The Nikola Karev Primary School

My first two weeks in a Macedonian primary school were marvelous. The Nicola Karev Primary School is one of two primary schools in Probistip. There are approximately 440 students in grades 1-9. Grade One is what we know as Kindergarten. There are 37 teachers. The facility itself is the largest school in Macedonia, tracing its construction back to 1986 during the mining boom days. It has a large gymnasium and boasts a small indoor swimming pool for teaching swimming. Sadly, the school doesn’t have the resources to maintain the infrastructure to the highest standards or to heat the pool in the colder months, but the staff does a wonderful job in making it a warm and friendly place for the children to learn with the resources they do have.

My counterpart, Alexandra, is one of three English teachers at the school. She was recruited and assigned to me by the Peace Corps. She is a highly motivated teacher who is anxious to learn everything there is to learn about teaching English. I will be working closely with her and the other English teachers in Probistip over the next two years (I will also be involved in other projects within the community). Alexandra grew up in Probistip and she seems to know everyone of the 10000 residents. She is married and has two young sons and she now lives in a village about a ten minute drive from Probistip. In her role as my counterpart, she has introduced me to the entire staff at the school, has taught me the ins and outs of the Macedonian educational system; has answered thousands of my questions; has taught me how to shop at the bazaar and the local shops; and has been my guardian angel (just like Violetta in Negotino).

Grades 1 -4 go to class from 7:30 til 11:30. They are in a self-contained classroom and have the same teacher for every subject except English. The classroom teacher teaches Macedonian, math, geography, social studies, nature, art, music and physical education. The English language teacher comes to their room for three 40 minute classes each week. Since the classroom teacher must also teach Physical Education, I understand that this doesn’t happen as often as it should. The students’ favorite after-school activities nowadays are watching television and playing computer games. So someone might want to look into this arrangement pretty soon of having untrained classroom teachers conduct unscheduled PE classes. The teachers in these grades are hired for their ability to teach everything and, since they get no breaks, for their superb bladder control.

The children and adolescents in Grades 5-9 go to class from 7:30 til 1:00. They have home room first thing on Monday morning with their home room teacher who stays with them as their home room teacher until they move on to the high school. The teachers have five years to get to know their students and the students’ parents. The homeroom class then stays together as a group for the rest of the day as they switch classes for the different subjects. Students the upper grades have Macedonian language, English, a required choice of either German or French, Physical Education (with a certified PE teacher), History, Math, Biology or Chemistry, Computer, Art, Crafts (Shop a s we know it).

The teachers keep all of the information about their home room students (grades, absences, misbehavior, and whatever) in a very formal and serious Big Red Book. The teacher picks up the book from its dedicated place in the Teacher’s Room at the beginning of the day. The book accompanies each class as they attend their different subjects and it is returned at the end of the day. It is considered a great honor to be the student who transports the Red Book from class to class.

Although this is supposed to change within the next year (the Ministry of Education will provide the books), students still have to purchase their books, workbooks, and school supplies for each class. They can buy individual sheets of paper from their teacher (a break even, non-profit pain for the teacher) for tests or projects. Some families cannot afford the books, so some students will attend class without them and sit in place while the others are doing exercises in their workbooks. Another problem that I mentioned before is that many students use hand-me-down work books with the answers filled in with ink. So when it’s time to practice a newly learned concept or to complete an exercise in the workbook for homework, the students with the previously owned books have “completed” the assignment before they even started. Obviously, they learn very little; they don’t reinforce any concepts taught that day; and they make it difficult for the teacher to verify that the students understood the lesson. This issue should be resolved next school year when, as I understand it, every student will receive schoolbooks from the Ministry.

The one undeniable similarity between the Nicloa Karev Primary School, the Straso Pindzur Primary School in Negotino, and Blanchard Memorial where I taught for 33 years is the children. They all have the same interests (computer games and TV); they like the same foods (pizza and pomme frits); they want to be famous actresses, actors or sport heroes when they grow up; and their smiles and laughter light up the room. So what else is new?

Much more on the schools later.

P.S. I just turned on my TV with the green lines and there’s an NFL night game on between the Cowboys and the Eagles. It’s Monday night (NFL on Fox) but it’s only 3:30in the States, so the action isn’t live. The commentary is in Macedonian (or Serbian?) so I am not sure when the game was played. The announcers keep talking about Arizona, Minnesota, New England, the Jets and Miami, so I am assuming this is a recent game . The best part is that there are few commercials, so after kickoffs, punt returns, time outs, TV time outs, field goals and touchdowns, the camera pans around the stadium and the team benches. So now I know what goes on at the stadium during the commercial breaks that I used to suffer through which tried to convince me to buy a beer I didn’t like, a car I couldn’t afford, or some medication I don’t need. When was the game played?

Setting Up Housekeeping

After three months of living with my host family, I now find myself in the position of having to take care of all those services that were provided to me during my pre-service training. Fortunately, a five minute walk gets me to “downtown”, so once I figure out who sells what, I can purchase what I set out to buy.

Probistip is a small town and it has no supermarket where I can do one-stop shopping. There are four or five shops that sell fresh fruits and vegetables, several meat markets, a few pastry shops, and innumerable small shops that sell convenience foods, cartoned milk (milk is sold in one liter cartons off the shelf, not refrigederated until opened), and bread. I have been able to find all the basics but the choices of a product are limited. In the larger towns and cities there are supermarkets that rival the ones in the states. Someday there will be one in Probistip, but sadly it will hasten the demise of a many of the shops that serve the residents now. I can take a 20 minute taxi ride over the mountain to Kratevo or a 40 minute bus ride to Stip whenever I have the need to add some variety to my diet.

I found most of the cooking utensils and dishes that I needed to supplement the stuff that was left to me by Ryan, the previous Peace Corps Volunteer who lived in the apartment before me. He worked for a non-governmental agency. Cleaning materials can be found in many of the shops. I have a brand new washing machine, so my concern about washing my laundry in the tub was alleviated. As is the case for most families in Macedonia, I have no dryer. There is a clothesline on my balcony and to my surprise, the clothes dry rather quickly inside on cold days when I have the electric heater turned on. Turn-around time for my laundry is now down to a day and a half or maybe even a day.

Before I set out on a buying spree, I get out my Macedonian dictionary and write out the Macedonian word for whatever I’m trying to find so I can ask a clerk if I can’t find it. In many cases, the label is written in English or has a picture so I can take the item off the shelf like an experienced Macedonian. Other times I have to use my Macedonian because I don’t have my list, and this can result in a five minute mime routine starring the clerk and me. Eventually we locate the requested item.

Wednesday in Probistip is bazaar day. On market day you can find almost anything among the vendors that travel here to sell their goods at outside stalls and booths on the town square. The town comes alive on this day as everyone comes out during the morning hours to do their weekly pantry-stocking with fresh produce. I can also find clothing, household gadgets and almost any stuff that I can find at Wal-Mart. The quality may be lacking in many of the products (not the produce) but the items serve a purpose and will get the job done.

So I am now satisfied that two of the most basic of human needs – food and shelter – will be met with no problem by the only alien in the Municipality of Probistip. I can check it off the list of Things to Learn How To Do.

A Volunteer

On Saturday morning MAC 13 dispersed throughout the country. The Peace Corps staff was stationed at the major bus stations to help with our baggage. What we anticipated to be somewhat of a challenge, transporting two years worth of luggage and other issued items (manuals, water distillers, electric oil heaters and food and wine from our host families) to our new sites, turned out to be a somewhat painless operation. Our host families helped bring our stuff to the pickup point and our counterparts or new landlords met us at the end of our journey. As a former military logistician, I was totally impressed with the planning and execution of the operation.

It was very difficult for me to say goodbye to my host family. They took such great care of me during my introduction to their culture. They shared everything they had. We laughed a hundred times a day. They answered all my questions and they even ate the ice cream I bought in the winter and tried peanut and jelly sandwiches. I can without reservation that they are one of the finest families I have ever known. I am looking forward to our visits over the next two years.

The trip provide me with some spectacular views as we passed through the countryside and made our way up and over the mountain and into Probistip . Photographers, amateurs and professional alike, could spend years trying to capture the beauty of this country.

My landlord was waiting for me at the newly renovated bus station. We loaded my baggage onto his car and he took me to my new home – an apartment on the third floor of a Soviet-era style building. The complex of apartment buildings was built during the 50’s to house the miners and their families. As it is in Negotino, the outside of the buildings need some work but the apartments themselves are roomy and comfortable and for the most part in good shape. Surrounding the complex are homes that are commonly seen in the villages.

My landlord is a biology teacher at the high school (known as the gymnasium in Macedonia) who lived in the apartment and raised a family in it. He now lives in another part of the town. He doesn’t speak English so we used a lot of hand gestures and head shaking as he was showing me around and demonstrating how to use the various appliances. Thank goodness “OK!” is a universal expression.

We signed four copies of the lease (rent is 7000 dinari/month or $140/month and includes water and trash pickup) and we made arrangements for me to register at the police station on Monday.

He left and I realized that for the first time since I arrived in the country, that I am now alone in a town of 10000 people, the only American and one who barely speaks the language. What an adrenaline rush!

A Trainee No Longer

We made it! Through training that is. On Friday the 12th, the U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia, Phillip Reeker, swore us into the Peace Corps. The Prime Minister of Macedonia was out of the country, so the Minister of Education and Science, Pero Stojanovski, attended in his place to formalize the acceptance of the new Volunteers.

Many of the host family members attended the one hour ceremony, even though it was a workday for them. There was a reception afterwards, during which time we got to say goodbye to our trainers who did such a great job getting us ready to be out on our own. Most of the language trainers will head home to their respective communities throughout Macedonia, working in various positions until the Mac14 trainees arrive next September. Then they will again be employed by the Peace Corps.

After the reception, many of the volunteers, went into Komanavo for the last time as a large group, and celebrated together on their achievements and on the adventure that lies (lays?) ahead. Everyone headed home in the early evening to spend their last evening with their host families and to pack for their morning departure to places where they may be the only American in the town or village and where they will be spending their next two years.

Our Last Week as a Trainee

On Monday September 29th MAC 13 (the 13th Peace Corps group to serve in the country) landed in Skopje, Macedonia. We knew very little about the country – its history, its culture, its educational or political system or its language. It is now December 6th and the Peace Corps has done a wonderful job in preparing us to go out on our own. We have been provided with the basic knowledge in these areas by a staff of dedicated, personable, and knowledgeable individuals. We know that wherever we are within the country, someone from the Peace Corps permanent staff will be available to support us, whatever our need might be. They have given us the confidence which will enable us to settle into our new community.

We are now in our last week of training and will be sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers on Friday the 12th. We have had over 156 hours of language training; classes on safety, cross-cultural issues, and medical issues; lectures on politics and history; 16 hours of teaching experience in a Macedonian school; TEFL classes; and interactions with hundreds of Macedonian citizens within our community.

The excitement of moving to our new permanent site, however, is tempered by the fact that we will be moving away from our host family. These are the first Macedonians that we met and the ones that we have grown to know and to care for. We have lived with them for almost three months and we have shared many a meal, many a drink, and many a laugh. They have taught us about their country and their community and we have taught them many things about the USA. We have learned about their families and they have taken an interest in learning about ours. And all of this has been accomplished without them speaking English (except in a few cases) and without us speaking Macedonian.

Fortunately, Macedonia is small geographically, so we will be able to visit our host families throughout our two-year stay. Of course there is the mobile (cell phone) but at this point in time my conversations in Macedonian would be severely limited due to my scanty vocabularia (sounds good, not a Macedonian word – or any language for that matter – maybe Latin?).

We believe we are ready, and willing and now we are able!

Some of the Homes I've Visited

Please be mindful that my comments in this session are based on my observations of only a dozen or so homes and the discussions I’ve had with other Trainees and in no way is intended to infer (or is it imply?) that every home in Macedonia is the same. As in most countries, the size of the home is somewhat dependent on the economic status of the family. In the villages, many of the families have lived in the same homes for generations if not centuries. One person I met in Skopje has lived in the same apartment for 61 years. He raised a family in it and now enjoys his retirement in it.

As the old expression goes, “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, so too you can’t judge a home by its exterior. As you travel through Macedonia, you will notice that many of the homes are not quite finished. The outside walls tiles are exposed, giving the home by American standards, the appearance of neglect. This is of course not the case. It is very expensive to have the outside walls stucco (-ed), so families put off having it done until they are able to afford it. This may be years or maybe never. Not having the job done does not affect the stability of the house. Once completed though, the home takes on a majestic appearance.

Cement, stone, iron, ceramic tile, and marble are the construction materials of choice. Structures are rock solid and that is probably why I haven’t seen too many smoke detectors and why the schools I’ve been in don’t practice fire drills.

The interior of the homes that I have visited look nothing like the exteriors of the unfinished homes. The walls are stucco (-ed) and painted in light colors. There are wall hangings, curtains and brightly colored carpets throughout. They have beautiful wood and tiled floors. The living room has comfortable sofas and armchairs, along with the always-on TV and the wood stove. The interiors of the homes are very inviting and comfortable.

Most homes in Negotino do not have central heating. There is no natural gas available and limited use of heating oil, so homes are heated by wood burning stoves and electric space heaters. My host family has a portable (meaning they disassemble it in the warmer seasons and store it in the garage) living room stove that keeps the place toasty.

The kitchens have all the appliances that you would find in most American kitchens, perhaps a little smaller and in most cases, without the stainless steel , the automatic ice maker, and the microwave. My host family, in addition to the electric stove, also has a large wood burning stove/oven. They use it in the colder months because it is multi-functional. They use it to boil and bake while at the same time it helps to heat the rest of the common living areas and dries recently washed laundry. I plan on installing one when I return to the U.S. but will have to put on an addition to the kitchen in order to accommodate it. There is a small electric water heater above the sink that provides hot water for the kitchen sink.

My host family has two beautifully tiled bathrooms. The larger one has a large tub and hand-held showerhead. To take a shower, you stand in the tub without curtains and using the hand held spray, you wash and rinse. The drain on the tiled floor and the tiled walls willingly accept the overspray. The tub is quite large, climbing in and out takes practice and you will need a lifeguard if you ever filled it to take a bath. The tub is used to do laundry if you don’t have a washing machine. I understand most families in Macedonia have washing machines but dryers are very rare due to the high cost of electricity. I still believe that opening a Laundromat, with extra dryers, in one of the larger communities could be a successful enterprise despite the fact that every Macedonian I talked to said they wouldn’t use one.

One factor that takes some getting used to in the cold weather is the that bathrooms are not heated. The bathroom window is kept open even in freezing temperatures. There is only a cold water faucet. I have found out that shaving cream has a totally different texture when used at 35 degrees and that I can forego that first cup of coffee to wake me up after splashing my face with icy water. There may be an electric heater high on the wall in the bathroom with the shower, but by the time it kicks in, you’re heading out to a warmer location (warmer being a relative term). There is a wall-mounted electric boiler outside of the bathroom that provides hot water to the tub and washing machine as long as you give it two hours to heat the water.

During the colder months, families retreat to the living room area which is warmed by the wood burning stove and in some cases by an electric space heater. The kitchen wood stove also puts out a lot of warmth so it is a great place to hang out. All the rooms have thick wooden doors that can be closed to conserve the heat while the hallways, the bathroom (s) and the bedrooms are usually unheated.

It is the custom in Macedonia for individuals to take off their street shoes when they enter a home. The floors remain in pristine condition, not having to undergo attacks from the dirt and grime that accumulates on the bottom of shoes.

Macedonians have access to cable TV, fast internet, and cell phone technology and the competition for customers by the various providers is as competitive as it is back in the States (since I’ve been in Macedonia, I love saying “back in the States” – it makes me feel as though I’m in some WWII movie). Advertising such services blankets the media.

Anyway, on the 13th of December, I will be moving to the town on Probistip. I will no longer be living in the beautiful and comfy home of my host family but I will be living in an apartment, initially constructed to house the miners and their families. Reports on apartment living will follow.