Kocani ... A first solo!

“Time flies when you are having a good time” or so claims the oft repeated adage.  I  think it should simply be shortened to the first two words…period.   It is difficult to believe that I have been in this country for eight weeks and that my training is over in less than three.  On November 25^th, we will be sworn in as members of the Peace Corps. Half in jest,  I once suggested to some friends that I would be back home after three months due to failure at the new language. Now it looks like I will be here for quite a while longer. 

This past week was a “big adventure” for my group as we separated and travelled individually to our future work sites to meet the people we will work with for the next two years.  For most of us, this was the first time we had to make our way alone.  On Monday I phoned the woman in Kocani who the municipality and Peace Corps had designated as my counterpart.  This counterpart is the person who will work closely with us and more or less “show us the ropes “as we settle in to our assignments.   This did present an unusual problem as my counterpart speaks and understands very little Englishand my Macedonian skills are far from conversational.  After a troubling attempt at getting our plans down for the next day, I decided to contact a Peace Corp staffer and cry “help”.  I was provided an additional name and number and now there were two assigned to meet me the next day. 

 Tuesday began quite well as taking the “kombi” (a van that serves as a shared taxi) into the city from my village was something I had done many times.  I chose to walk to the bus station from the kombi stop and was at the window ready to buy my ticket to Kochani in a matter a mere 15 minutes or so.  I guess my request for a one way ticket was understood and I even managed to ask from what gate the bus would be leaving.   Nearly three hours later, I arrived in the Kocani bus station and was met immediately as I stepped off the bus by the two employees of the municipality.  Their task on this day was simply to get me to my hotel and let me know of the plans for tomorrow. 
 Checking in to the hotel was a little different than in the states too.  Yes, different is a good way to describe it.  We entered the hotel and walked through a large room that usually hosts weddings.  Up more stairs to a service bar to be checked in by what appeared to be and I later discovered was... the waiter.  He wrote my name in a book, grabbed a key and my bag and up three flights we walked to my room.  There I turned over my passport and he was off.  Tipping is not a custom here and on our budgets that is a good thing.  Surprisingly, there were two members of my volunteer group also at this same hotel.  They were assigned to cities not far from mine and this hotel was located between the two.  At least I would not dine alone!  My Macedonian surprised me once more as I managed to get menus and order what turned out to be a very good dinner.

Wednesday morning a young man from the municipality picked me up at my hotel explaining that my counterpart was busy and that he would bring me to what I will call“city hall”.  I was lead to what will be my “spot” in the office of Local Economic Development which was at a desk right next to my counterpart and across from the department head.  A few additional introductions and I was off to meet the mayor and his second in command. 
 Joined by my two escorts to the hotel and a third municipal employee, we headed out for a tour of the vicinity.  It just happened to be a sunny day in the high 60’s so walking around the city was great. There is a river through the center of town with benches all along and the place seems quite nice.  My first impression was that it is relatively quiet, clean and friendly.  We headed for the town center for coffee at one of the many outdoor cafés that were all quite busy for mid morning on a Wednesday.  Coffee was followed by a trip to a newly relocated town library that was celebrating its grand opening and then back to the municipality.  We reentered through the public access doors into the new addition to the building. This new section is where the citizens go for service.  It appears to be quite well organized and assessable to the citizenry.  Finished here, I told my hosts that I could manage my return and went off to check out a few things on my own.  Later I contacted a teaching volunteer currently assigned here and she was kind enough to meet me and tell me more about the place.  A taxi back to the hotel, dinner with my American associates and a good night’s sleep and I was ready to head back to my temporary home in Romanovste.
  I surprised myself on the taxi ride to the bus station on Thursday by telling the drive that I would be living in his city in a short three weeks and working at the municipality for two years.  The reason for the surprise was that I did this in Macedonian and he understood all I was telling him.  (I know because I checked my books when I returned to see if I had made sense.) Plus he then told me where he had lived and how long he had been back and driving the cab.  Still under no illusion of being able to speak and understand the language to any great degree, it was indeed a small victory.

One long wait at the bus station followed by a multi stop return on a VERY warm bus, and I was back in Kumonovo looking for a taxi to the village and “home”.

I think I am going to like it in Kocani!  I have an idea or two already!