No-one in Croatia is surprised when I tell them that someone holding an important political position in the country is not responding to my mail, as was regularly the case in America or Britain, where I had spent most of my life. Total and complete silence is perfectly normal here. If I express surprise at this silence, let alone indignation, I get the standard argument about communication with those on high: “Do you think such a person has the time necessary to respond to all the mail?” This is supposed to bring the matter to a close, as though someone holding an important political position in America or Britain has more time to respond to mail than someone of equal political standing in Croatia. Anyhow, I have received precious few responses to my mail addressed to Croatian politicians. The loftier their positions, the fewer their responses, too. Predictably, the presidents and prime ministers are the pits, at least in my own experience. At the moment, I am waiting to hear from the president of Croatia, who should be interested in what I have to say, but I am starting to wonder about my expectations. Perhaps I do not understand where I live now. This is neither America nor Britain. This is Croatia, after all. Come to think of it, perhaps the president does not have the time necessary to respond to my mail.