After another long train from Venice I made it to Belgrade, capital of Serbia. I had not planned to come here, but it was on my way to Greece and I needed somewhere cheap to stay while I was waiting for my new bank cards to arrive and was almost moneyless! I didn’t know what to expect seeings other eastern European countries I had been to were… ah… interesting! BUT when I got off the train the first thing I spotted was a flyer for Beerfest which was on that night!! I knew there was a reason I was there 🙂
It was awesome, of course, and a playground for me. Nowhere as good as Oktoberfest in Munich, but amazing all the same! There happened to be a guy at my hostel who was more Bruno than Bruno and insisted on talking about every type of penis in the world. After the weekend the hostel became empty and boring so I changed over to another and thank god I did change hostels because its where I’m now working!! 🙂
I didn’t plan to stay in Serbia this long, obviously, but it was nearing my time to go back to Aussie land and wasn’t ready so I asked at the hostel for a job, and well, thats how it happened! So I have an extra month in Euroland, although I cant afford to travel around much it’s still amazing! Working here has been… interesting. So far I’ve had to scoop some kids spew out of the sink and play mummy all night, because the poor boy couldnt handle drinking games! I had to lift an Aussie guy off of the floor where he was passed out and carry him into the toilet to pee and lean him against the sink in position (luckily he managed to undo his own fly!) Later he tried to climb through the window in the dorm room thinking he was going to the toilet. We are on the 4th floor! :s
Most nights I am “working” I drink with all the backpackers and take them out to bars and clubs. Luckily the hostel is only small (10 bed) and so if I can manage to convince everybody to go out, then I can go out too! Most of the nightclubs here are boats on the river, which I dont think will ever get old for me! Im pretty much a regular and have a bartender friend who gives me free beer. SWEET!
I also run a BBQ day by the river in a tiny village out of Belgrade. It’s a day of beers, BBQ, swimming, volleyball and all sorts. The locals in the village spend most days there and are thoroughly entertained when we are in town! Foreigners are like aliens there so we are treated very well and forced to drink the Serbian national alcohol, Rakija, which is 70% and rancid to drink, but boy it does the trick! A lot of the backpackers end up passed out or spewing by the end of the day because they cant handle it! 😛
I am basically famous in the village because they’ve never seen a girl with such big tattoos (Serbs having tatts is quite rare and women with tatts is VERY rare) and who can drink like a Serbian man. My BBQ days often become the talk of the town and by the time we arrive everyone in the village already knows we were coming that day! They were also quite amazed when I brought a Korean guy along, because most of them had never seen an asian in person. And they were the same about an English girl I brought who had freckles! haha
Not only do I enjoy these days sooo much, I also get paid to do it! 🙂
Working in a hostel has been the most amazing experience, I meet so many awesome people and have so many good times! I do get really sad when people leave though. 🙁 I spend my days either sleeping, or occasionally taking people out sight-seeing or my BBQ days and I spend my nights either drinking in the hostel or hitting the Serbian nightlife. Working here is an even better way to meet people (because they have to meet you) and you get to know people so much better. Most guests end up staying longer than they planned and I really have made some friends for life and just people I will always remember. I also have a group of my amazing Serbian friends who work at another hostel. They are some of the greatest, most generous and laid back people I have ever met in my life. We do the most simple things, like fill our backpacks with beers from the corner store and take our Ipods to the park and listen to music and drink beer while watching the sunset. To me, theres not much more to life! I never want to leave…
So as usual having the time of my life and enjoying every minute!! I wish you were all here to experience it with me and I hope you all visit Belgrade one day so you can see my temporary Serbian city!
Love to all! Pazdrav from Serbia!!
