I made it. I successfully finished a 7 page paper, took and oral and written Croatian language exam, and submitted and got approved an 8 page Independent Study Project Proposal... all in three days. I must admit, on Thursday night I actually thought I was going to collapse, but I survived! I could not be any happier with my progress in this program. I have learned so much and am so proud of myself because I have learned quite a bit of Croatian and Serbian in the 2 1/2 months I've been in the region.
The past week has been spent back in Zagreb, Croatia. Our goal- prepare ourselves for the one month of interviews, literature review, observation, and paper writing that comes with the monstrous Independent Study Project. My topic is very well explained in my title, which I will post below:
"Our Way is Peace": The Role of Volunteers in Peacekeeping NGO's
Case Study: The Center for Peacebuilding in Sanski Most, Bosnia and Herzegovina
As of right now, I have a 1 1/2 page intro, my methodology (a mix of interviews, volunteering/observation, and literature review), my timeline, and my interview questions so I'm well on my way to beginning this paper. The only thing I need to do is get to my field site: Sanski Most. Solution- I leave tomorrow :-)
I will share with you that I am extremely nervous. I don't know if it is just me, because frankly all my friends seem so excited, but although I am so overwhelmed with joy that I get to return to the town that made me fall in love with Bosnia, I am terrified at the same time. I've never been good at being calm. I am a very anxious person when it comes to my work, especially when the work is extremely personal. My ISP is going to force me to look at my own volunteering activity and wonder if I'm doing more harm than good when I participate as a short term international volunteer. Where do I fit into these NGO's that I attempt to help? It's a tough question and I have a feeling that the answer I will find after my research will burn a little on my conscience.
Well... it's 11pm and I need to get my rest (because last night I only slept two hours). I do not know what my internet will be like in Sanski Most but I will be sure to get a blog out as soon as I can.
Love and miss all of you. Remember I love getting e-mails from friends- tyler.branscome@gmail.com
<3
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