Warming Up

Luckily, I have been very busy with my organization since our seminar in Ohrid, but that means that I have had less time to write for this blog.  Despite being busy, there really is not too much to report.  Below I have posted a few of the minor updates that have taken place over the past two weeks.

Go Clean

Last Monday, my counterpart called me out of the blue and requested that I head to the capital the next day to work on the project “Go Clean”.  After attending the small ceremony for the project at the Delegation of the EU in Skopje, I met with the NGO and discussed implementing the project in Prilep.  Basically, Go Clean hopes to promote the recycling of batteries in the municipality while educating high school youths on conservation approaches in Macedonia.  A team of AIESECers and I plan to meet with the municipality within the next week to discuss the plan and encourage students to apply for the leadership program of Go Clean.

Saint Tryphon

As those of you in the States celebrated St. Valentine’s Day on February 14, we in Macedonia were able to celebrate another saint, Saint Tryphon (Свети Трифон).  Saint Tryphon is the patron saint of gardeners and wine growers (along with Saints Respicius and Nympha, but nobody cares about them).  My host father, along with some others, went out to their vineyards, cut a part of the vine and tossed it to the floor, and poured wine on the ground in order to summon a good harvest in the future.  Even though I did not join my host father to the fields, I later hung out with the French EVS volunteers and drank wine with them.  My spite for St. Valentine’s Day is pretty significant, and I reveled in the fact that when I sat at home and drank wine by myself on that day in years past, I was unknowingly celebrating Saint Tryphon!

For more info, Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryphon_of_Campsada

Celebrating Doug’s Birthday

One of our site mates, Nick, had his 31^st birthday on Sunday.  He tried to keep it secret from us, but we organized a small BBQ at the other Nick’s place.  It was a beautiful day, and the temperature reached its peak at 62 degrees F.  I do not remember the last time I could be dressed comfortably outside in a t-shirt in the middle of February.  Halfway through the BBQ, Nick (Bday boy) mentioned that he did not like the nickname we agreed upon for him (Doug) in order to distinguish him from the other Nick.  So, now we have returned to calling the Nicks by their first names, reintroducing confusion into our group.

Grilling burgers in February!

Happy Birthday, Nick!

Marko’s Tower

Near my homestay there is a mountain that holds the ruins of an old fortress called Marko’s Tower.  Given the beautiful weather, I decided to run up to the top of the mountain for my first visit to the ancient site.  Unfortunately, since I was running, I did not carry my camera, so I have no personal pictures to show.  However, the view of Prilep and the surrounding areas was gorgeous and clear.  I sat at the top for a few minutes to soak in the view.  As I sat there, the initial sentiments I felt when I started my Peace Corps experience had returned to me.  I was both calm and excited.  Sitting at the top was peaceful in a way, but I was also awed to recollect that I am a Peace Corps volunteer in a foreign country.  Sometimes I forget these facts, especially when I am preoccupied about making a difference in my community or fitting in with my host family, and especially when I am busy with work and stressed to come up with creative solutions to problems. 

Not my pic, stolen from one of the EVS volunteers. But the view of Prilep from Marko's Tower.

Overall, these experiences were a great reset on my time here.  And as the weather warms and spring approaches (I apologize to those still experiencing snow storms in the US), I am already looking forward to work harder and gain the most of my experience.  Like this weather, I am just warming up.