Kate's Serbia Journal

Ireland

2006-03-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm in Ireland right now and all I can say is that I have never experienced anything that any of these kids have ever been through. I won't be using this blog for the trip becuase internet access is less avaliable and more expensive. I am, however, keeping a written journal for the trip and will be submitting in to the creative group of the creative aspect of the trip here; We plan, hopefully, to make a book this time, as well as a documentary.
This is no longer a Serbian Jornal because that trip has ended but that deon't mean that the experience is over. The Serbia trip was an inner changing thing and even to this day I am effected in the way that I talk to others, think, and act. I truely hope that the same thing will happen this time AND when/if I go to South Africa.
On a side note: I will be looking for a job this summer and a possible part-time, for when school starts back up, so I can pay for my trip. I am looking towards watrising (spelling??) so if you know of any places that'd be good for me to work at or you know someone or are someone who has a cafe, small resturant, LAGRE resturant....., or any place that I could apply to, that would be wonderous! I've never been employed before but I'm a baby-sitter and that is my basic income of money.
So far, in the trip, we have done SOOOO many things. I may just take my written journal, after, and type it all up for my blog but knowing me, I won't.
I'm at a loss for words right now so I'll just be logging off then.
DAMN, I'm gaining Irish vocabulary!
Kate ^-^

Long time, no post.

2005-03-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

Okay.. so I haven't posted in a while but that's just becuase in catching up in school after coming back, posting hasn't been my biggest priority. While I was at a motel for the last 3 days I also couldn't find a computer :P
The day after I arrived at Olja's I had to leave to the Old Oak Motel :'( But her mother father and sister were GREAT hosts and I hope I can come back! I even got cake for breakfast one morning...yummm. Now I had to wake up at 5:00am to eat breakfast, brush my teeth, and get dressed, and then say my good-byes to my new friends because we had to get a ride to a pick-up point. A bus came by later on to pick us up and we picked up more people along the way! I saw a few people from previous peace camps and I had a great time, my dad even talked to a few people in the back of the bus :P As the trip passed on I learned that "cookies" are actually called "cakes" in Serbia so I had a good laught to myself. After an hour or so (becuase we were in an air tight bus with no AC or opening windows) I started to get sleepy from lack of oxygen, hahahahaha. Not like it wasn't the first time so I went to sleep for an hour straight. I eventually woke up and started talking to Goran so that I wouldn't fall alseep unwantedly again.The trip was long and when we got to the Old Oak Motel it was raining. I checked in last becuase the guy at the desk spoke Srbian an din't realise that I skope English... ONLY! :P . I found out that I was bunked with Elise and Alyssa again (no regrets) and chucked my stuff in my room. When I went to get brunch everyone had alsready been at the motel for a day so I sat down and chatted to people. I sat at a table with Uros, Dusan, Aleksandra, and Olja. We talked, they talked, signing books were passed around, people at the head table (only youth because it's a Y2Y confrence) opened the confrence and the cameras were rolling! All very good for me. We were put into groups and I was in Goran's. He tal;ked to us about "Gossip". We all had good fun and played some games related and showing gossip. I later went back to the motel room to relax and on my way back outside who was I to come across than a little stray dog that obviously stayed around the motel. He jumped up infront of me and tried to play with me and I gave in. I raced him a little way, gave him a pat on the head, and left. The rest of the day is forgotten to me except for the fact that every moment of this trip was great!!! That night the little dog got attacked and so at least 5 of us stayed out doors with it for about 30min taking care of it. We decided to name it Motel. Motel loved us all after that and I sneaked him a bit of every meal that I had ever since then, until the day we had to leave. The next morning We talked more and there were the camera's again. But out of the whole day, the most refreshing part was an hour walk with Motel and his other friend that we named Oakra (Oak + Opera). He and she would follow me everwhere and I'd play with them the whole way.

This is all for now because I need to refresh my head of the nest after thinking of all this.
I'll post soon,
Kate

Olja's

2005-03-18T11:41:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm at Olja's house. She is a great friend to me and I'm not saying this just because she's right behind me, lol. Right now she is playing the flute and it's REALLY pretty! Now I want to be able to play the flute...hmn...maybe some day I'll take it up. I met Olja last summer's Peace Camp while she billeted with us. I never thought that we would use the invitiation her mother and famiy gave us to come and stay with her but here I am! This goes to show anything is possible is you try. She had to wake up at 4:00am this morning so that she, her sister, and her dad could cme and get us. We'll also have to get up early tomorrow morning, around 5:00am, because we have to be ready for the bus that'll come and pick us up. It'll also have to go and pick up others on the way to the confrence site so I'll get to meet some new people on the way. I got to see Olja's school for a bit too! It's so big compared to ours and it has beautiful paintings taking up at least 3 walls and the upper floor has a whole spot full of real plants, gving the air that clean smell. There is also sooooo much space. There must be at least 15 square meeters of apce on the bottom floor but I'm not very good at mesuring :P. There are also eally nice murals on the wall that look like MUSEUM ART compared to our murals but that's also MY opinion. They are soooo well done and it looks as i they apent A LOT of time on them. The windows are cear and painted with pretty flowers... does it sound like I want to move here yet? I DO! Thank you so much for letting me and my dad stay here Olja! We LOVE IT!!!!!
The Harry Potter books look cool written in Serbian and I blend in :D . Some one thought that I was a Serbian and that made my day! I don't stick out with the Canadain bandana.Oh yah! I'm buying a lot of Serbian cloths and now I can say that I got my clothes half way around the world in Europ/Serbia.
That's all for now, supper time.
Kate

Shit Happens

2005-03-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

Okay! I'm back!!! OMFG, I had soooo much fun staying in my friend's place and seeing the school near by! It turns out that she did have a computer but I didn't notice it or have time to use it. The first night we had a dance at the school and I learned a new break-dance move. After the dance we headed over to Ivana's house (my host) and had a party. Mind you that it was pop and chips party, for all you adluts. We went to see museums and art gallaries and to day we went to another school that was in the film. I've made so many friends...Today some one even gave me their watch! So now I'm wearing two wathces on my wrist. Lol. The night after the first party we had another, it's so much fun, and we got to meet Ivana's boyfriend. There are a lot of couples... BTW some guy kept hitting on a friend of mine, crazy...
So tomorrow we leave Belgrade to go to the confrence and I get to see an old frind from Peace Camp again, Olja.
When we came back from our host families we had to get rooms, again, in Hotel Balkan (where we've been staying in Belgrade) so, coincidently, we actually switched rooms with my rommie's boyfriend. Now we have a dead, pet pidgen out side our room, but at least the bathroom doesn't flood and the shower woorks :D .
We went out today to go shopping and one of my friends had eyed a prom dress in one of the stores and had tryed it on (before we left) and so today we went and bought it! It is really pretty and now she has a story behind it and can say, "You got your dress in *insert name of dress store here* , I got mine half way around the world!" Snazy! Now if I could only find a Grad-Dress, but I'm pretty sure my mum wouldn't totally agree with that. Would you Mum?
SO we went to a concert for free and the singer is a well known, x-pop star named Bilija. She later came and we got to buy her CDs for a few dinara (don't pronounce the last "a") less. She is great and actually has two daughters so she's kid-friendly, lol. I hope that I can sing like her some day because I love to sing.........off topic much? But I guess this is my JOUNAL.........ouch! These two watches are starting to bother me so i'll just take them off. Ooohhhh yahhhhh...... That fells much better!
We've done so much walking lately, I wonder if it waould help me get ito that Bluenose Marathon? Wad'da say Mr.Harris? Lol, just kidding, no offense but I'd never join up fo something like that. I'm too busy. Apparently people are reading my dad's journal and not mine *eveil look*... I will find where you live and hunt you down...In a realatively peaceful way....uh...yah...so...
Things are so random. People leave and come back off time. We group up into large groups and then break apart and get some what lost. All in all, vive la Belgrade! Oh, and life is good!

Shit happens, and when it does, it gets all over your shoe.
Kate

Late night post

2005-03-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

Having fun and tring a new font colour! I'll be at a friends house for a few days so I don't know if I'll be able to keep a journal for a few days so plz be patient. Hope your wheelchair is fixed soon Sarah! People are shouting behind me so I don't think I'll turn around... I also got the computer that has a really bad [shift] so I frustrated. I'm having a blast and I am eager to see the ending film when it's put togeather.
-Those of you who don't know, this will be the 3rd of a series of films but this one will be made by us instead. The one before this was "Teaching Peace in a Time of War".
I'll update as soon as I can,
Kate.

BTW

2005-03-13T09:11:00.000-08:00

And by the way, I have front row tickets to an opera showing of The Beauty and The Beast for this Wenesday at 7:30 pm! great price, only 500Din!

Forgot!

2005-03-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

Last time I for got to mention that I went to a castle! It was awesome! Dusan showed me a statue and he said it was called "The Winner". It was commemoration to those unnamed soldiers who fought in the war. Some day I have to come and live here for a few years!!!!! I Hope I do.
-->In other words, today so far, We went to the TV station this morning at 7:30am and got back ~12:00. We're were live on national TV! When we got back we had some free time so I checked out the market and some old guy yelled at us because he thought we were stealing his bananas from his stand, hahahahaha! We had a meeting later on and we were told that Sarah's wheelchair broke down because of all the beatings it's taken, traveling around here, because Serbia isn't built for wheelchairs.
Now here's the excitement you've been waiting for...
If you remeber you'll can probably think of someone telling you not to wear a purse in *some place* because people will cut the string/strap one side and steal your purse. Well at the market today I had bought some tangerines and some 'Milka' chocolate. This is all in a plastic bag... (you probably know where this is going)...and then some guy bumps into me. Later on I lift my bag to get some chocolate when I noticed that one of the handles was "CUT"! This had to mean that the guy who bumped into me had a knife 0-O' and that he would have stolen my stuff if he had gotten the other handle! I even tried to prove to myself that it just snapped but there was a clear cut like a knife or sharp object had cut it... imagine if it had gone a bit closer to my body and cut me instead! I still love Serbia soooooo much and still want to live here some day. That's all for now and please don't worry mum (xxoo to mum).

cough cough

2005-03-12T11:38:00.000-08:00

Well I found a nice bar to eat in! Sadly my time on this account is running low becaus eyou have to pay for computer time. My throat feels like I haven't swallowed or had anything to eat or drink (dry). I got to see Ivana today and then Dusan a bit later. I think this Friday my dad and I pack up to go see a good friend, Olja. I don't really have anything else to say so please ask big questions and I'll anwer them as a comment added to yours, not in these journals... just incase you look for them.

The light of my life...

2005-03-12T04:17:00.000-08:00

Just great! Just when I found out how to get warmwater in our bathtub, have a nice bath, and then let it drain... while getting out I step in a puddle. Sounds typical right, I mean hey! You DO make puddles when taking a bath but you just try and guess where this puddle came from... I bet you didn't get it. The water was coming up froma drain in the floor!!! Apprently the pipes are directly connected and I flooded the BR. Our BR is still wet because we put towels down to saok up the water. I think from now on I'll take a shower.
The compouter I'm at actually has English symbols on it and the Y is a Y and the Z is a Z. I can also get the copmputer for a cheaper price which is nice. The only bad thing is that the [space] SUCKS! It REALLY STICKS!!!
I'm having a great time, people are nice and I Can NOT get enough Fanta! I'll have to bring some back. The steryotype that this place is unsafe is totaly off it's mark I feel at home! And at home aslong as you don't find the nearest hobo and flash your cash, nothing will happen. Lol. EEp! Almost finishe my Fanta! BTW I only got 6hrs of sleep last night because we had too much fun exploring dark, damp, unbidding alleys. Good times, good times......
WellI really don't know what else to say so I'll checkto see if anyone left some comments...
BYE!

Feeling better

2005-03-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

Well the bad news is that the chicken served on the plane made me terribly sick but after LOTS of medication, no food, some water, and LOTS of sleep I can bounce off the walls and annoy people once again! Right now I,m sitting in an Internet cafe and the room is litterally filled with smoke but it,s everwhere so I,m used to it now. I got to meet 3 good friends from here but one had saddly broken his leg and couldn,t come. Sorry for the comma thing but I can,t find the correct symbol on this keyboard. It.s great here and I already know that I want to come back. My *roomies* and I found a really cool sandwich place where we can buy these cool bread sticks about a foot long and an inch thick covered in a salty cheese! I could LIVE off of these things! There,s is also this *Fanta* fixzzy juice that I can,t get enough of and I,ve already had 2 medium bottles AND I plan to buy a big one! What more to say..... We have pink toilet paper, a small iregular bathroon *I,ll post pics after the tripp hopefully* and the bathroom dor doesn,t close, AND the shower only has hot OR cold water. Total bummer. But we do not spend much time there. I,ll write later. Bye!

Here We Go!

2005-03-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

Well, it's about a 1hr wait until I get in the car to go to the airport. There's no turning back now and besides, I want to see all my friends! This will be kind of weird for me because I'll be so far from home. My friends and family keep telling me just to relax, so I will becuase I know that I'll have a blast out there and the time will fly just like that *snap fingers*.
Hetty, thank you SO MUCH for helping me get involved with these things!

Getting Excited!

2005-03-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

I'm getting really stir crazy here! I'm going to be so far from home but at least I have family going with me. One of my biggest worries is that I'll forget to bring something and then regret it later on. Life goes on. Please feel free to leave comments, I hopefully get back to you :D

The Beginning

2005-03-07T14:49:00.000-08:00

Well hello there! This is the beginning of my journal throughout my trip in Serbia. I must say that I can't wait to get on that plane because it will be the first step in a life changing experience for me as well as the other students going with me (not to mention the adults).I also have to thank my good friend Briana because she was the one who gave me the idea to keep a journal while on this thrip because she couldn't come with me :'(And I have to thank my dad for putting up this blog for me, my friends for helping me along and a big "Way to go!" to one of my all time fav teachers, Ms. Patterson because she has been so cool and always seems to be there (could she possibly have clones?).
What more could I possibly say, you ask. Well for those who don't know who I am, my name is Kate van Gurp, I'm 14 (the youngest person going on this trip), in grade 9, and a Peer Mediator. I grew up loving the piano so now I've been playing for 6-years and I plan on playing until I can't. I have a loving, caring family, whome I wouldn't replace for any thing. My friends are from all over the place and I love making new ones. I don't do well in competitive sports and I draw like no body's fool (I just don't stop).
On with the real journal- In two days I will be leaving for Serbia and I can't wait. I'm driving all of my friends mad and all togeather our group- about 40 of us -will take up a lot of the plane. I'm also slightly scared because it is all new to me but what would you expect?
I'll be updating soon,
Kate v.G. (a.k.a. Senya)