Random Thoughts

• I have a brand new wood burning stove (my third one in country) and this one wins the award for being the most amazing stove ever! For once, I feel like Sara has won in the heating department.

• I was given a plate of mashed wheat and walnut balls. Yup- they sound pretty nasty, but they sure do taste good. My host mother has been boiling wheat, then mashing it and mixing in sugar, walnuts and cinnamon. The idea is incredibly odd, but they really do taste oddly good.

• I have the teachers at my school thinking about possible SPA (Small Project Assistance) Grants to create some large "action" within my community. The idea has melded from they typical TEFL project of an English Language Resource Room, to a creative community center and having creativity workshops including one where kids write and publish their own English storybooks. At this point, there is still a lot to be done before writing and submitting a grant and I think they have now decided to wait until the February grant round instead of the one going on right now, but at least they are thinking of ideas, getting excited, and one even volunteered to talk to the Mayor to get his input.

• I have a consistent three students in my adult English class and another 4 who come on and off. While it would be nice to have more, the three regulars are a lot of fun and I can tell they are proud of themselves for what they have learned so far.

*Sorry, you would have had accompanying pictures for some of this, but I am too lazy to take the pictures, transfer them to my computer, and then upload them. Instead I will give you a few random photos from the last few weeks.

Most of Mak16 and Mak17 Lozovo Crew in Skopje

Blake showing off his going away present from the circus. It only seemed fitting to get him a clown nose since, while he might have been the oldest PCV in MK, he was also quite youthful.

The gorgeous and delicious cake Laura bought for Blake's going away party.