Contrast of two good things in my world today - the amazing beauty of Plitvicka National Park in Croatia - and news that I got a grant to do a media project to combat terrorism.
Mommers and I went to the Plitvice National Park today - the park has 16 lakes interconnected by waterfalls and surrounded by woodlands. Every time I turned a corner I thought the scene was more beautiful than the last - again and again. The lakes were crystal clear and turquoise, birds and butterflies fluttering, and strange rock outcroppings scattered throughout the forrest... I read that it is travertine - deposited by moss, algae and bacteria - and it grows 1cm a year. Mom had quite a hard time getting around - all those years of smoking and extra pounds made it really hard on her but she made it. The only bad thing was the crowds - not a moments quiet with all the german and french and croatian. After we got back to our hotel I decided to take a little hike on my own to find a quiet spot- just wandered out into the meadows behind out hotel - and realized what a city chick I am! I wandered probably about 30 mins out on horse paths and then realized that no one in the world knew where I was and i had no way to communicate with anyone if something happened - I started wondering if bears hang out in meadows, or if snakes were lurking...then I started thinking of the most outdoorsy person I know - my roommate from Ann Arbor Natalie - and how she would laugh at me for being such a sissy. As lame as it sounds, walking 30 minutes into a meadow all by myself with no electronica with me and no directions ad no info was the thing i did today that pushed my boundaries.
The other thing on my mind today was all the stuff going on at my job back in Iraq...I am the only rule of law person in my province and as such i feel an obligation to check my email while im on vaca - good thing i have been cuz lots has been going on. The big news today is that I got a six figure grant to do a media campaign (tv, newspapers, etc) on counter-terrorism. I've also got another proposal in the words to get the police into schools (an officer mcfriendly type of program) that im keeping tabs on) and have been working with a local contact to apply for a fulbright as well as continuing to press for money/engineers to construct new courthouses in my province. I'll have my plate full when I get back.
The beauty I saw today and the war I have seen recently - seem totally unconnected but I found a connection today - in March of 1991 the park i was at today was the scene of the Plitvice Lakes incident - the first armed confrontation of the Croatian War of Independence that resulted in fatalities. Looking at the park today you wouldn't have a clue.
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