We're here

Arriving at the Alexander the Great Airport in Skopje.

We have been in Macedonia for 2 weeks now. For the first 6 days, we were in the city of Tetovo for orientation. We stayed at a private, English-speaking school in dorms, and were given basic information about serving in Macedonia and the training we would soon face. There are 44 new trainees in Macedonia. We, along with 10 others, were assigned to the city of Veles for Pre-Service Training. 

Veles is a city in the heart of Macedonia along the Vardar River. Approximately 50,000 people live in here. It’s beautiful! The streets are narrow and unwind over the hills among the old European-style homes. Figs, pomegranates, grapes, hazelnuts, and other fruits and vegetables grow all over the city. There are cafes, shops, restaurants, and parks throughout.

We live with a Macedonian man and his mother. He speaks a little, broken English, and she speaks only Macedonian. Our hosts are hospitable, generous, and patient with us. We have a bedroom in their three-story home. The second and third floors have terraces the length of the house that overlook the Vardar River and the neighbors’ gardens. 

Doing homework on the terrace.

Every day we have 4 hours of Macedonian language class, and throughout the week we have medical, safety, cultural, and technical training sessions. We will do this through Thanksgiving. Then, we will be sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers and move to permanent sites to begin our jobs.

One of the best aspects of the Peace Corps is the opportunity to live with host country nationals. This is helping us learn the language and culture, and feel a greater sense of community. Last week our host family and extended family made AJBAP (or ajvar, said eye-var).

Roasting and peeling the peppers for AJBAP.

AJBAP is a spread made of red peppers and eggplant. The peppers are roasted over a fire and peeled. The peppers and roasted eggplant are mashed, and then cooked in a pot over a fire for hours with oil, salt, and mustard. Our family roasted 50 kg of peppers. We got to help with peeling the peppers, and stirring the AJBAP. This produced many jars that will last for the entire year. AJBAP is made this time of year by most families in Macedonia so every weekend the whole city smells deliciously of roasted peppers.

Stirring the AJBAP.

Veles is an awesome place to live so far. Even though we only have the language skills of a Macedonian toddler, our family is encouraging and loving. Though a language barrier exists, we are still able to have fun being together.

-Andreya