Negotino Smog, Dogs, and Blogs

Remember, priateli, anything written here is not Peace Corps policy....and also, do forgive me if you are getting this blog multiple times...it's still a bit of a mystery to me how to send this out! But I will say Allan is writing about a favorite subject after me so do read that one!

Reflection...We are leaving our home in negotino on Saturday for our new home in Gevgelia and lots to think about!

Both Allan and I passed out Macedonian language test...such a great feeling! We have worked hard, generally about six or seven hours a day and it feels good to have been successful in our test! It was not easy....you sit in a room with the tester for about half hour while she asks questions and since you don't know what the questions will be you have to be ready to talk about anything from food to family, hobbies to travel, shopping to shoes!! But we did it..yeah US!!

Time to say goodbye to our negotino priateli...all ten of us will disperse around Macedonia...we've had fun together! We also will need to make our farewells to slavitza and kocho....this will be hard! We love them! If we have been happy, well fed and well taken care of it's because of them! And a lot of language success is due to the fact that they speak no English and by golly we had a lot to talk about so Allan and I had to learn Macedonian and slavitza was pretty determined we were going to be able to communicate!! 

Time to say goodbye to Cafe Tina...the tiny store where we drink coffee during our school break and where the kids skipping school can blow smoke rings...goodbye to my fruit lady who always gives me an apple for free...to the lady who waits by her window for the Americanskis and comes out to talk to us when we pass...to the old,old man who walks past us and tells us what the day of the week is..goodbye to old tractors and young street dogs...to my students here who are so shy and so excited to say"Hello,Keti"..in ENGLISH!!...and just to this small, tough little town that had been so good to us!

We become official Peace Corps volunteers on Friday..swearing in, lots of officials, excitement, emotion...and our real service begins! Thanks for being part of our journey!!

Blog- odaram

So blagodaram is thank you in Macedonian, so the title of this little missive is a play on that...because we are definitely saying thank you to everyone for our new home...Gevgelia!

Allan and I are just now returning from a three day visit to our new town. Gevgelia is smack dab on the border with Greece. It was really warm when we were there with lots of sun and palm trees...a pedestrian walking area through town,a little library, friendly people and small shops.  Allan works in, of all things,a casino! The Swedish casino owners turn some of their money back into a foundation they've started. Allan will be working with both environmental awareness issues and possibly in programs dealing with special education that this foundation advocates.  Lots of excitement and enthusiasm with this foundation!

And I have a lovely elementary school. I will be working with a teacher who teaches English language to ninth, fifth, and first graders. I taught first graders today..We covered basics such as counting to ten, naming five colors, heads, shoulders, knees and toes, and of course, sitting criss- cross applesauce!  Lots of fun, enthusiastic five and six year olds.

And our new house...We have a sunny upstairs...large living room, dining room with piano, kitchen, two bedrooms and kitchen...and three, count 'em three!!!!..outside porches! Our downstairs owners are just as nice as can be, have already enjoyed a meal with them, had lots of nice visits, and looking forward to many more...

We are indeed happy, blessed, excited and rarin' to go!  Love you all, come visit us....nie ke ce vrakame vo  petti Dekembri! Priatno!

More Macedonian Musings..

It's fall here now..we've had a lovely lovely fall so far. Lots of sunshine so far and leaves on the trees are colored and starting to fall and the air is crisp..but not clean! Our dear little town has a major air pollution problem. Between two mountain ranges our cold cold air sinks right down over the town and collects all the wood smoke, yugo car exhaust and cigarette fumes..the air is pretty gray, I'm afraid. Hoping for some of that fine tri cities windiness, so tri cities friends, please send some our way!

It is cold now and houses are not insulated so it's going less comfortable.  Allan and I hit the hay early just to get warm...sometimes it's quite a bit cooler inside than out, because there is no central heat or insulation in the rooms, usually just a small wood burning stove in the kitchen..but walk out that kitchen door into the rest of the house and you'll notice that huge temperature change!

Allan and I are still in the training phase..We go to school still pretty much all day for language..and love it. It's hard work, but as we walk through town we are able to talk to people, successfully negotiate stores and bus stations and restaurants!

Next week we head to our new home in Gevgelia, just for a few day site visit. I understand it is warmer..sounds lovely to me already! Hearsay has it that it is considered part of Mediterranean Macedonia....only an hour from Thessalonika and the Aegean sea! It is also where the refugees cross the border from Greece...Allan and I are ready for the next phase of this life!

Time to head home...slavitza will have ruchek ready and I think tonight will be stuffed peppers! Yum...these Macedonians and their peppers..it's a love affair I can get behind!

Again dear friends, thanks for all your support!