DeLaWho? DeLaWhat? DeLaWhere?

It has been three months since I posted on this, my beloved blog. I had an amazing summer that began with geology research back here at Denison and ended with a little over a month long trip to the land of Magyars (for research) and later to my father's homeland of Hrvatska (Croatia). Needless to say, it was an amazing summer and I have delayed posting about my adventures as it still has yet to completely sink in. Of all of my summer's events, the trip to Croatia was far and away the most exciting, spiritually-rewarding, and amusing of them all. (THIS PORTION OF THE POST HAS BEEN REMOVED) Along with my Tata, my Mama, my sister, and my cousin, we were able to spend a couple days in Zagreb with my Baka (grandmother), Teta Nada, Teta Vera, Stric Rico, Ivica, Maja, , Stipic Ivan, Zrinka, Jura, and Stjepan. As we made our way down to the coast, we met with Teta Mila, Stric Toncek, Davor, Blanka, Fran, and Lucija. We then stopped at Teta Ljubica's seashore house (a house that the late-Stric Marko, my Deda, my Tata, and the rest of the family helped build from scratch) and visited with Teta Ljubica, Marko, Tania, and Nika. As we continued our journey down the Adriatic coast to the city-state of Dubronik. There we visited with Zrinka and Jura's daughter Iva and her boyfriend Sasha. After a wonderful visit with them in Dubronik, we drove back up to Teta Ljubica's and spent more time in the glory of the Adriatic. After that we treked up to Crikvenica and spent time with Ivica, Maja, and Tin. There we visted my Deda's (grandfather) birthplace on the island of Krk. The trip concluded back in Zagreb. There were many things that were memorable about the trip. So many in fact, that I feel like I am listing them off instead of truly appreciating them. But, first and foremost, there was a connection to the land that I felt, the pull to the sea was strong. The family dinners were great..the amazing food and the hilarious conversation that ensued at the dinner table. At this point in time, it still hast sunk in...but I do know one thing. I want to go back...no I need to go back...it is a beautiful country with beautiful women a plenty...I am starting to understand why my father was always so disappointed when we go to the beach (because no matter what...it isnt the Adriatic)...I can proudly say that I am first-generation Croatian-American...who also has family ties to Hungaria. When somebody asks me where Croatia is...I will not be bashful about it. It lies on the eastern coast of Adriatic Sea. See my pictures at Flickr.