Balkans Day 4

Today was another early start with a 7am breakfast and 8am departure. The drive to Croatia, including a supermarket stop and a slow border crossing, took over three hours. 

We arrived in Dubrovnik in time for a short walk around the ancient walled city before heading to our lunch of pizza and salad at Oliva Pizzeria. 

After lunch we met up with our guide Nikola for our city tour. He started by taking us around the city showing us where various scenes from the Game of Thrones were filmed. 

Next we circumnavigated the old city on top of the city walls - 1.2 miles total and 1000 steps. 

The walls have held up for centuries, surviving earthquakes and bombardments as recently as 1991 during the Balkan War. 

We had some free time to explore and shop in the city - the gelato shop was a big hit. 

We then enjoyed an authentic Italian dinner at Lucin Kantun featuring five separate dishes including a cuttlefish risotto for the adventurous eaters. 

We got home around 10 ready for sleep. Tomorrow we start our service work with a group of local youth. Can’t wait!

Balkans Day 3

Today was our hiking day. We left at 8am for Blagaj - the ancient capital of the region in the centuries before Mostar was founded. It was a pretty strenuous hike up to the castle where the king lived around the year 1000. 

After returning to the village we walked to the head of the valley where the Blagaj Pekke (Dervish House), a Sufi Islam monestery, was built in the early 1400’s at the source of the Buna river, the largest spring in Europe - a raging river that emerges from a massive cliff. 

Next we visited Pocitelj, an Ottoman town on the side of a hill that has been restored since the war. We climbed up to the castle overlooking the town then had lunch at the Stari Grad. 

We then drove to Kravice to see the spectacular waterfalls there. 

After returning to Mostar we got a tour of the Catholic Church across the street from our hotel from one of the Franciscan monks that lives there. 

We had a special treat for dinner as we took the bus to the house of a friend of our leaders where they hosted us for a Bosnian banquet. As Dino says, the best Bosnian food is served in Bosnian homes - what a treat!

Tomorrow we are off to Dubrovnik. 

Balkans Day 2

We had picture perfect weather for our first full day in Mostar. We had a wonderful breakfast buffet in our hotel before heading on our walking tour. 

Our tour guide Dino told us the story of the building of the old bridge in the 1500s, and how the architect first built a small single arch over the tributary in town before taking on the larger bridge. 

The sultan gave him five years to complete it. It took him nine and he disappeared after it was done. 

We then visited the museum and learned about Mostar in the Ottoman period, the Austro-Hungarians, Yugoslavia and Tito, and about the 1990’s civil war that destroyed the town and how it has slowly recovered. 

After a rest at the hotel, we went to Hindin Han for lunch - delicious Bosnian fare. 

After lunch we climbed the hill to the Orthodox Church which had been dynamited during the war and is being rebuilt - the exterior is complete but the interior is not. 

We also visited the old chapel next to the church which survived. 

We the visited the old town mosque which was damaged in the war and has been repaired. 

The group spent the next hour shopping in the old town markets before heading back to the hotel to debrief the day, est dinner, and get to bed early. Busy day tomorrow touring the area around Blagaj south of Mostar. 

Balkans Day 1

​Welcome to the MRHS Global Stdies Service Trip to the Balkans! We met at school at 1030am yesterday and rode the bus to Logan for our Lufthansa flight. 

After a seven hour flight we landed in Frankfurt where we had another seven hours to wait for our flight to Sarajevo. 

After a quick 90 minute flight we finally made it to Bosnia. Customs was super easy and we were met by our Rustic Pathways team of Dino, Adna, Emina, and our driver Sulejman. 

We went to Old Sarajevo and walked around ending up at a wonderful restaurant called Nanina Kuhinja - Nana’s Kitchen where we were treated to a five course Bosnian feast. 

We walked back through old town to our bus for the bus trip through the mountains. 

After another couple hours we arrived at Villa Milas in Mostar where we will be until Sunday. Burgers and chicken for dinner and everyone is crashing for the night. Up early tomorrow!

Balkans Day 1

Welcome to the MRHS Global Stdies Service Trip to the Balkans! We met at school at 1030am yesterday and rode the bus to Logan for our Lufthansa flight. 

After a seven hour flight we landed in Frankfurt where we had another seven hours to wait for our flight to Sarajevo. 

After a quick 90 minute flight we finally made it to Bosnia. Customs was super easy and we were met by our Rustic Pathways team of Dino, Adna, Emina, and our driver Sulejman. 

We went to Old Sarajevo and walked around ending up at a wonderful restaurant called Nanina Kuhinja - Nana’s Kitchen where we were treated to a five course Bosnian feast. 

We walked back through old town to our bus for the bus trip through the mountains. 

After another couple hours we arrived at Villa Milas in Mostar where we will be until Sunday. Burgers and chicken for dinner and everyone is crashing for the night. Up early tomorrow!

Balkans Here We Come

Here is our latest itinerary - day 1 is Monday

(Day 1) 

Arrive in Sarajevo 20.2.2023

1:50pm - Group arrival

3:00pm - Lunch

5:00pm - Drive to Mostar 

7:30pm - Dinner at the hotel

10:00pm - Bedtime 

Overnight in Mostar  

(Day 2)

Cultural Workshops of Mostar 21.2.2023

8:00am - Breakfast at hotel

9:00am - War Tour of Mostar and War Museum 

1:30pm - Lunch in Mostar

2:00pm - Visit Mosque, Church and Orthodox Church

4:00pm - Exploring the Old Town

5:00pm - Discussion & Journal

6:00pm - Dinner

9:00 pm - Bedtime

Overnight, Mostar 

(Day 3)

Visits to Kravice Waterfalls, Pocitelj, & Blagaj 22.2.2023

7:00am - Breakfast at hotel

8:00am - Blagaj /Tekija 

11:00am - Hike 

12:30pm - Lunch - Stari Grad Pocitelj

2:00pm - Pocitelj

3:30pm - Kravice 

5:00pm - Market Time 

7:00pm - Dinner

9:00pm - Bedtime

Overnight, Mostar 

(Day 4)

Tour Dubrovnik 23.2.2023

8:00am - Breakfast at hotel

9:00am - Head to Dubrovnik 

12:00pm - Lunch in Dubrovnik 

1:30pm - Walls of Dubrovnik and Game of Thrones 

4:00pm - Free Time at Stradun

7:00pm - Dinner in Dubrovnik 

9:00pm - Drive back to Mostar 

Overnight, Mostar 

(Day 5)

Activities in Mostar 24.2.2023

8:00am - Breakfast at hotel

9:00am - Coffee Workshop with local students 

1:00pm - Lunch in Mostar

2:00pm - Shopping with local students

4:30pm - Head back to Hotel

7:00pm - Dinner in Mostar 

9:00pm - Bedtime

Overnight, Mostar 

(Day 6)

Activities in Mostar 25.2.2023

8:00am - Breakfast 

9:00am - Purchase food for delivery 

11:00pm - Deliver Food 

2:00pm -  Lunch

3:00 pm - Free time at the market

7:00pm - Dinner in Mostar

9:00pm - Rustic Ties and Bed Time 

Overnight, Mostar 

(Day 7)

Activities in Mostar 26.2.2023

8:00am - Breakfast 

9:00 am - Head to Jablanica

12:00pm -  Lunch in Jablanica

2:00pm - Sarajevo walking tour/museum visit and churches/mosque visit

6:00pm - Dinner Cevapi and hotel check in 

9:00pm - Bedtime

(Day 8)

Depart Sarajevo 27.2.2023

6:00am - Departure 

Capstone Presentations 2021

 Below are the Presentations and Essays from the Class of 2021:

L. Daniels-Diehl        Presentation          Essay

J. Ganshaw                Presentation          Essay

A. Hinesley                Presentation          Essay

K. Megnia                  Presentation          Essay

A. Pillbury                 Presentation          Essay

J. Silva                       Presentation          Essay