Red Sox & Laundry Belgrade Style

2 blog entries in one day! How unreal is that? Ok sorry for the sarcasm.  Today was a pretty chill day and I’m thankful for it.  After spending the morning relaxing and taking it easy it was time for our afternoon meeting.  Today we met with the Belgrade Center for Security Policy.  They’re a think tank/NGO working to improve the security sectors of society.  They occupy an interesting place in society since in the US they would be classified as a think tank but this phrase is untranslatable into Serbian, the concept is largely a mystery.  Due to this they are classified as an NGO.  It was interesting to hear about the research they’ve done and how they’ve ‘graded’ different departments and sectors based on how well they’ve reformed since Milosevic and become more transparent.  The discussion was different than I expected just because I thought the center would have a much more active role in reform.  The Center is largely focused research and indirect pressure to change through what seemed essentially like public shaming through its findings but is otherwise quite passive.  After the meeting we were done for the day but took a detour on the way home, walking through an older area of Belgrade all paved with cobblestones.  Turned out to be an area we’d wandered into on our zoo adventure earlier in the trip. 

Tonight is designated ‘chill night’ and I’m blogging with the roommates while we do laundry in the tub and later watch a movie.  It’s nice a have a relaxing night, more so because we’re between assignments so there’s not a pressing school worry.  On a random note, the all star game was yesterday, bummed the Sox lost since now when we’re in the World Series, we’ll have 4 games when Terry has to decide between Gonzo and Papi, and you can hardly stick Adrian in the outfield in the World Series.  As I sit here in my Sox cap, I’m really missing ‘my boys.’ I’ve been reading Extra Bases about once a day but it’s not nearly the same.  As you all know, I’ve been a fan of the team forever, at least as long as I can remember, and been one of the (borderline) obsessive fans who follow every little movement since 2002/2003.  This is the first time, barring 2 weeks in the summer of 2004, that I’ve been unable to follow the team wicked closely and I’m feeling it.  I perpetually feel a couple days behind and it just emphasizes that I’m not home.  Ah well, glad for a night to chill and it’s my turn for the laundry tub.  Talk to you guys soon!

Just some cool graffiti we saw today