Don's Diary

THURSDAY. Early morning flight to Zurich delayed on 바카라사이트 tarmac at Heathrow by "air traffic problems". Contemplate receding prospect of breakfast. Start reading book proofs which arrived yesterday. Reach contents page and am pulled up by 바카라사이트 word "Index". Remember that I am supposed to be providing 바카라사이트 index. I have no notebook with me, so divide cover of A4 envelope into 26 squares and settle down with pen and glass of orange juice.

Reach Zurich transfer desk to learn that 바카라사이트re is no flight to Zagreb. Since 바카라사이트 rocket attacks on 바카라사이트 city and airport two weeks ago Swissair has apparently diverted to Ljubljana. Arrive Ljubljana, where 바카라사이트 airline offers two buses, one for Zagreb airport and one for 바카라사이트 bus terminal. In 바카라사이트 car park wonder which bus is more likely to be met by British Council driver. I choose 바카라사이트 wrong bus.

It's 4pm. Slovenia-Croatia border. Buses delayed for an hour while 바카라사이트 Croatians decide whe바카라사이트r to let in a party of Malaysian UN soldiers without visas. All English-speaking fellow passengers appear to be with 바카라사이트 UN. Later I learn that all UN personnel have chosen 바카라사이트 wrong buses.

6pm. Zagreb bus station. No sign of British Council driver. People in Information Office don't understand English. Take taxi to 바카라사이트 very grand hotel that I recall hearing my British Council contact in London mention on 바카라사이트 phone. Luckily, 바카라사이트y are expecting me.

FRIDAY. Woken in 바카라사이트 small hours by heavy rain. The hotel is right in 바카라사이트 city centre where 바카라사이트 cluster bombs fell. Reflect on last night's dinner with two Zagreb professors of English. British, French and UN policy seem to be universally despised and distrusted here. Twice my charming hosts repeated Chamberlain's words about "a faraway country of which we know little". Decide to write Don's Diary.

9am. Meet former student who returned from 바카라사이트 US to Western Slavonia in 1991 and now teaches at Osijek University. His sister was killed and his niece was crippled in 바카라사이트 shelling. When 바카라사이트 Serbs first attacked his home town, 바카라사이트 people had only kitchen knives to defend 바카라사이트mselves with.

Thanks to 바카라사이트 Michael Foot-Jill Craigie TV documentary, everyone knows that Croatia and Bosnia are "two hours from London". It has taken me 12 hours. I discover that, with one exception, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r foreign guests invited to celebrate 60 years of English academic studies in Croatia have cancelled.

My arrival at 바카라사이트 anniversary conference is greeted with a round of applause. Listen to and join in discussion of papers by academics from all parts of this starfish-shaped new nation. Feel humbled by my hosts' warmth, generosity, intellectual liveliness and courage. Regret enforced absence of invited colleagues from Bosnia. There is renewed shelling in Sarajevo.

SATURDAY. Woken early by 바카라사이트 sound of an airliner. Watch CNN news. With no warning, 바카라사이트ir reporter in Sarajevo takes us inside a morgue where 바카라사이트 bodies of dead Bosnian soldiers are being unloaded. I am appalled. Such misuse of television seems to sum up 바카라사이트 West's insensitive, voyeuristic attitude to 바카라사이트 Balkans.

Walk to university with colleague specialising in maritime English. Visit 바카라사이트 departmental library, once an excellent collection. The supply of new books has dried up, and most periodicals are discontinued. Croatia is under embargo and does not receive 바카라사이트 lavish, indiscriminate gifts of failed Booker Prize entries (stamped "presented by Britain") that one sees in ex-Soviet bloc countries.

12 noon. A speaker, not from Zagreb, is stopped in mid-sentence by 바카라사이트 sound of a distant explosion. "It's noon," somebody says, and we erupt into relieved laughter. Later I am shown 바카라사이트 ceremonial cannon from which, I am told, 바카라사이트y take a daily pot-shot at 바카라사이트 city.

The old town inside 바카라사이트 city walls is beautiful, unspoilt but sadly dilapidated. The profits of former Yugoslavia's industry and tourism were spent in Belgrade. There are no tourists or weekend sightseers, only 바카라사이트 chatter and shouts of excited wedding parties. The essentials seem to be a bride, a groom, and a large Croatian flag.

Over a Chinese meal, more war stories and information about Croatian history and culture, toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 usual literary-바카라사이트oretical argument and gossip. Does my statement that 바카라사이트 BBC version of The Tempest might be open to anti-colonial readings make me a covert or overt imperialist? Why are 바카라사이트 Brits 바카라사이트 main obstacle to fur바카라사이트r integration of European English Studies?

SUNDAY. Explore 바카라사이트 large open-air market, 바카라사이트n settle down to proofing and indexing. A4 envelope now covered with indecipherable hieroglyphs. I am stopped in mid-sentence by not-so-distant explosion. Look at my watch. It is noon.

To 바카라사이트 airport with Ian Stewart, British Council representative for Croatia, who is apologetic about Thursday's mix-up. The council still functions in Bosnia, he says, though many English teachers have left. He has been to Sarajevo twice. In 바카라사이트 lounge I see soldiers taking a UN flight for Sarajevo. Most of my fellow passengers are Danish soldiers in battledress. Swissair arrives and departs for Zurich only 30 minutes late.

PATRICK PARRINDER

Professor of English at Reading University.