Jumpin' and Divin'

This past weekend was the 441st annual Mostar Diving Competition. I think the 441st is a lie, but no one can prove it's a lie, so they say 441st and, more importantly, print it on t-shirts.

All of Mostar crowded on the river banks to watch Mostar's finest plummet from the Old Bridge. On Friday, starting at midnight, opening ceremonies consisted of divers jumping off the bridge wearing glow-in-the-dark paint (and Speedos) and carrying flares. There was also a very impressive fireworks show and a whole lotta techno music. In pictures it looks like the bridge is on fire. Thankfully, this was not the case. Just flare-filled.

Although people jumped off the bridge all weekend, the official diving competition took place on Sunday. Due to language limitations, I never learned exactly what the judging was based on; however, I do know the winner was the most attractive, most fit diver of the bunch. Sara and I were a little miffed that we weren't asked to be guest judges, but we expect such an invite for the 442nd (sure it is) competition.

Sugar Sugar

A scene from my all-sugar Bosnian diet. Guess whose plate has two pieces of cake.

My internship organization just had a press conference unveiling a new commercial and radio spot they will be airing. Using cool music and mildly scary graphics, like blood going down a drain, the ads encourage people to testify against war criminals.

I couldn't understand what was discussed at the press conference, nor do I know exactly what is said in the ads, but I feel compelled to do whatever the mildly scary graphics want me to do. Good work, commercial makers.

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Last night I asked Sara what she was looking forward to doing once she returned to the U.S. "Exercising," she answered. A good answer, because here in Mostar if you go running people ask you what you're running from, and if you go hiking you will explode, landmine style. As for me, I miss having a library and free books at my disposal.

But other than that, Mostar has been a great place to live and leaves me craving and longing for next to nothing. I've enjoyed 2 months of not driving or having a million things to do. I've also loved my all-sugar diet, based primarily on mandarin orange flavored Fanta. Yummy.

The end is near :( but so are Italy and Germany :)

I've always known this summer would fly by, but it's still hard for me to believe I have just over a week left in Mostar. I'm sad to see my time here end. But by meeting Lauren in Rome on August 4th, eating my way through Italy and drinking my way through Munich with Lauren and Kristine, I should find a way to drown my sorrows.

Earlier this week Sara and I gave a trauma and PTSD presentation to women and teens who experienced war trauma. The presentation we expected would take no more than 2 hours somehow turned into an informal group therapy session lasting nearly 4 hours. We were invited back to run a workshop next week, which I'm looking forward to. The women and teens are amazing people, and I'm probably learning more from them than the other way around.

This weekend is the annual Mostar Diving Competition, where divers jump and dive off the Old Bridge and try not to die. Awesome.

Wild Weekend

Dee and Sandy drove down from Banja Luka in my dream vehicle, a Smart Car. We enjoyed the great sites and shopping Mostar has to offer and did our best to battle the heat through ice cream, Fantas and laying around doing nothing.

On Saturday we took a field trip to Kravica, a waterfall and swimming area Sara has wanted to go to all summer. The only way to get there is by car, which we didn't have until the Smart Car came into our lives. Kravica was gorgeous. Dee and I walked along the base of all the waterfalls, a walk that called for some climbing on slippery rocks and crawling through shady areas. We brought our cameras (which often had to carried in our teeth so we could climb properly), and took a ton of pictures. Waterfall. Me and Waterfall. Waterfall. Dee and Waterfall.

The whole day was refreshing and all-around great. Between the two of us, Dee and I took over 200 pictures. Here are some.

This evening Sara and I were supposed to give a presentation on Trauma and PTSD in a town just outside of Mostar, but it was canceled because it's too hot. (I've never had anything canceled because of heat before, but I support the decision. People should stay home and try not to evaporate.) It was rescheduled for tomorrow morning, when it should be only 95 degrees instead of 105.

Heat Wave

According to my internship supervisor, the government has ordered all work places to close at 12pm this week, due to the intense heat. Our office is air conditioned, so we're able to work. In fact, the office is the coolest place in Mostar for Sara and me. Also, apparently the heat in Bosnia made the local news in Denver.

In other news, a bookstore here DOES have the new Harry Potter book, but it's $40. My friends talked me out of buying it. (But not stealing it!)

Dee and Sandy spent a long weekend here in Mostar. It was filled with adventure and Fanta. I experienced my first ride in a Smart Car, and it was all that I'd hoped for and more. I plan to blog and post pictures as soon as I stop melting to death.

Hotter than Hot

"I don't want to get dressed today," my colleague and neighbor Sara tells me this morning. "It's too hot for clothes."

It really is. Yesterday it reached 42 degrees Celsius. That's 107 degrees Fahrenheit. Today it may get to 110. I'm a heat lover, but what makes these temperatures so unbearable is the lack of escape. No AC. Heck, there's barely any shade.

So this is what I will be doing later to keep cool:




I just need a Speedo then I'm good to go.