Weekend excursion to Sandžak

So I just got home from our trip to a southern region of Serbia called Sandzak, where we stayed in a city called Novi Pazar. The region is in between Montenegro and Kosovo and the region is about 80% Muslim. While there is a mix of ethnicities in that other 20%, the main clash here is actually in between two divided sects of Muslims, who have taken sides in a political rivalry. Honestly, the issue is so complicated that I’m not sure if I can even properly explain it, but as one of the journalist from Radio 100 Plus told us today, “Our biggest export used to be cowboy jeans, now it is political scandal.”

So we arrived on Friday evening, and our first goal was to eat “the best cevapi in the world, even better than Sarajevo.” We had a big meal at a traditional restaurant with a whole lot of cevapi, and also ate with a few guys who work as journalists, photographers, or for NGO’s in the city. They told us about both their work, and the problems in the community. It was really interesting to hear about their work, and they were really eager to talk to us, because there are usually very few Americans that come to Sandzak, and I imagine even fewer who care about the political and social issues after the war.

On Saturday, we were showed around a few different places, the most interesting being a faculty for and Islamic school in the city. We had the opportunity to talk to a class of Muslim students, and talked a little bit about the region, their views on America, and our views on Islam. It was really a very interesting conversation, and I think we all wished that we would have had longer to discuss. We went out for lunch with them a little bit later to talk to them one on one. None of them spoke advanced English, so the conversation wasn’t as deep as when we had a translator, but with our tiny bit of Serbian and their English, we managed to communicate about other things.

Our group going to Novi Pazar is actually the first time this SIT program has gone, and it was something new and different. We went with this 28 year old guy from Belgrade who has spent the last year and a half studying, working and writing about Novi Paza. He was very funny and very knowledgeable about the area, so if future students are lucky, they will be able to make the same trip. Oh, and since this is southern Serbia, it was really mountainous and SO BEAUTIFUL. We had a great hotel room with an amazing view looking out over the village and the mountains, and I will try to post pictures later.

The trip was great, and I think we all learned a lot, but I’m also glad to be home and have tomorrow to myself. As much as I like everyone in the group, it is really hard to be with everyone for 12+ hours every day of the week. Especially when we’re traveling as a group of more than 12 people, it can be frustrating, embarrassing and overwhelming for me (and others, I’m sure). Definitely just need a little alone time to collect my thoughts and let everyone else do the same. This week will be regular old classes, and then for the weekend going to Novi Sad in Vojvodina for another excursion.

The trip is going so fast. Already we have finished with week 5, which means we are halfway through the first part of the program (classes), and a third of the way through the entire thing, including our ISP. It’s crazy!

I didn’t mean to worry anyone with the last post! I never have felt in any actual danger here, and it is a very safe city, especially in the center. It certainly can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to let the big, foreign city get the best of you. But really, I think I’m doing well so far in Belgrade!

By the way, during my time here, I will be periodically having posts on a website called GlobalPost, a new international news site that the NY Times calls "a mix of news and features that only a handful of other news organizations can rival.” The site will be launching on Monday with my and other students’ stories. I have sent in my first story, although I’m not sure it will be published quite yet. They are publishing a few stories between now and Monday, and will be unveiling more copy that day and on subsequent days. So the page is globalpost.com/home/study-abroad, and if my story is published, I will be sure to send out the link, which I would love if you sent on to other people!