Ways I have changed in three weeks in Bosnia

1. I love techno
2. 90 degrees is considered refreshingly cool (at night).
3. I have no problem drinking cloudy water.


Our class is going very well. The kids are so responsive and they really seem to remember what we are teaching them. It is not uncommon to hear the "ABCs" being sung whenever you walk through the orphanage, and I definitely notice the kids speaking more English. When they see us they ask us how we are and what we are doing in English. Even the kids with whom we have not yet had class (because their school conflicts and does not end until next week) are certainly practicing their English when they talk with us.
One thing they all know now is how to talk about swimming. One day we swam in the freezing cold Neretva River, and the next we walked about 15 kilometers in search of a lake that never appeared. Now every time we leave they ask us if we are going swimming and then tell us that we are crazy because the water is cold.
The older kids are a little harder - our classes with them always seem to get cancelled, whether because of scheduling conflicts, the caretakers, or because the soap opera is on tv (the girls refuse to miss it). Still, just spending time with them and hanging out means that they speak English and practice, and we try to get as much teaching in as possible. For example, one of the kids, Šemso, was reading a Bosnian newspaper, so Laura went over and made him explain to her what every story was about. Listening to music is also a good way to sneak some teaching in.

I still havent figured out the older kids stories. Some of them are definitely orphans, but others have at least one parent living but are unable to stay with them. In some cases, the parents cannot afford to feed and clothe them, and in others the parents have their own issues. Two of the boys told us that their father, who is alive and used to send them money, is in jail in Italy. They are both almost too old to continue living in the orphanage and will have to move out soon. They have living grandparents who may be able to help them, but the others are not always so lucky.

I have a lot more to post about. The orphanage has not yet let us use their internet (I am in Sarajevo now) but hopefully they will soon so I can update more frequently.