It’s hard to believe we had midterms this week, it seems like we just started classes! We really did just start classes, but since we’re not here for very long I guess this makes sense. I was a lot more worried about my politics exam than my econ one, because I’ve already taken a lot of econ classes at home. We all got together and had study groups the night before each test, which made me feel better about the politics exam. They turned out to be not too bad, I’m pretty sure I did well. We’ll see!
On Wednesday I decided to check out the spa nearby with two other girls from the program, and that was definitely an experience. The sauna section is all nude- we knew this before we went, but actually being there it was still pretty shocking. Once we got over the initial hesitancy, we really enjoyed ourselves trying every different sauna and pool. My favorite was a Turkish-style sauna where the air was so wet you could barely see your hand in front of your face. Almost all of the people at the spa were older, probably retired. Seems like a pretty great way of living to me! The nude factor didn’t seem to phase any of them, they looked like it was totally normal. The thermal baths were in a separate section- this one had many more young people, and everyone wore swimsuits. The water was amazing, and I could have stayed in the jacuzzi forever.
On Friday we watched a documentary about the situation in Bosnia with the whole class. I liked that it showed people’s feelings presently, rather than just focusing on how things were during the conflict. It sounds like people are becoming more and more tolerant of the different identity groups- we’ll see if that’s actually true or just a bias from the movie. When we’re in Bosnia we’ll meet with the producer, and learn more about the making of the film and her perspective on the situation.
We left early Saturday morning for the train to Koln, where we caught a plane to Sarajevo. It was a long journey, but we finally made it. I don’t have time to say much now, but later this week I’ll write all about this incredible place.
Susanna Bowers
<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">Susanna Bowers grew up in Seattle, Washington before moving to the small town of Walla Walla to attend Whitman College. She is studying economics, and is very excited to get a more global perspective through the European Union coursework and field trips. At school, she is an intern at the career center and an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. In her free time, you will likely find her eating thai food, listening to country music, or hanging out with friends. She has been to Europe before, but only for short stays and never to Germany. She can't wait to be able to explore new places and meet all sorts of interesting people this summer!</span></p>
