YUGOSLAVAN

We went on a road trip last Easter, my friends and I. It was a long one, and we crossed country borders in a car. Yali and I were particularly ecstatic. If you live in an archipelago, crossing borders while driving is not an idea you entertain a lot, and for Yali, she says she can drive for seven hours and still be in China.

We first went to Serbia, just for the night. Anja showed us around, places where she showed her films some years back, places that are not there anymore.

It was winter, well, almost the end of it. But that morning, we had breakfast outside. And then we were off.

The trip to Anja’s hometown was a long one. And we were lost for a while. We ended up crashing someone’s child’s birthday party — and then to a bar, later on, to be rescued by Saša.

 I was particularly excited to meet Anja’s mom, we first saw her through a film, by Anja, one that we watched on the first days of school. 

It was one of the best dinners I’ve had since moving away. We ate until we were full and laughed until we couldn’t anymore. It was so cold outside, but in that kitchen, it felt like home.

We stayed in a hostel those two nights we were there. And we played games, like pillow fights, and hide and seek in the dark. We also played this game, I used to play when I was a child, where everyone holds still and one person who is blindfolded, walks around and guesses who’s in front of them. I call this game ‘deep-deep’ the origin of the name is tough to explain.

It was great to see where your friends grew up. It speaks multitudes about people, things that can’t even be put into words. We left Banja Luka, the day after and went to the next city.

It was raining so hard when we arrived in Zagreb, so much so that Ben had to buy new shoes in the middle of the walk. It got so soaked that it became unbearable to walk in it in the cold. It was due for changing anyway. Not everyone could join us on the trip, but Yamil sent this tape as his representative.

We spent most of the day in a museum of sadness. A few sad hours and we were on our way back to Hungary.

I write so lousily, compared to how good this trip was. A few years ago, I saw this video of someone’s road trip in Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia, and never even dreamed of being there, let alone, in someone’s house, drinking home made rakija and eating vegan croissants. But as always, life surprises us, in the best ways, sometimes with twenty five other people on the side.

I wonder where we will be this time next year.