Kornati is a wild and desolate place. The first time I went there was in 2014, eleven years ago. I was with father and I stayed for three days. Aside from him, who I had just met briefly, I didn’t know anyone, I was alone. Around me was a landscape that was so foreign, devoid of trees with sharp rocks, sugar drop islands as if I was not even on this planet. I remember feeling isolated. There were people around, of course, but this feeling that they were the only people and that added to this sense of expanse. It also meant that our conversations were more meaningful and the bonds that I made with the Skracic family were stronger to me because of that.
This year’s theme for the Kornati Adventure has been friendship. I have always felt that Kornati is a good place to contemplate things. The wildness of Kornati, that aloneness, gives a good place to explore connectedness and friendship. For the students, the idea of friendship is a real one. They have their group, from their home, and their leaders too. Coming to a new place in a new country can be difficult, scary, and sharing in that experience builds bonds, trust, and a sense of camaraderie that you would not find in a normal routine.
Another element of this expanding connection is that the students come from different countries. Counties that have been at war. The good thing for us is that we have been doing this awhile. For AMI, The first peace building trip was in 2016. Over the years we have made many friends. When the kids showed up as we were preparing to go on the boats, this was clear. I have known many of these students and leaders for years. The smiles and greetings were refreshing as the students got out of the van. The new students held back as the other ran up to say hello.
This year’s trip had students from Split Home for Children Maestral and Rada Vranješević Home for Children in Banja Luka, Republic Srpska. To set up a trip for kids whose counties had been in war is not such a difficult place to contemplate friendship, but wondering how the students will get along is always worth consideration. The question is often asked “do they speak the same language?” The answer I give is a bit puzzling as the languages are different- Croatian and Serbian, but the words are the same. Each country claimed the language for their own after the war and is no longer Serbo-Croatian but Serbian and Croatian. Lucky for us the students not only know me, but the kids and instructors from the other home as well. The bonds of friendship had been honed year after year in expeditions and adventures all around Croatia.
In our first circle, as is customary to start our programs, you could see the smiles peeking out as the students recognized each other from last year’s trip. The new students who were wondering how to act, took cues from their fellow group members and any tension was lost in that first meeting. Also the educators from the home were thrilled to see one another. Dijana (DEE-ana) from Banja Luka and Kristina, Kike (KEY-kay) from split had met last year. Dijana was a veteran of more than five programs going back to the first Peace River Odyssey in 2016. They were thrilled and the excitement and anticipation was evident.
The week before the trip my son broke his arm going down the slide at the playground.
Feeling a bit sad after the first day with the cast he asked,
“Who was your best friend?”
I said “Jeremy, my friend from high school.”
We did everything together, climbing adventures, backpacking trips, anything exciting.
“Can we call him?”
“Sure,” I said.
When he got on the phone, Liam asked “what time is there?”
“Its eight o’clock” he said
But it was eight in Croatia. “Wait, where are you?”
Jeremy is an artist, a sculptor working in metal. Last I knew he was in New York making big pieces, like the ones you see at the airport or in a park. He had gotten a four year artist visa and moved him and his family to Paris. After a brief explanation of what we were doing I asked if he wanted to come. He bought a ticket to Croatia later that day. Later on the trip Jeremy described our friendship. “We are very different but we both like doing crazy stuff”
Friendship is like that. When you have a good friend you don’t need to think about details. You can trust that you know the person and through your experience you will know what to expect. Jeremy knew it would be an adventure. As old friends I know that was one thing he was sure of.
We also had new friends, for many students it was their first time on expedition. You could tell some kids were wondering what was going on. We loaded gear onto Franki’s fishing trawler that would be our support vessel and then met our newest old friend Vinka. Vinka is an original boat from the island of Vis built in 1937 whose design dates back to the 17th century. Some of the students had worked on her in her various states of repair and now she was done and ready to sail. While the new students looked at each other wondering what surprises were going to come next.
Then the clouds rolled in. As with any adventure a bit of adversity brings the best out in people. The thunderstorm lasted just long enough to get us all wet. As we took shelter in the little library near the center. I had a chance to share with them the plan. We will sail to a remote island in the Kornati National Park. Camp, swim and sail. Learn about agriculture, fishing and hike to the tops of mountains, and sleep in the open air on the beach. Just a normal summer camp.
Another thing that made it more challenging than a normal summer camp was that all the food, water and supplies for the week had to be brought to the island. We had almost 400 liters of water. I will tell you that water is heavy.
Franki’s fishing boat was a bit faster than Vinka and they arrived about a half hour before us. The island of Levrnaka is small with one bay on the inside and another on the open sea side. The camp was near the open sea and everything had to be carried over the top of the hill to the other side. There was so much gear, food and water, but the students were running up and down the steep walkway shuttling gear to the camp.
“This is not as bad as last year” a veteran student said to a kid who was carrying a large jug of water. This was one thing that surprised me. The returning students set such a great example that the new student went right into it and before Vinka was tried up more than half of the camp was already in place.
The rest of the week I was also surprised by such great attitudes. In years past, I had had students refuse to get out of the tent, help with dishes, or walk and take off their shoes high on a mountain trail. This year was weird. They were all doing excellent and helping every way they could.
It seemed like everything was perfect. Then, Lovro, my friend and instructor called me and told me he could not come. This was a shock. What should I do? He was going to do the agriculture section. In year’s past year we herded sheep, cut the sage grass for oils and gone fishing. What would I do without him?
Sometimes friendship is complicated. The important thing is how to react to these situations. “Of course I understand,” I told him. It would be hard for us without him but we would be ok. We scramble and come up with new activities. Jeremy would wire a new pump and lights for Vinka doing a whole section on electronics. We had fins and masks for diving in the bay and Franki, who is Lovro’s brother inlaw, came with his fishing boat and brought fish for a big barbeque.
On the last day, it was always customary to climb the mountain behind Lovro’s house on the other island for sunset. Without him we decided to climb to the highest point on Levrnaka, the island where we were staying. The sunset was brilliant, the kids were having a great time, then my phone rang. It was Lovro, he had finished his work and was in the bay down below. My immediate reaction was to get the group and run down to say hi. We missed him. Then I realized this would ruin the moment, we made it through the week and are stronger because of it. We were having a great time and it would be a shame to cut short the beauty that was unfolding in the crimson sky before us. We wished him the best over the phone and the student said they hope to see him next year.
This is friendship. It is not always flat and easy. It has its ups and downs, time and distance, each experience brings richness. One day we were talking about forgiveness in the circle. Jeremy shared that he dropped me on a climb when we were on a cliff in the Adirondack Mountains in NY. The first pitch was easy. He was messing with the rope. I was climbing fast. I fell. The rope didn’t catch me. I bounced down several ledges and arrived at the base next to our backpacks. I got up, luckily unscathed. We finished the climb.The students were amazed. It is a fabulous story, but for a friendship it is something Jeremy had thought about. Sometimes friends let you down, but life is better when you go on together.