Croatia: Preparing to Leave...Part 16

Our time here is coming to a close and we are both ready to be home. We both seem to be experiencing a subtle weariness and quietness as we see the finish line approaching. For my mother, who was only able to spend 6 whirlwind days here with family last year, it has been a more satisfying time. We've had much more opportunity to spend with our family and to see the history, the sights, and the beauty of this country. To experience all this as more than tourists has been wonderful. I cannot adequately express how the continuing hospitality of our family here has touched our hearts. We have been taken to people's favorite places, shared their favorite meals, we've laughed together and found ways to communicate with our halting grasp of one another's language. Smiles and a kind tone of voice communicate much and we have tried to share those generously where ever we've been, as well as using basic hellos, thank you, please, good bye, and good morning (among other things) in Croatian as much as possible.

I have enjoyed my attempts at learning the language. Pronunciation is made simple once you learn some of the letters and combinations unique to Croatian, such as č=ch, š=sh, j=yuh...etc. The vowels are pronounced only one way, so once you've mastered the sounds everything can be read phonetically. The clusters of consonants can be a bit trickier until you've had a chance to practice a bit and can feel like trying to recite tongue twisters. All in all, I have loved the challenge and I hope that I will remember what I've learned in case I ever have the opportunity to come for another visit.

We met Darko, Ivanka, and her sister Seneca for coffee at the "office." We helped Ivanka and Seneca stack firewood last night while Darko cut the grass. This morning Seneca brought us each a little Ogulin refrigerator magnet. She is very sweet. Mom and I thought of taking a walk after coffee, but it was already too hot so we returned to the hotel and started reorganizing our suitcases. Ivanka will come for us tonight at 6pm so that we can go to Oštadje to say goodbye to Marica. She will then take us all to mass at St. Joseph's in Josepidol. This is where my grandmother was baptized and attended mass as a girl. It is very special to my mother to get to celebrate the mass there. The priest in Josepidol, Fr. Peter, contacted us through Darko yesterday saying that he had some good news for my mother. Hopefully this will be information regarding my great grandparents. We think they are buried in the cemetary there at St. Josephs. Any new information will be welcome and mom attempts to peice together her familiy tree.

Tea will come for us here sometime tomorrow and we will return with her to Zagreb. Marianna and Jurko will also be returning to Zagreb on Sunday and we will stay the night with them in their apartment. They live very near the airport, in fact Jurko works there as an electrician. Mirella will come to see us one last time on Monday morning since she does not work till noon. (Marianna and Jurko are her parents, just in case you're trying to keep track of everyone.) Our flight to Frankfurt is at 6pm (9am Spokane time). Unfortunately the flight to Seattle does not leave till the next morning, so we will be hanging out in the airport all night. At least we have a deck of cards and a crossword book. Perhaps I'll be able to find a book to read in English. I have already read the both of the novels that we brought over. One way or another, I hope that we will be able to sleep on the plane over the Atlantic this time. We would love your prayers for our flights and for our spirits. With layovers, our travels will last over a day and a half. We will be tired, but will need to be alert.

One last lunch here in Ogulin awaits us. We may take it at the hotel so that we can enjoy the kind waitresses here one last time. I doubt that they have guests stay for such an extended time and they have certainly been very good to us. Kristina, Nickolina, Ivana...Daniella at the reception desk, among others. Mom took some of their pictures today so that we will remember them too. We are hoping to take one last walk through the town later today or tomorrow morning when it is cooler. We have come to feel very at home here. Perhaps we will go get one more gelato cone...just for fun.

I hope to have one more update before we go, but just in case I don't I will say one more "doviđenja." The Lord has been good to us this trip...so many blessings. It has been a joy to be here and to be able to try and capture some of our experiences in words. Thank you to all those who have been praying. I know that I will be reflecting on this trip for some time to come...but for now, I look forward to coming home.

Much love from across the ocean,

Bernadette