Thai Food in Macedonia

So last time I wrote I was on my way to Bitola for a meeting with the girls from GLOW.  When I was at school Thursday morning I got a txt from one of the girls and they said they were thinking of having the lunch meeting in Prilep, a city north of Bitola, because they have a Thai restaurant there.  Yes, Macedonia has a Thai restaurant!!! Only one and it is Prilep.  The story is that a Macedonian man married a Thai lady and they live in Prilep and started the restaurant.  I was very excited, because I love Thai food and have been wanting to go since I heard there was one in Macedonia.  So I meet the girls in Bitola and we got on a bus to Prilep, where we meet the 2 ladies (locals) that work with the YouThink organization.  The goal for GLOW is to start passing the responsibility of the GLOW camps and clubs to the Macedonians so that when the time comes that Peace Corps leaves Macedonia GLOW will still continue to run.  We had a very nice lunch and talked about the upcoming plans that I will be helping with, typing up information about workshops and lectures that will go to the GLOW clubs around Macedonia.  We were also joined by the 4 volunteers that live in Prilep, the more or less have become regulars at the Thai restaurant since everyone wants to go when they come and visit Prilep.  I had spring rolls, pad thai with chicken, and a piece of caramel cheesecake.  The pad thai was very good, lots of peanuts!!!  I was planning on bringing home leftovers, but there was nothing left to take home.  After lunch, I hung around and talked with Phebe, Link, and Kate, 3 of the volunteer in Prilep, until my bus arrived.  Mom called me when I got home, and she could tell that I was exhausted after that long day of travel.

Friday, I had school in the morning.  I am still observing, asking some questions, trying to understand the rules and systems of a Macedonian school.  During the winter holiday that is coming up, January 1-17^th, the teachers will have meetings and then I will start planning lessons with the other teachers and start working on things. That afternoon I went to Bitola because I helped to organize the Kids Club at the American Corner in Bitola.  The American Corner, I believe was organized by the American Embassy, and is a kind of library/ resource center to promote the American culture and the English language.  They have books, in English, that people can come and check out and they offer free events, such as Kids Club, Adult and Youth Conversation Hour, Sports Club, and other events, most of which are organized and put on by Peace Corps volunteers.  I was interested in volunteering there when I heard how close it was to Resen.  So Friday was my first event there and it went really well.  A current volunteer, Ashley, is the one that runs Kids Club and I asked her if I could help out.  Since it is getting close to Christmas time and we celebrate our on a different date and a little differently I thought that would be a good theme for the club.  Ashley brought Christmas music, we talked about Christmas what they do where and what we do in the states, how they are on different days, and I came up with a craft for them to do:  The classic paper plate Christmas wreath with red and green construction paper. The kids all enjoyed it and Ashley, myself, and the lady that works at the Corner all made one too.  For the kids that finished early, Ashley suggested that they make a Christmas card for their parents or even their English teacher.  There was about 15-20 kids that showed up and they all had a really good time, and they all spoke English very well.  These events are helpful for the kids because they are around other kids, who are speaking English, and it’s a comfortable place to practice.  Maybe next year, when there is not a village school using our school, I can start a Kids Club at my school.  To give the kids a fun place where they can practice. 

 The kids that attended Kids Club, working on their paper plate wreathes!!!

My wreath!!!!  And my first Christmas decoration in my apartment.  It does not feel like Christmas since I have not decorated, waiting on my package from Nana, and also not being home.  Maybe closer to the day when I am celebrating with the other volunteer it will start to feel more like Christmas.  I also told mom and dad that they can always cancel any Christmas celebration for the next 2 years so I wont miss anything, but Jenny was not having it. Oh well!!

That’s pretty much it.  This weekend was quiet, since it was cold outside.  My big purchase this week was a dust buster!!! Now my apartment is all clean.  I also went to the market on Saturday and bought 2 small bunches of green onions, 1 kilo of potatoes, and 1 kilo of bananas (6 in total) for a grand total of around $2.  I will write again on Wednesday!!!

And Laurel- I just read your comment and I will be working on that!!! Thanks