I do need to keep mentioning this: I'm not pining for Belgrade or Sarajevo or Cluj, or Pirin, or aywhere else on political grounds. In Belgrade, I know that I can get a cheap balcony ticket to the JDP and then head back to a small studio somewhere and write a long critical piece. In Sarajevo, I know that I can go for a morning run to the Yellow Fortress (again from humble digs), and then sit on the cafe on top of the good supermarket with some kefir for a couple of hours and work through some philosophy. Etc. etc.
Over this last winter, a very difficult time,. I've come to understand the present nature of my country, and why precisely it is that there's no room for me to do my work here. Being one of hundreds of millions, saving the Republic isn't within my power. It is within my power to do the work that I'm trying to do, and for that, I'm going to need some space from these folks.
We are responsible to the work that we are supposed to accomplish.