With the days of summer long gone and the inevitable fall starting to creep in, I have found myself starting another year at Northwestern. With it, I have been bombarded with familiar faces and friends that have spent some time away from. They all eventually get to it in their own way, but each one will eventually ask the same question, “What did you do this summer?”
I cannot help but recount in detail the stunning things that I have seen and amazing stories that I have heard from the people of Serbia and Bosnia. Each recount, each retelling further anchors those memories and stories. As I retell each experience, they become more natural and more a part of me. This summer was not some surreal experience; it was a very real one. This was not someone else’s experience; this was mine and mine alone.
I will not ever forget the things that I saw and experienced in Serbia and Bosnia nor will I ever stop telling others about these things. As time passes, I come to appreciate more and more the opportunity that I was afforded and want to tell as many people as will listen to me. I have only an inkling what the future may hold, but I do hope that it gives me an opportunity to return to these places.