my first billboard

I went to Novi Sad on Saturday, for work, for a demonstration marking international day of women’s health. It doesn’t look like Vojvodina will be declaring independence any time soon. A coworker (can I use that term when we are both volunteers?) and I took the train. I don’t talk to her too often about things unrelated to work, so it was nice to have a chance for some getting to know you conversations.

One topic that came up was travel. She told me of her multiple and ultimately unsuccessful trips to Hungary in ’99 to get a German visa. I have heard that Budapest is a lovely city and asked her about it. “It was nice,” she said. “It was the first time I really saw billboards.” My jaw dropped. Life before billboards? I can’t remember my first billboard – they have always been there. Bizarre to think that someone of my generation, a city-dweller all of her life, can remember seeing her first billboard.

I feel like I understand this place now, more or less, most of the time. And then something comes up like this that totally blindsides me.