Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!!!

    Здраво!!!! So I just figured out how to change the language on my keyboard so now I can write in Macedonian.  Здрабо, (zdravo) is how you say “Hello”.  My name in Macedonia is written as Мишел Кар, not like you will need to know how to write, just a fun fact.

    So I woke up Monday morning to the first snow, hence the title of this blog.  I remembered what Laurel had written as a comment and I ran and got my camera.  If you did not read it this is what she wrote:

10 Fun Things to Do in Macedonia: 1. Interview an old lady about her life...after you spend three weeks getting to know her a little. 2. Find the best place to buy locally produced cheese. 3. In America, we say, She looked the other way. In Japan, they say She closed one eye. In Korea, they say, Her eyes are covered by the bean's skin. What do they say in Macedonia? 4. Go to a local high school's sporting event...if there any. 5. Take a picture of the view out your bedroom window every morning at the same time...or afternoon...for the entire two years. 6. Do lunges back and forth across your living room every day and let us know when you stop cussing while you do it. 7. Try to grow a plant. The operative word being "try." 8. Find out what Macedonians consider their best film, something like...uh...well, I don't know, but not something like Halloween. Go see it. 9. Find ten different ways to walk to the market and notice the doorways as you walk. 10. Blog.

So I went out onto my balcony and took some pictures, also Auntie had asked for a picture so it’s a 2’fer!!! 

 This is the view when you walk out of the door from my bedroom onto the balcony.  You can see the mountains, kind of in this picture, in the distance.  There are other apartment buildings and houses around me.

 This is the other side.  The road on the bottom of the picture, if you can tell its a road cause its covered in snow, will take you to Ohrid if you go to the right and to Lake Prespia (the other lake) if you go to the left.  There are alot of trucks and buses that go down that road and onto the main road in Resen, which is right infront of my building, but being on the top floor I cant really hear or notice the sounds much.

     Not sure if I will be taking pictures EVERY morning, since it is cold (лагно (lagno), in Macedonian) and I would rather stay in bed a little longer, but maybe once a week.  As you can see we got a good amount, so I “bundled” up for the walk to school.  Snow boots, snow jacket (industrial from LL Bean), gloves, scarf, etc., the whole nine yards.  You could definitely tell who the American was in town because when I saw the other people walking around they were not dressed any differently.  Walking in the snow all dressed up going to work, heels in all.  And did I forget to mention that there is also ICE!!!  I don’t know how the ladies here are doing it.  Walking in boots with heels on the ice, I would be sliding down the road on my backside all the way to work if I was wearing heels.  I also could not help but notice the way that people were acting with all the snow…….TOTALLY NORMAL!!!  When one snowflake falls back home, everyone freaks out and runs to the grocery store staking up on milk, bread, and water, like the world was going to end.  Here, no response, totally normal.  Everyone was walking to school or work, a little slower, the buses where still coming into the bus station to take people to Bitola and Ohrid for work.  The main road had been plowed, but there was still a good layer of snow on it, you could not see any asphalt. Did not matter, cars and buses where still out on the roads.  Schools do not close, because all the students and teachers live here and they all walk to school.  I even asked Irena, my counterpart, if the school ever closes because of the weather and she looked at me and said “no, why would it close”.  That is something I will need to get used to, when I wake up and see snow, I automatically expect/want a few more hours of sleep or the day off…..not here.

     Because of the weather I have been staying inside, keeping warm.  I picked up one of mom’s packages from a fellow volunteer in Ohrid on Tuesday so now on top of a handmade paper plate wreath I also have a stocking hanging up with some goodies in it!!!  Can’t wait till next week when I can go up to Skopje and pick up my other packages.  Then my apartment will start feeling more Christmassy.  Also while I was walking around Ohrid. I had my first experience at the Macedonia version of a Dollar Store.  They are called China Stores, because.....ya you guessed it......everything in there is made in China, surprise!!!  They had kitchen supplies, Christmas decorations, everything.  I picked up a couple of things for the kitchen.  I will definitely be going back, because you all know how much I LOVE Dollar stores.  Ok hot coco is calling me.  I will write again on Sunday!!!  Пријатно (prijatno, aka good-bye)