Independence Day- 20 years for Macedonia and 1 year for me

Yesterday, September 8th, Macedonia celebrated its 20th year of independence.  There was a huge celebration in the center of Skopje and everyone was invited, and over one hundred thousand people attended.  Municipalities from all the cities offered free transportation to anyone that wanted to attend.  So, of course, Irena, Maria, and Maria's boyfriend Vasko, and I took full advantage.  The 4 buses and 1 combi (van) left Resen around noon and we arrived in Skopje around 4 pm.  It was my first time being on a bus that went straight to Skopje, not making stops in each city on the way up. But still it would be not a bus ride in Macedonia with out the pauzas, aka coffee and smoking breaks.  Normally we just stop once, but for some reason this time we stopped twice. When we arrived in the center, Irena and I met up with another volunteer, Austin, and his counterpart, Tode.  After recovering from the bus ride with a quick bite and a beer we made our way back to the center.  The first event was a parade.  There was a path roped off for the political figures and other participants to make their way through the crowd to the main stage.  Unfortunately, because of all the people, this was how Irena and I had to watch the parade....

Tode, who is very tall, was video taping it. So Irena and I stood underneath him and watched the parade on his little video camera.  After the parade, there were some performances on the main stage and then the prime minister gave his 7 points speech which took over an hour and a half.  We were all waiting for the 2 big events: a famous singer that was "rumored" to drop down from a helicopter and land on top of the new and large Alexander the Great statue with a dress made out of 350 meters of silk, and the grande revealing of the Alexander the Great statue and fountain.

The singer did perform in a 350 meter silk dress, but sadly she did not drop from a helicopter. She was raised above the crowd on a lift instead.

And then finally, there was a water show around the new fountain.

 During the grande finale.

Alexander in his full glory.  The first time I saw it I had to laugh because the statue is not proportionally correct.  First, Alexander and the horse are about the same size; and second, you have this huge man on his huge horse holding this little tiny sword.  But all in all it is still a very impressive statue.

There were also other statues reveled since Skopje is going through a "face-lift" which is suppose to be finished in 2014.  Besides adding statues, they are also building 3 new museums.  The museum of history also had their grande opening that evening.

From what I could see on the big TV screens in the center, it is very pretty both inside and out; and I can't wait to go and see inside.

The evening ended with a BANG.....literally.

Beautiful fireworks filled the sky over the Vardar River to celebrate Macedonia's 20th birthday.  Then it was back to the buses around 11 pm; and we finally arrived back in Resen around 2:30am.  (Luckily they did not stop at all on the way home. Everyone was exhausted and slept the whole way back.)

Celebrating Macedonia's 20th birthday was a wonderful way to end my first year of service.  On Sunday, the new group of Peace Corps volunteers, the MAK 16s, will be arriving.  It is strange to think that a year ago today I was in Philly about to begin this new adventure.  And now year later, I am living happily in a beautiful town, working at a wonderful school, meet amazing people that are now my friends, and about to start my second year which I know will be full of wonderful experiences and adventures.