Testimonials of Builders for
Peace
From Summer 2011
On
Wednesday afternoon, June 8th, I left John F. Kennedy Airport to embark
on a mission with Builders for Peace (BFP) in my mother country,
Bosnia–Herzegovina. I first came across the organization while
researching non-profits dedicated to reconciliation efforts in the
Balkans. Surprisingly, there were not many to choose from and BFP stood
out due to its unique volunteer opportunity to work simultaneously at an
orphanage center and a local school in the small town of Gračanica in
northeast Bosnia. Upon receiving a grant from General Electric’s
Greatest Generation Scholarship I boarded the plane with my younger
sister, Edina, to what turned out to be one of the most memorable
experiences of my life.
During
the first few days after our arrival in Sarajevo we spent most of our
time visiting several historical museums and learning more about the war
that ravaged the country about a decade ago. Listening to first hand
accounts of survivors, walking across the underground tunnel where
supplies were transported, and seeing all the monuments and memorials
filled in many gaps and questions that could not have been answered by
my father or my professor. It became evident that the country has still
not fully recovered because much of the infrastructure remains punctured
by bullet holes.
After a
long and warm bus ride through the rolling green hills of the
countryside we reached Gračanica and were welcomed by anxious students,
eager to show us around their quaint municipality. My sister and I had
the opportunity of teaching these students in our high school level
English class the following day. We discussed Robert Frost’s “Road Not
Taken” and learned about their aspirations after graduation. I was also
able to visit the orphanage, Osmijeh, and spent some hours working with
the disabled - assisting them develop marketable skills so they would be
able to find employment. Having been raised in a Bosnian household in
New York I shared many commonalties with my students; however, the
cultural exchange was still stark and refreshing. The people of Bosnia
are doing the best to carry on with their post war lives and it was
interesting to gain the perspective of my students on their role as the
youngest generation.
I am
thankful to have been part of an organization so grounded in humanity
and love that it is still making a difference in the region despite the
fact that Bosnia has dropped from US headlines. I will forever cherish
my memories with BFP and I hope to go back soon and someday visit the
memorial at Srebrenica.
Sabrina Bektesevic
From some of our
Bosnian friends:
Hi,
Tom.
For the
last three years I have been taking classes of English during the summer
and I have to admit that I learned a lot. I think that education is
very important, so you have to take advantage of it. These summer
classes have helped me a lot because we have learned some things that we
don’t even mention in school. But, that wouldn’t have happened if you
hadn’t organized the program. You have to know that you are really
important for us. When I think about that, I realize that without you, I
wouldn’t even think of coming to the USA.
You are
the one who put the idea in my brain.
I am
very thankful to you and for all you have done for me. I want you
all the best in your life.
Selam
Ramajana
For the
last two years I have been going to English summer school. I think that
this school is very useful; it will help in my future studies .… We
learn a lot about American culture, sports, music, and other interesting
things. With this letter I want to thank you for coming in Bosnia. I
hope you spent a great time here. That’s very generous of you.
Delila Delić
In
my holiday I have a lot of free time which I could spend at the swimming
pools or with friends, but I have found another activity that makes me
really happy. I go to this “English Summer School Program.” This is
the second year I have spent in this summer school. Well, I go to this
program because I will learn English as much as possible. I feel better
and really happy when I speak this language and my dream is to be a
translator so I want to study the English language. This summer school
is very important for me because I can meet a lot of people and learn
about their culture, their way of life and about their feelings. In
fact the English language is important for conversations all over the
world, because in every country I know, the people are speaking this
language. This summer school helped me a lot more than I hoped. Thank
you for everything.
Unsigned
A few
years ago I signed up for the English summer break course just out of
curiosity, but also because I loved and still do love to speak English
and I wanted to see my boundaries when it comes to the English
language. The first day it was great, but I didn’t feel good with the
fact that I had /a/ man for teacher; I wasn’t optimistic about it. Oh
what a surprise! He was great; although he was over 30 years old his
behavior was childish. Through the years the teachers were coming,
/and/ so did he. But this year he didn’t and I was feeling sad about
it, until I met my new teachers, Deanne and Kevin who are great. They
came with Tom and a group of other teachers. At the moment when I saw
Deanne and Kevin entering the room, I thought I want them to be my
teachers .… I think it’s great to have this kind of relationship between
two countries. Now I’m thinking that next year I won’t be here and I
feel kind of sad, but I know for sure I’m going to keep my memory of
them forever, every laugh, every new thing, our conversations, the time
I spent with them.
Unsigned
It was
really great these four weeks, I’m mad only because I couldn’t sleep but
I’m happy because I was part of this. Maybe this is really funny, but
we don’t have many chances to meet people especially strangers… I met
all of you and I’m really happy and I changed my opinion about life, my
life. I thought I’m not so happy but now I know that life’s not
horrible. I can thank Nina and all people who talked with us about our
problems. Before this I thought every problem is like a mountain, but
now I think they are much smaller, like hills (ha, ha, ha). So, Tom,
come back. Coming to Bosnia isn’t a mistake. That’s hope for us. It’s
a hope for living and being happy…. If we would have /the/ chance to
come to America, I think we would, all of us. So don’t take this /away
from us/. It was really, really, really great. I hope you’ll be here
next year, too, because we didn’t learn enough. We want to know more.
I want to know. In the beginning it was weird but day by day we were
much closer and now we are like family and Nina is like a mum. Young
but funny mum.
Jenja-Dženita Hodžić.
The
Workshops /On Youth Issues/ are great and they help us to talk about our
problems and then we feel better. I know that coming here is really
exhausting and you need a lot of money for this and if you want to quit,
it’s o.k. But thank you for being here all these years. It’s nice to
know that some people, who don’t have to, actually care about us, about
Bosnia.
Maja
From some of our
past volunteers:
Peace Corps Essay #2
Your
success as a Peace Corps Volunteer is based on the trust and confidence
you build by living in, and respectfully integrating yourself into, your
host community and culture (Core Expectation #4). Describe an experience
you have had in living or working in a social or cultural environment
different from your own. What specific challenges did you face
concerning trust, confidence, and/or integration? What did you learn
from this experience that you will bring with you to your Peace Corps
service?
The sky
is shrouded in dark clouds, and the airport is poorly lit on this June
night in 2008. There is no one waiting. There is no reception. I
disembark alone. In the distance I can see a faint green and yellow
glow of what I imagine to be the lights of a small city or large town.
I think to myself, ‘That must be Sarajevo.’ I hail a cab and hold my
breath, hoping that whoever answers my call will speak some English, or
at least tolerate my poor attempt at pronouncing the name of my
destination. I’m late by about a day. ‘Where’s that sheet of paper?… I
lost it… Oh! Here it is, in my pocket.’ The folded sheet has two names
on it; my contact here in the city, and the hotel where I am to meet him
for the first time. The cab ride is a blur. The streets, the city, and
the country are still covered with the thick blanket of night and the
unknown. I entered Bosnia eager, nervous, and open to the experience
ahead.
I had
traveled halfway around the world in order to join an organization
formed in the shadow of the devastating conflict that rocked Eastern
Europe. Builders for Peace was founded in 2002 by Dr. Thomas Butler, a
Harvard professor, with the intention of participating in the rebuilding
process of this region in the most concrete way: recruit and send
volunteers overseas to teach, rebuild, and learn from the people of
Bosnia. With this vision in mind, volunteer teachers would attempt to
bring the younger generation of Bosnians, often separated by ethnic
tensions, under one roof to share in the acquisition of knowledge. This
is the aspect of the mission that I took to heart because of my own
bicultural experience.
After a
few days of orientation in Sarajevo, my team and I disembarked for
Fojnica, a small town best known for its 14th Century
Franciscan monastery and hot springs. Shell holes from exploded mortar
rounds could be seen every few paces along the road; bullet holes were
so common that it was odd to see a wall without at least a couple. A
few buildings had even been bombed-out or mined beyond reason. All
these were realities far from what I knew. War had not spared even this
holy and charming place. Despite the cessation of violence, the social
imprint of war could be felt all around. Its people who had once been
tolerant neighbors, turned into bitter enemies, and now are scarred
survivors attempting to rebuild what they had lost. Fojnica was split
into two main ethnic groups/religions, the Roman Catholics/Croats and
the Muslim/Bosniaks. It was in this small town that I would live and
teach English for the next four weeks.
I did
not, and still do not, speak Bosnian/Serbo-Croatian. I had never taught
a class before, and I knew little about monastic chores. However, I
stepped into my new roles as I had first stepped into the country;
eager, nervous, and open to the experience ahead. It’s the first day of
summer school. I am to teach Basic English to approximately 40
children. The desks are old, the floor is dusty and some of the windows
are broken. Class starts in one minute. I shuffle my notes, wipe the
sweat from my face, and try to look professional. My class files in. I
grin. They smirk. Class begins. What feels like only one minute was
actually an entire hour. Class ends quicker than I thought it possibly
could. I can’t stop smiling, my mind is a buzz with new ideas, and I
can’t wait until tomorrow. Day after day I left the school in this same
mood. In the meantime, I became involved in the lives of my students
and in the community to which they and I belonged. It began in the
local café, then in the market on the corner, and before long my
comrades and I were waving and chatting with a majority of the
townspeople. Even though most of my conversations were in broken
English, faulty Serbo-Croatian and hand signals trusting relationships
were being forged. Soon I was accepting invitations to birthday
parties, soccer games- as both a player and spectator-, and community
outings such as barbeques and hikes. In only a few short weeks I had
found great friends.
The day
I left it was quiet. Most of my goodbyes had been completed either at
the quaint graduation ceremony, during visits to the local cafes and
bakeries, or through quick but sincere farewells from neighbors and
passers-by. ‘This was good’ was all I could say as I boarded the bus to
head back towards the capital and eventually to the U.S. Bosnia left me
with two parting gifts: 1) war has no morals, and can only be equated
with destruction, and 2) peace is not founded in governments or by
politics, but is built and shaped by individuals working face-to-face.
This is process I was honored to be a part of. I carry these two truths
with me now, with no intention of leaving them behind in my future
travels around the world.
Dear
Tom,
I
wanted to write you a short note to let you know how appreciative I am
of the time, energy and love that you have put into this trip. Your
care for the Bosnian people shows to everyone you encounter in this
country, and everyone you bring here. I feel extremely lucky to have
been offered the chance to accompany Builders For Peace on this
journey. My “academic” interest in Bosnia has been grounded by
experiencing the complex, challenging and beautiful human element here.
I hope to take this knowledge back to the classroom this fall and
beyond.
The
most important thing I wanted to share with you is that this trip and
work experience would not have been nearly as enlightening without your
guidance. Your deep understanding of the culture of this region, and
your personal relationships with wonderful Bosnians, have supplemented
profoundly the experience of teaching beautiful students at the
Gračanica school
Letter from Nina Catalano, a Harvard junior and volunteer teacher
Dear
Tom,
Thank
you so much for the opportunity to work in Bosnia. I’ve tried my best
to hold onto as much of this experience as I can. I’ve got notes all
over the place… Looking over my notes now, I can’t believe I’ve been
here only five weeks. My students have taught me so much. They’ve
shared their stories, deep and burning like fire, and I’ve done my best
to process those stories and give back the little wisdom I can share.
This town is beautiful, this country is beautiful, and the people are
strong, strong enough, I believe, to take your philosophy of forgiveness
to heart. …
Kevin Feeney, Harvard College junior
