Decade(nce)

10 years ago In the first week of February I met Mirko when we started our postgraduate studies in International Communications at Macquarie Uni. The Ass. Dean and faculty were still finding their way through the new degree and it made for some very frustrating times. Yet it turned out to to be a memorable year, one that I'm still paying for with a uni debt that won't go away.

Our cohort was made up of students from all over the world. Mirko and I were 2 of the 5 local students out of a batch of 60. The academic learning was mostly self directed. The social and cultural exchanges were global, enriching, full of warmth, reciprocal and dynamic.

Today Mirko and his lovely wife Jelena whose wedding I missed while living in Phnom Penh hosted an intimate gathering and also invited their close friend Kassm. It was a wonder filled, joyful day. We had delicious Serbian rustic food. Layered pastries filled with potatoes, spinach and meat. Capsicum relish and sauerkraut too. And of course the Eastern European rocket fuel, fruit brandy, rakija.
It was a day of celebration. A decade of our friendship, Mirko and Jelena's approaching first anniversary and new meetings.