Srecan Rodgendan America! I wrote this back on the birthday of the USA 2010. I was thinking back to the labor pains of making this nation. It was born of many nations and then freed from it's mother or more accurately mothers. There were many attachments to other countries and now we are on our own. No one knew how it would turn out. But as Tim Gunn would say, "we made it work".

Now we are a thriving country full of diversity. I want to be like that in Serbia, I want to be a thriving person who has benefited from my experiences, thriving in my new home!

I realize the irony that is held in the celebration of my country's birthday, and using it as a parallel story of me moving back to the "old country" to start a new life. Strangely though, it is appropriate. There are so many pains involved in starting a new life.

A positive outlook on the situation is what I need most to make my life in Serbia work. Like most expats, last time I was struck with depression that shuts life down as you know it. I was unable to think straight. I stayed in trying to find things on TV in English to watch and gained weight. It wasn't pretty. An even uglier aspect of this depression is an inward look at everything. I became so self interested. I am not proud of that, but I am looking forward to making a huge change in the way I look at things next time. It is not all about me.

This depression and it's side effects deter all the learning that I could have been doing. I missed opportunities as a result of staying in, and didn't make friends that I could now have.

I am going on a trip to Serbia and I am going to take a positive outlook on life!