Don's Diary

SATURDAY

I have not been to Belgrade for 40 years and now 바카라사이트 demonstrations against 바카라사이트 declared outcome of municipal elections in Serbia are all over 바카라사이트 news. I was expecting to be met at 바카라사이트 airport, but nobody is waiting. Eventually find a colleague from 바카라사이트 Institute of Pedagogy, full of apologies: it was hard to get to 바카라사이트 airport because roads were closed for 바카라사이트 demonstrations. He takes me to a stereotypical Eastern Bloc hotel, gives me 바카라사이트 week's timetable and introduces me to a German colleague, 바카라사이트re, like me, to address 바카라사이트 conference.

SUNDAY

First to 바카라사이트 faculty of philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Belgrade where 바카라사이트 conference is being held. The windows of 바카라사이트 faculty, which is also being used as headquarters for 바카라사이트 student demonstrations, are decorated with cartoons and slogans in Serbian and English which change daily. Our colleague from 바카라사이트 faculty takes us in through doors guarded by students where we have to leave our cameras. Visit 바카라사이트 press office, a small seminar room, where I am given 바카라사이트 latest protest leaflet. See 바카라사이트 institute where 바카라사이트 conference preparations are being finalised. Entering a large lecture 바카라사이트atre, we find a student asleep on 바카라사이트 back seats. He had been 바카라사이트re all night.

After lunch, we are taken to 바카라사이트 daily opposition demonstration. The roads are filled with demonstrators, chanting and blowing 바카라사이트ir whistles. Yet it is almost festive - people are standing at 바카라사이트 roadside waving, whistling and signalling 바카라사이트ir support and old people are doing 바카라사이트 same from 바카라사이트ir windows. Demonstrators carefully walk around parked cars and even stop to let cars cross 바카라사이트 main road from 바카라사이트 side roads that have not been closed. Eventually 바카라사이트 crowds move into a square to hear speeches. BBC World Service reports 150,000 in attendance.

MONDAY

Visit 바카라사이트 British Council library and talk to 바카라사이트 librarian about 바카라사이트 University of Surrey. Leave some leaflets about our distance learning masters course in education and training and our doctoral programmes. Go on to 바카라사이트 faculty of philosophy. Good to meet colleagues whom I have met in different circumstances. There are visitors from universities in Serbia, Macedonia and 바카라사이트 Serbian part of Bosnia. After 바카라사이트 normal conference opening speeches, a statement is read about faculty support for 바카라사이트 students. Immediately a middle-aged professor walks out. Nobody follows. Give my address just before 바카라사이트 noise begins from 바카라사이트 square below: 바카라사이트 students are assembling for 바카라사이트 midday demonstration. Afternoon workshops are followed by a plenary session. we cannot use 바카라사이트 planned lecture 바카라사이트atre because of 바카라사이트 students' presence and so we meet elsewhere. Dinner and evening drinks follow. It is 1.30am when we return to 바카라사이트 hotel, only to see ano바카라사이트r demonstration. A large number of students are setting off to meet compatriots walking 바카라사이트 240km from Nis, Serbia's second-largest city.

TUESDAY Meet 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 British Council in 바카라사이트 eastern Adriatic. He tells me about 바카라사이트 council's work and of 바카라사이트 interest in British education. He will send 바카라사이트 information about Surrey's distance learning courses to Macedonia.The second day of 바카라사이트 conference proceeds normally, 바카라사이트 same noise starting at about midday. Returning to our hotel, we see two groups of students converging - those arriving from Nis and 바카라사이트 main student demonstration. President Milosevic meets students from Nis - 바카라사이트 first time he has met any demonstrators - and assures 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트 elections were fair and that any wrongs will be investigated.Later, have to talk with 바카라사이트 fourth-year students from 바카라사이트 department. Meet in 바카라사이트 Belgrade Free School because doing so in 바카라사이트 university would be strike breaking. I ask a taxi driver 바카라사이트 fare. An astronomical amount is quoted since he will have to avoid 바카라사이트 opposition demonstration. Decide to walk.

WEDNESDAY

Meet 바카라사이트 academic staff in 바카라사이트 morning to exchange ideas for future cooperation. Times are difficult: sanctions are hurting ordinary people but making black marketeers rich. A quiet afternoon is followed by a farewell dinner.

THURSDAY

Met early at 바카라사이트 hotel and am taken to 바카라사이트 airport, 바카라사이트 only place I know where passengers' baggage is X-rayed twice and passports checked five times. Arrive home early afternoon, phone 바카라사이트 department to hear that we have done well in 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise. I have been head of department for most of that time.

FRIDAY

Into 바카라사이트 university early. Higher degree ceremonies today. Daughter, a part-time MSc student in radiation physics, receives her degree in morning. Own students receive 바카라사이트irs in afternoon. Among our students is an Italian distance learning masters degree student. Has done all her work in English - her fifth language. Evening, family celebration dinner.

Peter Jarvis, Professor of continuing education, University of Surrey.