In one hour will be the end of the third day here in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
After my Miami-Amsterdam-Frankfurt-Sarajevo-Zenica traveling, I finally arrived at Zenica on Thursday around 12:00 A.M. The last three days I have been trying to immerse myself in Bosnian culture by spending a lot of time with my host family, Alma and Kenan, going to the numerous coffee shops with Zenica residents, engaging different children, contacting different NGO's, and walking and running all over the city.
Overall Zenica is an underdeveloped city compared to many cities around the world. The city is marked with economic stagnation, crime, and a lack of resources. There are a few buildings, most of them dating back to the Communist era under Tito (as can be seen by the gray colors, block-style housing, lack of balconies, and basically a scarcity of joy). There are not many things to do in the city and most people do not have televisions or internet in their homes, so most activites revolve around the various coffee shops, the recently opened mall, sports, and family. Despite these difficulties the spirit and attitude found in this city is simply amazing. My first preview of the kind of attitude described was with my host family. When they first showed me my room they had a printout of the Colombian flag posted on the wall! From that moment on I knew what kind of people I was going to encounter. People in Zenica are extremely hospitable and willing to help, my host family will not even allow me to get up and wash my own plate. Despite the difference in values and languages I have had the most opened and real conversations with people in Bosnia (everything ranging from the USA elections, immigration, homosexuality, gender roles, religion). They really do listen to everything you have to say.
The William & Mary and Swarthmore team have finally come together. The teams consist of Seth, Stephanie, Valerie, Robyn, Daniel, and Will from W&M and Trudy, Lisa, Andrew, and I from Swarthmore College. Tomorrow we start our work, teaching local children from Zenica (aged 6-9) English and incorporating Peace and Conflict material such as cooperation, team-work, etc. This program gives these kids something to do instead of spending time in the streets without having nothing to do. Today we concluded the initial planning of the program and we decided that our focus this week is going to "people", so all our activities will center around this topic. Tomorrow we will be introducing ourselves, playing different name games, introducing vocabulary, setting the rules, and giving them an overview of days to come. For the rest of the week we have planned, in the topic of "people", activities such as skits, games, arts and crafts activites, etc. surrounding professions, family and friends, homes, and greetings. We have also marked Wednesday as International Day and Friday as Holiday day. Since the program is basically from 8:00-1:00 from Monday to Friday, the team will have a lot of time available. Hence, I have been brainstorming on different ways we as a group can help Zenica with the time we have. Some things I have come up with is a mural project, a picnic, and teenage/older people conversation opportunity. I am most excited about the mural project because it has the potential of bringing people together, beautifying the city. and having other effects such as decreasing crime rates. Additionally, the group is looking into volunteering at another NGO that helps the elder and the disabled.
Thus, though the city might lack shopping malls, skyscrapers, luxurious restaurants, valet parking, movie theaters, etc. Here in Zenica, I find what most cities in the world lack, especially in the United States, which is a feeling of openness, realness, and homieness. These are not people in need of my pity or in need of my "interests in post-conflict societies", but just human beings like you and I. Humans that because treated unfairly by the world, need a hand.
After my Miami-Amsterdam-Frankfurt-Sarajevo-Zenica traveling, I finally arrived at Zenica on Thursday around 12:00 A.M. The last three days I have been trying to immerse myself in Bosnian culture by spending a lot of time with my host family, Alma and Kenan, going to the numerous coffee shops with Zenica residents, engaging different children, contacting different NGO's, and walking and running all over the city.
Overall Zenica is an underdeveloped city compared to many cities around the world. The city is marked with economic stagnation, crime, and a lack of resources. There are a few buildings, most of them dating back to the Communist era under Tito (as can be seen by the gray colors, block-style housing, lack of balconies, and basically a scarcity of joy). There are not many things to do in the city and most people do not have televisions or internet in their homes, so most activites revolve around the various coffee shops, the recently opened mall, sports, and family. Despite these difficulties the spirit and attitude found in this city is simply amazing. My first preview of the kind of attitude described was with my host family. When they first showed me my room they had a printout of the Colombian flag posted on the wall! From that moment on I knew what kind of people I was going to encounter. People in Zenica are extremely hospitable and willing to help, my host family will not even allow me to get up and wash my own plate. Despite the difference in values and languages I have had the most opened and real conversations with people in Bosnia (everything ranging from the USA elections, immigration, homosexuality, gender roles, religion). They really do listen to everything you have to say.
The William & Mary and Swarthmore team have finally come together. The teams consist of Seth, Stephanie, Valerie, Robyn, Daniel, and Will from W&M and Trudy, Lisa, Andrew, and I from Swarthmore College. Tomorrow we start our work, teaching local children from Zenica (aged 6-9) English and incorporating Peace and Conflict material such as cooperation, team-work, etc. This program gives these kids something to do instead of spending time in the streets without having nothing to do. Today we concluded the initial planning of the program and we decided that our focus this week is going to "people", so all our activities will center around this topic. Tomorrow we will be introducing ourselves, playing different name games, introducing vocabulary, setting the rules, and giving them an overview of days to come. For the rest of the week we have planned, in the topic of "people", activities such as skits, games, arts and crafts activites, etc. surrounding professions, family and friends, homes, and greetings. We have also marked Wednesday as International Day and Friday as Holiday day. Since the program is basically from 8:00-1:00 from Monday to Friday, the team will have a lot of time available. Hence, I have been brainstorming on different ways we as a group can help Zenica with the time we have. Some things I have come up with is a mural project, a picnic, and teenage/older people conversation opportunity. I am most excited about the mural project because it has the potential of bringing people together, beautifying the city. and having other effects such as decreasing crime rates. Additionally, the group is looking into volunteering at another NGO that helps the elder and the disabled.
Thus, though the city might lack shopping malls, skyscrapers, luxurious restaurants, valet parking, movie theaters, etc. Here in Zenica, I find what most cities in the world lack, especially in the United States, which is a feeling of openness, realness, and homieness. These are not people in need of my pity or in need of my "interests in post-conflict societies", but just human beings like you and I. Humans that because treated unfairly by the world, need a hand.
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