i harboured a secret evil thought, on the way to work, about the bus getting held up in the awful tunnel that runs beneath the heart of downtown. apparently i have more mental vigour than i'd given myself credit for—or, more likely, the probabilities were highly on the side of my depraved brain—because, sure enough, the bus broke down right there in the middle of fumes, through which one must hack with a crowbar, and four lanes of traffic. the driver continued to rev the engine about 23089561 further times, although it was apparent from the sputtering that this would only make the crowbarrage even more unpleasant when we, soon enough, all piled off the bus and trekked along the side of the road to the next stop. several buses went past, without seeming to notice the obvious misfortune which had happened at the hands of one of their own, without making even a conciliatory gesture.

this is why i need to factor in one hour for commuting. i fear it will all only get worse.

stayed all day at NB because i was supposed to meet with Snežana in the morning, but she didn't show up until the afternoon. it feels a bit like i am overstepping myself, but i told them that i'd not be coming in tomorrow morning. if i don't carve out time for myself and the things i need to do besides being at NB, the "oh, antje, will you please just do _______" might become a problem.

went to the market to get vegetables after work. i have exactly the attitude needed at such places, but am sort of lacking in actual words. then i think about it, with some little guilt, about how everything is so cheap that i probably oughtn't be arguing over 2 dinar anyway. it's just the principle—not of amounts and prices lining up, but of "ja sam stranac, ali nisam glupa." indeed, i am a foreigner, but i'm not—well, maybe i am a little—stupid....