I also got to immerse myself in Serbian culture firsthand, seeing a pop-up exhibition featuring artwork from the Serbian animated film Technotise: Edit and I. I even got to watch mock fighting demonstrations depicting medieval Serbia! I also attended a film festival there, which the film-studies side of me was absolutely buzzing with excitement.
At the festival, I got to see The Tower of Strength (Obraz), a film based on the true story of a Christian boy who survived an attack by an Albanian SS division that destroyed his village and killed his parents. The boy is taken in by a Muslim stranger, Nuredin Doka, who risks the safety of his own family by doing so. The film was very heavy and dealt with the harsh realities of war, as well as the ways conflict tests people's humanity and morality. The film's director and producer came to speak with the audience afterward, which I really appreciated, although I, unfortunately, couldn't understand most of what they said because they spoke exclusively in Serbian.
A few weeks ago, I also briefly left Serbia to spend a few days in Budapest, Hungary, marking the furthest I have traveled since moving to Kragujevac. Budapest was beautiful, and I was lucky enough to enjoy warm, sunny weather throughout my stay. It was perfect for sightseeing and meant I could still comfortably wear some of my summer dresses! I visited St. Stephen's Basilica, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, and the New York Café. I also strolled back and forth across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, taking in the breathtaking views of the Danube River. It was my second time visiting Budapest, but it was just as beautiful as ever and made for a lovely trip.
