It's been bugging me lately: this idea of of being connected to Yugoslavia. I question how valid my own connection is, for what ties do I have anymore with the region?

I have the past, but that past is far removed from my present. Yugoslavia was a short-lived idea, it was dissolving before I was even born and all I got to see was its destruction, so how much do I really know? I've read books and heard stories. I went to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the summer of 2007; it was a brisk walk through the counties that only left me with a bigger longing. That trip left me with an impression of Bosnia-Herzegovina as desperate, but then again that's coming from someone who has spent the last 13 years o living in the United States. There was no political connection, only frustration. Yet despite the frustration and disconnect, I must remain hopeful and optimistic, because there is no other alternative.

As disconnected as I am, I hope one day that my ties to the region will be strengthened. Through education I want to bridge the gap between my past and future. My hopes are that in time, the people of former Yugoslavia will also bridge the gap between their differences and live in harmony.

Through this blog I will attempt explore the roots of Yugoslavia in hopes of getting a better understanding of the past concerning the region of what is now ex-Yugoslavia. Although the country no longer exists, I still believe in its idea, as I'm sure many of its people still do. Though the past of the Balkans/Yugoslavia is very complex and sparks many opposing emotions, I will attempt to approach it objectively and historically.

I will continue to refer to the region as Yugoslavia, because in my eyes that is the way I choose to see it. For me, the name inspires hope for the future, whereas referring to the individual countries that now make up the region are only reminders of the failure and despair that now plague the region.

To Yugoslavia, to hope, to education, to the future! Cheers!