Sachsenhausen

We set foot on the grounds where thousands of people were starved, tortured and killed for nine years. We stayed for over 5 hours reading, thinking and feeling the place; dead silent yet so crowded with thoughts and emotions. Ironically, the sun beat down on us and the birds chirped enthusiastically as we walked over the same stones victims walked 70 years ago; same stones yet completely different steps.

I have little words to describe what I experienced today; all I can say is I am unbelievably lucky to stand where I do.

Orange Peeling

People all over the world peel oranges and eat them. Today was a fantastic day where I got to be one of those people. But my experience was a little different, or maybe the difference is that I stopped and looked around for a minute. I was sitting in the middle of Old Town Square in Prague, I had a live jazz band playing in front of me and the sun selflessly feeding my skin. I had a smile on my face and no one could have taken the happiness I felt during that moment.

Why was this moment so important? Well today is the three month birthday of my trip as well as the beginning of the last month. I have seen, felt and changed immensely. What I am having trouble with lately is focusing on today, the moment I am living, the present. This moment in Old Town Square made me realize how important living in the present is without worrying about how little time I have left, or how much I miss home.

I peel some oranges for today because tomorrow is a different day.

Total Isolation

It seems as though Canada was a different universe altogether. The things we learn, the lifestyle we live, the history we have... It's all relevant to us. This enriches our culture and helps us be aware of the mess that happens in our own backyard but leads us to total ignorance towards the mess in our neighbour's.

Yes we are all aware that there's a war in Iran or Iraq or whatever those far away countries are called but no people we know are directly affected and so it's just news; we read a little, hear a little and go no further. It's different when you see the buildings that were bombed during these "far away" wars, when you talk to the girl who had to hide in her basement due to danger of roaming the streets, you see the face of locals twist when the name of their enemy is said, this enemy whom they loved so much a separation was more hurtful than the worst of breakups. They say the separation of Yugoslavia was messy and emotionally tearing. Why? Well imagine your dad dying, leading to your family falling apart. Your new enemy, the soldier standing on the other side of the battle field, was once your cousin or brother-in-law. People did not know on which side to fight, what they stood for.

It's hard to listen and impossible to understand what these people went through and what they have to deal with daily. Meanwhile we sit in front of "the box" playing war games and laughing at movies with violence in total ignorance.