Somebody Told Me

This is Dubrovnik. I selected this picture completely randomly as I could not see the preview :) While Dubrovnik was insane with tourists, I enjoyed my time there. These are the walls of the old city (stari grad) and a small harbor.

I am reading a draft report on social inclusion and what the UN Country Team can do to effect change in this area through the UNDAF process (I honestly have no idea what the UNDAF process is, but I believe it has something to do with the Millennium Development Goals). I had this 'duh' realization. To have high unemployment (try 35%, oh yeah) means more dependency on the State for social services. High unemployment means less tax collection, not just from individuals, but businesses as well, which means less money to provide services, which are in high demand due to the high unemployment rate. You see the cycle? Even if many of these reported unemployed are in the grey economy, these peeps are still registering for the State to provided health insurance, but no taxes are being collected to help pay for said insurance. Unemployed/economically inactive people are at higher risk of being social excluded, which is why it is important to know the demographics of the employed, unemployed and economically inactive. Hmmm, time to get creative to break the cycle...

Now, I'll write something cute. My beautiful Street Dawg continues to greet me and protect me from the evil buses that pass by on the street. Her vicious warning barks at the buses are the only thing protecting me from the bus' predatory ways. I am still trying to figure out if she has an owner because it looks like the hair around her feet was trimmed. I also realized that while Street Dawg speaks Macedonian, she seems to understand my English fairly well. She glows when I thank her for protection and trots next to me almost all the way to my flat. She does not heed my warnings about crossing the street, however. Today, there was a Pekingese in the yard with her. I wonder if the Pekingese is as wonderful as my Dawg. I've decided that if I get a job here in Macedonia after the end of my internship, I'm getting a dog. The program that I wrote about surrounding women's political involvement in the upcoming municipal elections does not have a job for me. At least I know and I tried :)

Oh, in other good news, my sister is engaged! They are getting married on paper this December in Italy so if I end up in Italy for Christmas (which is the plan if I am still here in Macedonia), I can be one of the witnesses! How cool. Their wedding wedding in Colorado will be this summer and I am going to be the Maid of Honor. My friend, Andrea, is getting married in October 2009 and she asked me to be a bridesmaid so you can see that my vacation for 2009 will be spent at various weddings. I could not be happier for my sister and Andrea!