Over the past three weeks of my research, I have send out over 80 mails to friends, experts, organisations and institutions that are in any way related with my topic. My fingers are sore from typing, but my enthusiasm is affected by the number of replays, which reaches 20, mostly from friends or pre – recommended persons. It looks like people are either uncooperative, or busy or, the most frequent excuse – on vacation.

Yes, true, it is summer, it is hot and the beach is a more preferred destination then the office, but criminals work even in the summer time, people travel illegally and get trafficked even under the burning UV 9 factor.

I was really surprised when I wrote a prominent German State institution and I got the answer that: 1. They are not covering the area I am interested in (OK, I must have gone astray); 2. If I want a statement anyway, it would be difficult to meet with their representatives, since in July people are usually on vacation.(?!)

Wait, Germans take vacations??

I thought it was only down at the Balkans that all institutions have a moratorium on work during the summer… Well, well, it seems that instead of bringing European habits to the Balkans, we are exporting Balkan habits to Europe.

Or, maybe we just have completely wrong perceptions of the West?