I know, I know…

You know, when you have to write a thesis composed of a novella, attend classes which require the reading of novels, and travel back and forth from town to city, all while being infinitely confused as to how to find a job, writing in a blog is not so much a priority. But, being that right now I am stalling from writing my novella, I will spare some time for anyone who still actually reads this. Hi, Mom!

On my way home from class this morning, I passed by a man selling books on the street by the Miljacka. I had been eyeing a book I want to buy for Sajo and only today did I stop to ask his prices. It vwas obvious that the man himself was not a reader. When I asked the price of the particular book I wanted after he asked me to specify, he said that the one I wanted was 12 KM, and that he couldn’t go any lower on it (not that I thought 12 KM was too much). He then insisted on another, completely unrelated, and cheaper book which reeked of romance novel, as if any book will do. I declined and told him I’d be back later.

On a related note, it is very hard to learn about the modern English novel from a man who has a hard time pronouncing certain English words and grasping the ideas of the Christian world, despite the fact that he has a Phd. Yesterday, during a discussion on Joyce’s Portait of an Artist, I had to explain to him that the reason Simon Dedalus, Mr. Casey, and Dante are arguing about Roman Catholic priests in Ireland is because they influence the vote of the people and therefore a man like Parnell, who may have been a good politician, loses his credibility and stature because he commited adultery. The professor seemed to have thought that Dedalus and Casey were against the priests because the priests supported Parnell despite his sin. I had to explain the idea behind seperation of church and state and how a man’s personal life should not account into his public life. In the Muslim community, at least that in Turkey, this is not the case as was pointed out by the other students. Bosnia, perhaps thanks to our socialist background, also seems to sway the way of the Christian world, though at times it seems to be at a dangerous lean the other way. In any case, I felt a little dumb afterwards, as a classmate pointed out to me that I shouldn’t correct the professor because I might hurt his feelings, so I don’t know what to do anymore.

I’m just thankful he’s the only one I’m having a hard time of grasping.