Sndbox Summer Camp Writing - task two : Last day in Town

"One day left", I said to myself.

There is no more "good morning" today, not like some other previous days. I get up from my bed and do the morning routine; a cup of coffee and sit in the balcony. I turn on the boiler, take my cup from the drawer, pour the coffee, last one that I have, and wait for the water.

Standing in the kitchen feels different today, even though with the same sounds I hear every other day. The noisy sound from the boiler, the tic toc from the clock hanging on the wall.

The water is boiling, I pour some to the cup. I walk slowly to the balcony while savoring the smell of coffee, my favorite one after the smell of the ground after the rain. I take a sip, and glance out across the high-rise buildings near hotel Italia. My memories goes to 4 years ago, when I just arrived in the city.

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4 years ago...

It was early autumn, but it was one freezing night as I didn't have proper clothes when I arrived in the city. I took a glance to the high building where the car had parked. Hotel Italia, that was written. How funny, hotel Italia in Sarajevo. I laughed to myself. It would be even funnier if I turned out to be in Italia, instead in the capital city of Bosnia Herzegovina.

"Sarajevo?" , I asked the driver with my broken English.

"Da!, the driver answer, I suspected he said yes.

I opened the door, with the thought that I would be staying in the hotel for the rest of the year. Lucky me.

The driver took my luggage to the nearby building. Ah, not this hotel then, I said to myself.
"Thank you", I said as the guy was leaving me with some strange girls that were friendly smiling, welcoming the new girl.

My thought of old memory stop when I hear my phone is ringing.

"Hi, what's up?", I pick up the phone. From the other side I could hear some girls sounds more like screaming.
"Happy birthday dear, do not forget to come over for dinner" , one of the girl reminds me.

It is our ritual to celebrate birthday together. Just for this time, I asked them to make it for dinner, as I already have plan for the day.

"Will do, let me know if you need more food, I am going to pack some burek and cevapi, I can buy some more for us tonight" . I know we will not need additional food, the girl will be cooking whole day. Their habits which I found hard to some times, well, in most of birthdays actually.

I take a blanket from the cauch, to keep myself warm while sitting in the balcony. Last day, I said to myself again. I check my phone, to see my plan for the day. Where should I start.

" Humska, Paromlinska, Otoka, Ilidza", I read aloud the places I will visit for the the first half of the day. I get up and prepare myself to take a long walk for the day.

Summer is already over, the autumn leaves fill the park, people walking faster then usual to keep them warm. And so do I. Instead of taking bus, I want to walk to my first two destinations, as if I am walking down the memory lane.

The walk from home to humska is like walking down the cliff. Only in winter we need to be careful when walking down as the road might be icy. Going up? It is hard in every season, for winter even worse. I pass one house to another, enjoy the scenery around, savor every smell I could in the neighborhood. I will miss this, I wisher to myself.

My first homestay, which was next to hotel italia, is located in Humska. I decided to visit it one last time, even thought I will not be able getting inside. Just the look from outside already make me happy. Just after 10 minutes walking, I arrive in Humska. I take my phone and capture some image of the place. The front door, the stairs where I once fallen down due to the snow, the garden where I had my first spring picnic, picture of the gate where I usually spent another half an hour talking to him after he walked me home. Some image would not be enough to remind me of the place.

Next, paromlinska. I said again.

I take a short cut to get to paromlinska. It is shorter but little bit spooky to walk in the evening, but morning will be fine. I stop by the grocery store to get a croissant. Should I say goodbye to the lady, or not. I keep thinking that way. Since I have been her regular for years, it won't hurt to do so, I thought again.

"Hvala" , I said thank you to the lady and walk down the road. I forget to do what I am supposed to do

I am gonna miss this croissant, I murmured to myself.

I got into the railroads, look carefully if there is a train that will pass. I take bigger step to get to another side of the roads, and walk slowly toward my university while enjoying my last piece of croissant. I hear some students talking and laughing in front of me. It reminds me of my friends that have walked this road almost every single day for the last years. Today is different, but somehow I regret my decision for not telling them about my plan today. I should have told them and they will walk with me today, just like what we used to do.

I take a look at the students walking in front of me. Well, you know, smile while you can, laugh while you can, before the exam. I said to myself, feels like evil somehow. But I laugh a little while thinking that way.

And here I am.

Standing in front of the university, looking around, every little corner of this place will be missed.

"What are you doing?" , someone patted my shoulder.
" It's my last day', I answer the question and follow Ms. Raina and get inside the building. I take out my phone, and start capturing a few part of the university.

I cannot skip the balcony, favorite place to drink coffee from vending machine after every break. Receptionist desk, where I usually meet Monica, our friendly receptionist. The lab, well, most of my time in university I have spent in this room.

I take the stairs to go to the third floor, I want to have a moment in my very first class here. Sounds weird? The first time I got into university I was placed in this class. I knew nobody, but everybody were smiling at me. Scary at first, since I could only talk in simple yet broken English. The first day in that room where I meet my buddies, who helped me survive living in this far away country. The room that was filled with laughter, we played a lot, and yes, studied a lot too.

I can sit whole day here if there is no coming class. Some students from first year staring at me, wondering who I am. Probably they are thinking what am I doing here, all alone.

I go back down to the first floor, meet some professors, some friends, hug one another and promise to see each other some other time, in some other places. Silly me, I cannot stop the tears at all.

It's time to say good bye. I said.

I take another big step, walking to the tram station in Paromlinska. Suddenly I want to go to Bascarsjia, city center, instead of Otoka and Ilidza. Even standing and waiting for the tram to arrive will also be missed.
The tram arrive in no time. Last day, let's not buy ticket and get out if there is a man that control the ticket. Just this one last time. I should prepare myself for the worst, but challenging myself to do this stupid thing? well.. one last time. I grin

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I take a sit next to the window, facing the left side of the city. Passing holiday inn, some cafe with remarks of the war in front of it. I decide to get down from the tram a bit further from the city center, another "walking down the memory lane"

This is the best part of the city. When you are arriving in the city center, the station is located next to the river. The river itself is not something magnificent , but one could enjoy the calming sound of water flowing in the river. And I walk slowly toward the city center

I start writing on my mind, there are many places I wan to see here with so little time. The grand mosque should definitely on the list, I could take a glance to Morica Han since I am not comfortable enough to visit it by myself only. Sebilj? I will walk pass it anyway.

Many places suddenly come to my mind. Again, with so little time.

I walk faster and arrive in the mosque. I take off my shoes, and get inside the mosque. One peaceful place. And always cold, even in summer. I walk around, just to feel the place. An old guy looking at me and smiling, maybe he thought I am a tourist, amazed by the architecture of the mosque. I smile at him while walking toward the exits door.

I need to take some pictures here. I remind myself.
I ask a girl with red scarf, I bet she is a student from local madrasah , an islamic school, to take my picture while standing outside the mosque. I thank her and say that I am not a tourist. Silly me. Even if I speak the local language fluently, I might still be look at as tourist anyway.

I take a walk toward Morica Han, capture some pictures and walk away. After couple of years, the place has become my favorite place, but never has the courage to visit it alone. Weird, huh.

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Here we go, Sebilj, the icon of the city.

They say, if you drink the water running in the Sebilj, you will come back to the city in the future. I don't believe such thing, but I stretch out my palms and drank the water that fall on it. I have drunk here for years because of thirsty. But this time, despite the fact I don't believe those saying, I do hope to get another chance to stay in the city, even if only for a short time. I look around, I am not the only one enjoy the cold water running in Sebilj.

I take a look at my watch, 4 pm already. I have even less time to go to Ilidza later. I should have skip that part of the city for the future if I ever come back.

Last one for the last day. Cevapicici, local food in form of grilled meat, served with bread, onion, some adding yoghurt too. I order mine without onion. I ask the waitress to pack one cevapi and burek, another local food, and a cup of Bosnian coffee.

Last day, I have never had my cevapi or burek with coffee, but I do not have time to enjoy both in different place. The waitress order the coffee from neighbour store. I feel sorry but not sorry for bothering her with my strange request.

Today, the time running faster than usual. Everything seems to be running faster, people walk pass me by, the waitress go back and forth delivering the order. If only I could stop the time, or at least slowing it down.

"Sorry I am late" , a voice interrupted my thoughts.
" One last day" , I smile while welcoming the person that I am expecting to meet.
" One last time". I talk to myself again.