Sunday, June 15, 2014

Croatia and Bosnia: Part I

Hello again!!!

I'm back and safe in Bologna after a very long and wonderful ten days. It's going to be hard to sum everything up from our tour (so bear with me) in one lengthy post. I'm so grateful for this experience. I just can't believe that I am lucky enough to travel and see beautiful places and experience God's presence in new ways. And learn things that challenge and develop me. It's truly such a gift.

Imotski, Croatia 

After a smooth ferry ride to from the coast of Italy to Split, Croatia, we took a bus to Imotski-- a smaller town in the mountains. We took a large, air conditioned bus throughout the week which was actually pretty nice. Dr. Waller has friends here that we stayed with for a few days. Their names are Sanya and Domigoi, and they were very kind to host 20 college students in their home! They also know so much about the politics of the region and helped us get a glimpse of the complexity of the war. 

In my journal I wrote: It's almost difficult to describe how beautiful this place is. Words can't do justice to describe the way the house peers into the mountains or the way the crystal blue water sparkles from the lake just down the way. Sanya prepared us lunch when we arrived-- it was sort of like a pot roast. Then we hiked down to the lake and tried to swim--but the water was freezing! All in all, I have felt my body and spirit really relax here-- more relaxed than I've been all school year. It is such a holy and restful place. 

All of our meals were home cooked by Sanya. She only uses fresh ingredients from her garden. 



Helping prepare a Croatian dish called Burek! 




Mostar, Bosnia 

After a couple of blissful days in Imotski, we crossed the border into Bosnia and drove into the town of Mostar. Mostar is a beautiful
historic town that is known for it's bridge--which was bombed as a target by the Croatian Catholics during the war. We got to stand on the bridge and tour around the town with Dr. Waller's friend Aida-- who is sassy and smart. We ate great food and got to poke around all of the market shops near the bridge. We then ate dinner at Aida's home. She and her husband Mustafa roasted a lamb for us for dinner--right in front of us! What an experience… Made it through it and the meat was  tasty. Aida told us a lot about her experience during the war. She is committed to bringing Mostar together (as it is still divided into a Catholic side and a Muslim side--two hospitals and everything). She was really inspiring.








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