Just Keep Walking

“Class” is a loose term on this Dialogue. We’ve had a couple of lectures at the AUBiH, but primarily we’ve been doing a lot of site visits, which I find extraordinarily beneficial.

Some of the classes we’ve had at the AUBiH include a talk from the president of the university, introducing us to the school, philosophy, and his general take on the state of Sarajevo and Bosnia (particularly when it comes to the young people of the country); a talk from a member of the ICMP, or International Commission for Missing Persons; a group discussion following our visit to Srenbrenica, and a talk from a survivor of that genocide.

The site visits we’ve had include going to see Srebrenica (the site of the worst massacre in Europe since the Holocaust), the procession of remains from Srebrenica that went past the government building in Sarajevo (a procession that happens every year, just before the anniversary), and the Tunnel of Hope, a tunnel through which soldiers transported supplies and people during the war in the 90’s.

When we go to AUBiH, we always walk — it’s only about twenty minutes on foot, and very easy to get to. The site visits (with the exception of the procession) are farther away, and so we take a private bus to get to them. So far, I’ve had no reason to try the public transportation system in the city, though it passes right by our hotel. I find Sarajevo small enough that I can comfortably walk wherever I want to go, and the best way to explore is by continuing to wander.

I can certainly imagine, however, that people who live on the outskirts of the city rely far more on the public transport than I do. Though the city center is relatively small, it’s (literally) a hike to get into the more residential areas, and it can easily take a half hour or more if you’re heading uphill. That being said, I’ve never seen a train really full (nowhere near like the green line at rush hour!), and plenty of people seem to use their cars to get around if they’re not walking.