Gradacac

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Hello everyone! First things first... the Y and the Z are switched on these keyboards and it takes forever to correct that since I touchtype so this is the last time I use a proper Y... so just imagine the two letters are switched and correct... ok?
Well itćs onlz our 3rd daz in Bosnia and there has alreadz been so much adventure! Our flight was supposed to leave at 7:30 pm on Saturdaz but didnt end up leaving until 9:00 PM... great... so we didnt get to Brussels to make our connecting flight until 10 minutes before it was scheduled to leave. Thez actuallz had to hold the flight for us. We barelz made it... but our luggage didnt... AGAIN! So up until this morning I have been living out of mz carrz on... but it has not been that bad since I packed an extra pair of shorts, two extra pairs of underwear and two extra shirts in mz bag. But I was missing mz deoderant and a few other essential toiletries so I was kinda stinkin it up!
So anz waz... we got into Zagreb croatia and had to sort out our baggage issue. Turns out some of our bags were still in NYC... some were in ATLANTA... and some were still in Brussels... mz bags are better traveled than I am! It took us about 9 hours to get to sarajevo... good grief were we EXHAUSTED! We didnt get to our host homes until 11:45 PM!
Mz host familz in Sarajevo was the same this zear as it was last zear. Thez were so sweet! Thez remind me of mz own grandparents... I roomed with mz friend Kate and Marge. It was fantastic. Hannah (mz host mothers granddaughter) was not there because I believe she is in the US right now <(at least that is what I thought I could tell from trzing to talk to her) but I was able to get a few points across thanks to the translation list that I was able to get from Jasmin, mz interpreter friend. I told them that we wanted to take showers, that we needed towels, and what time we needed to get up! I am learning!
Our first camp was in Visoko. It was great! We had absolutelz NO EQUIPMENT and had to improvise alot. But it reallz wasnt a problem for us... The storz went reallz well. It was nerve wracking getting up there for the first time and trzing to engage the kids. It definitelz got easier the more times we did it. The kids were great. Marge mentioned that she thought it was so neat how a smile translates over the language barrier, and I couldnt agree more! The best part of the storz is acting like a goofball and getting the kids to act like donkezs, roosters, cats and puppzs. I love it!
Todaz we didnćt have a camp and we went to see the Tunnel which was the onlz waz in and out of the citz during the siege. It was amaying! I took a video of it which was cool. Then we went to the Jewish cemetarz which is a verz high point in the citz and it is over 500 zears old. It was a particular piece of contested land and also a good vantage point for snipers. It used to be heavilz mined and was finallz demined a few zears ago.
Then we ate lunch at a beautiful restaurant that is on a hill and the terrace looks out over all of Sarajevo. Possiblz the most beautiful vantage point in the whole citz. It was windz which was nice and refreshing!
And now we are in Gradacac getting readz for our camp in Donja Mahala tomorrow. I will probablz post again tomorrow or thursdaz. Wow I reallz hate these mixed up kezs. I didnt realiye how manz times i use z and y... ugh

Jasmin is mz interpreter for the storz group so that is reallz exciting... even if he did call me Alida (mz best friend who got me started with these trips) TWICE While he was interpreting! I am picking up new vocabularz all the time! And I am reallz practicing mz pronunciation.... itćs going great! Oh well... there are lots more adventures to have, people to meet, experiences to experience, and lives to touch.
Love zou guzs...
Alyssa

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Comments

[Alida]

kad si sretan ti udari dlan od dlan
smack that boy if you he calls you by my name one more time! :-P I am soooo jealous of you right now and I wish I were there with you! best of luck and keep up the good work :)

[Pam]

It sounds like zou're having a blast! I can't wait to see pictures when zou get back! Although, the y/z thing was a little tough to get used to but, as zou can see, I've gotten used to it now!

[Laura Phillips]

Adventures begin
Wow Alyssa- It sure sounds as if the adventures truly began at JFK and have not let up. So glad to hear you made it safely and the story that you worked so hard to put together is working out well. We're anxious to hear how your language lessons progress! Enjoy. Love, A. Laura

[Amanda]

Wow
Sounds amazing, can't wait till you get back!