," a traditional Serbian dish consisting of crepe-like pancakes stuffed with sweet strawberry "jagoda" jam, or eurokrem and crushed plazma with slices of banana. As I relax after a tiresome but extremely fulfilling day in class and at my service organization, I let the sweet aroma of the палачинке wash over me. Irena, my host mother, calls me to the table. I am home.
A lot has changed since ten days ago. For about two weeks I had been living out of a suitcase--first at Princeton and then at a small hostel right in the Center of Novi Sad. I never realized how much that sense of insecurity and lack of stability was affecting me until I settled into my host family's house. I live with a family of three (well, four now): Irena, the mother with one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen, Mima, the eleven-year-old daughter whose English is almost impeccable, and Dejan, the father with an amazing sense of humor. Within a few hours I felt like both a daughter and a sister. I'm practically part of the family now, except for the fact that Irena still won't let me wash the dishes (and believe me, I try) and for my broken Serbian.
...Which brings me directly to my language classes. The first few days were tricky. Initial phases of change have always been somewhat difficult for me, but as I have adjusted to the rhythm of the class it has become considerably easier to feel comfortable. Outside of the classroom, my host family and those around me have been extremely supportive in my attempt to speak as much Serbian as possible. For those of you who don't know much about the Serbian language, I'll tell you that it is one of the hardest languages I've ever heard of. There are seven cases in Serbian, which means that a noun changes depending on its placement in a sentence (direct object, etc.) It's crazy! There are also three genders: female, male, and neutral, and each adverb and adjective changes depending on the case and the gender! Insanity! However, after a few days of struggling and writing hundreds of words in this little notebook that I carry, I'm finally getting the hang of things. I can write in latinica and cyrillic (both print and cursive which are entirely different) and read the cyrillic with a little more difficulty. I am also able to string together many rudimentary sentences using the words that I have learned. It's getting easier and easier. As I continue to learn the language, I become more and more comfortable with the Serbian society and with my interactions with other Serbs.
The political life here in Serbia is exceptional. The national borders within the Balkans have been continuously changing for centuries. Until recently, Serbia included Montenegro (they are now separate entities) and Kosovo (although many here would argue otherwise.) Approximately 75 countries have voted Kosovo as independent but roughly another hundred have yet to do so (including Serbia itself). My co-workers jokingly tell me that if I want to make friends with Serbs I have but to lift my thumb, pointer finger and middle finer of my right hand and say "Kosovo je Srbija," the literal translation of which is "Kosovo is Serbia." A lot of graffiti around Novi Sad accurately depicts the political tension in this country. One of the key political issues is Vojodina's plea for more autonomy. Novi Sad is the capital of the province of Vojvodina. Before Kosovo's declaration of independence, Vojvodina and Kosovo were the two autonomous provinces of Serbia (the degree of autonomy is to this day debated in the Serbian parliament). чанак, pronounced "Chanak," the leader of the President of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina and a parliamentary representative to Belgrade, is seeking financial autonomy for Vojvodina. The government and several influential figures are claiming that he is a separatist, a highly feared title after what happened with Kosovo. We (the Bridge Year Serbia participants as well as Ceca our supervisor) had breakfast with Mr. чанак as he explained a lot of the modern Serbian politics and their roots in Balkan history.
Not only are Serbia's recent history and politics quite intriguing--its relationship with the United States is as well. Approximately ten years ago the U.S. bombed Serbia due to Milosevic's genocide and mistreatment of the Albanians in Kosovo. Some Serbs resent Americans due to the fact that our government punished the people for their government's wrongdoings. However, many Serbs are able to separate us from our government, and while I personally have faced no discrimination due to our past with Serbia, I am sometimes reminded of our bombing campaign against the Serbs through poster boards and signs. For example, in the University building where we take our Serbian language classes there are several posters with instructions on how to react to various emergency scenarios, including what to do in the case of a bombing. Ceca told us that that was added under the threat of U.S. bombs falling on their heads. In addition, a member of our small American group had a taxi driver tell her "I love your people, but not your government." The ability of many Serbs to not hold resentment against us on account of our government's actions is a testament to the strength of the Serbian people.
I will remain in Novi Sad until January 8th, one day after the Orthodox Christmas. On January 8th, our group will travel to Nis where we will remain for three months. Novi Sad is a gorgeous city full of marvelous architecture that is bustling with culture and activity. The Serbian way of life, "polako," meaning to "take it easy," is truly lived out in the dozens of outdoor cafes in Center City where, on any given day, you can observe people simply sitting down and enjoying a drink for hours on end. Every day I pass through Center City on my way to my service organization (NGO). My NGO is the Novi Sad Humanitarian Center (NSHC), the second largest service organization in Novi Sad. A Non-profit organization, its focus is on working with marginalized populations, specifically the Roma people. They mainly work in the sectors of mental health, gender equality, youth empowerment and education. I will be focusing my work on Roma youth and children through creative workshops that I will plan and help lead and through NSHC's campaign for mental health amoung the Roma youth. The highest suicide rate in Serbia exists among the Roma youth, most of which live in extreme poverty and many of which are uneducated. Most Roma make a living through the collection of reusable items, entertainment and construction. I am delighted with the opportunity of learning much from my very knowledgable coworkers, which include a doctor, a lawyer who specializes in Roma civil rights, and several psychologists. I have my own desk and computer (even though I use my own laptop) and the environment is very welcoming. I know that this year I will have an opportunity to serve people like never before while simultaneously experiencing abundant self-growth. I am so excited for what this year holds! Although I miss my home in Lancaster, I know that this change and experience is for the best.
P.S. Posting pictures on here is apparently overly complicated. I have posted 6 albums on my Facebook. You can find me under the name "Yentli Soto Albrecht;" if you friend-request me I will accept you! :) God Bless you.
