It has been over a week since the conclusion of the 2014 Centropa Summer Academy. It probably will be many more weeks until I can truly process everything that was seen, felt, experienced and learned during the trip. It is rare that a place can blow you away, exceeding any expectations that you may have. Even more rare is it happening in three different cities.

When I started to work in school as a teacher I was told that there is only way to find out am I good in this job. "If your students leave your class feeling and thinking differently, you achieved your goal", a school psychologist ( an expert for an active learning) told me.

Well, I have been several times in Sarajevo, but this time I came back home totaly changed.  Different. Something happened to me. Centropa is obviously extremely good in its work. 

As we travel across the lands of Central Europe, once ruled by a mighty Empire in Vienna, you begin to get a sense of just how little we in America know or understand about this foreign region. In our relatively “short” bus trip, we crossed into three countries, had passports checked and stamped, sometimes not, and it more and more was clear that one thing we misunderstand in America is the idea of “states” and how different these places can be. It is a stereotypical southern answer in america to say what our Civil War was about and that answer is usually “states rights”.

This is the very place where the well-known assassination took place, which started World War I on 28 June 1914. The picture was taken by me on our arrival in Sarajevo on 13 july 1914.

Sarajevo July 14, 2014

Jens Wagner - German embassy in Sarajevo

personal stories being the best way to teach. especially for history. Centropa uses personal stories to make history come alive. German policy towards BH. Germany wants to support the western balkan countries to join NATO.

Therefore we must cultivate the young generation ie the teachers who affect the young generation.

Personal freindshops - series of youth conferences - youth activists 

Sitting in my room I hear the rain puring down . It is the very first time I am writing on this blog . Nearby the Muazzin is calling his fellow believers to join him in the evening prayer ,which reminds me of my city Jerusalem ( which by the way is one of the most beautiful cities in the world ,but also one of the most complicated ones )  But Sarajevo is a very special and beautiful city of its own - When we arrived I got absorbed by the atmosphere created by the buildings ,shops ,tiny little streets ,the river and its bridges ...

The big day arrived and the planes had all landed, Wensday July 9th was here and Vienna was the place to be! And now as we sit in Sarajevo Bosnia with over 75 teachers and learning and fellowship are in supply.