Saturday, February 9, 2013

Another update

Hi everybody,

Where our food comes from.

Walking home in the snowfall.
Its that time where I start thinking if I don't update my blog, I will accidentally forget everything that I have done this past month. There is something about getting motivated to update... Anyways, things here in Macedonia are going very well.

These last couple of weeks have felt more inspiring, or maybe its just the feeling of getting back into work post winter break. The feeling of idling just wasn't very comfortable and I didn't feel like I was accomplishing much of anything.

What exactly did I do this month... Well I began working with my counterparts at the school again, and I taught a lesson and hope to begin teaching more in the classroom. I think my main counterpart now understands that I am willing to teach from the book and though I do want to do many interactive activities, I am not denouncing the textbook and want to utilize it. Progress progress. I also am working on getting the Penpal project up and running between my students here in Macedonia and some students in America. It is a bit complicated, because I had assumed that the entire class would want to participate or at least most of the classes, but I am getting smaller numbers. The plan may need more work with technicalities, but I hope to get them sent out by next week so I have a little time to find the connections.

Anyways, I have still continued going to yoga at the school gym and it has been a great way to relax. I haven't been able to keep active and the Macedonian diet is very heavy on bread, oil, and salt. I am getting used to trying to limit the intake on these foods as I have been getting a little  'punka' aka chubby. My host mother makes the most delicious foods and I have finally realized that my ability to turn down cake is nearly impossible, especially when it is homemade. Food here is always a made from scratch meal, no frozen meals, prepared meals, etc.My friends and I have been going to this one restaurant enough now that we have gotten free cappuccinos when we go there, something hard to fathom being an Amerikanka I suppose.

I made a trip to Skopje this month to see the Peace Corps doctor. Though what I thought was something turned out to be nothing, I got some great advice from Dr. Mimi about how I was feeling about my service thusfar. She basically reiterated what I had heard several times about feeling a little useless at this point in my service and that it isn't so much about completing more as it is about getting over that mindset. Sounds good... I'll work on that.

I got a couple of Christmas gifts from my family, as well as a package from my parents. I was recycling the same longsleeved shirts over and over, so I made a request for some more. Mom did a great job of finding me the perfect shirts with great colors. I was very happy to receive everything, and my host family's dog loves the doggy treats that were sent in the box as well.

Politics are heating up here, and officially I cannot have an opinion about any of the political things happening, but it is very interesting to see my host family's debates with other people and their frustrations over what is seen on the television. To see how politics effects every single inner working of the jobs around here and just how politics exists here is so different from America. I wish every American could see/experience this...

Anyways...
Until next month,
Emma