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CITIZEN OF PODGORICA BORN IN NIKŠIĆ DAMJAN SREDANOVIĆ IN AMERICA: A basketball player and future economist
The family of Damjan Sredanović has origins in Nikšić. In this city under Trebjesa, our interviewee has finished the first grade of Elementary school and later moved to Podgorica. In the interview for MNE magazin he therefore says that he presents himself as ,,citizen of Podgorica born in Nikšić”.
– After I had moved to Podgorica for business obligations of my parents and after short adjustment to the surroundings and the famous accent, I became ,,Podgorica's child” – says Damjan.
In Podgorica, he graduated from Elementary school ,,Pavle Rovinski”, where he spent the most careless days of his childhood. He says that his teachers Ljiljana Ćorac and Miodrag Dile Jovanović installed in him the importance of doing best in the classroom and on the sports field.
– Their support, alongside guidance of my closest family, created the foundation for student and sports life that I live now – said Damjan.
Struggle
Today he lives in America. He had been there for six years now. Damjan says that only a small number of his countrymen decided to go down that life path, but he was sure that the parallel schooling and sports (basketball) improvement, on high level, will pay off eventually. So they did.
– Attending the Gymnasium in Podgorica, where I completed the first three grades, I was also a member of the youth team of the basketball club Budućnost, as well as the youth national team of Montenegro. Because of everyday ,,juggling” between sports and school obligations, as well as the imperative that education is in the first place, I decided to go ,,across the pond” for the final year of high school studies – he recalls.
While he was in Montenegro, he became a state champion in junior team with Budućnost. The combination of sports and education led him to the United States where he got the high school diploma at the distinguished private international Wasatch Academy.
– I was a prominent member of their basketball team which has brought me a full scholarship. This year, the goal was to prove myself at the sports field and earn athletic scholarship and free education at one of the universities. I managed to do so and settled myself down at Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania after the first year spent at Wayne State College in Nebraska – he says.
Damjan is at the final year of studies – Business and marketing. His GPA is 3.63 out of a maximum of four, that was translated by our Ministry of education into an average 9.50. He will graduate in May next year and says that this event marks the end of his American six-year epoch.
– But it does leave me at the crossroads and uncertain whether to go back to homeland and start with new adjustments or stay in America and completely distance myself from the roots. At the same time, I am not sure if I wish to continue academic training, start searching for a job or stay in the world of basketball. One thing is sure though, parallel sports and academic training has given me huge life experience and left me with quite a good number of options after I graduate – he says.
He adds that all this, what is most important, will help him to fulfill the wish of his parents and be in a position to depend solely on himself and his work, in any sphere of life.
Days are passing by until his graduation, and Damjan analyses for our online news agency how hard it was for him to cope when he left Montenegro. He says that it was funny how he found himself at the state of ,,shock” for the first ten days upon arrival. He used, he explains, mimicry in talking to people.
– During school days in Montenegro I boasted with my knowledge of English language – he says, with a smile.
Upon arrival to high school, he recalls, students were placed in the campus and everyday communication helped him speak fluent English in a very short period of time.
– I would like to say that family Jagnjić from Pennsylvania had greatly eased the cultural barrier and the transition from high school to faculty to me – he said.
He does not forget to mention his head coach Tony Morocco who, although he is 70 years old, is extremely vital and dedicated to basketball and he helped him a lot in a social life outside the court as well.
Basketball and American system had allowed him to visit the prestigious West Palm Beach, Las Vegas, Washington, Cincinnati, as well as the states of Florida, Nevada, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Nebraska, and to compare people and culture between the neighboring countries. He says that life in America is faster, people are less burdened with surroundings, focusing on their needs and that result is the only measure of success.
– Now, after six years of living in America, and constant ,,bombing” with movies, music and sports, friends from the university joke that I am fully ,,americanized “, which I am not so proud of, but I am aware that it is the price of the decision I made upon arriving to a foreign land – he says.
Danilo, parents…
As time goes by, he misses Montenegro more and more. When he says ,,Montenegro”, he thinks of his brother Danilo, his parents, close friends, Podgorica, seaside and our ,,easy” way of life.
– Not to forget, our slim Montenegrin women – he adds, with a smile.
Damjan told us that many Americans do not know where Montenegro is situated, but those who do are thrilled with the wild nature at the south of our state. They particularly like Canyon of Tara as well as the kilometers long Velika plaža.
– Also, after recounting my experiences they were intrigued to feel the charm of our nightlife. It is interesting that the history professor at my university, Dr. John Spurlock spent a certain period of time at the Faculty of Philosophy at Nikšić. He pointed out that he liked the hospitality of our people most, which he did not expect upon arrival – says Damjan.
He told us how he spends his days. Depending on the time of year, classes and basketball season, he gets up very early, because his training begins at 6.30 a.m. After the training, he attends classes from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m, with the lunch break.
– In the afternoon I do individual work in the sports hall until 6 p.m, that is when dinner starts. The rest of the day I spend learning and resting and, if I find the time, socializing with teammates and friends. After the end of the basketball season, this schedule becomes rarer and therefore there is more space for socializing and doing secondary activities – says Damjan.
He believes that precisely the possibility of sports and extracurricular activities is one of the main advantages of the US education system, not only in comparison with Montenegro, but also with the countries of the world. From this, he says, derives the term ,,student-athlete” which explains the emphasis that is put on the system so that their athletes will get ready to replace basket, soccer or tennis ball with computer and office and be prepared to resume life after sport.
– In America, basketball at the faculty level is only an amateur sport although its training is done by professional program – says our interviewee.
N.Đ.
