12 AMERICAN SRBOBRAN • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 Serbian Diaspora Meet U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Serbia by Milos Rastovic lations and yet open to improving and increasing ties between the On January 12, 2016, the Serb SNF lodge activities in the U.S. National Federation (SNF) ini- and Serbia. Everyone agreed it tiated a meeting with Mr. Kyle was productive and informative R. Scott, the new U.S. Ambas- meeting. Participants gifted the sador-Designate to Serbia at books “Serb National Federation the U.S. Department of State in First 100 Years,” “Christian Her- Washington, D.C. After a long itage of Kosovo and Metohija,” pause, the Serbian Diaspora in “Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity” the U.S. activated their efforts to by David J. Kent, and “The Immi- improve the relationship between grant – The Judge Fisher Story” the U.S. and Serbia. by Aleksandar Slavkovic to Mr. Scott. On behalf of the Serb Na- Present at the meeting were tional Federation, representatives representatives of the Serb Na- of the SNF gifted two books “Serb tional Federation John Martich, National Federation First 100 President, Dane A. Medich, 1st Years” to the U.S. Department of Vice President, Gregory Volitich, State. Treasurer, Cheryl M. Leydig, Of- fce Manager, Milos Rastovic, Mr. Scott was recently working Cultural Outreach Coordinator, at the German Marshall Fund in Vanessa Rastovic, Lawyer, Ni- Washington, D.C. since 2014. He kola Lonchar, President of the is a member of the U.S. Foreign Tesla Science Foundation, Phil- Service for 35 years. As an expert adelphia, PA, and Obrad Kesic, for Eastern Europe and Russia, Co-founder and Member of the he served in different positions National Democratic Ethnic Coor- with the U.S. Department of State dinating Council (NDECC)-Serbi- in Hungary, Russia, Israel, Cro- an Community, Washington, D.C. atia and the U.S. Mission to the Also present were Ms. Meghan United Nations (UN) and at the Of- Bradley, Senior Serbia Desk Offcer at the U.S. Department of State and Ms. Nikolina fce of the Organization for Security Cooperation (OSCE). He earned his Bachelor’s Kulidzan, Serbia Desk Offcer (TDY) at the U.S. Department of State. Degree at Arizona State University, and he speaks Serbo-Croatian, Russian, Italian, Hungarian, Hebrew, German and French. 1 Mr. Scott welcomed everyone and all present representatives of the Serbian Diaspora introduced themselves. Participants stressed the importance of improving political, Photo credit: the SNF economic, and cultural relationships between two countries. Mr. Scott was interested to hear about the work and activities of American-Serbian organizations, their coop- Picture from left to right: John Martich, Cheryl Leydig, Milos Rastovic, eration with Serbia, and the position and infuence of the Serbian Diaspora to Serbia. Nikolina Kulidzan, Gregory Volitich, Vanessa Rastovic, Nikola Lonchar, The new Ambassador-Designate was interested in improving cultural and athletic re- Dane Medich, and Obrad Kesic.

1 U.S. Department of State Diplomacy in Action: http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/coc/2015/247210.htm

SRBO ON THE ROAD

MARTI KASOVAC IN ARMENIA with an Armenian teacher which she says has been Email is a wonderful thing. Back in the 1960s very interesting and “so when the Peace Corps was a romantic dream far pretty rewarding.” for many Baby Boomer, volunteers would have been cut off from their families for Her “kids” sent her a months at a time. Today’s technology doesn’t package for Christmas make the sacrifce any smaller, but it makes it which she received some- easier for some. time in February. In it was a copy of the American Srbobran We heard from Marti Kasovac of Phoenix, along with a note from them saying Arizona, who is currently in Getashen, in the they thought they had seen something about State of Armivir, Armenia. taking a photo with the paper when on the road. And so, we received these grat photos “When my husband Mitch died almost three of Marti in front of a road sign announcing the years ago, I decided to do something I had town. always wanted to do - join the Peace Corps. He would always say, that his idea of roughing Marti also has a blog with more about her it was a Holiday Inn,” she joked. But, with her assignment, and she welcomes everyone to idea frmly in hand and the frm determination take a peek: www.martisenior.com. to fll what was nearly a lifeline dream, she sought and received the “blessing of all the kids and became a Peace Corps volunteer.” Thinking, as many do, that I work from the Home Offce in Pittsburgh (I live in Indiana Her stay altogether, along with three months and work from wherever I am), Marti added a training, is 27 months. “I have been here six few personal notes to Natalie Wuchench and months and so far still enjoying it,” she wrote others. “I do know Natalie. Give her a hug for from Armenia. me and please tell Natalie to give Chad a hug for me and send my best to Topsy and Joyce. In addition to email, Marti apparently has an- Tell her I can hear Topsy now, ‘That Marti other big advantage over most of the other sure does crazy stuff.’” volunteers. “I live with a family that has an indoor bathroom and I couldn’t be happier. I She signed off: OOO’s Marti Kasovac, Phoe- think the PC staff felt sorry for me when they nix by way of Armenia. chose this family.” In her work there, Marti is co-teaching English --Sandi Radoja