I am now in the Red Cross training hotel in Struga. For the couchsurfers meeting there was nothing on the programme today, and the weather was awful - pouring heaps of water. So I took a taxi to Struga, taxi was full and cost the same price as the minibus, there are 14 km from Ohrid to Struga. The guy brought me to the very hotel and I paid 50 denars for the trip. That is the starting price in Skopje...
I met some people over lunch, then was just watching a music channel and reading in bed. Viktoria came. Hot water and heating appeared, so I took a hot shower - first in 2 days. Feel lovely. Yes, I am typing this in our hotel room on Viktoria's laptop because there is wireless internet here!
Just getting hungry...
Sunday, October 28
Ohrid
I am now sitting in an internet cafe near the Ploshtad Sv. Kliment Ohridski here in Ohrid. The internet is really fast which is very nice for a change. Super Brz Internet. No lies.
So a short update... I planned to hitchhike with Zdravko yesterday morning but at 00:30 I got an sms from one of my bosses that we are going to SOS Children Village at 14 with another boss. Ok, because of my frequent travels to Prishtina I don't really want to spoil my relationship with bosses, so I decided to stop fussing and drop the hitchhiking plan. Go to the meeting at the Children Village instead, move to the new flat after that and then take a bus to Ohrid.
Meeting at the Children Village was ok, the place is quite far but it is very nice. It seems we need to prepare some plans of the activities we want to hold with the children there. Not an easy task if you don't know the kids and anything about the activities currently happening and what has been done with them before. I would prefer to assist the macedonian staff first...but ok, when I come back from the on-arrival training next week, I will start to think about that and make some plans.
The new flat was a bit of an unpleasant shock because they had been telling us how great it is. So I had a bit greater expectations... One room is really big, the other one really small. I first chose the small one because it had a big double bed but later I realized the bed is a real crap with holes made by springs and springs going into your buttocks. So probably they will move one of the small beds (it has 2) from the big room to my small room. And the big bed will go to the living room because there is TV but no sofa. I asked for a real sofa, but not big hopes we will get it any time soon or at all.
The flat smells old cigarette smoke, the bath is funny and I have a freaky feeling of dirt everywhere. The lights where terrible, like in a hospital hitting my eyes. The kitchen is very small and built on a balcony (it used to be a balcony). Maybe we just need to inhabit the flat, but at the moment it does not have a feeling of home at all.
While I was bitching about the flat and thinking what to do with the double bed from my room, I almost missed the 18:30 bus to Ohrid. Had to run and search for a taxi in our not very nice and busy with taxes neighborhood. But I got one, the guy had learnt some russian at school and was very nice.
Bus to Ohrid was full and terribly heated, I thought I am going to fry. Crazy southerners!
I arrived in Ohrid at 22:00. Walked from the bus station and met Zdravko at Plostad. We went straight to the restaurant Belvedere where all the couchsurfers where having dinner. I sat at the Serbian table again, guys from Belgrade are really cool!
After the dinner went out around the clubs of Ohrid. Liquid and Cuba Libre were nice, but all couchsurfers ended up in X-factor with extremelly crappy disco music and foam coming from the ceiling and making the glass floor really slipppery.
As Zdravko had not slept the night before he was really tired and I decided to join him to his friend's appartment and save 6 or 7 euros for accommodation. The flat was really nice...for summer. Now the house was empty, we did not have electricity because we had to screw back corks but we did not know how to open the electricity box. Also now water because you need to screw it back, too. But Zdravko was advised not to try because there is something wrong and once you turn the water on you have problems turning it off. And of course there was no heating, so was quite chilly. Still I slept quite well and there was water from the tap in the kitchen sink, was enough for morning washing.
In the morning we went for a coffee at a very nice bar at the lake. Beautiful view, beautiful lake, beautiful city! Then a burek and yoghurt at a mosque, then a walk up the fortress on the hill. Later went by cars to Sv. Naum monastery, a beautiful drive and a very nice place. I started to talk to some bulgarians and an albanian guy and missed my group. Talked to many many people, crazy cosmopolitean people... couchsurfing people don't have nationality. Clearly.
Took a movie of crazy guys swimming naked in the lake. Good one.
And then just telling jokes in Serbian and drinking Turkish coffee and Bulgarian apricot rakija.
Zdravko is dating a girl. Still??? I don't have the key from the flat. Other couchsurfers are probably still sitting and drinking at their house-hostel. There was a lot of alchocol to finish before they head for the city. So I don't know what I do now... Just typing a lot of nonsense. Good night, Dobra nok
So a short update... I planned to hitchhike with Zdravko yesterday morning but at 00:30 I got an sms from one of my bosses that we are going to SOS Children Village at 14 with another boss. Ok, because of my frequent travels to Prishtina I don't really want to spoil my relationship with bosses, so I decided to stop fussing and drop the hitchhiking plan. Go to the meeting at the Children Village instead, move to the new flat after that and then take a bus to Ohrid.
Meeting at the Children Village was ok, the place is quite far but it is very nice. It seems we need to prepare some plans of the activities we want to hold with the children there. Not an easy task if you don't know the kids and anything about the activities currently happening and what has been done with them before. I would prefer to assist the macedonian staff first...but ok, when I come back from the on-arrival training next week, I will start to think about that and make some plans.
The new flat was a bit of an unpleasant shock because they had been telling us how great it is. So I had a bit greater expectations... One room is really big, the other one really small. I first chose the small one because it had a big double bed but later I realized the bed is a real crap with holes made by springs and springs going into your buttocks. So probably they will move one of the small beds (it has 2) from the big room to my small room. And the big bed will go to the living room because there is TV but no sofa. I asked for a real sofa, but not big hopes we will get it any time soon or at all.
The flat smells old cigarette smoke, the bath is funny and I have a freaky feeling of dirt everywhere. The lights where terrible, like in a hospital hitting my eyes. The kitchen is very small and built on a balcony (it used to be a balcony). Maybe we just need to inhabit the flat, but at the moment it does not have a feeling of home at all.
While I was bitching about the flat and thinking what to do with the double bed from my room, I almost missed the 18:30 bus to Ohrid. Had to run and search for a taxi in our not very nice and busy with taxes neighborhood. But I got one, the guy had learnt some russian at school and was very nice.
Bus to Ohrid was full and terribly heated, I thought I am going to fry. Crazy southerners!
I arrived in Ohrid at 22:00. Walked from the bus station and met Zdravko at Plostad. We went straight to the restaurant Belvedere where all the couchsurfers where having dinner. I sat at the Serbian table again, guys from Belgrade are really cool!
After the dinner went out around the clubs of Ohrid. Liquid and Cuba Libre were nice, but all couchsurfers ended up in X-factor with extremelly crappy disco music and foam coming from the ceiling and making the glass floor really slipppery.
As Zdravko had not slept the night before he was really tired and I decided to join him to his friend's appartment and save 6 or 7 euros for accommodation. The flat was really nice...for summer. Now the house was empty, we did not have electricity because we had to screw back corks but we did not know how to open the electricity box. Also now water because you need to screw it back, too. But Zdravko was advised not to try because there is something wrong and once you turn the water on you have problems turning it off. And of course there was no heating, so was quite chilly. Still I slept quite well and there was water from the tap in the kitchen sink, was enough for morning washing.
In the morning we went for a coffee at a very nice bar at the lake. Beautiful view, beautiful lake, beautiful city! Then a burek and yoghurt at a mosque, then a walk up the fortress on the hill. Later went by cars to Sv. Naum monastery, a beautiful drive and a very nice place. I started to talk to some bulgarians and an albanian guy and missed my group. Talked to many many people, crazy cosmopolitean people... couchsurfing people don't have nationality. Clearly.
Took a movie of crazy guys swimming naked in the lake. Good one.
And then just telling jokes in Serbian and drinking Turkish coffee and Bulgarian apricot rakija.
Zdravko is dating a girl. Still??? I don't have the key from the flat. Other couchsurfers are probably still sitting and drinking at their house-hostel. There was a lot of alchocol to finish before they head for the city. So I don't know what I do now... Just typing a lot of nonsense. Good night, Dobra nok
Thursday, October 25
sun shines
I am again back in Skopje after a day 1 Prishtina. I've got my phone and tomorrow I am heading to Ohrid, to a couchsurfer's meeting! And then on Sunday to Struga, for an on-arrival training. Back on Thursday I guess.
I went to Prishtina by train and it was hell of a groomy journey. It was so slow, stood on the borders so long, almost empty, they turned on the heating only for the last hour. Kosovo was mostly covered during the darkness already. When I thought that we should be approaching Prishtina already, I realized it is only Ferizaj... a city that I thought we passed already a long time ago. When I arrived in Prishtina, the train did not really stop at the place I wanted to get out, so I visited the main Prishtina train station, a dark house behind a long long fence. When you go around the fence, you are pretty much in the centre... but this time it was also not very cheerful as there was no electricty just a big noise from the generators.
When I finally got home, was not much of cheerful time as electricity went out there, too (it does not happen everywhere at the same time) and in a couple of hours my friend's sister came and told that a friend of hers was hit by electricity while working for an internet provider, one of the biggest here. They were throwing some wires up to the balcony and it was raining, there was some unisolated wire or sth. I don't really know how exactly it happened but he was killed and the other guy who saw it is under shock. Many young people knew this guy because he was working as a bartender in a popular bar before. There were heaps of people on his funeral the next day. That's the custom here to have funerals very fast, usually the next day so that the soul/ghost does not wander around. It was the same with Tose - the funeral was next day after the accident.
Such strange unexpected deaths, 2 in row. Especially when it is dark and autumny outside it makes you think about life and death, the fragility of life, how things can change in a flip of fingers.. How hopeless and desperate one can feel.
But the sun shines again. It is another beautiful day in Skopje!
Yesterday we went out to Van Gog to the salsa evening. While we were waiting for people to start to dance, it was not much fun, but when we finally went to dance ourselves, we had a really great time! The place is too small and at the end even salsa looks like tehno, rubbing against other sweaty bodies. And Macededonian dance is the dance with a cigarete: you step from one leg to another and do the nicest movements with the hand holding the cigarette. If you don't burn anybody, the smoke and little red lights can look even nice (if forget about the itchy throat).
At the end we were dancing outside and were definatelly in the middle of attention. Our aim was to get other people out. We called our little project. But not much success, Macedonians are more similar to Latvians as one might think.
As most of the places here, the salsa bar was closing at midnight. While leaving the place started to talk to some OSCE people: 2 Georgians and 1 Belarussian. Joined them to Jukebox, a pretty cozy place. Practiced my Russian a little bit.
I went to Prishtina by train and it was hell of a groomy journey. It was so slow, stood on the borders so long, almost empty, they turned on the heating only for the last hour. Kosovo was mostly covered during the darkness already. When I thought that we should be approaching Prishtina already, I realized it is only Ferizaj... a city that I thought we passed already a long time ago. When I arrived in Prishtina, the train did not really stop at the place I wanted to get out, so I visited the main Prishtina train station, a dark house behind a long long fence. When you go around the fence, you are pretty much in the centre... but this time it was also not very cheerful as there was no electricty just a big noise from the generators.
When I finally got home, was not much of cheerful time as electricity went out there, too (it does not happen everywhere at the same time) and in a couple of hours my friend's sister came and told that a friend of hers was hit by electricity while working for an internet provider, one of the biggest here. They were throwing some wires up to the balcony and it was raining, there was some unisolated wire or sth. I don't really know how exactly it happened but he was killed and the other guy who saw it is under shock. Many young people knew this guy because he was working as a bartender in a popular bar before. There were heaps of people on his funeral the next day. That's the custom here to have funerals very fast, usually the next day so that the soul/ghost does not wander around. It was the same with Tose - the funeral was next day after the accident.
Such strange unexpected deaths, 2 in row. Especially when it is dark and autumny outside it makes you think about life and death, the fragility of life, how things can change in a flip of fingers.. How hopeless and desperate one can feel.
But the sun shines again. It is another beautiful day in Skopje!
Yesterday we went out to Van Gog to the salsa evening. While we were waiting for people to start to dance, it was not much fun, but when we finally went to dance ourselves, we had a really great time! The place is too small and at the end even salsa looks like tehno, rubbing against other sweaty bodies. And Macededonian dance is the dance with a cigarete: you step from one leg to another and do the nicest movements with the hand holding the cigarette. If you don't burn anybody, the smoke and little red lights can look even nice (if forget about the itchy throat).
At the end we were dancing outside and were definatelly in the middle of attention. Our aim was to get other people out. We called our little project. But not much success, Macedonians are more similar to Latvians as one might think.
As most of the places here, the salsa bar was closing at midnight. While leaving the place started to talk to some OSCE people: 2 Georgians and 1 Belarussian. Joined them to Jukebox, a pretty cozy place. Practiced my Russian a little bit.
Sunday, October 21
vaffanculo!
I really don't know why I came to Skopje today, I should have stayed in Prishtina. But Albert asked me to come today. I barely made it to the bus, and seems forgot my mobile in Prishtina :( Then I arrive in Skopje bus station, called Albert from the phone booth (did not expect much that he will meet me this time though I told him the time I will arrive). And I found out that our flat is still not available, it is being redecorated. I can either come to Albert's flat or go to Ineses/Pierre's flat... Ok, I have big bags so I told him that I am going to I-P's flat. But while waiting for the taxi I changed my mind and decided that it will be more fun to check my memory and try to find Albert's flat and finally meet him in person. Viktoria still has not met him. I found the right house and right door and I hear loud shouting in Serbian inside. There is Br, Nik and 3 girls. I thought one of them is Anja but I found out later that I was wrong and that was Ana, Albert's friend... oh whatever
So I poured myself a glass of borovnicka or sth like that, traditional Slovenian liquir from blueberries. Not bad. Snacked some chips, cookies, raklum... Drank some coke and beer, went to the kitchen and got some bread and sausage. We were watching some videos of Tose on TV, Igri bez granici... yes, I understood something, but not much fun anyways if they have their Balkan talks in Balkan tongue (about Armani guys from Podgorica and some singers I have never heard of).
So I decided to go to I-P's flat and rest a bit. But when I come there - surprise surprise they are not very happy to see me because the flat is already crowded. There are 2 more volunteers staying there. So we will be 6 people in total and 2 more girls from Slovenia should arrive during the night.
Hmmm...big F. Relax, take it easy. But I should have stayed in Pr!
We should start our work with children tomorrow. Need to be at 10 (ah, ok Albert later changed his mind to 11) in the other side of the city. Then I guess I will take the evening bus or train to Pr, need my phone and also test results. Tuesday off and back on Wednesday morning when we will hopefully move in in our own apartment (though I am losing hopes already). And Macedonian class on Wednesday afternoon.
There is a cat frequently visiting our new appartment and we should give him food. I am very happy about that! Though my roommate-to-be is not :P There is also a big aquarium with fish but maybe the owners of the flat will take it with them (I hope, because I am too lazy to take care of changing water and not very enthusiastic about fish in general). We will also have a cable tv and internet but no washing machine... well, whatever, just give us a flat!
Sorry for being emotional,
Kisses from Skopje - very warm after Prishtina yesterday. And damn they have heating everywhere here, in the flat and here in the office. So hot!!! I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight with heating and so many people (extra heating)
So I poured myself a glass of borovnicka or sth like that, traditional Slovenian liquir from blueberries. Not bad. Snacked some chips, cookies, raklum... Drank some coke and beer, went to the kitchen and got some bread and sausage. We were watching some videos of Tose on TV, Igri bez granici... yes, I understood something, but not much fun anyways if they have their Balkan talks in Balkan tongue (about Armani guys from Podgorica and some singers I have never heard of).
So I decided to go to I-P's flat and rest a bit. But when I come there - surprise surprise they are not very happy to see me because the flat is already crowded. There are 2 more volunteers staying there. So we will be 6 people in total and 2 more girls from Slovenia should arrive during the night.
Hmmm...big F. Relax, take it easy. But I should have stayed in Pr!
We should start our work with children tomorrow. Need to be at 10 (ah, ok Albert later changed his mind to 11) in the other side of the city. Then I guess I will take the evening bus or train to Pr, need my phone and also test results. Tuesday off and back on Wednesday morning when we will hopefully move in in our own apartment (though I am losing hopes already). And Macedonian class on Wednesday afternoon.
There is a cat frequently visiting our new appartment and we should give him food. I am very happy about that! Though my roommate-to-be is not :P There is also a big aquarium with fish but maybe the owners of the flat will take it with them (I hope, because I am too lazy to take care of changing water and not very enthusiastic about fish in general). We will also have a cable tv and internet but no washing machine... well, whatever, just give us a flat!
Sorry for being emotional,
Kisses from Skopje - very warm after Prishtina yesterday. And damn they have heating everywhere here, in the flat and here in the office. So hot!!! I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight with heating and so many people (extra heating)
Ziema!!!
That's very strange - a couple of days ago I was swimming, sunbathing, sweating in a t-shirt and now it is white outside. It was something between rain and snow last night when we were coming home and this night it has been quite clearly snow. But it is melting very fast and soon will be hot again ;-)
Thursday, October 18
back from Albania
Sorit piecos no rita atgriezamies Skopje, panemam taksi uz majam un nedaudz nosnaudamies. Ar autobusu 11 atbraucu uz Prishtinu, patiesiba baigi tuvu. Varbut ari tas, ka lasiju gramatu vai ari salidzinot pec Albanijas nakts parbrauciena - nedaudz vairak par 2 stundam un esmu Prishtinaa. Kad izbraucu no Skopjes, nosutiju iszinu Albertam - savam organizacijas bosam, kuru vel neesmu satikusi - lai parak nedusmojas, ka atpakalj busu pirmdien no rita. Ka ari nosutiju iszinu Timam, bet nesanemu apstiprinajumu, ka iszina vinam nogadata. Kosovas mobilo telefonu operators ari slinko. Izkapu pie Hotel Victory (ir te tada viesnica ar ASV neatkaribas statuju uz jumta) un domaju aiziet uz netalo Mozart kafejnicu iedzert vienu kafiju un meginat aizsutit vel vienu iszinju no Kosovas SIM kartes. Pie ieejas atpazistu Tima bralenu un izradas, ka vins pats ari ir ieksa. Ta nu sanaca man parsteigums, jo vins mani gaidija tikai rit un saskrobejas, ka nav paspejis aiziet pie friziera un noskuties :)
Albanija bija interesanta, vienigi projekts galigi nebija pieblivets ar aktivitatem un parsvara garlaikojamies pie baseina. Sakam jau pierast pie biezas elektribas un udens pazushanas, pedeja diena vispar bija tads ka disko ar elektribu - ir nav ir nav ir nav. Citadi hotelis bija super, Niku - vienigais oficiants, ari bija vienkarshi super, italji bija divaini, maltieshi nedaudz iedomigi, serbi - kolosaali (serbijas tradicionalais vakars bija vislabakais projekta pasakums laikam...), albanji ari parsvara forsi draudzigi cilveki, vienigi ne parak profesionali uznem kritiku.
Ta ka projekts bija par dabas temu, apmeklejam vairakus nacionalos parkus (Karavastas lagunu vai kaut ka lidzigi, kas ir tada mitraine vai ka latviski labak saukt - visadam juras radibinjam un putniem patik, mums ne parak - jo lija lietus un vairakas stundas kratijamies pa drausmigu celju autobusaa), ari brauciens ar autobusu uz Dajti nacionalo parku bija garsh un nervus kutinosh, kaut gan skats leja uz Tiranu no Dajti kalna ir fantastisks! Mums kaut ka baigi nepaveicas, jo visas ekskursijas iekrita lietainajas dienas. Pedeja ekskursija uz Kruju bija ljoti forsha, ljoti labs laiks ari todien bija. Ljoti skaista vieta. Vispar Albanija ir ljoti skaista zeme ar ljoti viesmiligiem cilvekiem, bet lielas problemas ar tadam pamata lietam ka udens un elektriba, ka ari haotiska celtnieciba un atkritumi. Cukmens tur butu ljoti noderigs.
Ja, es vel vakar pedejos juraa, 17. oktobris laikam mans rekords. Un nebija nemaz auksti. Pec lietiem te atkal atgriezusies atvasara, kaut gan naktis, riti un vakari ir brrrr paveesi.
Albanija bija interesanta, vienigi projekts galigi nebija pieblivets ar aktivitatem un parsvara garlaikojamies pie baseina. Sakam jau pierast pie biezas elektribas un udens pazushanas, pedeja diena vispar bija tads ka disko ar elektribu - ir nav ir nav ir nav. Citadi hotelis bija super, Niku - vienigais oficiants, ari bija vienkarshi super, italji bija divaini, maltieshi nedaudz iedomigi, serbi - kolosaali (serbijas tradicionalais vakars bija vislabakais projekta pasakums laikam...), albanji ari parsvara forsi draudzigi cilveki, vienigi ne parak profesionali uznem kritiku.
Ta ka projekts bija par dabas temu, apmeklejam vairakus nacionalos parkus (Karavastas lagunu vai kaut ka lidzigi, kas ir tada mitraine vai ka latviski labak saukt - visadam juras radibinjam un putniem patik, mums ne parak - jo lija lietus un vairakas stundas kratijamies pa drausmigu celju autobusaa), ari brauciens ar autobusu uz Dajti nacionalo parku bija garsh un nervus kutinosh, kaut gan skats leja uz Tiranu no Dajti kalna ir fantastisks! Mums kaut ka baigi nepaveicas, jo visas ekskursijas iekrita lietainajas dienas. Pedeja ekskursija uz Kruju bija ljoti forsha, ljoti labs laiks ari todien bija. Ljoti skaista vieta. Vispar Albanija ir ljoti skaista zeme ar ljoti viesmiligiem cilvekiem, bet lielas problemas ar tadam pamata lietam ka udens un elektriba, ka ari haotiska celtnieciba un atkritumi. Cukmens tur butu ljoti noderigs.
Ja, es vel vakar pedejos juraa, 17. oktobris laikam mans rekords. Un nebija nemaz auksti. Pec lietiem te atkal atgriezusies atvasara, kaut gan naktis, riti un vakari ir brrrr paveesi.
Tuesday, October 16
In Memorium, Tose
Today started with very sad news. Tose Proeski, the great handsome Macedonian singer had died in a car accident. We went to his concert just 10 days ago. Now watched some Macedonian TV, there is a big crowd in Ploshtad Makedonija right now, remembering him, crying and lighting a candle. In my mind I light also mine... I remember the interview I saw with him on TV after the big concert, all his great plans. Really sad.
I am still in Albania, now in Durres. Went with the organizers to buy tickets back to Macedonia for tomorrow. Was a weird experience because we went to different shabby cafes to ask for tickets. Finally bought them in one empty cafe called Gostivari, from a guy who spoke a bit of Russian and who had a cute son.
Then we went to pasticerija to buy some cakes for tonight. There are 2 girls who have birthdays tonight and it is also the farewell party of this exchange.
Next post from Prishtina most likely...
I am still in Albania, now in Durres. Went with the organizers to buy tickets back to Macedonia for tomorrow. Was a weird experience because we went to different shabby cafes to ask for tickets. Finally bought them in one empty cafe called Gostivari, from a guy who spoke a bit of Russian and who had a cute son.
Then we went to pasticerija to buy some cakes for tonight. There are 2 girls who have birthdays tonight and it is also the farewell party of this exchange.
Next post from Prishtina most likely...
Thursday, October 11
nightlife in Durres...
...is not very active. we finally found an open club but our group is the only people there. I came to internet cafe to check my mails finally and chat with my bf. i was told it wont be open, but luckily it was. the weather is not very nice, have not seen the sun since yesterday's morning, but anyways I am swimming each day in the sea. local people probably think that we - Baltic people - are a bit crazy.
...today visited some lagoon (just don't think of sky blue water and palms). it is actually wetlands. baskerville dog landscape. the road was not for the bus, so sometimes in some turns it was pretty scary and i was afraid that we will fall over in the swamp a long drive away from any bigger road or hospital (=civilisation).
...yes, Kosovo looks more rich than Albania, though the hotels around Durres grow like mushrooms after rain and look quite fancy (also nice to stay there except the general problem is electricity and water).
...hmm... what else, don't have much time here. WHY WE GO OUT ON WEDNESDAY BEFORE BAYRAM END? HERE IS THE ANSWER:
Dace says:
there is a wedding in our hotel
Dace says:
of the manager
Dace says:
so we were asked to go party somewhere else tonight
Dace says:
but it is actually not the wedding today
Dace says:
it is something strange, like a bachelor party with his family from Kukes
Dace says:
he is sitting alone with 3 other guys in one corner
Dace says:
and other guests are partying other side of the hall
Dace says:
men have a big table in the middle, and women have a smaller table in the corner
Dace says:
he is getting married tomorrow
Dace says:
but REAL KUKES PEOPLE
Dace says:
look like from a deep village
Dace says:
terrible ugly, ugly chinese sweaters and 90ies jeans
...today visited some lagoon (just don't think of sky blue water and palms). it is actually wetlands. baskerville dog landscape. the road was not for the bus, so sometimes in some turns it was pretty scary and i was afraid that we will fall over in the swamp a long drive away from any bigger road or hospital (=civilisation).
...yes, Kosovo looks more rich than Albania, though the hotels around Durres grow like mushrooms after rain and look quite fancy (also nice to stay there except the general problem is electricity and water).
...hmm... what else, don't have much time here. WHY WE GO OUT ON WEDNESDAY BEFORE BAYRAM END? HERE IS THE ANSWER:
Dace says:
there is a wedding in our hotel
Dace says:
of the manager
Dace says:
so we were asked to go party somewhere else tonight
Dace says:
but it is actually not the wedding today
Dace says:
it is something strange, like a bachelor party with his family from Kukes
Dace says:
he is sitting alone with 3 other guys in one corner
Dace says:
and other guests are partying other side of the hall
Dace says:
men have a big table in the middle, and women have a smaller table in the corner
Dace says:
he is getting married tomorrow
Dace says:
but REAL KUKES PEOPLE
Dace says:
look like from a deep village
Dace says:
terrible ugly, ugly chinese sweaters and 90ies jeans
Monday, October 8
Albania tonight
Last night Nikola came and announced that there are still 3 free places for a youth exchange in Durres, Albania and we can go. Before he said I am too fresh to send me anywhere... And, yes, I wanted to go to my boyfriend this weekend. But could not miss such a great chance to visit Albania. So we already have tickets for tonight's bus. Next message from Albania
haha, nice Macedonian delegation: 2 Latvians, 1 Estonian, 1 Hungarian and 1 Macedonian
haha, nice Macedonian delegation: 2 Latvians, 1 Estonian, 1 Hungarian and 1 Macedonian
Sunday, October 7
a nice but exhausting Sunday
Today I and Viktoria climed to the Millenium Cross in Skopje, Mount Vodno 1066 m. Taking different routes who knows how much km we went, a rough guess would be around 30 km... totally exhausted now, just stopped by in the internet cafe on the way home. it is very dark here and boys are playing computer games. we are so exhausted that almost falling asleep. so I go home. tschus!
Thursday, October 4
Adaptacija
My roommate, hungarian girl, is arriving today at 14:45. I guess I will join Nikola to the airport to meet her :) Maybe we will also go to see our new flat today. But not likely it will be available till Monday. So Hungarian girl will also stay with us at Inese's and Pierre's (french guy who is visiting his girlfriend in Slovenia right now but otherwise is sharing the appartment with Inese) appartment. Pierre will be back on Sunday or Monday.
I was doubting to go to visit Pristhina again this week, but I feel that I need to get used to the life here the first week. It is a great chance to feel and live the city because i have a lot of free time - slow adaptation :) Very nomal EVS start And I don't want to miss the language classes. We had 2nd class yesterday and we will also have one today. I like them. I like Macedonian.
Yesterday I met Zdravko. In the morning he was doing medical check for driving licence (yes, he is also doing it!). We met at 11, actually I was late :P It was really nice to see him again. Hmm... but then he was meeting one Serbian girl and seems they have something since a couple of days ;-) So, later I deciced to leave them alone and go for a walk in the Albanian part. I really liked Carshija, i will go shopping there for earings later, lovely silver things :) I just had 300 den. with me but I bought a pair and now wearing them all the time. Also the market is amazing and in a way felt so at home to hear Albanian around! And bureks and coffees are cheaper on that side of the river.
Zdravko promised me that we are climbing the mountain to the big cross this weekend. Even if he does not join, I am going for it!
There is no reply from Natasa, I smsed her 2 days ago when I got my Macedonian mobile number. I am going to call her today.
I still have not received my insurance. I got some strange fax from my sending organization, I don' t know what to sign there. And what really sucks - my surname is misspelled!!! Stupid French?
Yesterday Inese had a date with some guy whom she described as the most awsome macedonian ever (or sth like that). They went to some new age coffee place in the center (as she described it, very lovely - like a yard, with little springs, bridges, lanterns, cats and dogs should also live there. and there are tables on the little cute bridges). I stayed at home and watched Mr&Mrs Smith, met Nikola's (Inese's boss) mother who took my laundry and did it at her place.
This morning I went for a lovely jog up the hill towards some monastery, you can also climb to the cross from there. At the monastery it started to get really steep, I was losing my breath, so had to ran back. It is a really nice neighborhood, I would not mind to live there :)
I was doubting to go to visit Pristhina again this week, but I feel that I need to get used to the life here the first week. It is a great chance to feel and live the city because i have a lot of free time - slow adaptation :) Very nomal EVS start And I don't want to miss the language classes. We had 2nd class yesterday and we will also have one today. I like them. I like Macedonian.
Yesterday I met Zdravko. In the morning he was doing medical check for driving licence (yes, he is also doing it!). We met at 11, actually I was late :P It was really nice to see him again. Hmm... but then he was meeting one Serbian girl and seems they have something since a couple of days ;-) So, later I deciced to leave them alone and go for a walk in the Albanian part. I really liked Carshija, i will go shopping there for earings later, lovely silver things :) I just had 300 den. with me but I bought a pair and now wearing them all the time. Also the market is amazing and in a way felt so at home to hear Albanian around! And bureks and coffees are cheaper on that side of the river.
Zdravko promised me that we are climbing the mountain to the big cross this weekend. Even if he does not join, I am going for it!
There is no reply from Natasa, I smsed her 2 days ago when I got my Macedonian mobile number. I am going to call her today.
I still have not received my insurance. I got some strange fax from my sending organization, I don' t know what to sign there. And what really sucks - my surname is misspelled!!! Stupid French?
Yesterday Inese had a date with some guy whom she described as the most awsome macedonian ever (or sth like that). They went to some new age coffee place in the center (as she described it, very lovely - like a yard, with little springs, bridges, lanterns, cats and dogs should also live there. and there are tables on the little cute bridges). I stayed at home and watched Mr&Mrs Smith, met Nikola's (Inese's boss) mother who took my laundry and did it at her place.
This morning I went for a lovely jog up the hill towards some monastery, you can also climb to the cross from there. At the monastery it started to get really steep, I was losing my breath, so had to ran back. It is a really nice neighborhood, I would not mind to live there :)
Tuesday, October 2
Cau mam,
Vakar ierados Skopje un pa taisno no autoostas kopa ar otru latviesu meiteni devos uz valodas nodarbibu. Vismaz pagaidam mums ir shausmiigi viegli, kursa vel ir tikai viens vacu brivpratigais un vinjam iet daudz grutak.
Dzivoklis man Skopje joprojam nav atrasts. Nikola sola, ka varbut shonedelj bus jadodas kadus skatities. Pagaidam dzivoju kopa ar latvieshu meiteni, jo vinjas dzivoklja biedrs francuzis ir devies ciemos pie draudzenes uz Sloveniju. Lidz nakamajai nedeljai dzivoklim vajadzetu but un ari manai dzivoklja biedrenei vajadzetu ierasties.
Shausmigi gribas beidzot dabut savu istabu, kur izkramet visas somas, man riebjas dzivot uz somam. Shonedelja tada pabrivaka izskatas, mans boss ir pie radiem Melnkalnee lidz pirmdienai un koleegje taisas shodien braukt uz majam uz Sloveniju kartot kaut kadu eksamenu. Laikam bus japaklist tepat pa Makedoniju :)
Sheit ir ljoti silts, pat naktii +19. Iista vasara. Forshi, ka jums tur ari silts un Madei shitadi visadi jaunumi. Pasaki vinjai, ka man vinjas ljoti pietrukst un es par vinju ik pa reizei iedomajos, kad redzu uz ielas smukos balkanu klaidoniishus.
Tu man ari pietruc. Buchas,
Dace
Dzivoklis man Skopje joprojam nav atrasts. Nikola sola, ka varbut shonedelj bus jadodas kadus skatities. Pagaidam dzivoju kopa ar latvieshu meiteni, jo vinjas dzivoklja biedrs francuzis ir devies ciemos pie draudzenes uz Sloveniju. Lidz nakamajai nedeljai dzivoklim vajadzetu but un ari manai dzivoklja biedrenei vajadzetu ierasties.
Shausmigi gribas beidzot dabut savu istabu, kur izkramet visas somas, man riebjas dzivot uz somam. Shonedelja tada pabrivaka izskatas, mans boss ir pie radiem Melnkalnee lidz pirmdienai un koleegje taisas shodien braukt uz majam uz Sloveniju kartot kaut kadu eksamenu. Laikam bus japaklist tepat pa Makedoniju :)
Sheit ir ljoti silts, pat naktii +19. Iista vasara. Forshi, ka jums tur ari silts un Madei shitadi visadi jaunumi. Pasaki vinjai, ka man vinjas ljoti pietrukst un es par vinju ik pa reizei iedomajos, kad redzu uz ielas smukos balkanu klaidoniishus.
Tu man ari pietruc. Buchas,
Dace
Monday, October 1
1 hour before leaving for Skopje
In 1 hour need to catch a train to Skopje. Another Latvian volunteer from Skopje has been staying with me here in Kosovo for last 3 days. One day we went to Patriarshije monastery in Peja/Pec. Other days just hanging around here, drinking the tasty cheap Balkan coffees, makiatos, capuccinos...Peja beer of course (though she does not like it very much). On Friday night went out with one of my Prishtina Summer University colleagues, a very sociable girl with whom you can get cheek cramps.
I sent an sms to Albert, the guy from my organization, that we are coming by the train that arrives 15:30 and is it ok? Have not received any reply yet. In the worst case we just take a taxi to Inese's (the other volunteer's) place and I can stay there. Maybe I even join for the Macedonian class today...
I sent an sms to Albert, the guy from my organization, that we are coming by the train that arrives 15:30 and is it ok? Have not received any reply yet. In the worst case we just take a taxi to Inese's (the other volunteer's) place and I can stay there. Maybe I even join for the Macedonian class today...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)