Ajvar and everything else

Find me in my new location!

2007-02-02T20:14:00.001+02:00

http://bitterroots.blogspot.com/

This is it!

2006-10-31T18:20:00.000+02:00

So ... my last night in Ohrid... Today was really nice. I think I have done everything I wanted to. Just a few final goodbyes. Taka.

2006-10-31T18:11:00.001+02:00

My last sunset in Ohrid.

2006-10-31T18:11:00.000+02:00

Jovanka and I. Another goodbye... :-(

2006-10-31T18:10:00.000+02:00

Kitty staying warm outside my apartment.

2006-10-31T18:09:00.000+02:00

Saying goodbye to the neighbors...

2006-10-30T16:31:00.000+02:00

Winter coming over Ohrid lake

2006-10-30T16:29:00.000+02:00

Greek village house

2006-10-30T16:28:00.000+02:00

My Greek village Kitty friends

2006-10-13T19:07:00.000+03:00

This poor puppy got thrown out! Ok- not really- he is just looking for a meal in a Serbian village.

2006-10-13T19:05:00.001+03:00

Inside the fortress

2006-10-13T19:05:00.000+03:00

Ohrid from the Fortress

2006-10-13T19:04:00.000+03:00

Fashion TV in the Skopje McDonalds! Just what I want to look at when I am munching on some fries... really, really skinny women wearing itty-bitty pieces of clothes.

2006-09-29T17:58:00.000+03:00

People talk about baseball bat sized squash, but this is huge! How many loafs of Zucchini bread could you get out this I wonder?

2006-09-27T17:40:00.001+03:00

In the village.

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Also in the village.

2006-09-27T17:38:00.000+03:00

Host mom and I during my last visit. Time to say good bye already!!

2006-09-27T17:35:00.000+03:00

Saving up for winter in the host village.

Another Peggy sighting!

2006-09-04T17:43:00.000+03:00

Those of you who keep up with my comings and goings and embarrassing moments will no doubt recall that from time to time I am mistaken for this Peggy character. Well, it happened again last Friday. This time two middle aged men stopped a friend and me on the street and gave warm friendly hand shakes and hellos. Then they asked me to remind them what my name was and where I am from. Perfectly reasonable questions from a stranger, right? I said, “Well, what is your name? Where are you from?” (Suspicious sideways glace…) They answered my questions and seemed a little insulted that I didn’t remember them. At this point I thought to ask if they thought I was Peggy. And… lo and behold! They did! Ha! This was a good opportunity for me, though, because they were a bit more lucid then the old woman and the young boys who have mistaken me for Peggy before, so I asked a few questions. Turns out Peggy is a German missionary for the Bahá’í religious group. Interesting. She may live in Tetovo or she may live in Ohrid, it was unclear.

I explained that from time to time this happens and we all had a good laugh, although I am not sure the second guy was completely convinced that I am not Peggy.

I am glad to have some clarification on this issue, however, Peggy’s influence seems to span all parts of society, the young and old, male and female, ethnic majority and minority. I can’t help but wonder how my service has been affected in ways I can’t know. And I suppose on the same vein, how her life has been affected by me. Here we both are trying to get something done, in the same city, but giving people different messages and coming from different places. Good news though- the men said my Macedonia language was much better then Peggy’s! That is something I guess. :-)

2006-09-04T17:08:00.000+03:00

German missionary or American peace corps volunteer?! You make the call!

You are an angel

2006-08-10T14:26:00.001+03:00

Last night in Ohrid there was a Tose concert. Who is Tose, you might ask. Well- he is just the most gosh-darn famous pop musician in the whole of Macedonia! You can visit this link to his site to listen to some of his music or watch a video. http://www.toseproeski-music.com/main_eng.html

Tose holds a sweet spot in my heart because during training I took an optional 'song' language class. This class was 2 hours of 5 American volunteers and 1 Macedonian language teacher singing 'Angal ti ci' (you are an angel) over and over. This being the only Macedonian song that I have given this much attention, and therefore the only one that I can sing all the way through, I like to find opportunities to show off my knowledge.

Unfortunately, while 'my' song was played last night, the concert was otherwise kind of lame. The crowd was very sedate, Tose was not very entertaining, and the theater was completely over sold. Good thing the tickets were cheap!

2006-08-10T12:33:00.000+03:00

Toshe on stage.

2006-08-10T12:32:00.000+03:00

Sarah and I at the Toshe concert.

2006-08-08T14:22:00.000+03:00

There are probably very few offices in the world with a view as nice this...

2006-08-01T22:00:00.000+03:00

So I have managed not to get of a pet of my own these two years, but I do get to take care of friends animals! This is Mona who was rescued by my Macedonian counter-part in Skopje.

2006-08-01T21:58:00.000+03:00

Action shot of Mona playing fetch with a ball of yarn.

2006-08-01T21:57:00.000+03:00

close up of the frescos.

2006-08-01T21:56:00.000+03:00

I went to one of the Ohrid Summer Festival Concerts in this church. Normally, you have to pay 100 denars ($2) to get into this church- but with a 100 denar concert ticket to a German wind quintet I got into the church for free!

2006-07-10T14:00:00.000+03:00

Blue Mosque during the day

2006-07-10T13:59:00.002+03:00

Blue Mosque at night

2006-07-10T13:59:00.001+03:00

The outside of Aye Sofia

2006-07-10T13:59:00.000+03:00

In the Aye Sofia- I know I have this one from last year, but I just think it is so neat!

2006-07-10T13:58:00.001+03:00

From the Aye Sofia to the Blue Mosque

2006-07-10T13:58:00.000+03:00

Look out at the river from the palace

2006-07-10T13:57:00.002+03:00

Mosaics at the palace

2006-07-10T13:57:00.001+03:00

The palace library

2006-07-10T13:57:00.000+03:00

Istanbul harbor

2006-07-10T13:56:00.002+03:00

In Istanbul

2006-07-10T13:56:00.001+03:00

Leaving Istanbul by boat

2006-07-10T13:56:00.000+03:00

Houses along the Bosphorus

2006-07-10T13:55:00.000+03:00

On the Bosphorus river

2006-06-12T21:03:00.000+03:00

The waterfall in Edessa, Greece

2006-06-12T21:02:00.001+03:00

Mom and a big tree in Edessa, Greece.

2006-06-12T21:02:00.000+03:00

The beach at our hotel in Greece

2006-06-12T21:01:00.001+03:00

Neo Marmaras, Greece

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Neo Marmaras (where we stayed) in Greece.

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Mom in Ohrid

2006-06-12T21:00:00.000+03:00

American mom and host mom in the village.

2006-06-12T20:50:00.001+03:00

The view from the cross on Mt. Vodno in Skopje.

2006-06-12T20:50:00.000+03:00

Kaitlin and Laura admire the cross on Mt. Vodno in Skopje.

2006-06-12T20:49:00.000+03:00

People collecting water at 'the healing waters' near Tetovo

2006-06-12T20:48:00.001+03:00

Painted mosque, Tetovo.

2006-06-12T20:48:00.000+03:00

Inside the painted mosque, Tetovo. All the paintings were done with egg based paints!

2006-06-12T20:47:00.001+03:00

Outside the painted mosque, Tetovo

2006-06-12T20:47:00.000+03:00

Jesus and I in Tetovo

A trip to Greece

2006-05-03T12:51:00.001+03:00

Ok, Ok... I know... I have it way to easy for a PCV. I just returned from 3 days in Greece where I was participating in a series of meetings for work. I was in the most north-western corner of Greece right near the Albanian and Macedonian borders. It was a small, but very charming village, and I was able to spend some time with the EU volunteers that live there when I wasn't working. I think I will get to go back this coming weekend, so maybe the weather will be a bit better and I can get a few more pictures. The shots of the icons are from 3 different churches in the village. (pop. ~200)

2006-05-03T12:51:00.000+03:00

Looking down at the Big and Little Prespa lakes

2006-05-03T12:50:00.002+03:00

Icons

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Other icons

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Candles in the church

2006-05-03T12:49:00.002+03:00

An icon

2006-05-03T12:49:00.001+03:00

An icon

2006-05-03T12:49:00.000+03:00

An icon

2006-05-03T12:48:00.000+03:00

Some church paintings

2006-05-03T12:47:00.001+03:00

Very old, but lived in, house in the village

2006-05-03T12:47:00.000+03:00

Old house in the village

2006-05-03T12:45:00.000+03:00

The view from the volunteer's home in Prespa, Greece

2006-05-03T12:44:00.001+03:00

The volunteer's home in Prespa Greece

2006-05-03T12:44:00.000+03:00

Big Greek Bug

2006-05-03T12:28:00.000+03:00

Along the way to Krushevo

A drive through the country... brought to you by revolutionaries!

2006-05-03T12:27:00.000+03:00

Last Sunday I was visiting Carla, who is leaving soon, and we decided to make a trip to Krushevo for the day. Krushevo is known for three things: first, it is where the revolution against the occupying Turks started many many years ago. I don't know too much about this revolution, except that it has been memorialized with a large mystery monument. (Is it a land mine? Is it an artificial heart? Is it part of the set from the Superman movie?) Second, Krushevo is know as a really beautiful village in the mountains full of traditional style homes. Perhaps you can imagine that the monument seems out of place. Unfortunately, I didn't get any good pictures of the village as it was a bit over cast. Third, Krushevo is known as the hometown of Toshe, who will only be known probably by fans of EuroVision and every Macedonian teenage girl.

Enjoy the photos!

2006-05-03T12:26:00.000+03:00

I think the represent the revolutionaries?

2006-05-03T12:25:00.000+03:00

Leaving the monument to the revolution

2006-05-03T12:24:00.000+03:00

Carla and the monumental seating area.

2006-05-03T12:23:00.000+03:00

The monument to the revolution in Krushevo.

2006-04-13T16:19:00.000+03:00

Me- as a Yak Track...

2006-04-03T14:03:00.000+03:00

Kaitlin and I model our new ponchos!

2006-03-27T15:03:00.000+03:00

A mosque and church sharing the same street.

2006-03-27T15:02:00.001+03:00

Looking up at a house in the old city.

2006-03-27T15:02:00.000+03:00

The first blossoms of spring!!

2006-03-27T15:01:00.000+03:00

A sediment problem. (crossing my fingers that it is only sediment)

2006-03-27T14:49:00.000+03:00

So I may have let my freezer get a little out of control...

2006-03-23T10:26:00.000+02:00

So we talk about the trash problem in Macedonia, but I think this is a good illustration. This is looking out my bathroom window into a neighbor's backyard.

To Albania!

2006-03-21T12:44:00.001+02:00

Last week I got to go to Albania for a few days to work with local NGOs to identify their needs in the community. It was an interesting trip and it was nice to spend some more time in Albania. Unfortunately, the weather was not very good, so I didn't get to spend too much time exploring, but I did get a few pictures.

2006-03-21T12:44:00.000+02:00

One of the Prespa, Albania villages.

2006-03-21T12:42:00.000+02:00

One of the Prespa, Albania villages.

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Prespa, Albania- football

2006-03-21T12:36:00.000+02:00

The project partners. (So an Austrian, Brit, and an Albanian walk in to a local community center...)

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The city center of Korca, Albania. Also, the most ambiguous intersection I have ever seen.

2006-03-21T12:22:00.001+02:00

The animal auction.

2006-03-21T12:22:00.000+02:00

The animal auction.

Happy International Women's Day!!

2006-03-08T17:58:00.000+02:00

To all my women, and all my men who know and love women- Happy International Women's Day!! For more information check out these sites.

http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/women/womday97.htm

http://www.internationalwomensday.com/

2006-03-07T12:31:00.001+02:00

The community church near Anya's in Skopje

2006-03-07T12:31:00.000+02:00

Anya enjoying the local drinking fountain.

2006-03-07T12:30:00.000+02:00

Gorce Petrov- holding...? A chicken leg? An important document? A funnel?

2006-03-07T12:28:00.000+02:00

The path to the market in Skopje

2006-03-07T12:27:00.000+02:00

Sunset from Anya's terrace

Could spring really be here?!

2006-02-21T11:04:00.000+02:00

Perhaps my loyal readers will remember the long, cold, snowy winter we had in Macedonia last year. It was said that it was the worst winter they had had in Ohrid for 40 years! Well, mother nature seems to be making up for things, as she tends to, over the last week or so. It has been in the low to mid 50s and sunny and just really lovely. I even got a bit of a sunburn during a long brunch outside on Sunday. (You can see evidence below) I won't assume that spring is here to stay, but I am going to enjoy it as much as I can while I can.

I have also posted pictures of my 'washing machine'. Although, the water has been on and off the last few days so I never know when I will be able to wash anything.

And I posted a picture of a car I found in the old city. I had seen it before, but never had my camera with me. The car is actually full of boxes. I don't know if the owners were getting ready to move or just using the car as storage.

2006-02-21T10:56:00.001+02:00

My first sunburn of the year!

2006-02-21T10:56:00.000+02:00

Laundry without a washing machine. I am serious!