La Vie En Rose for 2008 August 1

Today is the end of my 6 week Serbian course. Whew! I feel like the last two weeks have be stagnant if not worse... I seem to be forgetting stuff rather than learning it. Today on the test my professor said I got all the difficult stuff right but made a ton of stupid mistakes. At least it's not the other way around! Anyway I have earned a break and break I will. In a few hours I am setting off to meet Jenn in Plovidv and we will couch surf and flexpass it around the Balkans. Should be loads of fun. I'm all travel nerved up. I'll use that as an excuse for this disorganized post. This is why I never like to leave for anywhere in the morning, it's impossible to sleep. Anyway. Today being the last day for everyone (the school is shutting down for holiday) it had the feeling of the last day of school, like high school style. After we finished our tests we picnicked in the classroom, I walked around barefoot taking pictures, checking email, making tea for everyone, then we had a relaxed game for the last two hours of class. It was a bit sad because although I'll be seeing the professors and some of the other students who are coming back, some I won't see.

Now I've done a ton of these language courses (well okay three) and I always make good friends who I know I'll see/ have seen again but this has by far been the most interesting group of people. In fact we have had people flowing steadily in and out for the 6 weeks I've been here but a good group of us have been here more or less for at least a month. And some real characters! The slightly embittered academic addicted to the internet, laid back and hilarious german with his own grasp of the English language complete with helpful and eager host brother hanging on, enthusiastic French girl, fellow lazy American grad student, etc. It's been long enough for us all to get to know each of and to build up a repertoire of inside jokes, etc. Mostly mispronounced Serbian words. Well, I'm trying but I don't think I'll be able to express exactly what it's like to be in this situation, where you have so many people from such different backgrounds thrown together with hilarious results. Use your imagination. Anyway it's really a great time and I'm looking forward to coming back and meeting new people but I don't think it will be the same. Based on the stories I hear from last year it seems like the July group are really where it's at. Wish I'd been there (but I was way too burned out from writing my thesis to be able to concentrate of learning Serbian immediately!) Oh well!