Happy 4th, from Macedonia!

It is interesting to spend the 4th of July, my favorite holiday, abroad. There will be no fireworks - maybe tomorrow at the picnic...I listened to Whitney Houston sing the National Anthem on YouTube and was sad for a moment that I will not be at my Gramma's or my parents' home eating hot dogs, baked beans, while listening to music set to the fireworks (they do that in Denver!). While I feel that my country has some things to work on, I also realize how fortunate I am to be an American. I am grateful for all the opportunities given to me and am thankful to the people who sacrificed so I can vote, work and travel freely.

I am currently editing the part of the paper discussing the foundations of building a democratic society based on a respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. I often think about what I am working on and if it will make any difference in Macedonia. One realization I had since coming to Macedonia is that it is one thing to advocate for human rights publicly or as your job, but the real test is how you treat people every day. I ask myself if I treat every person I encounter with dignity. It is easy to edit papers and write critiques/criticisms and suggestions for the government because that is them, not me. I realize that the work my colleagues and I do is very important, but, for me, it won't mean anything if I don't treat the people with whom I interact with respect and dignity, regardless of how they treat me. I need to hold my friends, cohorts and family accountable, in a non-confrontational way, for their actions and words and I hope they will do the same for me. In the end, it comes down to individual interactions, which can foster a community of respect and tolerance or the alternative. I feel as though I am getting preachy so I will just end this post. Thanks for your patience.