“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” - Henry Miller

Zdravo (hello), today marks my two weeks since I arrived in Sarajevo, It is the two week mark where I said goodbye to my culture and hello to a new one! These last two weeks have been amazing!!! Though, some days have been a bit overwhelming, I am learning to get over it and enjoy life, you see, I miss Russellville ALOT, but I have to realize that I am experiencing a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I can't spend it wishing I was with my friends, or thinking about what I am missing out on in Logan County! I should rather embrace this time of change, make new friends, and enjoy my new surroundings! So that is my new pep talk to myself whenever I get home sick!! 

I finished my last language lessons today, and let's just say I am not even close to being able to communicate in Bosnian!! haha It is one of the hardest languages I have ever tried to learn, but practice makes perfect, right? Well, it's going to take ALOT of practice to even get close to be able to  hold basic conversation, never mind speak it perfectly, but it is part of the experience that I love!!!

Monday I start school... I feel like I am repeating freshmen year all over again!! I am soooooo nervous about school!! My school is like 3 or 4 stories... BIG change from Logan County High School, which is 1 story, two main hallways, and a few smaller halways... I guess it just means I can get lost... AGAIN!! I have kind of just accepted the fact that I will get lost ANYWHERE I go!! Unfortunately, there are no taxis in the school building that can take me to the right class room if I get lost... I guess I will rely on the good'ole sense of wandering the halls to find the right place!!!

Last weekend I visited Foča which is in the  Republika Srpska!! It is the town that my host mom, Sanida, grew up in! But she had to leave her home during the Bosnian war.  Sanida took me to where she use to play as a child, and where she spent many of her younger years! After Foča we went and spent some time at Sanida's Uncle's house!! He has a house on the river, Drina. It is probably one of the prettiest places, if not, the prettiest place I have EVER been!!! The pictures I have do not do it justice!! The river has the clearest, bluest,  water I have ever seen!! It has these beautiful colored stones that just set this an amazing scene!! It took my breath away!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
                                                                     Livno sunset

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

This weekend we are in Livno, where Omer's (my host father) mother is currently staying!! It is AMAZING!!! I saw a beautiful sunset tonight, and the mountains here just add to the beauty of the sunset!! Hopefully, later this weekend, we will make it to the coast in Croatia, if the weather permits, otherwise, we will go and visit somewhere close!!!

Well, I need to go to bed, but I hope all is well wherever you are reading this from!!! I can't wait to see what I experience next in these weeks ahead of me!!

Until the next adventure,
Sarah Edgar

P.S.  
Earlier last week I got to visit the embassy and meet the ambassador.... and the embassy doctor who worked at Logan Memorial for a few years during the late 1990's!!!! It really is a small world!! I had to laugh when he told me that he had worked in my town... I mean, what are the chances of meeting someone who worked in LC all the way across the world!!!

“Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.” - Wizard of OZ

Well, I have a feeling that I am no longer in Kentucky anymore... actually I am about 5,169.809 miles away!!! HAHA

 I am finally in Sarajevo, my new home! I arrived here at about 12:30 PM (Sarajevo time) Friday Afternoon!! I could never imagine any better place to spend my first exchange program! The city is GORGEOUS!! It's surrounded by mountains, has cobblestone streets, and it is a big city that has the feeling of a smaller city! I am not surrounded by high-rises, bur rather a big city that acts like a small city! The whole city is broken up into what they call "neighborhoods". More like smaller towns close together, that make up on big city!! It is soooo nice, and the people here are sooooo sweet!!! Every person I have met has been sooooooooo welcoming!! I can tell that I am going to make lifelong friendships here.

My last few days have been EXTREMELY hectic, Friday, I arrived at the Sarajevo airport, at which I met my AMAZING host family. Sanida, my host mom, Sumea , my youngest host sister, and Ajna, the oldest younger sister, were at the airport to greet me with beautiful smiling faces! We arrived home, where I met my host father, Omer, who was just as welcoming! I absolutely LOVE my host family, they have been so good with me, and working around my CRAZY schedule!! Sanida and Omer have been very patient with showing me around the city, and explaining public transportation to me! I couldn't think of a better family! But back to Friday! Friday night, we attended the Sarajevo Film Festival, which is very famous here and around Europe, It was soooo much fun! Saturday, I had orientation at American Councils, and then spent the evening at home eating, delicious, curry chicken! Later that evening Sanida took me on a walk to a place that overlooks the entire city! It was such a beautiful view!!! Sunday, we went to lunch with some extended family, which is where I ate Ćevapi for the first time.... my new favorite food!!!!! It was
SOOOOOO good!!!! Today, I had my first language lesson, which went well!! We also visited the outside of a famous a catholic cathedral, Serbian Christian orthodox church, Jewish Monastery, and the outside of a Muslim Mosque! This evening, I went with to the movies with my family, it was sooo much fun to have a little taste of the Sarajevo film!!!

So far my time here has been good!! I will make the best of this amazing experience!! I can't wait to see the things I will do in the future!! I need to go to bed!! So I will say goodnight to everyone, hope all is well in America!! :)

Until the next adventure,
Sarah Edgar



All the views from my house!! :)

 

"Friendship isn't about being inseparable, it's being separated and nothing changes!"

Well, my time in America has come to a close! I will be departing in a matter of hours! I can't believe how fast my life can change! It seems as though it was just yesterday that I read about my program! 

I have enjoyed my last few days in the States by spending some quality time with friends and family! I loved getting I see everyone at my going away party, and I can't wait to see you all again! 

Wednesday night was definitely the hardest! Saying goodbye to me closest friends was harder than I imagined!! I am so glad that I have such amazing friends who have supported me!! I can't wait to come  back and tell you all my stories!

I also appreciate Logan County High School for working with me! Mr. Jaynes was so helpful in these last few weeks with my questions and figuring out how to keep me enrolled! 

My journey has been kinda smooth! Last night was soooo hectic, trying to get the last few things done, my suitcase broke at 11PM, I misplaced my debit card and couldn't find it for 30 min. and my suitcase was 2 pounds over the limit !!! Does anyone know how stressful it is to pack for ten months, in which there is a very harsh winter involved that you must pack for!!! The worse part is, that I am known to over pack, so that lovely skill of mine does not help  in the area of packing for ten months! But never fear, we got it to the weight!! 

Well, I am going I have to cut this short, but thank you everyone for being so supportive!! I am blessed I have such an amazing community!!

Until next time, 

Sarah Edgar