“Americans are fat.” “America’s pollution has caused global warming.” And the most recent addition to the list of verbal attacks against my fellow countrymen: “Why are Americans so concerned with silly issues like abortion and gay marriage when some of its people are too poor to afford health care?” Since my arrival in Belgrade I have been the forced recipient of these and other U.S. targeted criticisms, and, judging by their frequency, I am sure I can expect many more.

Sitting in front of the evening news one night last week, listening to yet another report on the upcoming constitutional referendum, it suddenly dawned on me that with all the talk of Serbia’s referendum, I had forgotten about my own elections. Election day in the States is not until November 7th, but as an oversees voter I have to submit an absentee ballot request, wait for the ballot to arrive by mail, and then send it back, all before election day. After quickly adding up the days in my head, I was relieved to conclude that if I faxed in my request the following day, I could get my vote in on time.

Women in black

Yesterday I met yet another young person from Serbia who, upon hearing that I was from the States, asked me what on earth I was doing in his country when all he wanted to do was move to mine. I normally struggle to explain my decision to move to Belgrade. I myself question it almost daily when boarding a rattling bus or running down the path by the Sava River, a river lined with carelessly discarded garbage. But this time the answer was demonstrating right in front of us. I say “demonstrating” because we were standing in front of Women in Black’s commemoration of fifteen-years of women’s nonviolent resistance.

Two weeks ago I moved to Belgrade, leaving behind friends, family, and the student life that had kept me intellectually stimulated, but also incredibly sheltered. In an immediate sense, my move to Belgrade meant leading a life alone in a foreign country.  More broadly speaking, it also meant that I would be joining the almost 200,000 American students who study or volunteer abroad each year as a part of their undergraduate or post-graduate experience.