Day 101, Day 102 - Wednesday 12/21/11 and Thursday 12/22/11

Wednesday brought Learning English Through Games club at the American Corner. It was a fairly small group, but it was a lot of fun and we had a really great time playing the card game "Golf".  When leaving the Corner, I snapped a shot of Tetovo's City Center. The lights are all so beautiful.  As the days have passed I have learned more about the celebrations for this community and culture.  Christmas trees and Santa are prevalent here.  A Christmas Tree is called a New Year Tree, and Santa visits on New Year's to bring small gifts.  Christmas to me is a religious holiday, but it is celebrated in this area as well as more of a secular holiday.  It has been comforting to see lights and decorations around.  I have to say, I knew the holidays would be hard emotionally.  Thanksgiving was the first, and I proved that I can have a good time and make memories that I will treasure in my future.  Christmas I know will be the same, I will make wonderful new memories with Lizzie and Cassidy, but I have been very nostalgic about the traditions at home and how much they mean to me.  

  

Tetovo's City Center

Thursday SEE-U hosted the Deputy Prime Minister, Musa Xhaferi, who participated in the Creation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. This agreement was created in 2001 to provide equality in Macedonia for all ethnic groups.  The agreement was a peace deal signed by both the government of Macedonia and Albanian representatives.  This agreement is what ended the 2001 conflict in Macedonia.  This year is the 10th anniversary of that agreement.  Much has been published about the OFA, and it has been compiled into a 10year Anniversary book, it includes where Macedonia is today in regards to the framework and the steps they have been taking in this country over the past 10 years. Each person who attended today received a copy of the OFA.  I will be bringing it back to the US with me. So if this is something you are interested in knowing more about, I will loan it out!  I also received copies in Albanian and Macedonian. Here are some pictures of the event:


Deputy Prime Minister - Musa Xhaferi



Press Conference after his talk with the Rector of SEE-U

I do have to also share that there was more snow today- some of it even stuck to the ground.  It may not snow this weekend, on Christmas, but the mountains will be white for Christmas!  Here are some pictures of what I see :)  

 

Out my front door



From the parking lot





Enjoying the snow!



Also out my front door



To the north



Lesson: The time it takes to listen to the opinions and feelings of an individual or group is time well spent.