Banja Luka!!

I am finally settled in Banja Luka, and have many things to report. So here goes. . .

Apartment: The apartment is nice, but small. The situation has the potential to be very interesting. There is one bedroom, but when we walked in, presumably no beds. We were not prepared for the power of the hide-a-bed, or should I say, three hide-a-beds (we each have one). Dee and I sleep in one room: living room by day, slumber party by night. Sandy sleeps in the other. Every morning Dee and I wake up, fold up our bedding, and roll up our beds. When the beds unfold, they almost touch, leaving our sleeping heads about one foot away from each other - perfect for late night chats. The shower doesn't have a shower curtain. We're not sure how the original tenant worked that one, but it has caused several wet floors in our experience. Dee also managed to break the toilet within the first three days, but it is under control now.

Field Placement: I am going to be working at several places, and although I have met two of them, I have only worked at one so far. The organization is called "Victory" (when translated). They serve and treat drug addicts. It has been very interesting to learn about their program and how it differs from treatment in the US (I will elaborate more later). What I love about Bosnia already is the relaxed attitude and the emphasis on beverages. You cannot do anything without a cup of coffee, tea, water, or juice in your hand. It does no good to refuse, because you will be repeatedly asked until you acquiese and drink something. I have never drank so much coffee in such a short amount of time. My cohorts have been incredibly welcoming and nice, and are so anxious to share with me. I appreciate that greatly.

Food: While still excellent, we have had some great experiences with food here. Dee got a great pizza that included a sunny-side up egg and pickles. The most highly recommended restaurant in town is a mexican restaruant. . . to some degree. Dee, Sandy, and I ate there on our first night together. We began our meal with chips and salsa, a supposedly innocuous item. What we got was habenero doritoes served with tzatzki sauce and marinara sauce. We didn't quite know how to respond to that. In the end, I must highly recommend tzatzki on chicken fajitas.

Well, that's a start for now.