[singlepic id=1206 w=320 h=240 float=right]Pamela Bump
Equinox Staff
Julie Conlon
student Life Editor
Keene State College junior Brittany Boscarino stepped on her flight with ten other KSC students headed for Bosnia and Herzegovina, a war-torn country that isn’t a typical European tourist destination.
Boscarino was one of 11 students who spent two weeks in Bosnia this summer with the KSC Honors Program working with various Non-Governmental Peace Organizations.
When Boscarino got on the flight home, not once did she stereotype a fellow passenger. Boscarino attributed this change to two major lessons she had learned on the trip. Boscarino said, “There’s always someone who stands out from that stereotype. Don’t judge people. Don’t go in with preconceived notions”
[singlepic id=1206 w=320 h=240 float=right]
Becca Brady, a junior who traveled to Bosnia, said the group took part in a wide range of activities while they were there.
“We visited a waterfall, and we visited the Mostar Bridge, which got me interested in Bosnia in the first place. We also went on a nature walk with orphans and that was a really cool experience,” she said.
In the early 1990s, Bosnia entered a civil war between the three ethno-religious groups of the former Yugoslavia. The war has since been named a genocide, leaving the country and its people to this day in a state of turmoil and uncertainty.
A memory shared by all students on the trip remains to be the day they spent with Bosnian orphans. Boscarino shared a personal memory from that day
“There was a little shop that we went inside and they were selling ice cream. So, of course, all of us in the group decided to get some ice cream. Our whole group goes up and gets ice cream while the orphans are sitting at another table. I was sitting at the table because I hadn’t gotten up to get ice cream and I was thinking that these orphans are sitting here and probably can’t afford to get ice cream, and here we are going and getting it, “ she explained.
Boscarino continued, “I asked one of the volunteers of the organization if it would be okay if we all could pick an orphan to and go pay and get ice cream. She was like. ‘That’s a great idea. Go ask the leader of the group.’ He also said it was a good idea. So we each went up to one of the orphans and asked them if they wanted ice cream. Just the smile on their faces when we asked said it all. It was such a great feeling to give to them. It really touched me to be able to do that.”
Students also examined the country’s court system and learned in-depth about the Bosnian government. The students spent one evening with international Judge Patricia Whalen, who served as a judge on international crimes with the Hague.
William Pearson, a junior, commented on the time they spent with Whalen and said, “She’s just really insightful on the court system.”
Brian Green, a professor of Sociology at Keene State College, led the trip to Bosnia. Green said of the country, “There’s a lot of lingering hostility. They’ve gone out of their way to segregate themselves from each other. ”
Students examined the country further through their work with CIM, a grassroots Non-Governmental Peace Organization in Bosnia. Junior Johanna DeBari explained CIM works to figure out how to promote a peaceful enviornment between ethnic groups. “They do this now through structured peace camps,” DeBari explained, “We were basically like their minions. We did some of the workshops they do with peace camps.”
DeBari stated said workshops often brought students to tears.
While most students said they did not feel an overwhelming sense of culture shock, many shared in their distress over what Green shared as the corruption and unrest in the country.
Pearson said he was not as culturally shocked as other students as they stepped off of the plane.
“Shock’ wouldn’t be the right word for it. I feel like it was more like ‘culture mildly surprised,” he said.
Even more stood out.
Kristin Hunyadi, a junior, recalled a time the group walked through the streets and viewed remnants of the war.
Students said the streets and some buildings are still marked by bullets and show remnants of leftover destruction from explosions.
Hunyadi explained, “There were a lot of beautiful new and old buildings, some post communist buildings, and then others that were completely destroyed during the war. It was just shocking to have that reminder everywhere we went.” She continued, “I became more aware of the tension in that part of the world.”
Pearson said, “It’s remarkable. Every building that was built before 1992 has bullet holes in it and if they’re not there then they’ve been repaired. It’s not really a lesson, so much as it is a reminder that this happened. This was two decades from where we are now and a genocide occurred. It’s tough to ignore.”
Green commented,“It’s shocking. Even the people we talked to now are still afraid that a war is just going to break out at any time.”
He continued and said, “It’s hard to describe it because you wouldn’t be able to imagine how beautiful it is. It was so exhilarating physically.”
Becca Brady, a junior on the trip added, “Even though Bosnia suffered a war and a lot of terrible things happened. There’s still a lot of beauty in the country and a lot of beautiful people. They’re definitely moving towards a more peaceful Bosnia.”
Boscarino concluded, “I think the other lesson I learned is that, no matter how bad something is, you can move forward. Whether it’s rebuilding your country or just a personal issue. You can move forward from it. Anyone can overcome obstacles and persevere – Bosnia is such a big example of that.”
Pamela Bump can be contacted at
pbump@keene-equinox.com
Julie Conlon can be contacted at jconlon@keene-equinox.com