oops!

I swear I am trying to write more blog posts! I swear. I have actually been busy lately and when I get done working with NGOs, or traveling to meet with them, completing surprise presentations, and typing- I just don't feel like more typing.

Also, I seem to have developed a carpal tunnel type problem in my left wrist that becomes aggravated when I do too much typing (when you are maintaining 2 blogs, and kinds working on a third- this is a BIG problem!). So that also decrease my desire to write blogs.

But here are some things you have to look forward too:

Ohrid

Tailor

sobranie, workshop @ EU info center

Daniel's thing

horseback riding

frank discussions


SO stay tuned!

Negotino

Last Thursday, I went to Negotino. It is a small town about an hour and a half southeast of Skopje. The population is about 15,000 according to Wiki. I traveled with 4 other women from the International Women’s Association in Skopje. There is a charity there called Poraka Negotino that the IWA supports. Poraka Negotino  was established in 2003 by a group of parents striving to create a better life for their children with special needs. They service adults however, not children. The state stops supporting special needs individuals when they turn 18.

When we went, they were having a celebration for their anniversary/disability day (? Not really sure, but we were invited). When we entered the Cultural Hall we were greeted with chocolate and a pin with their logo on it. Some of the people who attend Poraka were dressed in traditional gear.  We were then seated in the front row and saw this:

After a few minutes, a bunch of people both volunteers and attendees came out and spoke about the institute and why it is important. Then they morphed into a choir and sang Poraka’s song. They were pretty good.

Then the director came on and spoke about …well I really don’t know, she gave the speech in Macedonian!...but I’m sure it was all “Thank you for coming here today, We are very excited to have you, and we want you to enjoy the show.”

The founder’s daughter than came on and played a song on the violin.

Then there was the play! It was a traditional folk tale from Macedonia. About these two tricksters who go around lying and cheating and get away with it because they are so clever. That is what we got out of the story with some English in the booklet. Don’t know how there is moral in there but….who knows.

Afterwards there was a small cocktail reception where you could buy some of the stuff the attendees made in the Day Center. I bought a Christmas card and a necklace.

Anjie and I had talked about staying later and seeing the sight of Negotino, but since there were only 4 of us in the car, we decided not and just went back with the others!

Also, I figured out how to wear the socks and shoes they have for sale all over the place!

See you around the globe!

Settling into a Routine (kinda)

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, I presented at the second English class at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. It would have been on Wednesday, but Wednesday was declared Tree Day. No really there was a national holiday for a tree. Well technically 2.2 million trees, but still. Apparently back in (a few years ago) the decided to take a day to go plant 2.2 million trees in one day to represent the people of Macedonia. And now they do it about twice a year. We want to participate next spring. So classes were rescheduled to SATURDAY!!!! Icky!

After the class we went out to meet a former Fulbrighter to America, Mira, at this little cozy cafe. Turns out the cafe was reserved, but we decided to go to Ginos. Where we had yummy lunch with dessert and just talked. It was nice. I am going to talk at one of her classes in a few weeks.

I also started volunteering at my NGO. They are a lot of fun, and more will be posted on my research blog.

On Tuesday morning (at 1am) I was supposed to have a TFA meeting, but failed to set my alarm correctly. So instead of waking up 12:30 am, I woke up at 3:54 am. YIKES!!!!! I immediately emailed the person running the meeting profusely apologizing for my unprofessionalness. He emailed me back said he like my dedication for trying to wake up then and that "we would get along". Phew!

On Wednesday, I met with Naum to just chit chat and for him to give me some contacts and suggestions for dealing with cultural differences, since he is from MK originally. It was a great talk! And he helped me understand so much.

Later that day, Daniel (other Fulbrighter in Skopje) is starting a class at the American Corner about American Political Thought that will run about once a week that I decided to sit in on. We actually have homework. lol

Thursday deserves it's own special post, so check back later.

On Saturday, I helped out at the International Women's Association Christmas Bazaar. They raised about 400 Euros to donate to their charities. But they had a craft fair, bake sale, and kids bouncy house area. It was a lot of fun- and I won a free night at Casa la Kola for entering the raffle. Lots of fun expectations ahead!

Then I came over to Tetovo to hang with Jen and go to Ohrid with Vesna. See separate post coming later!

See you around the globe!

Thanksgiving Day- Maceondian style!

Thanksgiving in another country is always interesting. Don’t believe me? Check out my last Thanksgiving abroad! If you really want Turkey it is often hard to find in other countries. It is even harder if you don’t eat turkey but want some delicious Tofurkey! However, with a little work you get some pretty awesome memories.

As stated before, Jen was already here. So when we work up on Thanksgiving morning, we started cooking. Did you know how hard it is to make stuffing by hand? Well, if you had pre-made breadcrumbs it might go a whole lot easier. Or a fork or blunt object to break the bread (as a note, you shouldn’t use your vitamin c tablets- they will break). But you can always have fun with your new apple corer.

Then Angie and Aidan picked us up at about 12. We then got a tour of their house and decided to play some games with Aidan and Eliana. We played matching game that uses two pieces of a plastic animal like memory. As well as snakes and ladders.

 

And did I mention MICROWAVE popcorn?

 

 

We even found the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on live stream via earthcam.com. The kids were super interested!

 

When Lizzie and Justin finally arrived, we immediately sat down for dinner. Yummy yummy dinner!

 

Then Naum came over later and we just sat and talked. Also, Daniel’s landlady and her daughter came up for some dinner.

 

All in all it was a pretty good Thanksgiving. I felt much more connected this time than I have the last few years. I think it was the sense of family that enveloped us as soon as we entered Daniel and Angie’s house. The friendship that they are willing to share with us is amazing. As Jen says- IIE  (the people who run Fulbright) are like a friend dating service- they hook you up and make you tons of friends- all over the world!

SEEU Celebration

On Saturday 11/19, I went to the 10^th anniversary celebration at South East European University . They opened in 2001 as an Albanian based university. They invited lots of important people- the Norwegian Ambassador, US Embassy staff (someone we had never seen), other Ambassadors, etc. (We were prolly on the news, but I didn’t think to turn it on at night to try to see.) After the talking part there was an unveiling of a statue and a huge cocktail party.

When they were talking it was switching between Macedonian, Albanian, English and Latin (yup-Latin, they made a presentation in Latin).  It was fun to try to follow the languages and try to (1) figure out What language they were speaking and (2) what they were then saying. If I lived here longer I would have to learn Albanian. I might try to find a class anyway- hey I have the time! I will have to look into that. Any way- onto the pictures of the event that you would rather see!

Look at all of the "certificates of appriciation" they had to hand out!

A busy week...(technically last week)

Like life normally goes- I have a fairly boring schedule of nothing followed by more nothing. Then SUDDENLY life is crazy and I have so much stuff to do! This week I had a conference with one of my NGOs (Florozon), started Aqua Aerobics, talked at a school for English experience, and had Thanksgiving so far!

Florozon was hosting a workshop about cooperation with the state and NGOs on environmental matters. So I attended one day fully and most of the second day. I met a lot of new people to try to go interview, as well as saw some important people- Deputy Ombudsman of the Environment and so. I was more than likely on the evening news as a crowd shot- but I couldn’t find anything online to show you proof.

On Tuesday, I went to talk to a class about US Science education, then some of the differences between the US and Macedonia. The class was from 12-1:45 usually, and I talked for most of it! My throat was so sore afterwards- but I think the college students enjoyed it. I was able to get some of them talking back a little, but they aren’t so sure about the whole speaking English thing. Jen came with me to the class- she was going to come over on Wed, but she woke up without internet or co-workers or students because it was Albanian Alphabet Day! No you read that correctly. Apparently, they (random people) back in 1908 educated people decided to condense the 6 different versions currently in use plus many sub-dialects and they wanted to have one official alphabet. And now, they celebrate it as a National holiday for Albanians. Even the ethnic Albanians in Macedonia can celebrate it. However- when I asked an Albanian what it was about (before I looked it up to summarize to you all)- and she says that she has no idea, but they celebrate it because they can.

After the class, we went shopping for some Thanksgiving Day fixings. And lunch. Delicious delicious lunch at Gustos. We had rockfort cheese dip with bread, I had veggie lasagna while Jen had calamari pasta. So yummy!

On Wednesday, we went shopping with Anjie and Daniel at the market and Vero for more fixings. And we had to go to Ramstore (again). But we stopped at McDonalds before hand because we had some coupons. We got broccoli cheese nuggets and French fries and soda. Oh and by the way McDonalds has VEGGIE BURGERS over here! Here- in Macedonia- where Macedonians don’t really understand and in the US you can’t get that in the states? WHY McDonalds?? Why?

 Then it was Thanksgiving! (See seperate post)

See you around the globe!

Two Months In, Seven To Go

2 months.

Well technically it hit while we were in Croatia, but this is the first time I have had time to write about the mile marker.

This month flew by. I still haven’t seen as much of MK as I would like. I really need to just start exploring by myself. Make a pact to do like I did in Russia- every (enter day here) I will go some where. It doesn’t matter if it is a museum (there are a few left here in Skopje) or a village or a town.  Just something- this has been my biggest disappointment- not traveling. I mean It is November and I have been here for 2 months and I can count the places I have been besides Skopje ON ONE HAND! That is just terribly wrong. Part of it has been me trying to plan things with other people, and because I like exploring with others, I wait. But I make this promise to myself that I will wait no more. I will go out and explore. And if I have to do it by myself- so be it!

Also, wow- 2 months! The second month was so filled with meetings (some in Skopje, some not) and that trip to Croatia! I was finally able to fill up my research book here with interviews (and am still in the process of getting them all up online). November looked a little bleak for meetings, because I was a bit late in asking to volunteer, and was still wrapping up everything. And then in a few weeks we have Thanksgiving. We are planning a get together of all of the Fulbrights at Daniel & Anje’s house on Thanksgiving. Lizzie and Justin will come up from Bitola, Jen from Tetovo and we will possibly have it at dinner time on Thursday. (I, for one, and personally setting a goal to avoid my last overseas Thanksgiving experience. Don’t remember it? Click here.) The planning personality in me is worried that we HAVE NO PLANS. Nothing, no food ideas, no time, no official date, nothing. And Thanksgiving is, oh, next week! But, calm breath, it will be ok. Everything will work out. We’ve just all really adapted to the Balkan mentality- it’s part of the culture.

I have nothing new to add to my list of complaints- and I still love it here! I do wish it was easier to meet people and make friends. It is really difficult when you have no real institutional support or built in group of people to hang out with. I have no real co-workers. I have no real location that I can meet people near to my age. I’ve never actually been to a place like that. In high school or college, I had classes and orientation.

I have some plans coming up on exercise (I’ve tried to start walking more). Hopefully a presentation at the American Corner- we will see, still need to talk with others about this. I might have found a MK language class, we will see if she gets more students. But it is a great deal and really good price! And she was super nice!

And now there is only 7 months left until I go home. I can’t say I am anxiously awaiting either leaving MK or returning to home. I will be glad to get back to the US, but will be sad to leave MK behind. I also feel like I have so much to do to make my time worth while here. To put the tax payer dollars to work.

It is interesting to note that I feel I have barely gotten started here in MK, that I have so much left to do and my stay is 22% over. These dates are a big shocker.