So my host family doesn't have internet, and occasionally I can get some wireless from someone else near by, but it looks like the next few weeks will be spent online at the Hotel Antunovic across the street. I am still loving it here- the people are so nice, the food is fantastic- well i was given hot dogs (or the croatia equivalent) for breakfast but otherwise it is great, and the city is just beautiful. Friday night after a long day of class i was taking the tram home and this drunken homeless man would not leave me alone. He kept (gently) grabbing my shoulder and asking me questions, winking at me, and asking "ok?" with the thumbs up sign. One minor attempt to grab at my chest, and a woman told him to back off. Finally he got off and I was feeling thoroughly disheartened- alone, tired, unhappy and a bit shaken, when this young girl who had been watching what was happening (as the whole tram had been doing) asked me if i was going to be alright, if i knew where i was going and just generally checking on me. Then another young guy who had been there was walking my direction so we chatted and walked the two blocks to my apartment. It totally made my night to have strangers reach out to me. But i think that is a very Croatian thing here. I don't really have the contact information for the other girls in the trip, so I went to the Opera alone last night- a bit awkward and lame but well worth it. The theater was amazing. Again I was feeling lonely and a bit disheartened when i couldnt find the theater, but the ushers (who were outside smoking) let me sneak in for free since i was late and a bit pathetic i think. I spent the first act sitting on a riser/aisle, and found a seat for the second. This couple had done the same thing, and we ended up next to each other. The woman next to me was this really really sweet older woman- Ana. She is Croatian but has lived in the United States- mainly southern california- for 35 years. She was really nice, and it was great to have some company that spoke english. Again, when I was feeling a bit out of place strangers were there and helpful and sweet and it made me infinitely happier. The theater is AMAZING. Full of gold leif and gorgeous designs and chandeliers and box seats. I was blown away. The opera was pretty good too- something by Verdi very religious. The mezzo soprano was a bit much for me but otherwise great.
My family is very sweet. Radno took me to the police station to register as a tourist, and while he speaks no english he pointed things out alone the way and we made do. He is really so nice- like the deaf grandfather figure. Ankice, my host mother is also wonderful. She speaks a bit more english and some russian, and is so caring. We make do with our language gap, but I think they like me so far, and they are really terrific. I feel so comfortable in their home- they aren't overbearing but also not cold. Her older son lives with his girlfriend and comes for lunch every sunday. They are also very nice- and speak english! Also- interesting cultural note: people here say Bok or Bog as a greeting. But real Zagrebites will laugh at you for saying Bog because it means god. It turns out that Bog Di ti was the original greeting- or something similar that meant god give you health (what i wrote is wrong. its not ti but something else). It was shortened to Bog ti for conversational purposes, and then during the communist unreligious times became Bok. interesting huh?
Classes start tomorrow and I have lots of reading to do! Best wishes to all!
No comments:
Post a Comment