Next Generation

For the past couple years UWC in Mostar (my school) has been struggling financially to keep going. For a while last year they didn't even know if there would be the next generation which is mine. However this year things are looking better. Recently however the board visited our school and had a meeting with our administration. One of the things that one of the major board members said that really helped us have hope and faith in the school is that "UWC in Mostar is the cutting edge of UWCs" this really made us realize how even though the school has been struggling to survive it is worth it. Because of being in a post conflict area and that the school gives full scholarships to all students from Bosnia and Herzegovina to keep a large local population in the school it has been struggling but those are also the reasons that make it amazing and unique.

The reason The Board was here was to decide if there would be new students next year and if so how many. Naturally this caused some suspense in the school; anticipation the outcome of the meeting which would determine the future of the school. After some time so anticipation it was shared that next generation we would have 100 new students (twice the number of students in my generation) which returns the number of students to the normal and optimum number for UWCs!!!!!!

Here are some pictures of "Waiting for Godot" play, it was such an amazing experience to try acting. Everything went really well, but what blew me away the most was that it was adjusted, directed, choreographed, organized and preformed by students.

Waiting for Godot

After on of the main actors in a school play the theater class was putting on dropped out because she didn't have the time, the directer, a boy in my class, asked me if I wanted to play the part. I have never acted in my life but I have always wanted to I said yes. Now all my time is put into memorizing lines hahah. The play in "Waiting for Godot" but done a little differently to match the nature of our school. The play will be preformed in 6 different languages (French, English, German, Spanish, Serbo-Croatian, Hebrew), with the characters speaking different languages to each other, but always with English in the scene to keep the non bilingual audience on track. I will post more about it and more pics later. : )

SKIING BIH!!!!!

I finally made it to Jahorina Bosnia and Herzegovinas biggest ski mountain that was used in the '88 Olympics!!!!!! It felt so good to be on snow again!!!! A blue bird sky and great friends to ski with, I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the weekend. I love this country more and more every minute.

Back in Mostar

After a month long break where I returned to Alaska and visited my sister at university in Oregon I have returned to school and Mostar. My vacation was amazing! I was able to spend time with family, friends, and snow :), but near the end of my trip I started to realize that my life right now is not in Alaska but in Mostar. UWCiM is where I need to be now. Upon returning to school I have felt myself settling back into school life and classes with a new found confidence in how comfortable things feel to me now. I am no longer feeling my way around as much as before, I have a better understanding of the place and the school, I feel right here despite of the challenges I know I will face.

Along with a sense of belong here at school, in Mostar, I also felt a strong connection to Alaska, it became rooted in me that Alaska is where I am from, that I love the land and the people and they are a big part of who I am and who I always will be. Although for the next few years I will probably spend most of my time outside of Alaska, I know it is a place where I can always return to, always call home.

Home

I arrived back in Homer for my winter break two and a half days ago after months of anticipation, now I miss Mostar. Being home has been amazing, it feels so good to be with my family again, I have missed them more than I ever thought I would, I feel like a puzzel piece just put back into place. This place on the edge of the sea brings me so much joy, skiing durring slow orange sunrises, snowy moonlit walks with shooting stars. I am so glad to be home. But I find myself saying "Oh I left that at home... I mean at school" Although I have really missed Alaska over the last four months I have build a home for myself in BiH, and I realize now being away, that I really love it there aswell. The people the country the school have all created this unexplainible world which I am now part of. I know Alaska will always be my home, but my puzzel piece fits into the picture of UWCiM as well, it has become part of who I am.

American Cultural Week

American Cultural week: Monday 11/27- Sunday 11/28

a chance for the the American students to share north and south america with the fellow students. Tuesday tie-dye, Wednesday Campfire (done a little differently), Thursday THANKSGIVING! Saturday Latin american Cooking and dancing, Sunday american Breakfast!

(below are pictures of all... since I can't figure out how to put captions :))