Looking back...

Wow.  It’s crazy looking back on our whirlwind adventure through the Balkans now, three weeks after the trip’s conclusion.  It seems so long ago, but really it’s only three weeks behind us.  

But I don’t believe that this trip will ever truly be behind us.  Everything we experienced on this trip impacted us in some way, and we are now changed.  We were a diverse group in most every sense – age, gender, major, interests, personalities, etc. – but we came together for an unforgettable adventure and the results were off the charts.  We grew closer as the trip progressed; as we learned each other’s strengths, we worked together more effectively.  And the better we worked together, the better we played together.  I loved making new friends and getting to know old friends better – and I wished we didn’t have to part ways for the summer at the end of the trip.

Looking back now, I often wish I was back there, admiring the stunning view from the top of the peak Sveto Brdo in Paklenica with Team Summit, or enjoying the rolls of the waves under my kayak and the warmth of the Mediterranean sun on my face.  The beauty of the landscape was surreal.

But there was also depth to this beauty.  The culture of the people of Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia is so rich, but so tainted with conflict.  We witnessed hints of war upon encountering warning signs for land mines in the national park, but were slapped in the face with the reality of the situation in Sarajevo, where evidence of war constantly surrounded us.  Bullet holes in buildings; graveyards in parks; Sarajevo roses plastered on the street; the 1984 Olympic bobsled track neglected, graffitied, and filled with sniper holes; and the Olympic skiing site still filled with land mines to this day – all of this destruction surrounding us gave weight to the reality of the situation.  It is one thing to read about the history, but completely another to witness it.

What, so what, now what?  How will we use this new pair of eyes now that we’ve completed ASK Balkans?  

This prompt applies to so many aspects of the trip.  Here we go:

What? Travel

So what?  This trip was filled with new experiences.  I’d never been to this region before, never backpacked or sea kayaked before, never traveled in a group this large before, etc.

Now what?  Now it’s time to seek out more new experiences.  Push your boundaries, discover new things about yourself, learn from others.  There is always something new out there to learn or experience.

What? Conflict

So what?  We witnessed evidence of war that took place during our lifetime, conflict that is still being resolved.

Now what?  What is the root of conflict?  How can it be stopped?  At the root of all conflict is difference.  Someone believes one thing, someone believes something else, and they both think they’re right or even superior.  Maybe tolerance could solve this issue, maybe understanding, maybe education – probably a combination?  Preventing conflicts is now the issue on the table.

And finally,

What IS Balkans?

Although there is no way we learned everything about the Balkans in two weeks of being there, we have a much better idea on how to start to answer this question.  I don’t quite think Balkans is everything on Trey’s powerpoint as the Belgrade group had imagined, but we can now begin to formulate our own answers to this question.  

Balkans is beautiful.  Balkans is adventure.  Balkans is history, conflict, and growth.  Balkans is kava, cevapi, and kremsnita.  Balkans is Boris, Tin, and Philip.  And Balkans is now a bit of each of us :)

I miss you guys.  Hope you all are having wonderful summers, and I can’t wait for our reunion in the fall :)