All Quiet on the Whelville Front

Mariachi setting in Ljubljana

Sorry I haven't been posting much. There really just hasn't been a heck of a lot going on. Or maybe I haven't been thinking much about the things that have been going on.

I've been working a little and putting more time into driving since I STILL am shaky on the whole enterprise. These days, I am actually eager for my lessons (The Captain has now taken the helm as my instructor), and I can see my goals coming slowly but surely into view. This time, I am gonna stick with it until I get there.

I recently had a new (but good) friend come to visit me from Berlin and it got me thinking about a lot of things. We had a lot of good and interesting (and sometimes hilarious!) chats and we really just connected. One day, we were in a cafe and a couple in hilariously awful outfits strolled up, and she and I just looked at each other and started cracking up laughing. It was wonderful. I don't have that connection with any of my friends here. That's the good stuff, the stuff that I hope will come in time....

Since my friend and I are both Americans who are living the expat life at the moment, talks and thoughts did tend to focus on that. While some expats are here in Europe with a definite expiration date, a clear feeling that they want to live in America, yearly trips back home. I don't have that feeling, I don't have that urge. I even mentioned to my friend that I think that when I have kids, I'd like to send them to Ghana on a regular basis so they can learn the language and be familiar with family and culture. She asked how it would work being "tricultural" and I told her that I think I'd just cut the American part out a bit; meaning I probably just wouldn't be taking them or sending them to America much. I was trying to think about why. Am I denying some part of myself? Am I harboring some sort of chauvinistic animosity towards the US? I don't think it is any of that. I think I am fairhanded toward the country, it has definite plusses and minuses as any other. It's definitely a neat place, it's the country with places that I know best. It's the country where , when I speak, I am best understood. I will always be plenty American and pass that along to any kids I might have, since that is what I am and the only thing I can honestly bring to the table culture-wise. I guess there is some idea that I could equip any children I might have with things that would help them combat that Non-Belonging feeling that I've grappled with so much. Maybe Non-Belonging is sometimes just part of the human condition?

I haven't formed any one real coherent thought to express what I am thinking, what might be the reason, but here are a couple thoughts:

One idea surrounds around the fact that, as a black person, I kinda feel more or less uncomfortable everywhere.

I miss my family and friends, but they are not necessarily centrally-located in one American city or anything.

I do miss shopping and cultural events and bookstores and certain foods, but I am unsure whether that all is worth building a life around.

There is also the fact, that I don't think I was very successful at America. I am not sitting on top of the world here in Slovenia, but I think I am doing considerably better.

So, I don't know what the truth of the matter is -- probably a little from column A and a little from column B. Do you have similar or divergent thoughts about your expat experience? Hey Mom!! You are an expat, any thoughts? Do share!

Down in Dolenjska

I went down to see a friend in Dolenjska (reminder:I live in the northwest corner of the country) about a week or so ago. Here are some images.









scarecrow

Being Back

I'm slowly getting used to being back in the wilderness.
We had some friends visit this weekend. It made me re-appreciate the place.


wild strawberry picking at draga




at Peričnik Waterfall


don't i look super fit here? he he


at Vrata


at Mostnice


at Vrata


Peričnik


at Bohinj

Berlin Diary Nummer Neun: Carneeeeval!

Some people are lucky enough to go one carnival in their lives. I've already been to two this year. The first was in Venice, and the second was last weekend here in Berlin.  Last weekend, I was fortunate enough  to attend the four-day dancing in the street debauchery of Karneval der Kulturens. It was parades and bands and music and of course tons of drinking and bootyshaking in the streets of Kreuzberg in the name of multi-cultism.

Here are some images and video!

Two Other Updates

Update#1
For those of you who read this post with interest, I just wanted to let you know that I succeeded in finding not only one great black girlfriend but TWO. They both have quite different backgrounds from me, but we can come together over the experiences we've had living here, our general experiences in the world, and our mutual love of life! I am so grateful for these special new friends.

Update #2
Thanks to any and all who lent any support to the intrepid young artists of Swimming Seas of Serinissima, they report that they have found housing and are now beginning to build their boat at the marina in Akaran. More info here.

Second Chances

Hurray for second chances. After one bad experience (no one talked to me!!) at Friday Night Drinks, the expats monthly drinking party, I purposely stayed away. But my awesome new friend Maja suggested we go and so I swallowed my hurt feelings and went, and boy am I glad I did! We had an internationally super fun time. I drank, I laughed, I cracked dumb jokes, and I talked politics, culture, food, and more with beautiful people from a dizzying array of countries. It is how my life was before I came here and how it should be every day*! I will definitely be back. Hurray!















*Well, maybe subtract the copious amounts of white wine.

Learnt

Study: Black children 3 times more likely to drown (click to read the article)


I just came across this interesting article on this sad but true fact alongside the exciting news about black swimmer and new Olympic medal winner Cullen Jones. I am so proud that I finally bit the bullet and learn how to swim. I will have to donate money to Cullen's new initiatives to get the rest of our kids to hop in the pool. It's important and moreover swimming is fun!

*

This also reminds me to mention that in addition to swimming class and driving lessons*, I took a language class this summer. Yes, I did the Center for Slovene as A Second Language's One Week Intensive Language Course and I actually learned a lot of stuff and got to ask all my burning questions. I am still struggling with grammar but it is MUCH improved and now I have a one page xerox to look at and immediately identify my mistakes. I have structure. I also have the memories of my great little class. Aww, aren't we cute little students?




Thanks to tecaj friend Tatjana for the photos!



*I've pretty much stopped the driving lessons now and have instead became a forced chauffeur to The Captain and some of our friends. I've even driven alone a few times. Immersion is the key!

Visit

We were recently graced with an all-to-brief visit by my new friend Priscilla who lives in Zurich and who I recently met in the Black Women in Europe community. On Friday, I trekked her around my version of Ljubljana and on Sunday, The Captain and I gave her a crash course in basic Gorenjska (this is the Alpine region, where I live). Here are some pics from Sunday.

Sunday Lunch at Wheelville Manor


Images from the Radovljica medieval fair










from a strange art exhibit here in Radovljica. animals made out of tree trunks




Around Gorenjska











some curious goats




this tree is over 600 years old


a young pup under the tree




A little Blejska grmada for the road


Come back soon! :)