Five years, three months later...

...and I'm seriously thinking I'm having a major case of culture shock.

Why you ask? Well, my next door neighbor has never liked me. It's along story about how I wouldn't let her steal my landlord's rocks almost three years ago. but ever since then, yeah, she hasn't liked me.

This morning I go out to walk the dog at 8am. She starts yelling at me because the other neighbor's dog is barking at my dog - who is not making any noise at all. I proceed to nicely tell her that my dog has to use the bathroom and it's not my fault the other dog barks. Then she tells me I can't walk Skoobi until 10am. I'm still being nice, and I tell her, well, you know your dog was barking last night at 3am... then she proceeds to tell me to shut up and starts yelling at me even louder about how horrible I am! So then, still nicely, I said - you asked me to keep my balcony doors shut, so I have. I waited till 8am to walk Skoobi because I know the other dog barks at her... she then interrupts me, going into another rant about always being woken up by the dog across the street THAT ISN'T EVEN MY DOG! So I asked, still nicely but I was on the edge, if she talked to the people across the street about their dog. The she tells me to shut up again and starts yelling at me again about how it's my dog making the other dog bark and so it's my fault!, And as many times as I've been yelled at for something in Bosnian - for the first time ever... I yelled back. I was so furious. I even did hand motions like the Bosnians do. Nothing bad mind you, just a lot of dramatic flailings.

And no, I didn't use any of the really good (ok, ok... really bad) words and phrases I've leaned from all the soccer games I've gone to... but oh how I was tempted...

I'm amazed at how well I was able to express myself in Bosnian. Maybe I just need to turn into an old mean bitter person (kind of like my neighbor!!!) and live in a rageful state, and then langauge won't be a problem. Of course nothing was resolved as she wouldn't listen to me when I was being nice nor when I was yelling. It may not have been my finest moment in my given profession, but boy, did I connect with the culture.

And I suppose i should ask you to pray for me because I am really really mad at her still. I was in town and was so tempted to go to the bus station and ask when the next international bus left and just hop on and go. But I couldn't leave my mutt behind, and so here we sit, quietly, on the couch, contemplating how poor Skoobi can take her morning pee in peace...