Working for a living...

Saturday 4th December.

Yesterday I started "working". I was offered a Speaking club by the school I am learning Bosanski with, but so far nothing has happened. However it planted the seed, that being the only Brit in Bosnia(?) could have its' advantages. A couple of days ago I mailed all the other language schools in Sarajevo to let them know that I was here, had varied, possibly useful, experience (i.e, workshop skills, theatre in education experience) and to ask whether they could ever use somebody such as me.

I had two email responses within the day and had set up meetings with two schools by the next. On Thursday I had a day that I have wanted since I have been here.... a busy one. I attended two meetings about work and met up with "An American in Sarajevo", and the lovely Ms Loca for coffees and chats. At one of the meetings I was offered work for the very next day. Two classes with government officials and civil servants who are all being put through and English course for their work. As it was government based I was asked to go to the Parliament building, which is the tall building by the National Museum and was nicknamed by myself in 1997 "the ghost". I could not believe that out of all the buildings in Sarajevo that was where my first day of work was going to be.

Parliament Building December 2010 - The Ghost

I remember that building so clearly from my first trip here. It had a house sized hole in the side and, being one of the tallest buildings in Sarajevo at that time, it loomed over the rest of the city as a stark reminder of what had happened, hence the name, and this was where I went to work yesterday.

The classes were a joy as the conversation was easy flowing and they were all interesting and intelligent people. I really hope I get chance to do more of the same.

Swimming pool in Hotel Central (camera steamed up)

After "work", if you can call 3 hours of chatting work, I went with the lovely Yank to Hotel Central, where she has a gym membership. It is a luxury gym, very new, and very expensive. They have a bring a friend on Fridays for free policy, which suits me well as I could never afford to go myself. We went swimming in a glorious pool, although a tad cold, sat in the sauna and steam room and generally behaved like ladies who lunch. Including lunch and a coffee in Nivea (yes as in the cream) near the B.B.I centre.

As for my quest to find another Brit, not a sausage. I asked the classes and no-one knew any other British person. There are lots of Americans here because of the huge embassy, but the British Embassy looks like a semi detached in Sale and as far as I can tell no Brits actually work in it bar the British Ambassador and he isn't here too often.