Thanksgiving was the official Peace Corps swearing in ceremony for us trainees. We had spent the last two and a half months learning the language and learning how to function in everyday society in Macedonia. The Peace Corps makes a big deal out of the ceremony. In addition to the Peace Corps staff in attendance, all of the host families come, as well as the American ambassador to Macedonia and the Macedonian Minister of Education. All of the major dignitaries gave short speeches. It was welcoming to know we felt ‘wanted’ in Macedonia. I mean, if we didn’t, the Peace Corps would simply pull out of Macedonia. Still, it was nice of them to say it at least. The swearing in was complete with a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving. However, there wasn’t any stuffing, which is the best part of Thanksgiving dinner.
In the center right is U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Paul Wohlers
This past Friday (Black Friday in America), I traveled from Probistip to my new home, Resen. Saying good-bye to my host family was sad. I am happy to be on my own again and be a true Peace Corps volunteer, but my host family cared for me the past two and a half months and I genuinely cared for them in return. I left Probistip at 7am and by 2:30pm, I was in Resen. I saw my apartment for the first time. It was absolutely beautiful. Easily nicer than the dump I lived in Woodlyn my last 10 months in America. The apartment is fully furnished, with a television and washing machine to go with a bed, a couch, a dining table with chairs, and a kitchen with pots and pans.
An interesting note about apartments and buildings in Macedonia: central heating is like non-existent and electricity is relatively expensive. Many things are cheaper in Macedonia than in America. You can go to a café, for example, and get a good cup of coffee for 40 denari, which is about 90 cents. Electricity is not one of those things. And because of the lack of central heating and the relative expensiveness of electricity, Macedonians often only heat one room or part of their houses or apartments. I am in that same boat. My heater is in my common room, which is connected to my kitchen and dining room. That is the part of my apartment that is heated. My bathroom and bedroom are not heated. Ergo, I do not go into my bedroom and I go to the bathroom only when I absolutely have to. (And I really hate going there – I can literally see my breath in my bathroom). I sleep on my couch, which sadly is approximately three inches too short for me to lay comfortably across.
An interesting note about apartments and buildings in Macedonia: central heating is like non-existent and electricity is relatively expensive. Many things are cheaper in Macedonia than in America. You can go to a café, for example, and get a good cup of coffee for 40 denari, which is about 90 cents. Electricity is not one of those things. And because of the lack of central heating and the relative expensiveness of electricity, Macedonians often only heat one room or part of their houses or apartments. I am in that same boat. My heater is in my common room, which is connected to my kitchen and dining room. That is the part of my apartment that is heated. My bathroom and bedroom are not heated. Ergo, I do not go into my bedroom and I go to the bathroom only when I absolutely have to. (And I really hate going there – I can literally see my breath in my bathroom). I sleep on my couch, which sadly is approximately three inches too short for me to lay comfortably across.
My first weekend here, I did not have cable and internet at my apartment. From a surfing the internet standpoint, that was hard. I was used to having the internet going and watching television at the same time. Not having either made the weekend a drag. But, in a remarkable act of foresight by me, I planned ahead. I downloaded an emulator of Chrono Trigger before I left America. Because most people who read this blog do not care about Chrono Trigger, or even know what it is, I’ll spare the details. But, right now, I am all about it. Without that game, I think I would have gone crazy this past weekend. And because I do know one person who does want to hear all about it, I’ll just ask nobody give me any spoilers. Right now, I am a little over halfway through the game, at the point where I just defeated Magus and his henchmen in his castle and have been thrown back in time unwillingly. No spoilers. For real.
Resen is a beautiful town and I hope to take pictures of it when I get the chance. It’s not that I have been so unbearably busy that I can’t, it’s just I work until 4pm and by that time, it’s a little too dark to take pictures. Hopefully, this weekend I’ll have some time.
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