It is Cold out there !!!!

Entering my fourth week back and the main story continues to be the weather.  Just a few minutes ago I ventured down a couple of icy hills, on a short trip to the neighborhood store.  It served a purpose too as it reaffirmed my decision not to walk to the office this morning.  It is COLD and icy out there!!! Today feels colder than ever.  Another few inches of snow last night didn't help much either.

Central Heating I

Central Heating unit II

                                                      





It is amazing what you do see here, even on a cold one like today.  As I was bemoaning my short return walk from the store, I noticed a guy up ahead of me pushing what appeared to be a pretty heavy load in a wheelbarrow.  He turned up the steepest portion of the hill, the same one I was about to undertake,  and off he went with this heavy load.  Here I was huffing and puffing, slipping and sliding, and this guy is pushing a load up the very same hill.  He did have the advantage of big rubber boots, but he was thin and looked my age.  He may have been quite younger though as a hard life has taken its toll on some of the Macedonian men.


Tomorrow I start my English classes again with the employees at the municipality.  Hoping for a good turnout but I won't know until class time.  Responding to e-mail is a somewhat foreign idea here.


I have also become involved in a photography club a fellow volunteer started at the high school.  We are going to try to expand it to the community in general and use the municipality to get the word out.  I know nothing about photography but I can help with the organization and maybe learn a little too.


This week I will begin looking for alternative housing arrangements.  This apartment is absolutely fine but the location is not.  I am just too far from the center of town and from my place of business.  Hoping to get more involved in community activities this time, I really need to be closer.  Once I make that mile + trek up the hill, I really don't have it in me to head back down.  The problem will be finding a suitable place at Peace Corp rates.  This place is very reasonable and finding one at the same rent will be a challenge.  I have several leads but no quotes on monthly rates just yet.  Of course I need a furnished place at minimum and pray I can find one with a washing machine!  I already did some laundry in the shower and that was a side show.  There is not enough room for me and my dirty clothes in that tiny shower.  Several bumps and bruises later, and coming close to knocking the doors off the enclosure, I did have clean underwear, socks and T's for another spell.


                                                             

Where the magic happens!

That is a small fridge!

I am hoping the new place will have a larger fridge too.  This one is tiny.  On the plus side for this apartment is the bed.  It is a lot better than that couch I slept on in my old place.  Nice comforter too.!

Different and yet the same

After two weeks, I guess I am settled. Well... close anyway. The many trips to the local shops (for a lot of things I had purchased the last time here)have me feeling far more at home than I did a week ago.  I now have pans, a coffee makers, glasses, bedding etc.  And food, of course, food.  Now it is time to fill in the gaps.  Gaps that are very apparent when I try to cook or to clean.  No change here from the last time.


My living arrangements are much different this time, yet in one aspect, the same.  Instead of 86 stairs up to an apartment I simply go down one flight to a lower level in a private home.  That is after walking a mile or so uphill to the home's location.  When getting my supplies, I need to decide carefully just how much to purchase before making the "climb" home.  After one particularly exhausting haul, I  decided to take a taxi when really loaded up. 


With my shopping nearly completed, I now can sleep soundly under two comforters.  I also was provided with a second electric heater by my landlord, a blessing and a curse.  It is surely warmer but we are now given an allowance and pay our own electric bills.  Previously the Peace Corps payed them for all volunteers and cranking the heat was the norm.  this new arrangement makes sense and makes it necessary to be prudent with the heat. I have a feeling my first bill is going to be a shocker.   I have a private entrance and my own bath that is in the hall only a few icy steps away.  I take one of the electric heater when showering as I figure it is better to be electrocuted than it is to freeze to death.


Being settled means being back to eating grilled cheese, soup, and potato chips, lots of potato chips.  That for sure is the same.  Oddly enough, while here previously for seven months I managed to lose 17 lbs. ( I found every one of them while  home).  I don't think there will be this magical weight loss this time around.  One big difference is lunch!   Something I avoided last time was Byrek (burek). 

 It is baked or fried filled pastries made of a thin flaky dough and it can be filled with cheese, often feta, sirene or minced meat.  It is usually served with plain yogurt and is becoming addictive.  I have a feeling, thanks in part to the byrek, and in part to the tightening of my jeans already, that I will not be losing anything this time.  That is surely a difference.





I have met with a few of the new volunteers as well as several of my old colleagues.  I will see them all at what is termed a mid service conference next week in Skopje.  I will surely hear it about being at this event as it is no where near the mid point of my service.  I am glad I was invited though as I will get to see everyone from my initial group.

A new young lady has been assigned to the schools here in Kocani . Morgan  lives in my old place and being quite young does not complain about all the stairs!  I hope to work with her on a couple of her initiatives with her students.  It will be a nice diversion from the municipality. 

Last weekend I had a visit from the son of the family I lived with during pre-service training.  Goce now has a car and an American girlfriend.  She is a volunteer from the new class assigned to Kumonovo.  He arrived with gifts of course... wine and homemade bread from his parents.  I had brought his father, Sveto, a pair of glasses from the US that I hope are the right strength.  I will soon plan a trip to visit the family and reconnect.

I am not sure if this winter or last are the "real" Macedonian winter.  I recall last year only a bit of snow and just a few days of frigid weather.  I think I hauled out the long underwear for only five or six days a year ago.  Well, this year, it has been out and on every day since arriving.  It has been C-O-L-D.  We have not had a big snowstorm but we have had several dustings of three to four inches.  Just enough to keep the walk to and from home treacherous.  Each morning means three layers of shirts and a sweater before reaching for the coat to leave.

Sunday is the party for our fantasy league.  We will all be bringing a bottle of Rakia for the champ, Blake the owner of the Stip Stallions!.  After running off to a 10-0 start, I collapsed , losing three of the last four and of course my one and only playoff game.  I will simply blame it on injuries!
The big decision Sunday will be whether or not to remain in Stip and watch the Super Bowl or return home to the wide screen 14 inch Levono.  It comes on at 12 midnight our time so I probably should return for a pre game nap!  Go Pats!

With all this whining one might think I am having an awful time of it here.  However I am very happy to be here!  Now that is different!

Second Chances

Today, nine months since returning home and ten since I last posted here, I am back in Kocani with a second chance.  It is hard to believe I have been gone so long.  It is even more difficult to believe that I was given this chance to complete my service.  Only the good graces (and I hope the good judgement) of the country director and the staff here in Macedonia allowed this return.


I didn't write about my reasons for leaving and will not do that now.  Whatever they were they are in the past and I look ahead to a bright future for the next year and eight months.


My Macedonian colleagues in the municipality gave me a warm welcome and are very happy that I decided to return.  They look forward to starting our suspended English classes right away.   My Peace Corp friends and the staff in Skopje have been very generous in their welcome also.  Of course there are some who wonder why I was allowed to return and question the decision, but frankly I am not at all concerned with those few.  No matter what organization, there are always those that think they know better than those making the decisions.

My outlook this time has changed .  I  see my assignment differently, the local people differently and I my understanding of what defines successful service has also evolved.


So, this re-entry into the blogging world is short and sweet but I look forward to chronicling many good and hopefully interesting events in the weeks and months to come.

Various February "stuff"

Just arrived at the office where the temperature appears to be close to 80. Everyone is always cold here...except me! 

On the walk here this morning I passed many older men along the way and realized that I have never seen any men over 40 something working anywhere except at the municipality, the post office or the police force.  All the shops, restaurants, taxis etc. seem to be operated by women and young men.  No point to this but it did strike me as odd.  Several of the women here I work with have told me that their husbands are not currently working.  I guess with an unemployment rate over 30% that fact should not be surprising.

There is a bridge over the river, right in front of the municipality building (“city hall”), is the gathering spot for the men from the Roma community.  There are always several groups of men their talking, smoking, etc. …every day, all day. At times there will be a car with the doors open and music playing.  This morning there were probably seven different groups of 5 or 6 as it is a bright sunny day.  Many of the men here do not own cars and this gathering spot is conveniently located at the base of a hill that is home to most of the Roma population.  Again, no point to this, just another observation.

I had visitors from my old village two weekends back.  Goce and Yugoslav drove out from Romanovce for a visit with me and also to look up some of their old university friends.  We drove up a long mountain road to a small ski area.  Only two trails, one for novices and one more challenging short run make up the entire resort.  Both trails are serviced by t-bar lifts.  There is also a small hotel with a big “lodge like” restaurant and we decided to have a meal there. 

 The guys did all the ordering and we had a long, leisurely meal accompanied by two carafes of “hot Rakia”.  This is the same home brewed alcohol that is so popular here but served hot.  It is quite different.  Sugar and sometimes other ingredients such as honey are added and it arrives very hot. … it was strong and quite good.  Two of the young guys had an “after dinner” wine and one a beer.  Not an unusual thing here at all.  I passed on that part having finished three glasses of the Rakia. 

On the return trip, we stopped at the home of another friend from school.  Of course, food and drinks were immediately on the table in front of us.  Not wanting to appear rude, (and a little hungry again) I did sample what was offered and had a couple of shots of Mastika, the other favorite local home brew. This one has an anise flavor and is a lot like Ouzo.  By the time we left that home, I had consumed more alcohol on that day than in the entire 5 months I had been here.  As the young men prepared for a night on the town, I decided to be dropped off at my place and they obliged. After all, it was nearly 10PM!!!  Ahh, to be young again!  Thinking about it now, I really did not have all that much to drink and it was over a long period of time.  I guess I am just plain out of shape!  I will train before returning home!

Yugi, the young man in the photo with me here, received some very good news last week.  He was offered and accepted a new job in Skopje, at twice his current salary. 

It is a Russian run power company and he is a trained electrician.  He said that over 100 had originally applied and because of his qualifications and knowledge, he was selected for second interviews with four others who were also qualified.  He thinks his English language skills landed him the job.  He has taught himself a lot of English and is quite good at it.  He is an ambitious young man who is now studying Russian. (although the cute teacher has something to do with that I think).  Anyway it was good to see someone here get ahead especially a quality young man like this. He takes good care of his mother, works their land and I am sure the new salary will be put to good use.  Maybe he will even trade in his red Lada!!!

This past weekend a friend from training came to Kocani and stayed at my place for the weekend.  Robert is from Texas, a dentist in his early 50’s and another genuine good guy.  He has two sons in the Army as well as a daughter.  He raised them as a single dad too! We were joined by a young volunteer from a nearby town on both Friday and Saturday night and we shared a few bottles of Macedonian wine.  Nothing special but it was real nice just having someone to talk to in English.  He is having a similar experience to mine is his town, where he also is assigned to the municipality.  Neither of us seem to have found our niche or purpose just yet.  We shared our frustration and the opportunity to gripe to someone in a similar situation was good therapy.  We both agreed to give it time.  My English classes are  helping fill that gap but I hope to find more purposeful work soon.

On the following weekend, I travelled to Vinica, a city only 10K or so from here.  Only a 30 denari (60 cent) bus ride to fellow volunteer Elena’s.  She invited me to dinner on Friday night. Bethany, another of the many young volunteers here, was spending the weekend with Elena and we all enjoyed a good meal.  Mashed potatoes for the first time since arriving and chicken.  Elena is just 22 years old, wise beyond her years, and she served us a great meal.  We even had a salad and brownie cupcakes for desert.  Having just sons, it was an interesting evening talking with two young ladies.  Only a 200 den cab ride for the return trip too!  Such a deal!

I had been feeling lousy on Thursday and early Friday but thought it had passed when I headed out to Vinica.  Unfortunately, Saturday came and I felt like I had been run over by a truck.  I laid around, napping on and off all day.  I only ventured out briefly to get a few things I needed to eat.  Sunday was more of the same and by Monday I was feeling a lot better.  I do have to start eating better for sure!

It is now another weekend and I actually do have “stuff” to do.  A council member recently published a book of poetry and there is a reading tonight at the local culture center.  I received an invite through the municipality and even though I will not understand a word, I will attend.

On Saturday evening, my counterpart (she is the person arranged by the Peace Corp to be their main contact and mine at the office) has invited me to her home for her middle son’s birthday.  I have met her husband many times and I am sure this will be a good night.  Earlier that same day, I am heading to Stip for lunch with another volunteer celebrating his birthday. 

Sunday I head to a volunteer's place in a nearby village for diner.  Unlike most of us, he is living with a family and they have been asking me to dinner for weeks.  They saw me on the local TV and want to meet the older American”.  CJ, their tenant, is only 25. 

Holidays and Traditions

January is a month filled with holidays here in Macedonia and so far there has been at least one every week. The first holiday is Orthodox Christmas which is celebrated on January 7^Th and followed a week later by "Old New Year".  

For the traditional Christmas, I returned to Romanovce for a visit with the Angelovskis, my host family.  It was great to see them again and spend time in their home.(and have some good home cooked food again)  On Christmas Eve their tradition is to eat while seated on the floor.  There are blessings  and thanks for the food, the animals, the crops and the people which is followed by a meat and dairy free meal.  To begin the meal, there is a traditional sharing of bread with each person taking a piece and one dedicated to God.  One section contains a gold coin that is a sign of good fortune for the upcoming year for the person who gets it.  This year, the coin was in the piece designated to “God”.  Very nice old traditions and I was happy that the family had invited me to participate.   I returned the next day for a grand meal ...meat and dairy now included.   When it was time to leave I was presented with homemade wine, bread, candy, stuffed cabbage,  etc.  I am told this is just traditional and will happen whenever I visit.  I must visit more often!!! 

There is another interesting holiday in January on the 19^Th, celebrating the baptism of Jesus.  In my city, the event is marked by an event at the river that runs through the center of town.  A temporary dam is constructed interrupting the flow so that the culvert fills to the edge of the river banks.  What takes place at ten in the morning here is the "throwing of the cross."  It appeared that just about every resident of the city was [present lining the shores of the river.  As several of the orthodox “popes” arrive in a procession from the church there is music, most likely Orthodox hymns, playing over the loudspeaker system set up at a podium on one of the many bridges across the river.  Following a short ceremony of prayers and blessings and reading of many names, a small wooden cross is tossed into the river.  The young men lining the river bank then dive or jump into the icy river in a frantic effort to retrieve the crucifix.   (see the photos).  The lucky man to get the cross is not only purported to be blessed with good fortune for the entire year,  there are other motivating factors as well.  He (yes, only males participated)  also received a television, and gold necklace from the mayor, and an undetermined amount of cash.  He and his friends then take the cross and blessed water through the crowd that has gathered at the center.  Each person is offered an opportunity to kiss the cross, gets sprinkled with the water and they then make an offering.  The young man gets to keep the "offering" also.  I would say it is a very bountiful day for the successful retriever.

 

This past week I helped out with the recording of a CD that will be used in English language lessons for security students at a university in Skopje.  Six of us participated and it was actually a lot of fun.  My voice will remain here long after I am gone!!!   The big bonus that went along with this trip to the capital was that I was able to go to the UPS office and retrieve a package .  I had ordered a Kindle in December and it was finally here in the country.  The issue was that UPS could not find me in Kocani after repeated efforts.   I did manage to find them with the help of a volunteer living in Skopje and retrieved the package.  I now have absolutely no excuses if I don’t read a lot of books while here.

 

I have my first meeting with my “students” next week as my work will finally begin.  There are currently 25 or so employees of the municipality signed up for my English language classes.  The first task will be to determine how to divide this group into three smaller classes of somewhat comparable language skills.  I have devised a test that I hope will do just that.

I am looking forward to starting the lessons even though teaching is entirely new to me.  Fortunately, I have grown very comfortable in front of groups in my old age and will at the very least have some fun doing this.   I have also been asked to participate in the English language classes the will be offered to the general public.  The teachers from the local schools will be in charge of this and I will simply contribute whatever they request.   These “jobs” are both later in the day or evening so it appears I am to be employed on the "second shift"!  Anyway,  I look forward to being “busy”

A new home, the job...and the Holidays!

I have been a living and working here in Kocani for just over four weeks. My apartment is on what the peace Corp referred to as the "fourth" floor.  However, the first two levels have very high ceilings, the first level is home to a bank but I don’t know what is on the second level.  Based on a comparison to surrounding residential structures, I am at the least five, closer to six flights up.  Eighty six steps by the last count and I seem to count them every time while making the climb.  Feeling good until the last two legs (flights) of the trip usually, and then I wonder... why me?  I guess I will know when I am in shape by that milepost.  The real test is shopping and I am now careful just how much I buy.  Not so much in cash or the number of items, simply in how much will this stuff weigh! 

Fortunately, I am conveniently located just a short walk to my work and right in the center of town.  The apartment, on the other hand has seen better days, as the photos will attest.  Great views though! 

The landlord is the former mayor of the city and is also a dentist.  He is an extremely nice man who has responded immediately both times my heat gave out!   Just last week, he and his handyman were here fixing the big electric unit pictured here. 

They proceeded to make 6 trips up and down the stairs to get various parts for the job.  I was amazed at the stamina of both men as neither seemed a bit winded after all the climbing.  Made me feel kind of guilty complaining, as they are not much younger than I am.

  My “work” is yet to be defined but is beginning to come into view.  I have a spot in an office, go in each day, and I attend several meetings.  My gracious and understanding counterpart, Anika, allows me to accompany her to various appointments.   We have managed to communicate, she with limited English, me with my limited Macedonian, utilizing the sometimes inaccurate Google Translate.  We fortunately sit side by side and can view each other’s computer screens.   I have also met her husband, as he also works in the municipality as an engineer.

Attending presentations of non-profit agencies on topics from women’s rights to environmental concerns have also been part of my introduction to the various functions of my department.  The first four weeks have also included trips to the library to help count votes for a Christmas drawing competition for students, and a trip to the high school where a sex education rally included a local pop singer performing.  All the time pretty much not understanding a spoken word.  I even went to the city council meeting on the budget and watched what I assume was a spirited debate over certain items.  While we were trained for 11 weeks in the basic language, I think very few of us finished training with the ability to understand conversational, and therefore much more complicated Macedonian. 
Additionaly, I have been interviewed by the local Kocani TV station and appeared more than a few times on the local news, usually as an attendee at a civic meeting.   This has contributed to more people in the city at least knowing that the white haired guy they see walking around every day is an American, new to town.

On this past Friday, I headed out to the bus station at 6:00AM and boarded a bus for a 5 and 1/2 hour trip to the city of Ohrid.  Several of us were gathering in there for a Christmas weekend.  The group consisted of most of the people I trained with and several who lived in a nearby village.  It was certainly good to see all of them again.  The ride was not as bad as I anticipated as the bus was fairly new and comfortable.  The city is located on Lake Ohrid which is the largest body of water here in Macedonia and the place to go for vacation here.  As the photos show, it is an impressive location and I am sure that it is even more appealing in the summer time. 

Following a trip to a restaurant on Christmas Eve and a tour of the old city, we headed back to our hosts Nic and Dina’s apartments.  There we drank wine, ate some more and played games until pretty late.  The next day a few of us ventured out on a walk along the lake out to the point where the church in the photo is located.  Of course, when we got there and climbed the hill to the top it started to rain.  That was compounded by following a path that dead ended, but we managed to return in time to meet the others for last minute food shopping.  The pot luck feast that followed was very welcomed after the way I have been eating since moving.  Admittedly I didn’t do much, so I was allowed to purchase the chicken as my token contribution.  boneless breast to feed all for a 350 denar...that is approximately 7 bucks!!!  After eating, we opened gifts from the people whose had be assigned our name, played a few more games, and sat talking till the wee hours.  I think I got 4 hours sleep on Christmas night and looked forward to catching a nap on the return bus ride.  That was not to be.  After our good byes and taxi ride to the station, I boarded my bus at 1:30 for the return trip.  This was not the comfortable ride I had arrived here with and sleep was not going to be part of this trip.  This bus was indeed a Mercedes, but closer to a 1970 version than the newer, smooth riding bus I had hoped for.  Broken seats, shocks, and windshield wipers were the least of my concerns.  The ride from Ohrid to Kocani is up, over, and through several mountains so my main concern was the brakes.  Just hoping that they worked better than the appearances would lead me to believe.  Well, 6 hours later I made it to my home city and was very happy to get off that bus. 

Today I received an e-invite to an event in Bitola for New Years.    Bitola is close to 5 hours away… I think I will be spending New Years right here!

Swearing In and Moving Out

November 25th, was a big day for those of us referred to as MAK 15’s.  (Simply the 15^th class of trainees to serve here.)  On that day we all became "official" volunteers in the Peace Corp.  Our days as trainees were over and we would be moving to our sites the next day to begin our service.
It was a different day than any other since I have been here in many respects.  First of all, knowing that it was Thanksgiving back home lent a strange feel to it.  In addition, there was no "class" this day as there had been on every other weekday since my arrival.  
So, dressed in a suit and a tie for the event, along with my host family who were also dressed in their finest, we were ready to go.  A bus arrived as scheduled at 11 AM to take all we Romonovste trainees and families to “The Palace”…a very nice restaurant in Kumonovo.

Surprisingly, at least to anyone who knows me, I found the event more emotional than expected.  We sang the Macedonian and American anthems and were then given the oath as a group by the American Ambassador.  Of course, the obligatory speeches by the several participants followed.  In attendance were mayors from the local communities, the Macedonian Minister of Education, and as mentioned the American Ambassador.  Of course the entire Peace Corp staff was there, from the Country Director to the drivers who brought them.   While most of the speakers used interpreters, the Ambassador impressed all by speaking in both languages.  Two volunteers from our class were selected by the group to speak in the local language.  (One in Macedonian and one in Albanian.)  They each did an amazing job and received a well deserved and enthusiastic round of applause. 

With the ceremony completed and certificates handed out, our group dispersed and joined our host families at community tables.  The food was then brought to several locations by the restaurant staff and the chaos began!

We had been informed (warned) by the Macedonian Peace Corp staffers that the concept of buffet serving was quite foreign and we got to witness it firsthand.  Fortunately, there was plenty of food and in spite of the difficulty getting to it, we all managed to eat plenty.  Mysteriously, most of the desserts quickly disappeared from each table.  I later learned that piling many on a plate and returning them to your table right away is not uncommon.  Next time I will know…dessert first!   Each family was asked to bring a dish to go along with the 20 turkeys provided by the Peace Corp.  As we were told to expect, most brought more than one as well as bags containing homemade “beverages”. After all, what is a celebration without a traditional toast?

A few hours and many pictures later, the goodbyes to our fellow trainees and staff began.   I don’t know how to describe the feeling exactly.  While in one sense I am so happy to be moving on to the beginning of service, the fact that I just spent 11 weeks with six of these folks and our language teachers makes the moment a little sad also.  Oh well, we didn’t sign up for this to hang out with new friends and hopefully we will visit each other occasionally during service.

Back “home” by 6 PM, I finished packing for the following day’s trip.  I was one of the lucky ones.  The municipality where I will be working informed me that they would send someone to my village and drive me to my new apartment. Most of the volunteers were using taxis and buses early the next day. 

That same evening, a young man who is a friend of my host families son Goce, came to the house to give me a bottle of his home made wine.  I had commented that I liked it, just in passing, and sure enough, there it was.  I had shared a couple of meals and many conversations with both Goce and Yugoslav as they both spoke English quite well.  While they are young, 30 and 28, I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and I think I can call these young men friends of mine now. 

As expected, the car from the municipality arrived the next morning at just around 10 AM.  The driver called from the city for directions and fortunately, Sveto was right there to provide them.  There are no street names or house numbers in the villages.

I had a lot of help with the two very heavy suitcases and an unbelievably heavier “carry on” type bag.  This was now stuffed with manuals and papers acquired during my first 12 weeks.  Also new on this trip was the bag of laundry, the bag of homemade cookies, and of course, the bottles of wine and Rakia I received as gifts.

I would never have believed how close you can feel to people from an entirely different culture after such a short time.  People who speak a different language and do not understand most of what you say.   Now, I Believe it.  I had been told over and over how they would welcome me into their home and family and they indeed did just that.  Leaving their home was bittersweet.  I was happy to be getting out and on my own, but quite sad to be leaving the three of them behind.  These are truly memorable people, living a simple life.   I will go back, hopefully many times, to visit them during my service here. 

A couple of hours after we left Romanovste, we arrived in Kocani at my new “home”.  My landlord and two other people from the municipality were there to greet me as well as assist me in hauling my possessions up to, and I mean up, to my place.  Eighty six steps I think….but that is a story for another time.