Sunday August 15th

I'm starting to get use to having no idea what is going on around me from a verbal perspective. I didn't realize how much I paid attention to what others where saying even if it didn't involve me. I know some of you might think this is eavesdropping, but when you are listening to understand people, place or situations around you or learning something you may not have other wise known I call it information gathering haha - that may be a stretch I know... So the result of not having the luxury of comprehension results in 100% people watching which, lets be honest, everyone does anyways but now we don't know what they are saying so we can make up even more far fetched assumptions about people. Which Dad and I often do and ends in a ridiculous story that we have a good laugh at. But I digress haha …
I'm becoming more comfortable about my surrounding and how things are different here. My second day here I had to go to the police station to register my passport for a temporary resident card, which I would have never known to get. Having Dad around to show me the ropes the easy way is a little better than find these things out the hard way haha. This was my first task on the solo but like Ty and I have said since day one about my Dad working over here - he knows people who know people. So I get a knock on my door, knowing to expect someone but not knowing what to expect. After taking 5 minutes to open the door, because I apparently can't figure out a door with 5 dead-bolts which you can turn to three different positions, I'm greeted by a Serbian gentleman telling me, in broken english, someone is here for me. So I quickly grab my purse, where I had strategically placed things (keys, Dad's cell number, my address, etc) in case of 'emergency' and head down stairs. Where I meet an other guy, who's english is better, and he tells me he is here to take me to the police station so I figured my Dad probably knew this guy. We walk outside to his car, an automatic Mercedes with black tinned windows, which you don't see around this tight streets to frequently - you can imagine the different scenarios that are going through my head at this point (cough cough … Mofia …. haha). He opens the door for me, which I don't think I will ever get use to, it is forever in my head that only forgein men in American movies do this gesture haha. Getting use to the 'difference' in driving we made our way through busy streets to the station. Needless to say this guys knew what he was going. All it took was me handing over my passport (slightly holding my breath) and 10 minutes later I was back home and a register resident of Serbia for 90 days. I ended the ordeal with a good old fashion american hand shake, which I have learned it my link to saying thank you without actually have to say it, although my pronunciation of 'Hvala' . Later I recount how things went with my Dad when he informs me he had no idea who the guys was that took me but we don't have to worry about it now cause I got home safe (ear muffs mom) haha.
Well that was a long winded example about all the fun and interesting situations that I'm just beginning to experience and over analyze - hope I painted a good enough picture for you to enjoy :).
This afternoon we spent the day going down town to the shops and visited the old fort. Kalemegdan is the castle located where the Danube and Sava meet on the coast of Belgrade. My history lessons are continuing and my cluelessness to history is coming along nicely. Its starting to sink in now that when someone says something is from the 13th century is not a mind blowing concept in Europe like I think it is. Anyways here are some pictures and hope to update you again soon. …



"Imagination is stronger than knowledge. Myth more potent than history. Dreams more powerful than facts. Hope always triumphs over experience. Laughter is the cure for grief." RF
Mich