The big speech~

my speech I gave (in Macedonian, of course) at our swearing in ceremony! Merry Christmas everyone!! P.S. newsflash: I got rid of the cat...it was a funny story though wasn't it :)

Living in a country far from home is not easy. Learning a new language is difficult. But with effort, making friends needs no translation. Being a volunteer with Peace Corps will have its difficulties and its pleasures.

What is a volunteer?

As volunteers, we will teach in classrooms but also play football after school.

We will work on community projects but also drink coffee with friends.

We will bring hope in hard times and make you laugh when we say the wrong word.

We will be your neighbors, co-workers, and friends.

We will advocate for progress and share in the celebration of traditions.

And perhaps most importantly, we will learn to make Ajvar.

As volunteers, we will work to carry out the goals of Peace Corps. We will work to share our skills and experiences with all Macedonians. We hope to teach you more about the United States and its people.

And want to learn about Macedonia’s history, culture, and wonderful people, and share that with our friends and family at home. And we hope we will show them how to make Ajvar.

Today we celebrate the completion of training for the 10^th group of Peace Corps Volunteers in Macedonia. But the experience begins here. Our experience here will prove that different people can walk together on one path. For this reason, we, as volunteers do not only work with the Peace Corps, we work for peace.

We want to thank everyone for coming here today.
We want to thank:
the President, of Macedonia Branko Crvenkovski
the Ambassador to Macedonia, Jillian Milovanovich
the Peace Corps staff and the training staff
our host families
and the people of Macedonia.

All sworn in

new pictures!!!! click here!
Now, if you're reading this and you know me, then you can say (if you already can't already) that you personally know a real live Peace Corps Volunteer. I'm moved in to my new studio apt. in Kriva Palanka, and today was my first day at work in the village schools. I've got a bed, bathroom, tiny kitchen, and not much else.
Also interesting is that I have a cat, named Nikolaj after today, the day I acquired him. This is acually quite a funny story. I was coming home on the bus with my counterpart and the art teacher from my school. And since my counterpart was busy, the art teacher said, (as is quite common way of inviting someone here), "You'll come to my mom's house with me now." So, I went. And it just so happens that these meat-shop owning people had taken in a starving kitten today, and had just given it a bath. And I just so happened to mention that I was hoping to acquire a kitten while being a Peace Corps volunteer. So, they were like, "He will be your cat then, it is destiny... and I couldn't argue with that..."
Today is Sveti Nicola, a saint day, so he got his name pretty easily. Well, we took him by my apartment and were on our way somewhere else, and I didn't think much about just leaving him there. Well, a couple hours later, I came back and he had torn into the fish I had for him, and peed on my bed and my chair (two very hard things to clean) So, since I don't have a washing machine, I took the comforter, and the cover, off my bed and hand washed them, which by the way isn't easy, and all the while watching to make sure little Nickolaj wasn't pooping anywhere else, and then waited by my little electric radiator for everything to dry. Finally, my apartment is back to normal and my skinny little kitten is living in the bathroom until he learns to control himself. This would be much funnier with a picture... but I'll take one later, when he looks a little more presentable :) Love you all, and my new address is:
Sara Woodward, MIROVEN KORPUS
Yl. Marshal Tito 172/9
1330 Kriva Palanka
MAKEDONIJA
EUROPE