Yes I am here, as if you hadn’t noticed, Mikey…to hear you tell it, so far I have 1. eaten you out of house and home 2. used up a day’s worth of hot water in a single morning 3. given you ulcers by insisting on drinking coffee near your precious computer 4. scattered crumbs on your previously tidy floor and 5. generally disrupted your swe-e-e-e-t bachelor existence.
Okay, so I’m pretty bad with crumbs, but I’m used to having a Dust Buster, now aren’t I? Give me a few days to adjust.
Michael tells me everyone wants to share travel experiences, so here’s the bottom line: Boston to Athens via London on British Airways is a pleasantly uneventful journey. Athens to Probistip—not so much. But it was much better than it would have been without the advice of other PCV’s, who responded generously to our pleas for guidance on making the trip and spared me a dozen additional hours on local milk runs.
Alexandra, Michael's counterpart, put us in touch with a nice young taxi driver who drove him all the way to Thessaloniki and back to pick me up in the middle of the night, cutting another 6 or 8 hours off my trip. At least I think he was young—it was pitch dark and I had already spent 29 hours on trains, planes and automobiles (not to mention a couple of buses) by the time Michael wrestled my luggage to the parking lot from the train station.
“Wrestled” is no exaggeration, in this case. Advice to anyone trying to carry six weeks’ worth of clothing plus two bags full of items their PCV needs from home between Athens and Macedonia: DON’T. Pop for the cost of shipping or hire a taxi to get you out of Athens before the local transportation authorities get a crack at you.
The Greek citizens I spoke to were lovely and helpful, but transportation employees seemed to take sadistic pleasure in throwing as many roadblocks as they could in my way. They suddenly didn’t seem to know which bus went to the train station, where I could find a telephone or cash machine, or even if there WAS a train to Thessaloniki that night.
When a kind passer-by actually reversed direction to lead me to the correct bus, the driver tapped his foot impatiently as I stumbled toward the door, considering it beyond his purview to help me haul my large wheeled bag out of the street, to which it had escaped after hitting a crack in the sidewalk. It also did not occur to him that I might get to the door sooner if he picked up my smaller suitcase, which had cast off the bungee cord binding it to its big brother and escaped in the opposite direction during the melee.
I did finally make it to the train station, only to discover that for reasons known only to train employees, they refuse to accept your baggage until one-half hour before your train departs. Having four bags and five hours to wait for the train to Thessaloniki, I tried to ask the five men idling and smoking behind the luggage counter if they would make an exception. With a grin of great self-satisfaction one of them said clearly, “None of us speak English” and shared a guffaw with his coworkers.That’s when, to my delight, I discovered that there are certain universal hand gestures which they DID understand. I know it was beneath me, Mother, but it felt wonderful.
So enough with the complaining. As anyone who has been to this mountain valley knows—the trip was well worth it. When I finally ‘came to’ from my jetlag, we walked down cobbled streets to the town center to cries of “Hello, Michael” and “What’s shaking, Michael” from just about every passing child. They all seem to be getting a great kick out of learning American slang. Their eIders stopped us at least every block to engage us in enthusiastic conversation, even though I couldn’t understand a word and Michael caught only a few here and there. It didn’t matter if we didn’t speak the language, they let us know: we must come in for coffee.
I can’t begin to do justice to the natural beauty of this place and the friendliness of the people in a short blog, so I’ll break it into small pieces in future entries. For now there are boxer shorts and lace panties to hang out to dry on our balcony and garden tomatoes, local cheese and crusty bread to collect from little shops down the street.
Swe-e-e-t.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Spring, Easter and Dumpsters
Spring has arrived in Macedonia with its warm days and but still cool nights. I am told that this spring has been rainier than those of the last few years, so that maybe there won’t be too many waterless days this summer. Most Probistpians are outside now, tending their flower gardens and getting the soil ready for planting vegetables. The trimmed grape vines and fruit trees are budding. Lettuce is already available. Macedonians love the land and make use of every square meter to grow something, whether it be something to eat or something to beautify their surroundings.
Orthodox Easter was celebrated last weekend here in the Balkans. It is perhaps the most important holiday of the year. On Great Thursday (Holy Thursday), before the sun rises, families will dye three eggs the color red. This I was told, represents the Holy Trinity and the color red represents the blood of Christ. Later in the day, the eggs are gently rubbed across the heads of the children (I am not sure of the significance of this ritual). Nobody went to work on Great Friday (Good Friday). On Great Saturday (Holy Saturday), many families decorated eggs. Unlike those colored pills that you added to vinegar water that I used as a child, the dyes used here in Macedonia produced dark reds and blues and greens that gave the eggs deep rich colors.
At 11:00 PM on the eve of The Great Day (Easter) I went with Jasmina (my Macedonian tutor and friend) to the local church and attended a ceremony in which all of the parishioners with lighted candles, a ringing church bell, and led by chanting priests, walked around the church three times before the midnight hour. There was a great turnout of attendees and I saw many of the students from the Nicola Karev School. Most people lit candles for their family members and friends, and with the weather being temperate, it was a nice ceremony.
On The Great Day (Easter Sunday), children receive the decorated eggs and go about playing a game whereby two of them would lightly smack two eggs together. The one whose egg cracked would have to give it to the one whose egg remained uncracked. Using a decorated wooden egg to enhance one’s collection is not an uncommon practice and individuals with many eggs are always under suspicion for having employed such a tactic. Alexandra, Jasmina, and children from school gave me beautifully decorated eggs that I had to reluctantly destroy and turn into egg salad (a classic riches to rags story). As with the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny doesn’t work in Macedonia. There are no candy-filled Easter baskets hiding somewhere to be found. Peeps, jelly beans, and chocolate bunnies have not yet challenged the ordinary plain white egg for dominance in the Easter Sunday diet of Macedonia’s children.
One other very significant event took place in Probistip last week. One of the first things that a visitor to most municipalities throughout the country notices is the poor condition of the trash dumpsters which residents use to get rid of their household garbage. Invariably they are missing the top enclosure which enables the local homeless cat and dog population to feast on discarded foodstuffs (and in the process litter the surrounding grounds). They are wheel-less, rusted and an eyesore in the otherwise meticulously clean communities. Well now Probistip can lay claim to the title of “A Town That Has Only New Dumpsters”. Every old and somewhat useless dumpster was replaced with a brand new fully operable state of the art trash depository. While I do wonder where the homeless animals are dining, I have noticed the litterlessness of the areas where the dumpsters are located.
Oh, and by the way, my wife arrived from Massachusetts for a four-week visit.
Orthodox Easter was celebrated last weekend here in the Balkans. It is perhaps the most important holiday of the year. On Great Thursday (Holy Thursday), before the sun rises, families will dye three eggs the color red. This I was told, represents the Holy Trinity and the color red represents the blood of Christ. Later in the day, the eggs are gently rubbed across the heads of the children (I am not sure of the significance of this ritual). Nobody went to work on Great Friday (Good Friday). On Great Saturday (Holy Saturday), many families decorated eggs. Unlike those colored pills that you added to vinegar water that I used as a child, the dyes used here in Macedonia produced dark reds and blues and greens that gave the eggs deep rich colors.
At 11:00 PM on the eve of The Great Day (Easter) I went with Jasmina (my Macedonian tutor and friend) to the local church and attended a ceremony in which all of the parishioners with lighted candles, a ringing church bell, and led by chanting priests, walked around the church three times before the midnight hour. There was a great turnout of attendees and I saw many of the students from the Nicola Karev School. Most people lit candles for their family members and friends, and with the weather being temperate, it was a nice ceremony.
On The Great Day (Easter Sunday), children receive the decorated eggs and go about playing a game whereby two of them would lightly smack two eggs together. The one whose egg cracked would have to give it to the one whose egg remained uncracked. Using a decorated wooden egg to enhance one’s collection is not an uncommon practice and individuals with many eggs are always under suspicion for having employed such a tactic. Alexandra, Jasmina, and children from school gave me beautifully decorated eggs that I had to reluctantly destroy and turn into egg salad (a classic riches to rags story). As with the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny doesn’t work in Macedonia. There are no candy-filled Easter baskets hiding somewhere to be found. Peeps, jelly beans, and chocolate bunnies have not yet challenged the ordinary plain white egg for dominance in the Easter Sunday diet of Macedonia’s children.
One other very significant event took place in Probistip last week. One of the first things that a visitor to most municipalities throughout the country notices is the poor condition of the trash dumpsters which residents use to get rid of their household garbage. Invariably they are missing the top enclosure which enables the local homeless cat and dog population to feast on discarded foodstuffs (and in the process litter the surrounding grounds). They are wheel-less, rusted and an eyesore in the otherwise meticulously clean communities. Well now Probistip can lay claim to the title of “A Town That Has Only New Dumpsters”. Every old and somewhat useless dumpster was replaced with a brand new fully operable state of the art trash depository. While I do wonder where the homeless animals are dining, I have noticed the litterlessness of the areas where the dumpsters are located.
Oh, and by the way, my wife arrived from Massachusetts for a four-week visit.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Six Days in Ohrid
Each spring Peace Corps Macedonia brings together the newest batch of Volunteers (MAC 13’s) for six days of In-Service Training (IST). Also invited this year were our counterparts for technical training for the first three days and MAC 12’s for the last three days for language training.
Training was conducted in Ohrid, a gem of a city and a destination point for thousands of vacationers during the summer months (check it out on the internet). The hotel where we trained, ate and slept was exceptionally nice. Having three meals served daily, and having a variety of food was appreciated by all the Volunteers.
The permanent PC training staff put together a very complete schedule of topics, including a tour of the city one evening, led by a professional tour guide. The Volunteers scheduled a flag football game between the MAC 12’s and Mac 13’s , which, thank goodness, resulted in a 6-6 tie due to the arrival of darkness.
From Monday through Wednesday morning, those Volunteers who work in Community Development (CD’s) and Non-Governmental Agencies and their counterparts had sessions on such relevant topics as Fund Raising, Tourism Development, and Non-Governmental Organization Law.
Those Volunteers who are in the English Language Program, along with their counterparts, sat through sessions such as Team Teaching, An Overview of the American Educational System, Dealing with the Multi-level Classroom, and Teaching with Limited Resources. Everyone had a chance to share ideas and plan for the upcoming months.
On Wednesday afternoon the counterparts left for their communities while the MAC 13’s learned something about grant writing and the NGO’s learned a little about teaching English to adults.
The MAC 12’s began arriving and Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning were devoted to language training. The Peace Corps brought in 12 Language Facilitators who were experts in Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, or Roma. The sessions were for one hour with a six-participant limit. Each volunteer had the opportunity to pick lessons from over 100 topics in the course of the 2 ½ days. For example, I signed up for Possessive Pronominal Adjectives, Perfective and Imperfective Verbs, Useful Phrases, Conditional Sentences 1&2, and Imperatives all in the Macedonian language (not being an English Language Major, I was unaware that when I said “My car” or “Their dog” that I was using a possessive pronominal adjective. But as they say, you’re never too old to learn.) Most of the Volunteers enjoyed the sessions and found them to be quite beneficial. I said “most of the Volunteers” because I did not poll all of them and “most” is a safe word that leaves lots of room for error.
We were also updated on current safety and security issues; learned of initiatives by PCV’s that were open to all; discussed upcoming administrative requirements; and had the opportunity to talk with the medical staff and receive required immunizations.
It was a well-planned and worthwhile week of learning, conducted in a beautiful city on one of the world’s oldest lakes, and surrounded by my fellow PCV’s. But I’m glad to be back home in Probistip.
Training was conducted in Ohrid, a gem of a city and a destination point for thousands of vacationers during the summer months (check it out on the internet). The hotel where we trained, ate and slept was exceptionally nice. Having three meals served daily, and having a variety of food was appreciated by all the Volunteers.
The permanent PC training staff put together a very complete schedule of topics, including a tour of the city one evening, led by a professional tour guide. The Volunteers scheduled a flag football game between the MAC 12’s and Mac 13’s , which, thank goodness, resulted in a 6-6 tie due to the arrival of darkness.
From Monday through Wednesday morning, those Volunteers who work in Community Development (CD’s) and Non-Governmental Agencies and their counterparts had sessions on such relevant topics as Fund Raising, Tourism Development, and Non-Governmental Organization Law.
Those Volunteers who are in the English Language Program, along with their counterparts, sat through sessions such as Team Teaching, An Overview of the American Educational System, Dealing with the Multi-level Classroom, and Teaching with Limited Resources. Everyone had a chance to share ideas and plan for the upcoming months.
On Wednesday afternoon the counterparts left for their communities while the MAC 13’s learned something about grant writing and the NGO’s learned a little about teaching English to adults.
The MAC 12’s began arriving and Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning were devoted to language training. The Peace Corps brought in 12 Language Facilitators who were experts in Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, or Roma. The sessions were for one hour with a six-participant limit. Each volunteer had the opportunity to pick lessons from over 100 topics in the course of the 2 ½ days. For example, I signed up for Possessive Pronominal Adjectives, Perfective and Imperfective Verbs, Useful Phrases, Conditional Sentences 1&2, and Imperatives all in the Macedonian language (not being an English Language Major, I was unaware that when I said “My car” or “Their dog” that I was using a possessive pronominal adjective. But as they say, you’re never too old to learn.) Most of the Volunteers enjoyed the sessions and found them to be quite beneficial. I said “most of the Volunteers” because I did not poll all of them and “most” is a safe word that leaves lots of room for error.
We were also updated on current safety and security issues; learned of initiatives by PCV’s that were open to all; discussed upcoming administrative requirements; and had the opportunity to talk with the medical staff and receive required immunizations.
It was a well-planned and worthwhile week of learning, conducted in a beautiful city on one of the world’s oldest lakes, and surrounded by my fellow PCV’s. But I’m glad to be back home in Probistip.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Planting Seeds
Sadly, because of the lack of jobs in the town, there appears to be much idleness amongst the unemployed and underemployed men. I’m not too sure yet, but the lack of resources in the homes also contributes to the lack of recreational activities for the children. When asked, the children reply that their favorite activities are playing computer games and watching TV. Some children belong to sports clubs (football, handball, basketball, volleyball, karate, folk dance) all of which charge a fee and are for only a few hours a week.
So I am trying to introduce some inexpensive activities that potentially could provide hours of recreational fun. I have introduced a few already and they have been well received by the participants. But it’s only the start. The seeds are being planted but they’ll have to be watered and fertilized, and cultivated before they fully ripen.
DISCRAFT makes and distributes the Ultra-Star Professional Sport disc for Ultimate teams and players throughout the USA and the world. They also offer Peace Corps Volunteers ten free misprinted discs and the opportuntity to purchase up to 50 more misprints for $3 each. The Volunteer must pay the cost of shipping and handling. The discs retail for more than $15 a piece. I purchased 10 discs and so for $91 which is more than 1/3 of my monthly subsistence allowance($61 shipping to Macedonia), I now possess the only 175 gram Sport discs in Probistip and maybe in all of Macedonia. My ultimate plan (get it?) is to have a boys and a girls Ultimate team that can travel to other villages and towns to introduce the sport and have some fun meeting kids from other communities. The seed has been planted.
Last week after school there were some eighth graders hanging out on the school steps, so I took out a Sport disc from my backpack and for the next hour we had a great time tossing it around? For the first time in the 3000+ year history of Macedonia, you could witness teenagers tossing a disc on a warm and sunny spring afternoon, mimicking a scene on thousands of college and high school campuses and city parks in the USA. The seed has been planted.
I found a long piece of rope at school and wondered if the students had ever jumped rope. The teachers said that when they were schoolgirls, they jumped rope but that today’s children weren’t too familiar with it. So I brought out the rope one day during my after-school basketball and showed them some techniques of long and short jump ropes (one of the PE teachers showed me where there were some unused short ropes from years before). The students loved the activity and now all they want to do is jump rope. I am hoping to see groups of children jumping rope when I travel through their neighborhoods. I’m trying to convince the Director to purchase some ropes for PE classes and for the students to use during the breakfast break but he hasn’t agreed to YET. I’ll get Alexandra to work on him. The seed has been planted.
Many people throughout the USA love the activity of pitching horseshoes. It’s a great social activity for everyone and it provides some excellent recreational time for the participants. You can also drink beer while you play. So my long range plan is to have a horseshoe pitching league in Probistip which would help fill idle hours and provide recreational and social opportunities for anyone interested. My biggest problem, as it was with the discs and jump ropes, is finding horseshoes. The horseshoes in Macedonia (and maybe in all of Europe) are about 1/3 the size of a regulation horseshoe used in pitching. My friend Kolae introduced me to a blacksmith in the next town over who said he would try to fabricate a suitable horseshoe but I have yet been unable to get back there with the exact measurements. So until I can get my hands on the necessary equipment, I’ll have to wait to plant the seed on this activity.
Luckily I have Alexandra, my counterpart and friend and Jasmina, my Macedonian tutor and friend, who fully support me and pave the way in helping me resolve any problems I encounter along the way.
And finally a memorable moment for me. In the classrooms, the students sit at double-desks so that they are seated side by side with a classmate. I was helping a student who was having a problem understanding the proper use of in/on/under/and next to (I have the same problem learning when to use za, vo, da, na, po and doe). As I was engaged in explaining and demonstrating the differences, the other student at the desk said in his Macedonian-accented English, “Michael, you are a very good teacher”. “Well thank you Petar”, was all I could come up with to such a spontaneous and flattering compliment. He didn’t realize it but he had made my day.
I’m off to Ohrid for a week of technical and language training and a chance to see my fellow MAC13’s.
So I am trying to introduce some inexpensive activities that potentially could provide hours of recreational fun. I have introduced a few already and they have been well received by the participants. But it’s only the start. The seeds are being planted but they’ll have to be watered and fertilized, and cultivated before they fully ripen.
DISCRAFT makes and distributes the Ultra-Star Professional Sport disc for Ultimate teams and players throughout the USA and the world. They also offer Peace Corps Volunteers ten free misprinted discs and the opportuntity to purchase up to 50 more misprints for $3 each. The Volunteer must pay the cost of shipping and handling. The discs retail for more than $15 a piece. I purchased 10 discs and so for $91 which is more than 1/3 of my monthly subsistence allowance($61 shipping to Macedonia), I now possess the only 175 gram Sport discs in Probistip and maybe in all of Macedonia. My ultimate plan (get it?) is to have a boys and a girls Ultimate team that can travel to other villages and towns to introduce the sport and have some fun meeting kids from other communities. The seed has been planted.
Last week after school there were some eighth graders hanging out on the school steps, so I took out a Sport disc from my backpack and for the next hour we had a great time tossing it around? For the first time in the 3000+ year history of Macedonia, you could witness teenagers tossing a disc on a warm and sunny spring afternoon, mimicking a scene on thousands of college and high school campuses and city parks in the USA. The seed has been planted.
I found a long piece of rope at school and wondered if the students had ever jumped rope. The teachers said that when they were schoolgirls, they jumped rope but that today’s children weren’t too familiar with it. So I brought out the rope one day during my after-school basketball and showed them some techniques of long and short jump ropes (one of the PE teachers showed me where there were some unused short ropes from years before). The students loved the activity and now all they want to do is jump rope. I am hoping to see groups of children jumping rope when I travel through their neighborhoods. I’m trying to convince the Director to purchase some ropes for PE classes and for the students to use during the breakfast break but he hasn’t agreed to YET. I’ll get Alexandra to work on him. The seed has been planted.
Many people throughout the USA love the activity of pitching horseshoes. It’s a great social activity for everyone and it provides some excellent recreational time for the participants. You can also drink beer while you play. So my long range plan is to have a horseshoe pitching league in Probistip which would help fill idle hours and provide recreational and social opportunities for anyone interested. My biggest problem, as it was with the discs and jump ropes, is finding horseshoes. The horseshoes in Macedonia (and maybe in all of Europe) are about 1/3 the size of a regulation horseshoe used in pitching. My friend Kolae introduced me to a blacksmith in the next town over who said he would try to fabricate a suitable horseshoe but I have yet been unable to get back there with the exact measurements. So until I can get my hands on the necessary equipment, I’ll have to wait to plant the seed on this activity.
Luckily I have Alexandra, my counterpart and friend and Jasmina, my Macedonian tutor and friend, who fully support me and pave the way in helping me resolve any problems I encounter along the way.
And finally a memorable moment for me. In the classrooms, the students sit at double-desks so that they are seated side by side with a classmate. I was helping a student who was having a problem understanding the proper use of in/on/under/and next to (I have the same problem learning when to use za, vo, da, na, po and doe). As I was engaged in explaining and demonstrating the differences, the other student at the desk said in his Macedonian-accented English, “Michael, you are a very good teacher”. “Well thank you Petar”, was all I could come up with to such a spontaneous and flattering compliment. He didn’t realize it but he had made my day.
I’m off to Ohrid for a week of technical and language training and a chance to see my fellow MAC13’s.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Bake Sale
History was made in Probistip on Monday the 23rd of March 2009. This following the peaceful Macedonian Presidential and mayoral elections the day before. Let me explain.
Several weeks ago I left a Teacher’s Dream Sheet in the teacher’s room which asked the teachers to “write down three items that they would request if they had three wishes.” The items they wished for were very surprising to me because for the most part – one teacher wished for a TV and DVD player- they were items which are taken for granted in most American schools. Teachers wished for permanent markers, paper, children’s musical instruments, math books, scissors, and a new carpet to replace the 15 year old carpet in the after-school classroom.
These wishes offered me the excellent opportunity for me to bring up the idea with Alexandra of fund raising. She already has her students bring in plastic bottles and scrap paper for which she has a buyer but the return is somewhat minimal. I asked her if they ever had a bake sale at school but the concept was novel to her and as I came to find out, every other Probistipian. Baking something at home, bringing it to school and selling it was never done before. I explained that if each of the 24 students in her home room brought in twelve cookies and we sold them for 5 denari each, we could raise 1400 denari in one morning. At first she wasn’t too sure it would work but she’s always willing to give anything a try (a 20%’er). She accepted the challenge of setting up this historic first bake sale.
She brought up the idea with her homeroom class and they were extremely excited about this new idea (all future 20%’ers?). The classroom was abuzz (another word I’ve always wanted to use) with who was going to make the posters, man the table, set up, clean up, and count the money. It was decided that it would be held the following Monday during the school’s breakfast period. There would be over 400 potential customers that would pass by the table set up outside the cafeteria. Location, location, location – we had it all.
Failing to work under my philosophy that it’s always easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission, Alexandra suggested that we get the rubber- stamped permission of the school Director before conducting the bake sale. I explained that in America we would do something experiential without asking for permission and then if need be, seek forgiveness if someone had a problem with us having done it.
But Alexandra knows the Macedonian way and wisely mentioned our plan to the Director. He liked the idea but told us that we couldn’t sell food school-wide because a child could get sick from contaminated food. He gave us permission, though, to have the bake sale within the confines of the classroom , and we could only sell food amongst her class and to staff members (don’t ask me to explain the rationale).
So the new plan allowed us to purchase the ingredients, spend Sunday afternoon making the cookies, carefully transporting them to school over the icy sidewalks on Monday morning, and then buying them back from ourselves at our own bake sale. Although this didn’t adhere to the strict definition of either “bake sale” or “fundraiser”, the students were still excited as ever when Alexandra informed them of the “minor” change to the original plan. At least we didn’t have to make signs and posters advertising the sale to ourselves.
So on a cold and icy Monday morning the historic event began upon the arrival of the 24 students in Class 6V. Unlike most other Monday mornings in classrooms all across the world, this one was filled with energy and determination. The students dutifully set up classroom, proudly displayed their homemade goodies, and quietly scouted their potential purchases from their classmates’ bounties of sweets.
Alexandra did a wonderful job promoting the bake sale to the other teachers – none of whom had experienced one. She made some flyers that the students delivered to each teacher reminding them of the event and inviting them to come to the classroom to make a purchase. The sale could only be conducted until 9:30 when 6V had to head out for another class and German class would take over the classroom where the sale was taking place.
It was great sitting on the sidelines and being able to watch the proceedings as students and staff engaged in an activity that brought smiles to the faces of all the participants. The students were eager to describe to the potential buyers the background behind each cookie: “My grandmother makes that one on very special family occasions”; “That’s my father’s favorite.” ; and “That one is from America. Michael made it”. With such great marketing support behind them, my apple cakes and butter cookies were the first items to sell out.
The teachers were pleasantly surprised by the wide assortment of goodies. They had never been to a bake sale and marveled at the concept. They exclaimed that they wanted to try one of each item as they proceeded to purchase the entire inventory by 9:30. “When’s the next bake sale” echoed throughout the hallways.
Working together, Class 6V was able to raise over 1000 denari for classroom items. The 23rd of March 2009 was a good day at the Nikola Karev Primary School in Probistip, Macedonia.
Several weeks ago I left a Teacher’s Dream Sheet in the teacher’s room which asked the teachers to “write down three items that they would request if they had three wishes.” The items they wished for were very surprising to me because for the most part – one teacher wished for a TV and DVD player- they were items which are taken for granted in most American schools. Teachers wished for permanent markers, paper, children’s musical instruments, math books, scissors, and a new carpet to replace the 15 year old carpet in the after-school classroom.
These wishes offered me the excellent opportunity for me to bring up the idea with Alexandra of fund raising. She already has her students bring in plastic bottles and scrap paper for which she has a buyer but the return is somewhat minimal. I asked her if they ever had a bake sale at school but the concept was novel to her and as I came to find out, every other Probistipian. Baking something at home, bringing it to school and selling it was never done before. I explained that if each of the 24 students in her home room brought in twelve cookies and we sold them for 5 denari each, we could raise 1400 denari in one morning. At first she wasn’t too sure it would work but she’s always willing to give anything a try (a 20%’er). She accepted the challenge of setting up this historic first bake sale.
She brought up the idea with her homeroom class and they were extremely excited about this new idea (all future 20%’ers?). The classroom was abuzz (another word I’ve always wanted to use) with who was going to make the posters, man the table, set up, clean up, and count the money. It was decided that it would be held the following Monday during the school’s breakfast period. There would be over 400 potential customers that would pass by the table set up outside the cafeteria. Location, location, location – we had it all.
Failing to work under my philosophy that it’s always easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission, Alexandra suggested that we get the rubber- stamped permission of the school Director before conducting the bake sale. I explained that in America we would do something experiential without asking for permission and then if need be, seek forgiveness if someone had a problem with us having done it.
But Alexandra knows the Macedonian way and wisely mentioned our plan to the Director. He liked the idea but told us that we couldn’t sell food school-wide because a child could get sick from contaminated food. He gave us permission, though, to have the bake sale within the confines of the classroom , and we could only sell food amongst her class and to staff members (don’t ask me to explain the rationale).
So the new plan allowed us to purchase the ingredients, spend Sunday afternoon making the cookies, carefully transporting them to school over the icy sidewalks on Monday morning, and then buying them back from ourselves at our own bake sale. Although this didn’t adhere to the strict definition of either “bake sale” or “fundraiser”, the students were still excited as ever when Alexandra informed them of the “minor” change to the original plan. At least we didn’t have to make signs and posters advertising the sale to ourselves.
So on a cold and icy Monday morning the historic event began upon the arrival of the 24 students in Class 6V. Unlike most other Monday mornings in classrooms all across the world, this one was filled with energy and determination. The students dutifully set up classroom, proudly displayed their homemade goodies, and quietly scouted their potential purchases from their classmates’ bounties of sweets.
Alexandra did a wonderful job promoting the bake sale to the other teachers – none of whom had experienced one. She made some flyers that the students delivered to each teacher reminding them of the event and inviting them to come to the classroom to make a purchase. The sale could only be conducted until 9:30 when 6V had to head out for another class and German class would take over the classroom where the sale was taking place.
It was great sitting on the sidelines and being able to watch the proceedings as students and staff engaged in an activity that brought smiles to the faces of all the participants. The students were eager to describe to the potential buyers the background behind each cookie: “My grandmother makes that one on very special family occasions”; “That’s my father’s favorite.” ; and “That one is from America. Michael made it”. With such great marketing support behind them, my apple cakes and butter cookies were the first items to sell out.
The teachers were pleasantly surprised by the wide assortment of goodies. They had never been to a bake sale and marveled at the concept. They exclaimed that they wanted to try one of each item as they proceeded to purchase the entire inventory by 9:30. “When’s the next bake sale” echoed throughout the hallways.
Working together, Class 6V was able to raise over 1000 denari for classroom items. The 23rd of March 2009 was a good day at the Nikola Karev Primary School in Probistip, Macedonia.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Bits and Pieces
Alexandra and I had some success with our Homework -Team Project which attempted to get the students to do their English homework on a daily basis. As with classes worldwide, motivated students would complete their homework assignments while the less-than-motivated students would proffer every excuse, to include laziness, for not doing the assignment. We arranged each class into three teams and awarded points for completed assignments. At the end of the month, the team with the most points would receive an American cookie made by Michael (me ) and a free class outside playing an American game with me during a scheduled class. The team with the second-most points would get to participate in the outdoor game while the team with the least amount of points would have to stay inside and complete an English language assignment . After explaining the rules to one of the classes, a student proclaimed, “Now we have a reason to do our homework!” Go figure.
The completion rate for the month of February was over 95%. Peer pressure played an important role in the whole process as students would chastise teammates for not completing the homework assignment. The contests were close and I enjoyed watching the winners respond to their first taste of a Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie. While Alexandra and I work still have to work out some of the kinks, the students are fully engaged in this month’s challenge on newly selected teams.
International Woman's Day (IWD) is celebrated in Macedonia and in many other countries throughout the world, on the 8th of March every year. It recognizes the economic, political and social achievements of women. It is very similar to Mother’s Day, but it recognizes all women . Many children brought flowers or candy to school for their teachers on Friday this year while the teachers distributed sweets to their classes.
Another cute Macedonian custom is the tradition of children bringing sweets to their classmates when it’s their birthday. As they hand a sweet to a classmate or teacher, each classmate or teacher grabs each ear of the birthday child and gently pull upwards, thereby encouraging him/her to grow taller as they wish him/her a “Happy Birthday”.
Tooth Fairies don’t work the Macedonian beat, at least not in Probistip. The children here are fascinated by the idea that you can receive money for a tooth. When a Macedonian child loses a tooth, he/she throws it up on the roof of their home and chants something to the effect of “Take this tooth of bone and return to me a tooth of silver.” (my English speaking colleagues couldn’t remember the exact wording at the time of my writing this blog). A child only gets to do this for the first lost tooth. So if there are any unemployed Tooth Fairies that you might know of, let them know that there is an abundant supply of teeth in Macedonia.
One of my goals during my stay in Probistip is to set up an Ultimate Frisbee league. It’s an activity that requires a minimal amount of equipment and can be enjoyed by the upper grades and high school students. Friends tossing a Frisbee in the center or in the park would be much more preferable than friends sitting on the provided benches with little to do when hanging out. The only problem is that I CAN’T FIND A STINKIN’ FRISBEE OR FLYING DISC ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. I searched over 20 different stores when I was in Skopje last week, and although the clerks knew what a frisbee is, not one of the stores stocked them.
Before they can participate in a game, the students need to learn how to throw a Frisbee and I need to find a source of disks. So my first task is to try to convince a shopkeeper in Probistip to stock some mid-level discs that interested parties may purchase. I did find three light toy discs that are adequate for indoor use and have a travel distance of about ten feet and the students are very eager to use them. So I know that better quality ones will sell once I get the ball (or should I say disc) rolling.
Scooters and mopeds are beginning to appear around town, so the warmer weather must be on its way. The Peace Corps prohibits Volunteers from riding on them but it sure appears to be a pleasant way to get around. You don’t have to worry about some big SUV running you off the road.
Sadly, our Country Director Bob Cone, who only six months ago took over the position, had to resign so he could be with his wife Joan while she recovers from breast cancer surgery. Bob and Joan earned the respect and friendship of all the Peace Corps family here in Macedonia and they will be missed. It’s not that often that everybody loves their boss. They were the perfect fit for the job. Fortunately Joan is expected to recover fully and perhaps someday we’ll cross paths.
The completion rate for the month of February was over 95%. Peer pressure played an important role in the whole process as students would chastise teammates for not completing the homework assignment. The contests were close and I enjoyed watching the winners respond to their first taste of a Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie. While Alexandra and I work still have to work out some of the kinks, the students are fully engaged in this month’s challenge on newly selected teams.
International Woman's Day (IWD) is celebrated in Macedonia and in many other countries throughout the world, on the 8th of March every year. It recognizes the economic, political and social achievements of women. It is very similar to Mother’s Day, but it recognizes all women . Many children brought flowers or candy to school for their teachers on Friday this year while the teachers distributed sweets to their classes.
Another cute Macedonian custom is the tradition of children bringing sweets to their classmates when it’s their birthday. As they hand a sweet to a classmate or teacher, each classmate or teacher grabs each ear of the birthday child and gently pull upwards, thereby encouraging him/her to grow taller as they wish him/her a “Happy Birthday”.
Tooth Fairies don’t work the Macedonian beat, at least not in Probistip. The children here are fascinated by the idea that you can receive money for a tooth. When a Macedonian child loses a tooth, he/she throws it up on the roof of their home and chants something to the effect of “Take this tooth of bone and return to me a tooth of silver.” (my English speaking colleagues couldn’t remember the exact wording at the time of my writing this blog). A child only gets to do this for the first lost tooth. So if there are any unemployed Tooth Fairies that you might know of, let them know that there is an abundant supply of teeth in Macedonia.
One of my goals during my stay in Probistip is to set up an Ultimate Frisbee league. It’s an activity that requires a minimal amount of equipment and can be enjoyed by the upper grades and high school students. Friends tossing a Frisbee in the center or in the park would be much more preferable than friends sitting on the provided benches with little to do when hanging out. The only problem is that I CAN’T FIND A STINKIN’ FRISBEE OR FLYING DISC ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. I searched over 20 different stores when I was in Skopje last week, and although the clerks knew what a frisbee is, not one of the stores stocked them.
Before they can participate in a game, the students need to learn how to throw a Frisbee and I need to find a source of disks. So my first task is to try to convince a shopkeeper in Probistip to stock some mid-level discs that interested parties may purchase. I did find three light toy discs that are adequate for indoor use and have a travel distance of about ten feet and the students are very eager to use them. So I know that better quality ones will sell once I get the ball (or should I say disc) rolling.
Scooters and mopeds are beginning to appear around town, so the warmer weather must be on its way. The Peace Corps prohibits Volunteers from riding on them but it sure appears to be a pleasant way to get around. You don’t have to worry about some big SUV running you off the road.
Sadly, our Country Director Bob Cone, who only six months ago took over the position, had to resign so he could be with his wife Joan while she recovers from breast cancer surgery. Bob and Joan earned the respect and friendship of all the Peace Corps family here in Macedonia and they will be missed. It’s not that often that everybody loves their boss. They were the perfect fit for the job. Fortunately Joan is expected to recover fully and perhaps someday we’ll cross paths.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
No More Waiting in a Line
One of the most mentioned cultural differences that PCV’s talk about is the Macedonian’s ignorance of waiting in a line. Every Volunteer has had the experience of having an individual cut in front of her/him while he/she was expecting to be the next person to be serviced whether it is at the post office, bank, market or entrance to a building. They are not doing it maliciously. It’s just the way they do it. They form semi-circles around the person being attended to.
On Friday I had to go into Skopje for a Sexual and Reproductive Health Education Committee meeting that I had volunteered to serve on (more on that in a future blog). I was standing behind a woman who was purchasing a ticket at the bus station ticket window and leaving her a little space so she could maneuver away from the window. I was obviously the next customer but as she began her move away from the window, this gentleman reaches in front of me and puts his money on the counter and requests a ticket to Skopje. It’s like I was invisible. There were only the three of us in the station at the time. I bit my tongue but vowed to take up the Peace Corp’s mantra and assimilate into the community – no more lines for me, only semi-circles.
The opportunity to assimilate came sooner than I expected - that afternoon on the last bus from Skopje to Probistip. Fridays are crazy at the bus terminal. University students are heading home for the weekend, commuters are commuting and weekend travelers are hustling to their weekend sojourns. So if one doesn’t want to stand for the two-and- a- half hour trip to Probistip, one needs to capture a seat. The word “capture” implies some form of violence and my no-more-wait-in-line conversion mentally prepared me for Operation Get a Seat.
At 4:30 I innocently stood in the back of the crowd of experienced travelers, feinting that I had no desire to participate in the upcoming event. I counted about 60 adversaries meaning anywhere from 10-15 standees. People were shuffling back and forth and the nervous tension could be felt all along the platform as everyone waited for the 4:40.
My position in the back of the crowd gave me the advantage of seeing the bus approach the station before anyone else. Therefore while it was approaching, I casually maneuvered to the front of the awaiting crowd which had not yet spotted the bus. Having this initial advantage did not last long as the crowd began to surge toward the anticipated boarding spot (the no-line mentality). I had to use my backpack to block and push people away. I was able to knock two elderly ladies and three little schoolgirls away from the bus door (it’s an acceptable practice) as college students and businessmen competed with me – the rookie- to board.
When the driver opened the door I was the second person to board, preceded only by an elderly grandmother. My victory in this contest enabled me to pick the seat of my choice and watch the last 15 passengers sullenly take a place in the aisle. If I recall correctly, they were the ones waiting in a line to get on the bus, courteously allowing the elderly and people with children to enter ahead of them.
On the very comfortable ride to Probistip, I was able to gloat over my ability to assimilate so easily. The two elderly ladies and the three little schoolgirls that I knocked over were amongst those now standing in the aisle, rather uncomfortably. They would often look toward me and mutter something in Macedonian that I took to be unpleasant. I would just look back, raise my index finger and mouth “Jac sum Broj Eden“ (“I am Number One”). I have to find out if their reply of sticking out their tongue at me has a universal meaning.
Anyway, I can’t wait to go to the post office.
On Friday I had to go into Skopje for a Sexual and Reproductive Health Education Committee meeting that I had volunteered to serve on (more on that in a future blog). I was standing behind a woman who was purchasing a ticket at the bus station ticket window and leaving her a little space so she could maneuver away from the window. I was obviously the next customer but as she began her move away from the window, this gentleman reaches in front of me and puts his money on the counter and requests a ticket to Skopje. It’s like I was invisible. There were only the three of us in the station at the time. I bit my tongue but vowed to take up the Peace Corp’s mantra and assimilate into the community – no more lines for me, only semi-circles.
The opportunity to assimilate came sooner than I expected - that afternoon on the last bus from Skopje to Probistip. Fridays are crazy at the bus terminal. University students are heading home for the weekend, commuters are commuting and weekend travelers are hustling to their weekend sojourns. So if one doesn’t want to stand for the two-and- a- half hour trip to Probistip, one needs to capture a seat. The word “capture” implies some form of violence and my no-more-wait-in-line conversion mentally prepared me for Operation Get a Seat.
At 4:30 I innocently stood in the back of the crowd of experienced travelers, feinting that I had no desire to participate in the upcoming event. I counted about 60 adversaries meaning anywhere from 10-15 standees. People were shuffling back and forth and the nervous tension could be felt all along the platform as everyone waited for the 4:40.
My position in the back of the crowd gave me the advantage of seeing the bus approach the station before anyone else. Therefore while it was approaching, I casually maneuvered to the front of the awaiting crowd which had not yet spotted the bus. Having this initial advantage did not last long as the crowd began to surge toward the anticipated boarding spot (the no-line mentality). I had to use my backpack to block and push people away. I was able to knock two elderly ladies and three little schoolgirls away from the bus door (it’s an acceptable practice) as college students and businessmen competed with me – the rookie- to board.
When the driver opened the door I was the second person to board, preceded only by an elderly grandmother. My victory in this contest enabled me to pick the seat of my choice and watch the last 15 passengers sullenly take a place in the aisle. If I recall correctly, they were the ones waiting in a line to get on the bus, courteously allowing the elderly and people with children to enter ahead of them.
On the very comfortable ride to Probistip, I was able to gloat over my ability to assimilate so easily. The two elderly ladies and the three little schoolgirls that I knocked over were amongst those now standing in the aisle, rather uncomfortably. They would often look toward me and mutter something in Macedonian that I took to be unpleasant. I would just look back, raise my index finger and mouth “Jac sum Broj Eden“ (“I am Number One”). I have to find out if their reply of sticking out their tongue at me has a universal meaning.
Anyway, I can’t wait to go to the post office.
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