Final Day in Montenegro

Thursday night we had dinner with Marge and Russ Westwood and our translator Rada and her Husband Srdgyn (Surgeon).  When Rada walked into the restaurant she said, "Srdgyn meet the doctor, doctor meet the Srdgyn." Clever isn't she? Rada and Srdgyn learned English in America.  They were refugees from Croatia and Serbia.  They met in America and got married and became citizens.  He actually works for a US Bank in Atlanta, so his work day starts about 12AM.  I actually instigated this little dinner because I was so curious about their culture.  I noticed that the people wear their wedding rings on the right hand.  They say because the left hand is the sinning hand.  "The right hand of God.." They also said how everyone pretty much knows each other because the country is so small.  You always have people to go have coffee or lunch with. Rada played professional basketball in Serbia, so she has a basketball group she goes and plays with too. The really missed that in America. The Montenegrins are competitive in a way and try to out do their neighbors.  You wouldn't know it.   They missed their culture and were afraid their boys were getting spoiled and losing their traditional values, language and culture. They decided to move back to Montenegro until their boys, 7 and 9 reached the age of high school and then they would move back. At times, their boys have asked to move back to America, but Rada is happy that their boys are leaning how to be tough and not come to expect everything at your fingertips.  Srdgyn actually makes a pretty nice salary since he has an American job so it allows them to travel and have a lot of amazing experiences with their little family.



Mat and I had finished  up our work here in Montenegro and we were to catch our flight home Friday afternoon.  We had a little time in the morning, so we packed up and winded down a tiny little canyon on tiny little roads, with BIG Ol' buses....






To discover Stari Most.  Stari=Old and Most=bridge. It looks like Brigadoon.



We had lunch at the restaurant the runs along the water.  We fed the birds, the ducks, and cats with scraps of bread and fish.



We flew to Paris that night and stayed over until our flight left the following morning.  I did have the chance to have French onion soup in Paris, but the Eiffel Tower will have to wait for another time.



We left for home, but not without a slight delay due to a coolant valve in the plane.  It added another 1 1/2 to our 11hr flight home.  Wah. Wah.  I was dying to see my kids!  Luckily, we did arrive home safely and we were able to squeeze the kids in no time.



Thank you! Thank you! Bob and Andrea for watching over our kids. If I could take them, I would, but because that is not an option, it is nice to know they were pleasantly happy at your house and loved spending time with their Grandma and Grandpa.  Andrea is ALWAYS so good to say, "No problem! We'd love to have them." Saints. Just saints is all I can say.