Our guest lecture on Thursday was more informative and inspiring when we met with the Zoran Djindjic Foundation. The foundation was founded in 2003 to commemorate the life and career of Zoran Djindjic, the former prime minister of Serbia. Djindjic was assassinated but his legacy lives on through the work of the foundation in where they privide interniships around Europe for exceptional Serbian students. This embodies the life and career of Djindjic because of his modern ideologies, work with youth, Western education, and overall inspriring charisma as many of the people that knew him would describe him. Djinidjic is a Serbian “epitome of democracy” for these reasons, plus he's very popular because many consider him the mastermind behind the arrest of Milosevic the former president and accused war criminal of Serbia. Djinidjic was in office for less than three years, but is fondly remembered as a source of political hope for Belgrade and Serbia.
(Here's the fund's website for more information: http://www.fond-djindjic.org/)
Thursday was also nice because we went out to “family dinner” in Zemen, near the water. The entire group, even teachers, went out for a beautiful abundant meal with live music. The meal was bountiful and absolutely delicious. It started with bread naturally, then went to an assortment of salads, a large antipasta, fried olives, and mushrooms. Those were only the appetizers. Platters of fish with potatoes and spinach followed, then a large plate of assorted meats. The meal ended with a choice of dessert--- your choice of apple pie, chocolate cake, ice cream, or cheesecake. I forgot to say, but in Serbia, when feed a table one plate is brought out with food and the entire table shares it. It’s interesting because it’s like a full meal version of tapas.
Many of the things in Serbia remind me of many cultures, mixed with a certain characteristic all its own. I shared this idea with a friend I made later that evening. After dinner, the crew and I searched for the very popular clubs and bars that line the river. These clubs are usually on barges or large boats and have always seemed like a lot of fun. Interestingly, we stumbled onto one that looked extra glamorous and a little out of our league. It turned out to be the reception for Ms. Serbia, the newly crowned queen. No one seemed to mind we were there, and there was an open bar so naturally we stayed. We did get some strange looks but the queen was friendly enough to take pictures and like I said I made a few friends on the ship. I'm going to call him Rocky, because I didn't learn how to spell his name and that's what he allowed me to call him. He works in Rome but is originally from Serbia. We had a lovely conversation about the charms of Belgrade, and Serbia as a whole. We both agreed that although it shares similarities with other major European cities, there's an untouchable inexpressible characteristic that truly sets it apart. The charisma and heart of Serbia can truly be felt by anyone who comes here, and I assume that's why so many people have stayed and survived the clamorous history.
On the ship, I had my second experience with rakija. Rakija is an alcohol, very much like vodka but fermented with different types of fruit. My first experience with rakija was at a hookah bar with friends here, the first day. With all due respect, it was kind of disgusting. It was extremely strong with barely noticeable notes of apricot. It really put some hair on your chest, the smell itself burned your stomach. But! Happily, the rakija on for Miss Serbia was exceptional. It was smooth with a plum aftertaste, and I loved it. Other drinks here are delicious as well. The most popular Serbian beers are Lav and Jelen. I like both of the a lot. Earlier in the night, two friends and I shared some Serbian wine. It was a Cabernet Sauvignon and accompanied the meal wonderfully.
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