First of all, I would like to say that I spend WAY too much time on the computer these days, and I don't even blog. I really haven't been writing emails, or handwritten letters, or in my journal lately either. This is something I don't understand. I am a writer. Writers have to write to live. I am writing now. I am going to post this tonight, for better or worse. Thank you for reading.
So let me tell you what I've been doing these days.
I have been reading books off and on, but not finishing them. This is a habit of mine. I have an attention problem.
I have been part of a home group Bible study for a month now. This is connected with my church here, the international church, and it is just fabulous! I am so, so thankful for these people who are open and honest about themselves, and willing to work through nitty gritty theological issues with me. The questions are based on the sermon from the prior weekend, and written by the pastor who gave the sermon. These meetings remind me of being with Redeemer WS people, and that always makes me happy and comfortable.
I constantly check my email, even though I know there is really only one possible time per day that Kyle could email me, and other people write, but not often enough to warrant my constant email checking. I also stalk people on facebook. And I read articles about all the trivial things going on around the world, and sometimes the serious things too. This may be why I don't feel as far away as I did last year. Macedonia feels much less foreign to me this year, but I am almost always keenly aware of how very much a foreigner I am here. I don't speak the language and I don't understand the culture, most of the time, but I love living here.
I get to talk to Kyle almost every day now. He gets off work within an hour of two of when I get off work, so it works nicely. It is wonderful to be able to see his face on video Skype every day. Praise God for technology!
My roommate Rachel and I went to Italy for Fall Break last month. We stayed in Rome and visited Pompeii, Pisa and Florence. It was a crazy, whirlwind trip. I saw sooo much! Amazing! Here's a photo of me in Pompeii...
The weather has this week has been lovely...cold in the morning, but in the fifties and sunny by the time lunch is over. The school children have even been taking their coats off to walk in the park, run along the river, and play at recess. Unfortunately, with the winter comes the smog, because of so much air pollution from heating the buildings, so though it has been sunny many days, it has often been pretty impossible to see the mountains.
Speaking of the weather, did you know that Macedonians blame everything on the weather? Is it really a Macedonian thing, or a European thing, or a universal thing that I've failed to notice until now? Here in Macedonia, I've learned that if you have kidney stones, you probably caught a draft. If the children are misbehaving, it's probably because the weather is changing. If you feel sick or tired, it's because of the air pressure.
You should never open two windows in a car or train or room at the same time, because there's a dreaded, terrible draft that could be the death of you. Three friends and I were on a train last month, with a compartment to ourselves. A Macedonian man came in to sit and told us we had to close the window because he didn't like the draft, so we spent the rest of the trip in a hot, stuffy train compartment with a closed window, because the man was afraid of the draft. Taxi drivers also HATE it when I roll down my window, so I try not to meet their eyes. I only roll down my window when they are smoking, so I feel justified in my cultural insensitivity.
Also on the train ride, we passed through twenty-one tunnels along the way, and each time the car became pitch black. The first time it happened, I was imagining all kinds of things happening while the lights were out, because for some reason, everyone went silent...like we weren't supposed to talk in the dark. I put my hand on my bag to protect my valuables, and prayed that no one would come in, because I wouldn't have known they were there until they grabbed me.
Thankfully, my friends nearest the compartment door had instinctively blocked the door when the lights went out, and that made me feel much better. It was lovely riding through the Macedonian countryside after a weekend of hiking in the mountains, even if we did have to ride in total darkness for up to five minutes at a time.
Here are two photos of the Macedonian fairy forest where we had been hiking when we took the train ride...
I'm excited that one of my friends took me to her favorite Macedonian Orthodox church on Sunday. I looked around while she said her prayers and lit her candles, which she says she does most Sundays. I was proud at myself for being able to decode the Cyrillic writing on a painting enough to read the name of that church's patron saint. Did you know that it is traditional for Macedonian Orthodox churches to keep a pair of peacocks on the church grounds? And there they were, just wandering around, minding their own business. Peacocks are kind of a big deal around here. :) There is a peacock on one of the Macedonian denar bills, and one of the coins too.
After we visited the church, we went to a Chinese restaurant that has rave reviews around here. My friend was craving spring rolls, since those are a big part of my school's fall festival, and there's nowhere else to get them. Sadly, they didn't have any at that restaurant, or at least they were out of the kind we wanted. We talked and talked about everything. and at the end of the meal, an American (I think) man came up to our table and started advising my friend about her life. I think he just wanted to pick her up. It was strange. He said he had been listening to our whole conversation and had some things he wanted to tell her. Right...I was sure to talk with my hands so he could see my wedding rings, one on each hand.
My students this year are CRAZY, except for maybe two of them, and I pity those two for having to sit in my crazy classroom. I am thankful that people are praying for me to love these kids, because I really need the prayer. I could go on and on about their antics, but now it's time to give thanks.
Thanksgiving is next week, and I am thankful to have been invited to dinner at the homes of two different American families, both of whom have or have had a student in my class. I am also thankful that these meals are at different times of day, so I can attend both.
I am tremendously thankful to be loved by a God who cares about every tiny detail of my life, who knows me completely and loves me unconditionally, who is always faithful and always good. I am thankful that Jesus washed away my sins, and that I am now counted blameless before the Creator of the Universe.
I am very thankful that God has arranged for me to live, work and grow in Macedonia for a time. I am so thankful that God arranged my life and Kyle's life in such a way that we could combine our lives while keeping out commitments to serve in our respective locations and professions.
I am everso thankful that God has given me a husband as wonderfully loving and well-suited to me as Kyle. I am so glad that God knows exactly what I need, exactly when I need it, without regard to what I think.
I am thankful, and here's a short list of reasons why:
- I have high, waterproof leather boots to wear when it rains and snows. Every respectable woman living in Macedonia needs a pair of high leather boots, preferably in black.
- Jim Henson is a genius, and my Sesame Street and Muppet Show DVDs make me laugh, A LOT.
- I love my small group Bible study!
- Kyle is the best husband ever!
- I have US Army friends in Skopje to help and support me with all this deployment/army wife business!
- Skype is the best invention ever!
- I love riding my bicycle!
- The beautiful city park is so accesible and lovely!
- I have a nice apartment where I feel safe and friends can come to visit.
- There are plenty of good books to read!
- I have the best classroom assistant ever!
- I have lots of planning periods!
- I have a fabulous roommate!
- I have a wonderful Christian community here in Skopje.
- My family, old and new, are just fabulous and I love them!
- My friends are pretty great too.
- My mom sends me snailmail!
- I am glad God made animals capable of friendships with humans.
This is also a hiking trip photo.
