Another day, the same city.
That’s how academic life feel sometimes, as a student (and as a student of life). Lab, grocery, home, repeat. But when I first got the confirmation to attend a
scientific conference and present a part of my work(in Belgrade!), I didn’t know quite what to expect. Conferences come with their own mixture of
stress and excitement, but there was something gentler beneath it all, the
secret thrill of discovering a new place, experiencing new culture, for free!
After 5 days of presenting to a roomful of peers, networking for science' sake, I hit the city streets. And Belgrade did not disappoint. Like always, the Balkans, with their storied lands and wallet-friendly offerings, are simply the best. Days gave way to discovery in its most delicious form -- tried cevapcici, with silken kajmak, and a punch of ajvar. The Zeleni Venac market also offered a bounty of cherries; cherry on top, quite literally, as I sat quietly with my bag of cherries in Kalemegdan hill, grounded by the view of two great rivers holding the city in their embrace. And the night brought enchantment as well -- joined a pub crawl for the first time since Tartu, explored winding alleyways and unmarked doors for Belgrade’s underground scene, and met fellow travelers from different corners of the world, some chasing music, others just there for the beer (like me).
Belgrade might wait years for my return. But whenever life becomes a
blur of deadlines, I will remember the fortress, the rivers, and the taste of
cherries at sunset. Isn't it sweet?
