http://www.oxab.org.uk/new Oxford Aid to the Balkans Sun, 16 May 2010 21:47:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In June 2008, OXAB decided to investigate a possible expansion to Kosovo. In December of that year, three graduates travelled to Kosovo to consider how OXAB could work there, and meet with potential partners. The OXAB Kosovo Exploration Trip Report summarises the findings of that trip. We welcome any and all ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2009/01/20/kosovo-exploration-trip-report/ 'is he coming' 'i dont think so. he's got chatting to some girl and he looks animated. better leave him to it.' It is nearing 2am so I thought I would start the Friday blog on Friday. Will and I start to head home after a heavyish night in a bar where ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/19/day-12-our-last-day-in-kosovo/ The day begins exceptionally early with a meeting at LINK, Pristina University's careers service. We stumble out of bed at the latest time possible (I certainly do) and head down to the university buildings near the centre. Of course no morning would be complete without a trip to the bakery, ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/18/day-11-acronym-day-exciting-projects-and-great-contacts/ Mark, who by now is developing the nickname of Mr Macchiato, is unable to get out of bed. When I say unable, I mean unwilling. The order of the showers today is such that he is the last to emerge from bed to face the world in which we have ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/17/163/ [caption id="attachment_111" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mitrovice: A Frozen Conflict"][/caption] The bus from Pristina arrives at the central bus station. The bus station has no electricity inside the probably once impressive building. The place smells pungently of urine, so much so that we think the lakes of liquid covering the stone floor may ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/16/mitrovica-a-frozen-conflict/ like every morning we struggle to rise up out of bed... we had a meeting with the OSCE (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) so we were all excited about meeting an organisation that rivals UNICEF in terms of size! got down to the bakery with the usual ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/16/day-9-a-day-of-mitrovica/ After the excitement of the night before at the opera, we have a good sleep and wake up relatively early to set up meetings via phone and email, with REC (Regional Environmental Centre) and KWN (Kosovo Women's Network). This is followed by our customary walk down into the city, via ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/15/day-8-unicef-sdsf-and-osce/ [caption id="attachment_122" align="alignright" width="300" caption="New Years' Concert"][/caption] We'd been up late the night before; Luke had suffered more with his shot of JD inside his pint (it's how Finns drink apparently).  We leave late with plans only to make more plans because there is nobody to meet on Sunday. We take the ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/14/day-7-sunday-planning-macchiato-and-opera/ We woke up about 10 trying to make it to Fazz’s for 11-12 for a traditional Albanian lunch. Will, Mark and I all struggled to convince ourselves it would be a good idea to get up, knowing that at some point last night’s beer and dancing were going to take ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/13/day-6-lunch-time-albanian-style/ [caption id="attachment_124" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Meeting with Afrim at Handikos"][/caption] We got up fairly early and after the customary pain au chocolats and broken discussions about payment in the local bakery, we headed into town for our 11am meeting with Handikos, 20 or 30 minutes outside the centre, near Hajvalia. It was fortunate that we gave some ... http://www.oxab.org.uk/new/2008/12/12/day-5-handikos-and-friday-night/