bracing for imminent invasions

I have spent much time in the past week corresponding with and thinking about possible visitors. If all goes as it could, I could have six visitors in the warm months.

It’s all very flattering. I mean, I like Belgrade a lot, but I know that no one is coming just to see Kalemegdan or Nikola Tesla’s ashes. This reassures me that I haven’t been such as terrible a friend as I have feared for the past 18 months. I have found it really hard to maintain my friendships by e-mail. I have realized that I don’t want to be a long-term expat, so far away from folks that matter. (Unfortunately, I have made friends here that I know I will miss as soon as I return. I just can’t win.)

Regardless, I am very much looking forward to showing off my life here, and in some cases, reciprocating the visit and seeing how my friends are living in other corners of this continent.