reality

Day Five of mom's visit, and time for an update.

We spent Friday night and most of the weekend in the city. Since Pristina is a small town, we'd already been everywhere there is to go and seen all that there is to really see by Saturday afternoon... We toured the old mosques (one of which I recently discovered was originally a synagogue), the museum, the university area, and the city center. We met my friends for coffee, sat around at cafes (thanks to hot and sunny weather), and I played ultimate as usual on Sunday (leaving mom to chat with the side-line crew). We even went to see "Gori Vatra" at the cinema. And it has definitely been interesting...

I have been able to selectively chose the pictures and comments I post here. And while I have no intentions to fabricate the truth, hide anything, or falsify, writing has offered a gradual entrance into Kosovar life and society. I am realizing now that seeing things with your own eyes, without the filter, can be shocking, so let's just say that my mom has been quite overwhelmed...

...overwhelmed by the piles of garbage that litter the streets and back lanes... by the physical reality of unpredictable power outages... by the seeming inability of people here to feel and act on any sense of collective responsibility...and mostly with the dirt, dust, cigarette smoke, and, again, the garbage...

Of course, it's not that I don't see these problems, but just have become accustomed to their presence as part of reality here. I know that the problems will continue to exist for a while (if not a long time!), but I guess I also believe that, within time, things will change. I don't know whether I have the tremendous patience, energy, or will necessary to be permanently involved in development work, but I do believe in it... even for a place like Kosova, where, five days after arriving, my mom still can't get over its failings and weaknesses.

Sadly, though, my super plans to show her the nicer parts of the area failed fairly miserably :( We went yesterday to visit good friends of mine who live in Strpce, the small Serbian community near beautiful Mt. Brezovice. Green hills, a river, wild flowers, fresh mountain air, and open spaces. But we almost saw nothing of it all because of the non-stop rain! Thus restricted to a car-based tour, we couldn't even see outside the car windows due to the tremendously dense fog -- I mean, fog so thick that it hid entire mountains! We drove with my friend to Prizren, the first town I visited outside of Pristina, and probably the most interesting city in Kosova with its old Turkish ambience... and then we spent the entire afternoon at a cafe because it was pouring.

Lovely, eh?

Alas. I'm hoping the weather will clear up by tomorrow, when we leave for Macedonia. Maybe then we'll be able to see the more attractive parts of the Balkans. Otherwise, I'm sure my mom will have interesting things to say when she gets back home.

Then again, I'm sure she'll have interesting things to report anyway.