The Week Between Travel Part 2

I’ve been titling these the posts “The week between” but really they are more like the two weeks and a weekend between travel.  The weeks are standard- work at an NGO, work on new TFA stuff, read, try to get too much done, etc.

On Saturday April 21, Florozon (the NGO I am working with one day a week) along with the US Embassy sponsored a “Keep Vodno Beautiful” preservation hike. Now I had never heard of a preservation hike, but I was all for picking up some trash. This country is literally littered with trash. Almost everywhere you turn there is something there. People just don’t seem to care that much about putting stuff in trash bins. Surprisingly enough Vodno was pretty clean on the path, so there wasn’t a lot to clean up. But if you went off the trail at all it was covered, but off the trail was steep drop offs and thorns and scary looking stuff. I went up with Cecelia (from IWA) to start off the day. There was a really great showing of people, both American and Macedonian.

 The Ambassador and 2^nd in command came out, as (I think) did the Mayor of Skopje. They handed out shirts, hats, gloves, water and apples to people. We, of course, started about 30 minutes later than stated. I got separated from the main group almost right away (I was still with people, just not the main group). When I realized there wasn’t a lot of trash, I just started putting it in other peoples bags so we didn’t make MORE trash for the environment. The Ambassador and a few people got really into it and were so running off into the side of the hills through the brambles and everything. (since I had not been feeling well, and didn’t wear pants that were capable of doing so, I just stayed on the path and tried to find trash to pick up. Then it started raining, I stuck it out for about 30 more minutes before the others who had turned around were coming back and caught up with us. They did collect a lot of trash though! Wow!

two of the three people that I work with at the NGO.

On Sunday, April 22 the American Corner was doing an Earth Day event at the zoo. Since I hadn’t ever been to the zoo here, I decided to go. (This was on my list for a while, so I was super excited to have an excuse to go!) Nevenka had also asked me to take a bunch of pictures for them, because their camera was going to die. (I took over 300 some odd photos, by the way!)

They had it set up so kids could go from continent to continent to learn about the different animal species that were endangered on those continents. Then there was a zoo tour. Then a prize drawing! I went around and looked at a lot of the tables, but since it was all in MK, also wandered around the area and looked at the nearby animals.

like a guina pig exhibit. like at a zoo?

Then they offered a tour of the zoo. I figured I would go on it even though it was in Macedonian because I might understand a bit and would get to see more things at the zoo!

they even had the press there!

 They have some cool animals there, and some famous one. The zoo didn’t used to be in good condition, but they have seriously shaped up over the past few years! But people still like to feed the animals things they shouldn’t- like chips and bad for you stuff. After part of the tour, well most of it, Gordona and I snuck back to meet Nevenka and grab a bite to eat. I din’t think I’ve ever drank a ½ liter of water that fast, I was so thirsty! It was super hot that day and I even got sunburned! When the kids got back, they had the prize drawing with a secret surprise at the end- the last three kids drawn got to go into the lemur cage and feed them!

(and I got to tag along so I could take pictures!) When we first got in there, they weren’t having any of that fruit stuff, so the keep went and got a package of raisons and they went crazy for the raisons. I think we were in there for about 15 minutes or so? Towards the end, as I was taking a picture, I felt this little scampering up my back and froze.

All of a sudden I had a lemur on my shoulder, just chillin’. After the event was over, we went a looked around the rest of the zoo before heading home to just relax. It was a long day!

the scraf was more "too little too late sun protection" than actual cold because it was still really hot!

On Tuesday, April 24, I was invited to go to a mime event by Marissa. Since I had never been to a mime performance, I decided to go. (I mean how many times do you ever get invited to a mime performance?) We met up for dinner at Kaj Marshalot, where I had been wanting to go. It was supposed to be decked out in old communist memorabilia and they were supposed to be dressed as pioneers. (they weren’t and it wasn’t) but the food was still yummy! We ended up having front row seats at the performance and little did I know, that didn’t bode well for me! (or it boded extremely well, it just depends on how you look at it…) Marissa knew the guy who was preforming, he comes from the same small island in Maine that she lived on before joining the State Dept. We saw Avner the Eccentric preform. And he was AMAZING! Oh my gosh, it was so much fun! If he is coming to a town near you, go see him.

So- a mime performance, what exactly is that? Well, I’m sure youtube can help, but, basically they preform wordless comedy. They do tricks, they make a fool of themselves, and they let you relax.  He kept making faces to me, because I happened to be sitting on the aisle and was a girl I think. But it was fun! I even got pulled up on stage once! And there is video to prove it. No pictures though.

After the performance, we hung out at the reception before heading to our respective homes.

On Wednesday, April 25, two fun things happened. I got to give a presentation of my research findings and go drink Macedonian wine! I had been approached by the Center for Research and Policy Making in Skopje to give a talk about my research. It was great! I had a wonderful presentation (click here to see a picture and a short article about it) and great conversation with the participants there. I got to talk about the ways I think the government should be more involved in non-governmental organizations in Macedonia.  I mentioned how more money should be spent, but if they can’t spend more money, they should be more active. The actual politicians should set an example and be more active in organizations that they care about. They will be able to lead by doing, which is so important in a culture that doesn’t seem to really volunteer.

Then it was off to the International women’s Association annual Wine and Cheese tasting event. For 500 MKD (about $10) you could drink all the wine and eat all the cheese from around Macedonia that you wanted! So worth it! Lizzie, Justin, Erin, Aryn and I went over there. We ended up meeting up with Angjie who was working the event and got to enjoy a lot of yummy (and a few not so great) wines. We had a blast and ended up staying until it was over. When we got back to the center, they wanted to grab a bite to eat, so we tried to go find an open place. But those places that say they stay open until one am? Well they close their kitchen at 11pm, go figure jerks. So no food. But sleep!

See you around the globe!

Februrary

I promise I will write stuff on this blog when I am actually doing things. I wish I could be like Jen and tell you about my daily life, but I’m afraid it would get boring. So let me update you about February. (As I type this I realized I did do a bit more than I thought I actually did….funny how that happens!)

I have started working at a wonderful NGO, Macedonia 2025, which is actually using me and letting me be beneficial to their work. I go in once a week and have a great day with Biljana, who works there.

 In February, I didn’t leave the country. I know, shocking, especially after my declaration to travel. I am ashamed at myself actually. I did do a lot in Macedonia.  I hung out with these Canadians who own a company in MK, that I meet thorough Hyun (the embassy worker I met on Christmas Eve). That was a fun week, and they are genuinely nice people. But that week ended with their first annual company party where they invited everyone they knew to come hang out and celebrate.

Then a few weeks later, Chis (one of them) came back to wine and dine a client/friend. And that week we went out every. single. night.  And ate dinner at 9:30 each night. No joke. Welcome to Macedonia. But it was really nice to hang out with them. They are some nice people here in Skopje and they seem to genuinely care about having fun and welcoming new people.

I also went over to Hyun’s one day when he wasn’t there to cook with his housekeeper. He asked her to make all Vegetarian food, and I thought it would be cool to learn some new recipes. She was really nice and we never lagged for conversation the whole day. One of the funniest parts of the day was that he had someone come over and fix his broken front door, and they so thought I was the lady of the house and kept asking me questions and commenting to me about things. It wasn’t until the very end that they figured out I didn’t live there (although “I don’t have a key” should have been a good indicator). Dinner that night was super delicious! We had croquettes, stuffed peppers and potatoes, quiche, stuffed mushrooms, and cous cous salad. So many yummy dishes that I will  be trying to make on my own in a bit.

One weekend in February, I was supposed to go Brussels for a conference. But the airline I was on went bankrupt. Luckily, I found out the week before I was supposed to go, so I didn’t show up at the airport and then find out, but still. I am currently going trough my credit card company to get my money back.  That weekend I went to a one day conference with an NGO Progress about MK and EU integration. It was very interesting and I got to see what one of the main parties here SDSM (the opposition, progressive party) thought about a lot of the different issues. I also picked up a lot of cool literature about the Balkans.

That night (2/11), there was a fundraiser for an animal shelter here in Skopje at the Irish Pub. A bunch of us went to support the cause. They had a live band with “rock.” (Rock here means oldies and classics, by the way not real rock.) It was a bunch of fun a definitely a girls night out. We had an amazing time! And supported a really good cause- there are a lot of homeless dogs around Skopje that need food and love. Everytime I see them, my heart breaks a little because I know I can't save them.

I also went to Tetovo and Stip to present about American Wedding Traditions. It was neat to see Stip, where I had never been. The ride down was very pretty and I had a yummy lunch at a local restaurant. See pictures from Tetovo by clicking here and from Stip by clicking here. And I presented at the Skopje corner as well, see here.

Other than this, in Feb. I was busy meeting new NGOs and working on writing up my research blog.

Oh and it SNOWED! Like a mini- blizzard. And went down to -20C/0 F. Yes, ZERO DEGREES! Let’s just say that was a bit cold. And every single Macedonian disappeared and never went outside. And they didn’t want to go to any American Corner events either. Then in the first nice weekend, suddenly there was an EXPLOSION OF PEOPLE. SO MANY PEOPLE ON THE STREET!!!

See you around the globe!

Exploring Skopje with Mama

On Wednesday we decided to go up to the Millennium Cross where you have amazing views of the city of Skopje. You can catch a city bus for 25 MKD to the top of the mountain. Then there is a cable car that you can take for 110 MKD to the actual top.

However, we missed the first bus up there, so we decided to go to the City Museum right across the street from my apartment. They have a lot of stuff from the timeline of the city- tons of clothing and pictures! There was also a little exhibit of the Culture/History of money and how it was used for decoration. Then it was up to the top of the mountain! The views were incredible!


It was also super cold, and I found out that my boots are not waterproof anymore! We stopped in the little cafe at the top for coffee and tea. I was using the tea to warm up my frozen toes! We then caught the cable car back down the mountain and the caught the conveniently timed city bus back home. We went and grabbed a bite to eat at Aladdin. Falafels and potatoes! So delicious!

We went to the Mother Teresa Museum. It is built in a three part style. The bottom is an open air amphitheater, the second floor is a museum, and the top floor is  church. It is supposed to symbolize the three stages of her life, or something like that. Then we went to have hot chocolate (MK style).

Then it was to the American Corner where she had a presentation about Child Abuse Protection in the US. It went very well. There were a few interested people there. There was a good discussion. I learned a lot about protection in MK. There are a few foster type houses in MK, but not many. There is not a social services type of organization that systematically watches out for children in MK.

ACS-Facebook Photos

After the presentation, Mama, Nevenka and I went out to Plazza de Torres. It has a much more active atmosphere than Anja’s and is usually very very busy. It’s also much louder than Anja’s. Mama and I got a Mozzarella Sandwich and french fries with cheese. (Mama has noted that we eat a lot of cheese here in MK). We stayed there talking for a few hours over a bunch of topics. Finally after a 3 hour dinner, Mama and I went home and went to bed.

See you around the globe!

First Week of December

To show you how far behind I am in posting, I give you dates!

December 3^rd: When I went to leave in the morning, my lovely $80 purse broke. You remember, the one that is supposed to be pickpocket proof? Yea seriously disappointed. But this meant I had to go buy another purse before we went to Ohrid, because I only brought over one purse! Erin had recommended this little shop in the Old Town, so after the IWA Christmas Bazaar, I headed over there. I walked into the store and basically only saw black and white purses. I’m a color girl- I really don’t do just black and white. I’m just not good with looking that depressed. So, I pulled one down that was more white than black, and as I was doing so noticed one with bright (really really small) dots of color and started looking at that one, figuring I would get that over just black and white.  When the guy held up his finger (as in one minute please) went to the window display and pulled out a beautiful blue and white stripped purse! I smiled really big and said “Good, yes!” I don’t remember exactly how much it was, but it was under $10. You might have seen it appear in my Ohrid pictures.

December 5^th: I was supposed to meet with my official affiliation partner today, but they did not show up and it was the final straw. I now claim I am “freelance.” I will just focus on my research and blog and not work with any official institution of education. I will continue to work with Florozon one day a week, because they are AWESOME!!!

 December 6^th: I attended a presentation at the American Corner on “The US Military, Media, and Public Inforamtion: On the Job.” This is how the American Corner summarized it:

American Corner Skopje had the honor to host Lieutenant Jennifer Franco and members of the U.S. European Command's Public Affairs staff on December 6.

LTC Franco talked about her experience working with the media and implementing public information practices in Afghanistan and other operations. She shared with the audience information about media trainings conducted as well her experiences in working both with the American and local journalists.

LTC Franco pointed that during the current election cycle, the biggest question of the U.S. public is “What are we still doing in Afghanistan” which is why it is important to account to the U.S. taxpayer about every single dollar spent there. A good practice for this has been inviting the US media to learn about Afghanistan, in order to provide broader concept and see the changes for themselves. On the other hand, working with the local journalist there are different challenges to be faced. However, the established “Media Center” does provide the journalist with internet access and needed resources.

Present in the audience were also Rebecca M. Wriggle, Deputy Director of Strategic Communication for the United States European Command, John V. Tomassi, Deputy Director for U.S. European Command Public Affairs and Benjamin A. Benson, Strategic Communication Advisor at U.S. European Command’s Strategic Communication Directorate (ECSC). They answered the audiences questions about advice for the Macedonian mission in Afghanistan which does not have a Public Affairs team, EUCOM’s Social Media strategy as well as general questions about the European Command’s operations.

December 7^th: Surprise (well two day notice) presentation to children (turns out to be 8^th grade) at the American Corner on Big Cities in the US. They were super cool and wanted to just learn about the US. I was glad I was able to shuffle my schedule and meet with them.

December 8^th: Stay tuned for a separate post! J

December 9^th: I returned from Tetovo in the morning, and attended the National Assembly with Florozon to see a presentation on Waste Batteries in Macedonia. It was really interesting and I was glad I was able to attend!

 The guy with the purple tie is the Chairman of the Committee on Transport, Communications and Environment

Kiril (NGO Florozon) supporting the campaign.

Then I rushed off to attend a workshop on the “Impact of Volunteering on Community Development” hosted by an NGO I was to interview the following week. It was really interesting and informative. More info will later be found on my research blog (much later unfortunately…I stink at updating stuff.)

Later that night, Lizzie, Justin, Jen, and Mary (Kosovo Fulbright English Teacher) arrived and we attended Daniel’s club at the American Corner; stay tuned for a separate post.

December 10^th: Once again, stay tuned. Don’t ya love how I don’t even give you any hints?

ok fine-- ONE hint!

Busy Busy Wednesday

On Wednesday I had to be back in Skopje to meet with the cop who would be registering me until we got our lechna kartas (residency cards allowing us to stay longer than 90 days out of 180 days). Turns out we got them the next day.

Then I rushed over to the International Women’s Association meeting to hear about upcoming events. Lots of cool things coming up, that I will tell you about when I go to them. I decided I wanted to go out to lunch with the IWA girls, just to try to help create those relationships better. We went to this little restaurant that you wouldn’t know was there, unless you knew it was there. They were kinda expensive, but good if you were looking for different foods-mostly meat, but I decided to get pizza.

After lunch I stopped at the Institute to discuss my options for continuing to work with them. We agreed that I should not take classes, but I could get all of the materials and if I needed to, try to find the professors and talk with them about the material. Better than most options they give me, and more support than they have ever offered. I even got one set of material right then that they had from last year. I stayed there until they shut down at 4pm (I know- weird hours) and went to the American Corner for Conversation Hour and to continue working on my research. But I failed at that, I just read a book to relax.

Conversation hour was the best I had. People actually talked without prompting! There had been a suggestion about survival games- like if you were in a plane crash in Northern Canada in the winter, how would you survive with only what you had in the cabin of the plane? We did discuss this! We would have survived pretty decently according to the survival expert that provided grades for it. Did you know that cigarette lighters produce sparks even without liquid? We used this site if you want to try your survival skills.

Afterwards, Nevenka and I went to hot chocolate and this cool little place with Daniel. I got this delicious “Twin” hot chocolate with dark and white chocolate with whipped cream.

Then I was invited out by a friend of a friend who lives here in Skopje- Alexandra. She and her friends were going out for a drink at this English Pub. I grabbed a yummy sandwich and varneo vino. We talked for about 2 hours before I needed to head home for an early morning bus for research.

Halloween Weekend

Was rather boring for me because I got sick. As in, waking up on Friday to get ready to go to my meeting and could barely get dressed sick. Obviously I cancelled my meeting, and went back to bed.
And that is about all I did this weekend: sleep and try to recover because I am going to Croatia on Wednesday and wanted to be better.

Finally woke up rested on Monday, only to find the sinus junk had moved to a coughing junk, but still manageable. Will continue pushing vitamin C and zine (4,000mg vitamin C and 50mg of zinc per day when you feel a cold coming on, and the continue. This is to boost your immune system, thanks to a Dr's recipe!).

I had a meeting with another NGO, National Council for Gender Equality, at 1pm. They were nice, but super rushed!
The American Corner Halloween party was actually on Halloween! I helped out by reading stories to the children and trying not to get other people sick. I thought that it would be littler kids (under the age of 8, max 9, so I tried to find non-scary Halloween-ish stories only to find out when I got there and the kids started arriving that it was up to 12 or 13 almost (by the looks of the kids). So my scary stories were not too scary. I retold Hansel & Gretal (very poorly I might add), and a few urban legends. They were not impressed, but looked like they were having fun.

Then they went off to either pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin, play Halloween BINGO, or make a paper-plate Pumpkin. I wandered about mostly taking pictures and talking to the parents or the random American couple that wandered in. But the kids looked like they were having fun!



After they all left, the workers posed together. The girls are all members of a club here called Club GLOW, sponsored by the Peace Corps and their answer to the lack of scouting in this country as far as I can tell.

Upstairs at the American Corner, where I had never been before, there was a map of American Higher Education Institutions:

The AWESOME part? The Jupiter branch of FAU is on there. As is my granny's small Iowa town college, as well as a college near my home town! I tried to get a better picture, but to no avail! :(

Then it was home to literally collapse on the couch before cooking dinner.

And no Halloween post is complete with out a shout out to my favorite Halloween Birthday Girl, and future Junior Bridesmaid: Aubrey! I hope your Halloween festivities and birthday presents turned out as cool as you expected when I got to talk with you on the phone! You rock! :)

See you around the globe!