Just around the bend

A small break from Macedonia. I got approval from the Department of Public Works this week for the lots I requested for community gardens through the Adopt-A-Lot Program. This is the first major step for instituting three new community gardens in the Cramer Hill neighborhood of Camden. I hope to begin serious planning in March after my spring break, it's still too cold to do anything with the ground, but there will be some planning until then. Right now we are swamped with running a VITA Center in the office. I have become a tax preparer, though I am still fuzzy on where to put home mortgage stuff, oh yeah Schedule A.

In other news, I will be running my first ever half marathon in April. Our "team" will be running outside for the first time together on Sunday. This will be my first time running outside since Christmas. There are four of us ladies from the IPSD program, two of which are first time race runners!


Ok back to Macedonia. One of the volunteer letters in my Peace Corps packet talked about a local delicacy called ajvar, which is a type of relish made primarily of red bell peppers with eggplant and garlic. I think I would like it, hopefully someone will teach me how to make it.

I know I will easily fit into the culture there based on that fact that finding "a new friend is as simple as going to coffee, one of the most popular pastimes in Macedonia."

Here is a little bit more about the program in Macedonia. Along with doing my assigned job, Peace Corps encourages all volunteers to take on additional community projects around your interests and skills and the needs of the community. A lot of the RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer) that I have spoken to did something with children, mostly educated them on a certain topic or did organized sports. I wonder what opportunities will await me. My main job will run normal business type hours (8am-4pm) and will be business casual dress, nothing that I haven't done before, which is comforting.

When I first enter the country I will be with other volunteers who will be serving Macedonia and we will all enter an intensive three month training session. The focus of the tree months will be language, cultural, and job training. During that time I will live with a host family which will also help me to quickly learn Macedonian and the cultural heritage. After the first three months I will be assigned a community where I will work for an NGO and call home for the next two years. Here are some non-profits I found in Macedonia through Idealist's website. Who knows I may end up at one of these.

More than likely in my community I will be living in some type of apartment situation on my own. I will have my own entrance, kitchen, and bathroom. The information also listed furniture, though every one else I have talked to mentioned having to buy furnishings. There is the possibility that depending on the community I may have to share entry-ways or kitchen and bathroom with another family, if my community does not have individual living space. So it's a toss up, but I think no matter where I am at it sounds like I will have good accommodations. It's mentioned several times that the Internet can be easily accessed, so I think I will be taking my computer after all.

For all you social media types, Peace Corps has a twitter.