100 Episodes!

This is my 100th blog entry, which if I were a television sitcom I'm pretty sure would involve a giant sheet cake and possibly a special live episode but since this is just a blog there's much less fanfare. Nevertheless, I'm proud that I've reached the triple digits and have essentially averaged about a post per week since I started this blog. My life is not that exciting so that I managed to put something together that often is quite a feat. And although I sometimes feel like only my parents read this, I've actually had over 5,000 page views, including from places like Russia and Latvia, so there must be a few other folks out there curious about the life of this Peace Corps gal in Macedonia. 

Yesterday, 9/11, was obviously a solemn anniversary for Americans but for me it also marked two years time since I started the Peace Corps. Truthfully it pleases me that I have a good memory to associate with a day that conjures many sad remembrances, that the tragedy of that day did not stop me and many other Americans from trying to make friends with people from foreign lands.

In the aggregate, these two years have gone very quickly. There were days themselves that seemed never-ending, but I have had an enjoyable and memorable time that makes me sometimes feel reluctant to move on to my next sitcom, which will probably be some strange combination of West Wing, Sex in the City, and Saturday Night Live. Although it eases my apprehension about what may come next to think that it could possibly be that dramatic and entertaining! 

Кашкавал

Sometimes when I take photos here, I jokingly tell people to say кашкавал (cheese) which isn't a practice here but they get it (usually) from watching American movies and laugh, making for good pictures. I personally have taken over 4,000 photos in Macedonia and yes, you can thank me for posting only a small selection here. Extrapolating this to the 70 volunteers here, you can imagine that we had some good choices for assembling a photo exhibit honoring the 50th Anniversary of Peace Corps worldwide and 15 years in Macedonia.

The exhibit was recently on display in my city and whether it was the photos or the homemade American treats that were the main draw, we had a good turnout for the opening. Sadly almost nobody came to the other two days the photos were on display so lesson learned--no cookies, no crowds. Bitola was well represented within the exhibit, including a photo of me taken by Lauren and photos of Ashley and Helene taken by our sitemate, Phil.




A local TV station covered the event and then invited me to their station for a live (LIVE!) broadcast to discuss the exhibit and volunteerism. I was very fortunate to have Zoki, a high school student interning at the American Corner, acting as my translator. I posted a clip from the interview here (taped directly from my TV, hence the quality or lack thereof) and you can watch the news story on the exhibit (with Zoki's voice humorously dubbed over mine) here.

I was on the committee that helped select the exhibit photos and I think it is a nice representation of the variety of activities that make up a volunteer's Macedonian experience--working with the kids, dining in people's homes, dancing the oro, the whole crazy shebang. For those who cannot see the exhibit in person, I encourage you to virtually check it out here.

**Photo credit for some of the photos above to the American Corner Bitola.