Well, I still haven't gotten any camp pictures and I wanted to post about it 1) before I forget and 2) so that I can post about the other stuff we have been up to.

Eden went to camp June 26 - 29. We both really needed a break from her being in the office. I happened to find a brochure about the camp at the pool and figured I'd send an email. The reply I got back was rather cryptic. It's 4 days, 8:00 - 5:00, snacks included, field trips included, and it's free. Huh? I did a little more digging and found out that the whole operation was started by a wealthy local family to support basketball in Sarajevo.

So I bring Eden for the first day. The plan was that from 8 - 11:00 they would have basketball, playstation, or internet to choose from (but of course at some point, everyone was required to play basketball), and then to the pool (the one I mentioned previously) until 5:00. As the other kids got there, Eden started to lose her resolve. No other foreigners and people seemed to know each other. Tears started rolling down her cheeks so I took her outside and offered that we could leave. "No I want to try", she said. We met a great guy named Ermin who plays basketball for Mountain State University. He told Eden all about going to America to play basketball and not knowing any English. He promised to keep his eye on her. I gave my phone number to everyone and said to let her call me even if she just wants to talk.

I got a coffee at a nearby cafe figuring that I would hear from her soon. Nope. So I walked to my office. Hours passed, nothing. Once it got to 11:00 I thought she would be fine. The pool is her favorite. I got back to pick her up early and the bus hadn't arrived back yet. I wanted to be there as soon as she got off the bus. They were late. It was almost 5:30 when kids started trailing in. Eventually the stream stopped and there was no Eden. For sure they had left her at the pool. I didn't know what to do or whom to ask. Ermin never showed either. Maybe he is with her - at the hospital! With that I jumped up and out of the corner of my eye I saw a familiar head of hair. There was Eden in the hall lounge with 4 or five other girls about her age. I told her I was scared when she didn't return to the main room. She gave me an annoyed look (you know the one). She said good-bye to her new friends. As we left I asked about the plan for the next day - a trip to Rimski Most. It was going to be Junior High aged kids, but Eden was welcome.

When I came to drop her off the next morning, there was a whole new set of older kids. There was no drama from Eden though. She plopped down in a seat and waited for role call. I made sure everyone had my phone number and I spoke to Ermin again. I also warned Eden to stay out of the sun (I put sunblock on her but she cannot be trusted to reapply) - again I got the annoyed glare. Again, I didn't receive a phone call from Eden all day and this time when I picked her up she had a small stuffed dog. I asked about him and she explained, "Anesa bought it for me; I'm really popular".

Thursday was the trip she was really looking forward to: Visoko to see the pyramids. Before you get too excited, I think there has been an official announcement that they are not pyramids, but rather natural hills, but oh well. The trip was really for high school students but Eden didn't care. When I took her to Skenderija (where the camp was), she ran off ahead of me. Again, no calls, and again a late return. She had a really great time and was going on and on something about being on TV. They had a professional photographer on the trip and as he showed me the pictures from the day. Eden was front and center in most of them and there was a picture of the director of the camp being interviewed on camera with Eden standing in front of him.

Friday was back to the first day's program and the friends she made that day were back. She ran into some friends before we reached the part of the building where her camp was and she tried to discretely shoo me away. "Stay out of the sun", I yelled after her and she scowled at me over her shoulder. Well, when I picked her up half of the staff was there saying goodbye. They offered that she could come back any day from 5:30 - 9:00 and I might take them up on that. They were flipping through pictures from the whole camp and I requested several. "Eden is so beautiful", "Our little model" - of course I am looking at her and she is beet red. Clearly, she had had way too much sun. As we left she had to sit for a while and drink a water. She had played through lunch and was only just realizing that she was hungry.

As I looked at her all sun burned and dizzy I started to feel angry at her, but then I just felt proud. I don't know many nine-year-olds that would come to a foreign country, agree to go to day camp with kids of all ages, and come out of it as well as she did. She didn't just tolerate it; she thrived.

And by the way...they are right...she is very beautiful like a model...

Don't adjust your screen...the colors are correct.  She burnt her lips too so it looks like she has on lipstick.  In the crap I inherited from soldiers when they leave, I remembered that someone had given me some after sun lotion.  It worked miracles.  No cracking or peeling at all and only about 24 hours of tenderness.  I hear it comes from Walmart.

What the heck happened????

If you live in Delaware and can clue me in, PLESE explain.

I knew they had a losing season before I went to the game, but what I didn't realize was that they only have 7 eligible players and no fan base at all. It was like they dragged people out of the nursing home to attend. I was hearing 70+ year old ladies shouting "Defense". The annoucer kept thanking all of the people that had won free tickets. Apparently no one is willing to pay to get in any more. There were almost no college students there at all.

I wanted Carson and Ted to get out there and help the team. Ted could at least block, rebound, and shoot foul shots (none of these skills were displayed by any UD players last night) and I have seen Carson shoot at a regulation height basket before. He's not great, but much better than what I was witnessing.

UD should be begging me to keep the Sarajevo program going for basketball recruitment purposes.

The best is they just put in an new floor...why?