First days in Kratovo

My first Pivo (beer) friends

For my collection

My language and culture teachers - Лцдија (Lidija) and Aна (Ana) (my teacher)

Host cat FeFe

BaBa shelling peas

FeFe's family

Bringing walnuts back from mountains Mone (host dad) and donkey 

Lile (host mom)and Elana (host sister) eating walnuts

Jociam, Karla and Monika eating walnuts

My room

My room

Making the rug

A completed rug

My Village

Digging potatoes - Host dad and friend

Washing at the farm before radkia - Mone and Monika

Washing grapes to eat

So, it is Monday and here I am in Kratovo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kratovo,_Macedonia), what a beautiful village of about 6,000 to 8,000 people - they are not sure no census since 1992. I was picked up in Kumonovo by my host dad on Friday, and with 8 other volunteers we traveled to Kratovo in a mini-bus loaded with baggage. It was about a 45-minute drive through country that is very similar to northern California, Etna. The community is located in an inactive volcano and is many years old, certainly back to 500-600 BC. They have been through many wars and occupation up until early 90s from just about every country in Europe. They are a tough and very gracious people. I was welcomed into their home with big hugs and smiles, and of course "radkia" the local distilled drink. I mean local, each household brews their own from various fruits and is somewhere between 60 and 90 proof. The key to drinking as I found out was a sip and big gulp of water, and eat lots of whatever food is available. We also have lots of wine, which is also home brewed. My host family has at least four 50 gal tubs of grapes fermenting in their basement, along with 50 gal of radkia. Everyone has grapes growing in their home and if you want grapes you just go pick a bunch and sit and eat them - it is GREAT!.

I have two sisters Elana and Monika, one is 21 and away at college studying to be an "agricultural engineer" (Don you probably know more than I what this is). Mone (my host dad) does the same kind of work and as best I can figure out he helps farmers grow crops... Anyhow Elana wants to work with her dad when she graduates in two years. Monika graduated last year and works in a bank as a loan officer, they are both in Skopje (the capitol 2-hours away). Fortunately they both speak English. Elana was here when I arrived and was a great help because after hello (Stravo) I could say nothing. The two girls remind me a lot of Sara and Erin Davis. My host mom, Lile, is a WONDERFUL cook and is also a nurse. They live in a very nice home and have given me my own room.

So, I have been to so many places it is hard to keep track. (Oh, we just got internet today so that is why I have not been posting). We toured the town on Saturday and saw where each of the 9 volunteers lived. Also some very interesting history. The town is small and everyone knows everyone, so no chance of misbehaving without host family knowing. On Saturday night Monika came with two friends from Stuttgart Germany who were on holiday. Karla and Jociam. Karla was here last year to build a playground as a part of her studies as an civil engineer and stayed with my family. Jociam is her boyfriend and is studying to be a doctor. They both spoke English, no Macedonian, so between my poor German, teir limited English and no Macedonian we all tried to communicate. This is so reminicent of Stacy's experience in Germany.

I had to go to the police to register as a guest in town, can't believe they still do that. A friend of the family makes beautiful rugs by hand and sells to a dealer in Skopje for around 175 Euros (~$200) per square meter (you figure it out). She appears to be around 75-80 years old and has been doing this since she was 14. I will probably have her make me a square meter rug since she offered - will be nice when I get out of bed on a cold morning.

We had our first real language and cultural lesson today from 0800 till 1700, I am so confused by the language as they really dump a lot on us. I am pleased I was not selected for the dual language (Albanian and Macedonian) program as I would really be struggling. I will get an Albanian tutor when I get settled in my permanent village to learn basics. All us old folks are struggling along with a couple of the younger ones, so don't feel too bad yet. I got home tonight and my host dad had two shots of rakia waiting for me and we had dinner and wine. Now I am drinking Turkish coffee along with voda (water).After dinner he made me study for an hour and then quizzed me - jeez, just like back in school, tough love I guess....

OK, I will now try to post some pictures. I need to find someone to show me how to use iPhoto, as now I am copying to desktop and then copying to blog... Yeah,  Yeah I know. Should have stayed with the old standby DOS machine....

I will post more later when I get more organized. I told you guys I wasn't much at doing this so you will have to suffer through my ramblings. So cio or prietno for now.