Sweet America!

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We made it home! We’re adjusting to the six hour time change. We get to expand our diet beyond bread. And we can finally share all of our adventures with friends and family.

It’s been an amazing past three weeks. I actually can’t even fathom the fact that we explored six countries in those short three weeks. It’s no wonder we’re exhausted.

Queens is pretty amazing to have sent us all over the world like that. I know we’ve all grown and learned so much from our study abroad trips, and I feel so privileged to have been able to see the world as I have over the past month. It seems even more of a privilege that I get to share that with everyone back home.

Here’s to where ever life takes me next!

Danielle

Dachau

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Today Calvin and I hopped on a city bus and headed to one of the world’s darkest places. We visited Dachau, the Nazi regime’s first concentration camp.

This camp, made for 6,000 people, held over 30,000 when American forces liberated them in 1945.

Walking through the gas chamber and crematorium, I was so overwhelmed with the life that was lost here for no reason at all. It was also a haunting feeling to see some connections between how these people were treated and how captives in the Bosnian war were treated 50 years later. History sure seems to repeat itself.

Though it was a sad place, it is such an impactful place to learn about the Holocaust. Walking where they walked and entering through the same doors they did just makes it so real.

It was an exhausting 5 hour tour but a worthwhile way to spend our last afternoon.

Danielle

Is that bakery older than America?

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Yeah, it was.

In general, it’s been amazing to walk through all the cobblestone streets and be surrounded by buildings and shops that have been in existence for 500 plus years. It has really put into perspective how infantile our country really is. I mean, I love America, but it’s a baby compared to these places.

Calvin and I just got into Munich, and we might be staying at the coolest hostel ever. We’re making friends fast, and it seems relatively clean.

As our eastern Europe trip is winding down, I’m realizing that I’ll soon have to return to the real world with a smaller bank account. But i’ve got a ton of crazy stories, and a greater global perspective which makes it all completely worth it.

Well, we’ve got two more days, and there is a lot of Munich to see!

Probably going to eat some schnitzel tomorrow,
Danielle

The Expense of Beauty

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We’re in Zürich, Switzerland having a great time and trying to live cheap. Living cheap doesn’t come easy when meals cost at least 13 dollars and bathroom cost at least 4.

We have one heck of a crazy travel story about getting here. Let’s just say it involves a lot of wrong buses, foreign languages, and delays. We’ll tell you the whole thing when we get back if you really want to hear it. Now I can pretty confidently say we can handle any sort of travel surprise.

We’re staying with an amazing local guy named Claudio. He has cooked us meals, suggested great places to visit in the city, and took us to a hidden bar to have a drink. He’s been the saving grace for us and our wallets this trip.

For the past 2 days, Calvin and I have just been exploring the city. We visited the Swiss history museum, explored all the famous abbeys, and sat by the lake. That combined with bus tickets, we’ve only spent about 30-40 francs. Not too bad.

It’s been a bit more difficult to get internet here, so we’ll hopefully update you when we’re in Munich!

Surrounded by chocolate and army knives,

Danielle

The Alps Never Get Old

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This place is so idyllic! If I knew some German and could deal with the massive winter snows, I could definitely see myself renting a little apartment in one of the many buildings from the 1600s.

Calvin and I have had a really chill couple of days. They’ve been mostly filled with wandering, people watching, and eating bread.

Today, we went to the Alpenzoo! It is Europe’s highest zoo. I’ve been dying to go to a foreign zoo this entire trip, so this was such a treat! We saw a bear, petted goats, and almost got attacked by uncaged mountain rams. It was amazing.

We also went up to the city tower, built in the 1400s. It was a large amount of skinny stairs to climb, but the view of the alps and colorful city roofs was so worth it.

Off to Zurich, Switzerland tomorrow!

Danielle

We Made It!

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The trip to Innsbruck has been quite the journey. Calvin and I have traversed three countries, almost missed a night train, and somehow ended up in a hotel that was once a temporary home for both Mozart and an American WWII headquarters.

This part of Europe is rather pricey compared to Bosnia, so we’ll be eating cheap and trying to save money anywhere we can. Let me know if you have any tips.

Something else cool, we were in Munich just in time to catch the pregame parties for the UEFA champion’s league final between Chelsea and Munich. It was INSANE. It was the first time ever that the final was played at one of the team’s home stadium. However, Munich lost, so we’re glad we weren’t there to experience the chaos.

Sleepily,
Danielle

Out of Clothes, Out of Money, and Out of Time

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We’ve got less than a day left in Sarajevo to explore the city, buy last minute present, and bask in the fact that we’re halfway across the world from Charlotte, NC.

I hope that you’ve gathered how amazing of a trip this has truly been for all nine of us. Believe me, more pictures and stories will be quick to emerge when the group returns to the States.

Our trip to Srebrenica was powerful. We walked where refugees were held right before they were handed over to the Serbs as well as heard an account from a survivor who escaped through the mountains. We were accompanied by a very special group- Libya! Apparently, Bosnia is the most advanced when it comes to body identification, so Libyan political and forensic representatives were there at the same time as us to learn from them and pay their respects.

As we are all trying to frantically finish our journals to hand into Royden, I can’t help but be perplexed at how both slow and fast time has been. It seems as if Croatia was months ago, and yet I can’t believe we’re leaving tomorrow.

I think it’s hard to encapsulate this trip in a mere blog, so that’s why I’m a big fan of “top 10″ lists.

I can’t speak for the whole group, but here’s my personal top 10:

10. Waking up to snow rather than a beach (this was actually horrible and hilarious at the same time)

9. Wading in the clear waters of the Adriatic

8. Becoming a gelato and foreign chocolate connoisseur

7. Sea kayaking to a cave to snorkel and jump off cliffs

6. Visiting the European Union to hear what they are doing to further positive change for the country

5. Randomly ordering off menus that I didn’t understand and hoping for the best

4. Day trip to Kotor, Montenegro

3. Hearing an array of foreign languages everywhere we went

2. Afternoon visit through the winding mountains of Bosnia to Srebrenica

1. Forming close friendships that will accompany us back to Queens as well as a deeper understanding and heart for the Bosnian people and their country

These are just 10 of the greatest moments of the trip. Though I am in a very different place than I thought I would be when I signed up for Israel in March of last year, I can’t imagine the trip any differently. Together as a group, we’ve learned; we’ve adjusted to indecisive weather; we’ve patiently waited as people wanted to take pictures with Rae; we’ve eaten foreign delicacies; we’ve been challenged to think far beyond what we knew before; we’ve become a little JBIP family.

I love this group!

And I can’t wait for the reunion dinners that lie ahead.

So, prepared to have some time to listen when we get back because there will be a lot of stories to share!

As the rest of the group heads to the States tomorrow, Calvin and I will be travelling through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. I’ve gotten the O.K. to keep up the blog, so as long as we can get wifi, you’ll hear from me soon!

The journey continues,

Danielle

 

Keeping Open Eyes and Open Minds

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We are winding down our third full day in Sarajevo. We’ve actually gotten into a bit of a routine in the past few days:
1. learn at Humanity in Action
2. eat lunch
3. go shopping in the old town/explore the city
4. take a (usually 4 hour) nap
5. eat dinner
6. enjoy the nightlife

For the seven of us, it has been the perfect mix of education, adventure, and leisure. The weather was better today. We actually saw the sun for once! However, it’s supposed to start snowing again tomorrow.

As we continue to find random streets and shops to peruse, I’m amazed by the remnants of war. It has become totally commonplace to see a bombed out building right beside a beautifully, ornate one. Any street that doesn’t have structures littered with bullet and bomb holes is rare.

bombed out building beside a totally restored one- a very common sight

It makes sense that we’re seeing what we are. The war is only about 15 years old, but the shock never fully leaves me.

We’ve also stumbled upon some funny things in Sarajevo: a number of beggar cats, overzealous salespeople, and a sign for Queens! Well, Queens University in Canada… but how cool is that?!

What are the odds?!?!

Again, we’ve had a intense past two days of learning. We’ve talked with some professors, a survivor of the genocide, and a representative from the European Union on the issues facing Bosnia. All have given very different perspectives on what actions should be taken from here on out. It’s interesting. It’s confusing. But it’s interesting.

I definitely feel like I am in the middle of trying to process everything thus far. Even though I haven’t had a ton of time to reflect, I can definitely say for sure that this has been a transformational experience.

The biggest part for me is just being in the middle of it. Walking down the street, you can see the remnants of war; you can see Bosniak stores or Serb bars; you can see how politics and media are continuing to widen the divide between groups. It is bizarre and almost surreal being here.

Also, with Ratko Mladic’s (former Serbian military leader) trial starting today, it begins a historical judicial case concerning some terrifying war crimes.

Tomorrow, we head to Srebrenica, which will be probably one of the most emotional field trips of my life. It’s the site of the biggest genocide since World War II. There, we’ll visit where refugees were held, the tunnel through which the left the city, and the grave sites.

As if the trip hasn’t been a huge realization and challenge so far, tomorrow will definitely be the kicker. Though it’ll be hard, I’m so thankful that we get the chance to visit. I think this trip will be crucial to our understanding, and it will make the stories really come alive.

Safe and thoughtful,

Danielle

“At least the snow isn’t sticking”

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That was the sign-off for my last blog.

Well this is what I woke up to…..

Good morning, snowy Sarajevo!

A snow storm in May?!? Yep. Good thing nothing can dampen my group’s spirit. With smiles on our faces, we trekked through the 6 inches of icy snow and sleet and explored the city until we couldn’t feel our hands or feet. For me, my exposed toes barely covered by chacos and socks were quickly frozen.

This was our first day with Humanity in Action. We met with international judge, Philip Weiner, who tries war crimes and criminals involved with former Yugoslavia.

It was overwhelming to say the least. And at the risk of writing a blog ten pages long, I’ll give the highlights and hope that my classmates will further explain the conversation to you when we return.

Essentially, Bosnia is one of the most corrupt places in the world. Yes, the war is technically over, but education, politicians, and the government are all enslaved to bribery, organized crime, and outdated information. Being an education major, I found it horrendous that the schools are segregated by ethnicity and nationality here much like the segregation that occurred in America in the 60′s.

For about an hour and a half we were hit with facts and stories about the shadiness of Bosnia, and I know that it weighed on us all heavily. I constantly thought to myself, “What can I as an American college student do with all of this?” The problems are so big, and I’m so small compared to it.

However, the fact that we are now informed about all of the injustice, I think we have a responsibility to learn more and to share what we learn. Nothing will get better if we continue to accept that this isn’t something we need to worry about because we are comfortable in America.

Actually, many of the issues in Bosnia are also going on in America- we just fail to recognize them. I’m not writing this trying to place blame because I’m as guilty as anyone else, but it calls for us to become proactive.

And as we all realized today, the biggest thing we can do is learn. If we learn as much as we can about the issues not only in Bosnia but also in the world at large, we’ll be much more prepared to face them and work on solving them.

Overall (for Bosnia), Judge Weiner still held out hope. His highest hopes were for more aggressive prosecution as well as education reform.

Again, I know this sounds like a heavy day, and it was, but it’s an amazing experience to be apart of.

After our time at Humanity in Action and attempting to traverse downtown Sarajevo in little more that jeans and t-shirts, all seven of us fell victim to a four hour nap.

It was actually like a cute little sleepover because all the girls slept in one room while the boys slept in another. Then, the real fun came when we woke up.

Absolutely no one wanted to go outside. It’s cold. It’s wet. It’s dark. No way were we going to even try. Then, this thought crossed our minds, “Do they deliver pizza in Bosnia?”

Yes, they do.

Pizza that was soon followed by hot chocolate

Forget partying it up downtown with the locals, we made our hotel our castle for the night, got in our pajamas, and ordered pizza and hot chocolate. So what if that makes us seven-year-olds? Even Dr. Royden and Anna joined us, and it made for some extreme JBIP bonding time.

I wouldn’t change this trip for the world,

Danielle

Is It Really Snowing?

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Yes, that WAS a real question asked tonight. Yesterday I was laying out on the beach, and now I can’t put enough layers on.

We arrived safely in Sarajevo after a 6 hour trip with a quick stop in Mostar.

It was clear that we weren’t in sunny Dubrovnik anymore as we were greeted with rain, 50 degree weather (that dropped to below freezing tonight night), and bullet ridden buildings on every corner.

Mostar was our first stop- it is most famous for the Mostar bridge which was bombed, destroyed, and plunged into the river as the result. On a lighter note, it is a typical for people to dive off this newly constructed 75 ft. bridge for sport, and we got to witness it!

I told Dr. Royden that I would totally do it if we had more time, and she promptly answered that with a “No”.

The group minus Royden (the photographer) on the bridge

Jumping from the Mostar bridge- look at the bottom right corner!

We winded through the Bosnian mountains and arrived in Sarajevo around 3pm today. We all took naps then headed to a Turkish restaurant for dinner. There, we were greeted by some senior fellows associated with Humanity in Action with whom we’ll be spending the next few days with.

The dinner was quite intimate. The four representatives divulged personal information about how the war affected them and their country as well as what state the government lies in now. From what I gathered, there it is overshadowed by corruption, separation, and almost a loss of hope. I know that sounds depressing, but it is programs like Humanity in Action who are working for change and justice, so I feel privileged to be able to be with these people.

Tim and Brennan showing off those Dubrovnik sunburns

All of us are still trying to adjust to the change from Dubrovnik to Sarajevo. Not only did we all pack mostly summer clothing, but we are beginning to face this war head on. I myself am not the most politically minded, so it is new territory to have to process it all, but I WANT to understand. I want to come back to the states and communicate what I know. I think it’s crucial for all of our development as globally-minded citizens to work through this conflict together. I firmly believe that knowledge and willingness to learn are the two most powerful tools we have to influence our futures.

 

 

We’re still safe, freezing but safe. We’re still trying to get used to all the change. I think I can speak for the entire group when I say we’re all just focusing on staying present and taking in all the information and stories we are exposed to.

At least the snow isn’t sticking,

Danielle