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!!