Brief Time-Out

I'll be at my sister's wedding this weekend, which will take up a great deal of my time (as the countless hours I've sunk into assisting with the preparations demonstrate.) I'll try and give a more detailed post afterwards, but for now, just a small bit of reflection:

I've been shocked at how much louder everything is here, and not just in NYC. Everywhere I go there is a cacophony of sound assaulting my ear - blaring horns, loud cell phone talkers, loudspeakers, you name it, its loud. I guess since I'm used to more people walking it is just hitting me now.

Also, on the health update: I'm regaining some of the weight I lost (thank goodness - Myself and some individuals were slightly concerned when I could fit back into my old 32's from High School again..), but I'm still having a tough time dealing with A/C. Going from hot to cold to hot again is giving me a headache. Just will take time I figure. Hopefully, once this incessant traveling ceases for a bit I'll get back into the swing of things. I'm definitely putting the mileage on, from the Balkans to Italy to NJ to NYC back to NJ to NC to MO to AR... Looking forward to just putting my feet up on my table in my own place again...

Serbia Recap - Part 1

Still processing all of my thoughts on this summer, so decided to update in parts rather than go for too long without posting. So this part will focus mostly on things that I've started to experience upon arriving back home.

First of all, I never realised how well people drive in America. No, seriously, stop laughing. After 9 weeks of watching motorbikes cut around trucks, people disregarding the lines in the road, and generally just having to deal with angry drivers, it was incredible to see people driving correctly on the roads.

That said, I got used to walking everywhere. Now when I walk, people look at me like my car has broken down.

Supermarkets freak me out now. The first day back we stopped to get some milk and other foodstuff, and I decided to get cereal. I ended up walking up and down the aisle, in shock of how much food was there, and that this one small area had more food in it than the store I used to shop at while in Vranje. I'm sure that people must have thought I was crazy as I held my box of PB Cruch against my chest like it was Linus' security blanket. Same feeling of awe when I opened my parent's refrigerator and saw how much food was in there, fresh food.

Understanding what everyone says is a bit odd, too. I entered into this zen mindset while in Serbia, listening to the rise and fall of conversation rather than the words, like listening to instrumental classical music or Italian Opera. Now I am hearing what people are saying, and most of the time I'm just shocked at what I hear, especially when people are on the cell phones. How I long for days past when, even if people were talking about Britney Lohan, I didn't understand them.

Sleep, that's another thing that's been a major part of my life again. I still only sleep 4-6 hours a night, but I've been forcing myself to take naps too, just to catch up and such. Been also eating more, now that I have access to more fresh food such as meat and eggs.

Overall, I think the biggest impact my time in Serbia has had is teaching me humility and that the things most people in Western Europe and in America take for granted really are boons and we should be thankful for them. Yeah, I know, it sounds trite, but I've never really thought about how lucky I am that I can buy all my food at one store, and that it will all be fresh and stay fresh for days. I still remember the first day that I bought Orange Juice that had expired, and I dumped it out. 5 weeks later, when I bought Orange Juice that had been opened, I just drank it. Now that I'm back in the US, I know I probably will never encounter either when I go to Pathmark and Kroger.

That's all I have for now, but I'll be posting more reflections as they come to me. After a week of no internet access followed by a few days of straight sleeping, I've finally started to get back into the habit of writing. Which is good, since classes are starting soon...

Leaving the Republic of Serbia. Goodbye.

Said the sign on the border between Macedonia and Serbia. My bags were packed and loaded in the boot of Davor's car, I had said farewell to the staff at Generator, played with Davor's new puppy, returned the cell phone and keys to my flat and office, and started on my last trip out of Vranje as an EWI research associate. It most likely will not be the last time I visit this town- Davor insists that Dea and I visit once the house is completed - but after spending such time there, it was a bit hard to let it go.

Probably should have linked this earlier, but here's the wikipedia entry on Vranje

Completely drained at this point with the juggling of everything I have and had to do. Fortunately I just keep getting one thing done at a time, completing one mission after another, and things aren't too bad.

One positive: Now that I'm in Skopje, I've got much stronger internet connection. Apparently Dea could actually see me crystal clear for the first time in 9 weeks. I've also many times more co-workers, though I've already started to miss the rapport I had with Davor. Lost power already once since I've been here, forgotten how unstable the grid is in Skopje.

On a completely unrelated note, want to thank everyone for keeping up with my blog. When I read the comments or hear someone mention it to me, it makes me forget about the work I'm supposed to be doing.

For at least a minute or so.

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Final Paper for UACS - First Draft Completed
Feasibility Study of Free Trade Zone Creation in the GPKT region - Under Review
Edit Phrasebook created by GPKT Youth Project - Completed

First Trip to Kosovo

It's about an hour and a half to Gjilian, and entails two border crossings - once in Serbia, then a 5K drive to Kosovo Border. This is the DMZ-like section between the two. We take a cab driven by an ethnic Albanian to Gjilian to facilitate the border crossing. Each crossing requires me to hand over my passport, get my name recorded, and in some cases gives me a card that I have to surrender upon leaving (much like my police card here in Serbia). Because Kosovo is still Serbian (for now, that might change in June), I don't have to re-register every time at the police station here when I go to Kosovo, only for Macedonia.

Gjilian is very beautiful. The buildings are old, like in Serbia, but there is a bustle of activity, like people are getting ready for the day when investments will come to Kosovo. I met with some American Soldiers stationed with the KFOR, or Kosovo Force, who are working with EWI. I also met some UN contractors as well. Massive Thunderstorms caused power outages before we left, but still, it was a very wonderful day. Also, apparently the newest joke around the office is "What are you sinking about?" Look for the video here

Now, after a long day of traveling and shopping for food, I'm ready for a break. Tomorrow I meet with my site manager for dinner and to discuss the finer parts of the project.

"You're Going Where?"

...said my mom the first day I told her my internship was in Kosovo. Some of you may know the background of why I'm going to spend 10 weeks in the Balkans, but for those of you just tuning in, here's what's going on. I'm a grad student at the Clinton School of Public Service. One of our requirements for graduation is to work in an international capacity. Due to my penchant for saving the world, I chose to do conflict transformation work in Kosovo. So Monday, May 21st, 2007 I fly from JFK to Skopje, Macedonia (with a quick layover in Budapest) to get to Serbia directly to the north.

Here's what my site sent me:

Brief background to EWI and the GPKT Project

For 25 years the EastWest Institute (EWI), a European-American ‘think and do tank’, has operated long-term projects that aim to reduce tensions and promote dialogue and mutual understanding in critical locations around the world. Since its founding, EWI has committed itself to strengthening dialogue and to building a culture of conflict prevention by entrenching co-operation among and between different groups and communities.

EWI’s cross-border co-operation project in Kosovo, southern Serbia and northern Macedonia has been working since early 2003 works towards the core goals of conflict prevention and community development in the four border municipalities that comprise the ‘GPKT’ micro-region – Gjilan/Gnjilane (Kosovo), Presevo (Serbia), Kumanovo (Macedonia) and Trgoviste (Serbia). In addition to collaborative work with municipalities and central-level governments on policy and economic development issues, the project targets civil society through several cross-border and multi-ethnic Working Groups – the GPKT Education Committee, the GPKT Youth Council, the GPKT Women’s Working Group and the GPKT Media Working Group.

Please visit www.ewi.info and www.gpkt.org for more information.

General note

The current situation of political instability surrounding the final decision on Kosovo’s status will obviously impact on the progression of the GPKT project, currently in the middle of it’s second phase (December 2005 to May 2008). While EWI cannot guarantee that the activities outlined below will be possible, at this stage (May 2007), it appears very likely that the outline of responsibilities should be possible, and that although caution and flexibility will be needed, activities should be able to continue. However, the intern should be prepared to face a situation where this work outline is not possible due to political developments, and in such a situation EWI commits to identifying a new role in consultation with the intern and to supporting a flexible approach in order to help ensure a positive work experience over the internship placement.

A. Internship Outline

At the time of wiring, in May 2007, it seems clear that a combination of the following responsibilities would comprise the intern’s work with the GPKT team over the summer of 2007. Namely, a combination of more general support, which would also provide insight and involvement with varied programme activities, and a more specific personal research project which the intern could ‘make their own’:

§ General support to ongoing activities – assistance in various areas, including:

– Help with report writing and editing. As a native English language speaker, this will be helpful for colleagues on the team, and would include assisting with drafting activity reports of specific events or workshops, and also editing or commenting on longer policy brief type of papers.

– Help with planning and organising policy discussion meetings such as roundtables. This would be part of the process of policy research noted above, and would include input into agenda and participant list development and a role at the event.

– Help with fund-raising. This would include work with the youth working group on fund-rising proposals, part of their efforts at self-sustainability. It could also include input into larger strategy development for EWI in terms of commenting and inputting into concept papers for programme fund-raising.

§ Support to research and integrated development work – there would be a chance for a more specific ‘mini project’ type of activity for the intern. While EWI undertakes or commissions policy research on key issues identified as relevant to the project activities, there is also space for shorter ‘situation analysis’ type of short research pieces, which would aim to collect the facts and indicate potential policy directions for further exploration. Two key potential topics which would benefit from such analysis are:

– Higher education and vocational education in the micro-region – the key dynamics and potentials associated with these issues in terms of conflict transformation and cross-border co-operation.

– Free trade zones – the potential benefits on the ground for local communities versus the upcoming process towards European-associated free trade areas and regional tariff agreements.

For both of these pieces, first steps would be a basic ‘status quo’ info collection, which would then link with data we gathered on labour market and business needs from local businesses in summer 2006, and would be complemented by additional desk research and interviews with key informants. We would also remain open to considering alternative topics of particular personal interest to the intern for similar assessments, although their relevance to ongoing EWI initiatives would obviously have to be considered.

B. Qualifications / Requirements

Required qualifications for this internship would be:

§ Experience (either practical or covered as an area of study) of and/or genuine interest in the thematic area for internship confirmed with EWI (e.g. education, women’s issues, economic development / municipal development, youth, media etc.).

§ Experience and understanding of the sensitivities surrounding multi-ethnic activities and initiatives.

§ Understanding of the political and conflict dynamics in the Balkans region.

§ Common sense, patience and sensitivity

§ Equipment – a laptop and mobile phone (the EWI team can help with purchasing of a local SIM card for project-related communication).

§ For research-related internships: Ability to collect information from a variety of sources (in-person consultation will be important, as well as assessment of a range of written material), analyse and produce intelligent and well-informed conclusions and recommendations. Ability to work without substantial support or supervision.

§ For community-work related internships: Ability to work as part of a multi-national team, and good communications skills.

Desirable qualifications for this internship would be:

§ Experience of thematic area for internship (confirmed with EWI) on a practical level.

§ Experience of the Balkans.

§ Experience of living in field conditions (poor communications/transport, lack of amenities, etc.).

§ Language skills – Serbian, Macedonian or Albanian, would be a huge advantage.

C. Placement

The intern would be based in the EWI office in Vranje (Serbia), have a work space and access to EWI’s office facilities, and the support of the staff member working there; regular travel would most likely be required to Kosovo and Macedonia, and the intern would engage with staff in all three EWI offices (Vranje-Serbia, Gjilan/Gnjilane-Kosovo, and Skopje-Macedonia). The intern’s supervisor would depend on their area of work, but ultimate supervision/management would be provided by Chrissie Hirst, the GPKT Project Manager, who would be on hand for induction and subsequent support - facilitation of contact-building and work planning, discussion of progress and monitoring of delivery, etc.