500+ Days

I have now been in Macedonia for 500-plus days but it seems like I just arrived.

Changes are taking place in our school and English language classroom. The long-awaited computers have arrived and have been installed on all the new desks in selected classrooms. They aren’t functional yet, but we’re expecting a team from the government to come by next week to verify that they were properly installed. Then it will be light-up time.

The Ministry of Education is working toward the goal of having computers in every classroom. While this might initially sound like a worthy goal, I personally believe (and I am not the only one) that it brings about a myriad of other issues. First of all, the teachers have not been trained on how to use them (training is scheduled) and many of the older teachers have not accepted the idea of computers. From a classroom management standpoint, they extremely limit the layout of the classroom. They take up most of the student’s desk space, limiting the use of textbooks and workbooks. They establish a confining environment so that the teacher cannot work with individual students and make it difficult to review a student’s progress in their workbooks. Perhaps a work station with five or six computers would be a better alternative. Anyway, we’ll see how it works out.

Alexandra initiated a Consequences for Misbehavior procedure for the students. She posts on the wall-mounted chart instances of misbehavior for students who fail to comply with the class rules. There are five steps, with the fifth offence resulting in a trip to the Principal’s office. It has made a marked difference in the behavior of the perpetual miscreants. Up to now there were no formalized consequences for misbehavior.

MAK 13’s (that’s me) had their Mid-Service Training in Skopje for three days (M,T,W). Our counterparts (Alexandra) had two days (W,Th), with Wednesday being an overlap day when we were all there. It was a time to rejuvenate our language skills, learn more about the Macedonian educational system, hear about accomplishments and challenges of our peers, share ideas and catch up with our fellow MAK13’s doings. The intent of the get-together was to set the stage for our second year of service when most volunteers experience their most successful accomplishments.

I had to return to Skopje a week after the MST for the required mid-service physical and dental exam. The results of the rather cursory exam found me to be in good health. Dr. Darko, the Peace Corps doctor, had me get on the weigh-in scale fully clothed, as do the nurses at my doctor’s office at home. I hadn’t seen nor been on a scale for 500-plus days, so I was curious to find out my current weight. I’m usually in the 195 lb. range (doesn’t 88 kilograms sound better?) but the scale registered 205 lbs. So I subtracted the weight of my hiking boots, cell phone, digital camera, winter-weight clothes, wallet, coins and watch and estimated that, buck naked, I would weigh only 150 pounds (the percentage of error is +/- 35lbs.). Great news! My diet of wine, rakija and bread is having great results.

After my physical I had to kill some time before my 4PM bus to Probistip, so I decided I’d treat myself to a McDonald’s lunch. There are three McDonald’s in Skopje. I ordered three burgers, medium fries, and a Sprite. Initially my taste buds were perplexed but soon realized that they had savored this combination of ingredients before and they burst into an uncontrollable celebration. They wanted more and more and more, ignoring the signals from the depository of the after-chew. I resisted the urge to consume a fourth burger. My lunch was definitely the highlight of this trip to Skopje.

Most adults and twenty-somethings (although the latter qualify for the former) don’t patronize McDonald’s. They have grown up with 30 denari huge sandwiches that are similar to a hamburger, but are topped with fries and ketchup and mayo. They must pay 50 denari for a small McDonald’s hamburger without the fries. However the teenagers and children in Skopje love the place. On the day I was there, the place was packed with high school students and mothers with their young children. So I figure in 20 years there will be a Mickey Dee in every city and town in Macedonia.

Til then I’ll have to settle for a 30 denari pork hamburger (sans beef) on a large bun and topped with fries, mayo and ketchup here in the “Probe”.