Day 97 Saturday 12/17/11

Another first today- I finally went to the main Green Market in Tetovo.  I have been to the green markets in Bitola, 2 in Skopje, and the Thursday market in Tetovo, but this was the first time to get to the main market!  This market runs everyday and throughout the whole year.  It was like the others I have been to, a ginormous variety of items, tea sets, spices, vegetables, kitchenware, cheese, meats, clothes, fruits, shoes, electronics, beans, rice, and more! I was even able to speak some Albanian to the people to get my wants communicated! The only part I would change about it, is the distance from my place :)

This wasn’t my only adventure today, Cassidy came to town to go back to the tailor to try on her 5 piece suit, and I went with her.  She tried things on first, and then we went to coffee with the tailor. He speaks English enough for us to have good conversations.  It was another interaction of people to people and of course Cassidy and I learned more about the country and culture.  Today we spoke about how Macedonia handles dignitaries that visit the country.  In my time here I have experienced a few different international dignitaries coming to the country- as the tailor explained and we have experienced, daily life is interrupted when a dignitary is in town.  We have seen helicopters, internet shut downs, phone service shut off, and roads closed. Like my other interactions, this two was a memorable conversation.

From the tailor, Cassidy and I ventured through Tetovo and finding things we couldn’t live without, well mostly that I couldn’t live without, but Cassidy participated some too!   We also tried a new restaurant called Arbi, it was very tasty!  It was great to have Cassidy in Tetovo so we could try out a new restaurant.  It was a great Saturday, my only complaint would be the sore hands from carrying all of the bags back to my dorm!

Here are some of my finds:

The goods!

SANTA!!

Christmas plates for next weekend's meal

A scale for now weighing me now, and weighing suitcases later

a new type of all purpose cleaner

My Christmas tree!

Lesson: Remember to put yourself in other people’s shoes, look at things from another person’s perspective.