The rain in Spain

As our bus entered the old city walls of Cadiz in the sunshine, Mom and I talked of the beach and how it was a bummer that we didn't bring any sunscrean. It was mid-afternoon and we were excited to have the sand between our toes. Juan Carlos is a good friend of a good friend of mine in Pristina. He is a police officer origionally from Caediz that lived and worked in Pristina for a year, well before I arrived. Hazel put me in contact with him and he offered us a two-bedroom flat he owns and rents out in Cadiz for a good price. From Budapest I sent him an email saying I was sick and that I might need to see a doctor while I was in Spain. It turned out that with his schedule, the only time he could take me was the afternoon we arrived. No problem. Mom and I could head to the beach later. Juan Carlos and I went to the hospital and mom walked the streets around the flat.

What we thought would be a quick trip to a clinic that ended with a perscription for whatever I had, ended up being a three-hour wait in an emergency room line that ended with nothing but the echoing words of the doctor. "Oh, esta normal. Esta normal tener estes para dos semenas." My Spanish isn't that great, but I knew "normal" and the more she said it the more frustrated I got. It was day seven of sick and the symptoms I had were NOT NORMAL!!! Thankfully Juan Carlos and I were a able to laugh about the wasted hours and unfavorable diagnosis. By the time we got back to the flat, it was almost dark and I was exhausted. Mom and I went to the supermarket to stock up for the week and get something for dinner. I decided to take the doctor's advice and make a plane chicken breast and white rice. One night of that and I knew it would be the only night of that. If the doc said I was normal, then I was going to eat normal in Spain, dammit!

The rain started to fall a bit that night. When we woke the next morning it was light, but mom and I were hopeful the sun would come out. We took public transport into the old city of Cadiz and began some exploring. During the 5 minute bus ride the light rain turned into a downpour that didn't stop all day. As we walked the old city streets, our feet got soaked, we were cold and after a couple of hours all we really wanted was a hot fire and hot cocoa. We found a great little restaurant, sat down and ordered some sopa de mariscos. Perfect for a late lunch on a cold day by the sea. And, hopefully, by the time we were finished, the rain will have stopped and the sun will be out. Well, we waited two hours and the weather did not change, We wanted so badly to explore more of the old city streets and shops, but our cold feet couldn't handle it. Juan Carlos wanted to meet up that night, so we decided to head back to the flat and practice the local custom of having a siesta. That night the torrential rains did not stop, and the threat stuck around for the rest of the week.

A day trip to Gibraltar gave us the best weather with partly cloudy skies and realtive warmth. Because of that, it might have been our favorite day in Spain as well, even though technically we weren't in Spain anymore. As we approached the border between Spain and the little chunk of the UK, we could see the familiar figure of The Rock looming up into the sky. The trip required crossing an internationl border across an airport runway. All of a sudden Spanish became English and Euros became pounds. We found the cable car up the rock to a 360 degree view that was Spain to the North, Africa to the South, The Atlantic to the West, the Mediterranian to the East and England to the bottom. For some reason the Rock is inhabited by loads of monkeys that roam free and jump right on the tourists when you least expect it. The Spaniards of Andalucia say that the day the last monkey on Gibraltar dies will be the day the area wil be Spanish again. We topped the day off with fish and chips and a glass of Guinness in order to complete the English afternoon.

The exploring continued for the rest of the week. The streets of Cadiz decorated for the big Carnival festival that would take place a couple weeks after mom and I would be gone. We were able to get a walk in by the beach, but it was never warm enough to actually take the shoes off and feel the sand. On another rainy day, we took a bus to a mountain town, Arcos de la Frontera where a cathedral and castle capped a mountain community. The days of sun and nights of salsa dancing didn't happen like we expected. I think think this really disappointed mom. She was packed and ready for a week in her sandals on the beach. What she really got was early spring chill and rain in the only pair of closed shoes in her suitcase. My hope is that she will remember her first trip to Europe fondly with the rain being a minor detail and the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Espana leaving positive thoughts and feelings.

We headed back to Sevilla the day before mom was to fly out and spent the day exploring the winding streets. A glass of wine and plate of Paella topped off our week together in Spain. After sending mom on her way home, I stuck around Seviilla and continued for the next three days to wander around on my own. I was lucky enough to get invinted into the Cathedral's Sunday mass that is for locals only. A treat I wish mom could have shared with me. I hadn't been to church in ages. I considered myself lucky to say a prayer and be splashed with holy water in a place as amazing as that.

Although dampened by rain and infected with illness, the 2007 holiday in Spain was one worth having. To have the chance to take my mom through a foreign country was a good opportunity for me and hopefully a positive experience for her. I've traveled alone before and am always able to have a good time and meet good people. This time in Spain wasn't much different, but it did make me realize that having a close companion exploring with you adds a dynamic to a trip that is hard to beat with anyone else. Thank you, mom, for coming and meeting me to explore an amazing country.

Another Perspective

The link gives the perspective of those that clearly do not support Kosovo Albanian independence. There is no doubt that the Albanians are Muslims with a history of terrorism, which naturally brings all sorts of questions and skepticism to the idea of granting them independence.

It's been declared that three have died now due to the events that happened at the protest on Saturday. It is also being said that the deaths were caused by rubber bullets shot by the international police here. Apparently the Self-Determination movement has multiplied since Saturday increasing the number of Albanians that will now be active and vocal in their desire to get the international community - UN/EU - out of here and start running things on their own.

None of my Serbian kids came to class yesterday. They were afraid to come into the area where all of this is happening, which is understandable. The Albanian kids in the class were very concerned. I sat down and discussed the situation with them and the position of their classmates. The maturity and concern in them amazed me. After Fitim confessed his crush for Milica and how badly he wanted to see her again, they not only sat down and wrote a letter to their classmates ensuring that our class was a safe place for them and that they missed them, but they even suggested themselves going to the Serbian community to hold the class if it made their friends feel safer. "We are the future of Kosovo," they said with a bit of sarcasm mixed into their sincerity. Sarcastic or not, it is the absolute truth. Myself and my colleagues in the US Office have to now go to the Serbian school and find out what we can do to save these classes of mine. Let's hope these kids can rub off on the adults involved!

Unfortunate Beginning

Well, after a whole lot of drama and illness and not the best weather, I can say that a trip to Andalucia - southern Spain - with my mother wasa time worth having! My holiday was meant to start with a trip to Budapest for an English teacher conference. Would be a good opportunity to explore a city I've heard a lot of wonderful things about with some good people. Well, The day before I was meant to leave I got what I thought had to be food poisoning. Could not allow myself to get too far away from the toilet, so I got on the airplane a day later than I was supposed to. On day three of sick, I wasn't 100% but figured I was good enough to fly, so I did. Got to Budapest that night and participated in the conference events for the evening, not eating or drinking anything, but able to socialize. This bug I got was wearing itself off.

Day four I got up, had some toast for breakfast and got ready for the conference sessions for the day. I felt good, could be attentive, participate and ask questions like any normal healthy person would, undil about an hour before lunch when I started to sweat, my head began to pound and a dull ache worked its way into every muscle of my body. I told the presenter that I was so sorry and needed to go to my room. Okay, so the bug hadn't completely left me quite yet. Bummer, but a little more rest would do the trick. Days five and six of sick were days two and three in Budapest and absolutely nothing changed. My hotel room in bed was the only place my body wanted to go, although my head was dying to explore Buda and Pest - walking across the Danube River to the hot fresh spring baths. Having a bowl of goulash and a glass of local red wine. Experiencing the incredible night life I've heard so much about from friends that love this city. Nothing, I couldn't do any of it. The hotel room was nice, but didn't make for blog-worthy pictures.

The real concern came up the day before I was supposed to leave for Sevilla to meet my mom. Months ago my mom and I planned to meet up in Sevilla for her first excurion into Europe. She had been planning, packing and talking about it with friends for months. She had her Euros, she had her passport, she had maps, books and plant tickets ready to go back in St. Paul. Meanwhile, back in Europe Molly was miserable thinking about getting on an airplane to travel to another foreign country when all she wanted was to be taken care of and made better. But there was no choice. I was going to Spain and explore a new country with my mother, sick or not.

In Spain the sick continued to a certain extent, but I think the sheer fact that I was too distracted by the tasks and experiences of travel and exploration that it got pushed to the back of my mind and body. Mom and I met up at our pension in Sevilla a bit worse for ware, but still wanting to get out and explore. Navigating the airport transpers, especially in Madrid after hours on a plane and no sleep, mom was a bit shaken but still a trooper that wanted to get out there and check things out. I was still being cautious with food, but mom enjoyed some tapas and a glass of good wine - definitely the right start. The next morning we woke and explored the city a bit before getting on a bus to Cadiz where a friend's friend was meeting us and setting us up with an apartment for the week. The Sevilla Cathedral was absolutely stunning in the sunrise. The bells were ringing at 10am while locals were walking through the Cathedral Plaza on their way to work. All I could think about was how amazing it would be to have this walk be a part of your every morning routine!

With bus tickets in hand, sun in the sky and a desire for the beach in our hearts, mom and I and my little bug boarded the bus in search of Juan Carlos, our home for the week and a bit of sand.

New Events Unfolding

Wow, go away for two weeks and all sorts of things start to happen. There are so many news links that I wish I would have been posting to keep up on things that have been happening that I am only getting now that I'm back in Pristina. This place is not on the top of the CNN news desk as it once was, so you have to do a bit of digging to find Kosovo in the headlines. With what is going on here, though, there is a good chance some of the blows might catch some international attention,

Last week, the UN Special Envoy here in Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, presented a "plan" for the future status of Kosovo that people around here have been waiting for. In classic diplomatic fashion, he unvelied a plan that moves Kosovo closer to independence, yet nowhere uses the word "independence" and includes more delays and postpnements of any real decision being made.

And, of course, even this watered-down decision sets off both the Albanians and the Serbs into demonstrating and protesting. For the latter it's too close to independence and they openly refuse at all costs to allow a Kosovo independence. For the former, there is a group of extremests that will settle for nothing less. An Albanian independence movement called "Self-Determination" had the entire city of Pristina under lock-down yesterday because of a protest rally they were holding. In the past, when this group gathers, UN cars and HQ buildings become targets of rock and paint ball battering (Photo is from a rally held in November, 2006). A couple of us that live in the city center went up the hill to a friend's house to get ourselves away from the action. Just like every UN employee around here, she had a special radio that periodically announced updates in street closings and advisories of no movement in the center of town. Blood was shed, tear gas was used and ambulances were called throughout the day that ended in two deaths. This hard-line movement is small, but definitely loud with their view of NO NEGOTIATION which they graffiti on buildings, traffic lights and bill boards all over the city.

The Serbs here in Kosovo aren't ofetn heard. There aren't enough of them and they are surrounded by too many Albanians that will knowk their dorrs down if they say too much. But those in northern Kosovo and Belgrade make it known that the word "independence" is the match to light the fuse. There is NO WAY they will accept a copletely independent state of Kosovo. Ahtisaari's latest decision gives Kosovo "statehood" allowing them seats in international communities, a constitution, a flag and some other symbols of "independence" yet refused to use the word. Under this statehood, the Serb communities in Kosovo - ammounding to about 30% of the territory's area - will still be under the finger of Serbia. This is a compromise that might appease Belgrade, but also one that seems to not help these people much at all. Just seems to almost imprison them in a government that refuses to allow them to integrate in any way so as to continue to isolate them from their Albanian neighbors which could potentially welcome them, if I dare say that.

Then there is the issue of what implications independence might have on the rest of the region. Russia in particular is very much against the UN declaring any sort of kosovo independence,
http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/node/565
Putin, who has been the one voice among the "Big Six" involved in Kosovo negociations that does not support independence for the reasons of the precidence is will give for other territories in the state of flux in Europe/Euroasia, believes that no decision can be imposed, on either side. He feels if either Albanians or Serbs aren't happy with decisions made by the UN/EU communities, they should not be inforced. He sees it as playing God in the lives of the people here and that they should come to a conclusion on their own Well, good luck with that Mr. Putin. These people haven't been able to agree on the refreshment tray during their meetings for at least the past 8 years. We will all be long gone to greener pastures before any agreement is made between Serbia and Albanian Kosovo. No one is going to be happy at the end of these negotiations finally arrives, which means the reality of an end is not in sight.

On Monday I'm going to see my students for the first time in a month. After the holidays and all of these status commotion going on, do I dare ask them, "So what's been going on since I saw you last?" The US Office fears that status negotiations could rock the boat too much with these classes and we might lose some students. It's going to be a touchy point for quite a whiel actually. This is not going to go away and I'm not sure how long they will go without having words to say about it.

One more link of many recent news articles about what is happening here. Two have died now, which I fear is a taste of what is to come.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/11/AR2007021100283.html