Београд, Србија (Belgrade, Serbia)

Serbia population: 7.5 mill.

Belgrade: 1.6 mill.

Avg monthly salary $573

Unemployment 19.2%

Feeling: Very Austere. Grey.

Highly interesting inhabitants.

[I am too lazy to write captions.]

[Time to use your creative imagination and figure out what you think is going on...]

Open seats, closed minds

Today I flew to Serbia.

One of the delights of the day was a free International Herald Tribune (a much shortened NYT).

In the editorial section was a short piece entitled, The Seat Not Taken. About an American black intellectual who rides the train daily from NYC to Rhode Island, and how the seat next to him is always left open, which can only probably be distilled down to his race.

I found it timely, in that I'd just noticed the same thing on the train here in Germany, watching my fellow travelers. It's not just an American affliction.

I really wonder when (if ever) race will stop being such an issue?

The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen

I don't normally put much out here on cooking, being the single person who's slightly on the lazy side when flying solo in the kitchen. But since I've been in Germany, I ordered this cookbook, which is pure delight for someone who's interested in, or committed to, vegetarianism. I've made enough recipes now to know they actually turn out, taste good, and are straight-forward, even including prep tips and such. I've cooked for years, and yet sometimes things like the proper way to brown mushrooms, or slow cooking onions and garlic, or how to clean and chop leeks, were things that I appreciated being noted in this book and part of the reason the recipes turn out so good. He also gives options to create food vegan or vegetarian. And the ingredients are readily available, even here in Bavaria, Germany.

I'm a committed vegetarian, on my sixth official year. Prior to the officialness, I was mostly vegetarian anyway, and it wasn't a big departure from my normal train of thought to embrace the realm completely. As I've ventured further down this road, I've read many a quote which support my thoughts. Most recently:

"Once I would have ordered bacon or sausage for this meal, but not lately. The more I had come to believe in the indestructibility of life, the less I wanted to be a part of even illusory killings. If one pig in a million might have a chance for a contemplative lifetime instead of being skrockled up for my breakfast, it was worth swearing off meat. Hot lemon pie, any day." - Richard Bach (not that I agree with lemon pie for breakfast...)

It's not my nature to force my ideas onto other people. I choose to quietly follow my values for the most part, influencing by example, rather than discussion. Choosing vegetarianism initially involved intense justification for my choices, not for the faint of heart. But in the last few years, I've noticed the acceptance from my family for my choices, and positive changes in their views and their own food choices. I do believe in my heart that not eating animals is the kindest way to life and that's really how I approach my life here on this earth.

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Vegetarian-Kitchen-Peter-Berley/dp/0060392959 Average rating: 5/5 stars

Confessions

I was out Saturday night at a club with a group from the clinic. I got to talking to one soldier, who said, "We need more people like you on post." Because I'm apparently more open-minded, and a bit crazy on the attire/glasses side, adding color and flavor to the otherwise drab uniforms and mental uniformity which populate the base. My reasons for being in Germany are unlike most everyone else here. Generally the first question is, "Did you come here with your husband?"

This particular soldier was about ten years younger and still in the throes of the angst of the twenties. (Not realising that I was much older and therefore much calmer and much more self-confident.) As we got deeper into conversation, he said (almost apologetically and like he was revealing something bad), "I'm a democrat." I said, "There's lots of them on post. Not as many as in other places." He didn't seem to know that. He'd joined the army because he wanted to make a difference. I think he feels a bit like he has to hide his feelings.

However, I know quite a lot of people on post who think like me. But then I think I'm obviously liberal. And I am also obviously pretty open-minded and non-judgmental, so people feel safe telling me things. It's very interesting that I can attract (not in the romantic sense) open-minded people so easily on an army base in Germany. Just another thing I wouldn't have thought.

The problem of calling your team "Sprechen Sie Englisch."

After the crazy triathlon fiasco, and flowing with energy from the near death swimming adventure, I decided I should run another race- October 3 in Nuremberg. I gathered a team of eight together; me plus soldiers. 10 km, so as not to kill ourselves. (I wanted to do the half marathon, but was shot down. Not literally, mind you.)

After several attempts to register the team online, I finally succeeded. We brainstormed team names, and decided to just go with the original idea, "Sprechen Sie Englisch." Because at the triathlon, we were given shit for not speaking German by a snotty "I belong to the Portland Tri Club" woman who only finished a few places ahead of me. Anyway. Not all Oregonians are perfect. I know, it's hard to believe.

This afternoon, I'd planned to pick up our registration and shirts in Nuremberg, so I rang the store to make sure our packets were ready. (I'd done everything in German, so you never know.)

They transferred me to a woman, who asked my name, and then couldn't find the registration, even after I'd spelled my names twice. I said, "Is it different for teams?"

Lady: "Yes, what is your team name?"

Me: "Sprechen Sie English."

Lady: "Yes, but I am German. What's your team name?"

Me: (Thinking that she's thinking, I am speaking English. you idiot.) "Our team name is Sprechen Sie Englisch."

Lady: Still confused.

Me: "Our team is called 'Sprechen Sie English.' Wir sind doof!" Laughing. I explain my feeble German skills.

Lady: "Ohh!!" Laughing. She explains the rest of the details to me, regarding packet pick up, and then we hang up.

Hopefully they got as much entertainment out of my stupidity as I did....