Strange Currencies

I have a fear that I will repeat song titles for my post monikers. Oh well, please forgive me!

You are looking at my super-cute niece and nephew this past Halloween. The Princess and the Pea...I have not met Will as he was born in June and I simply cannot believe how big Emma is now! I am really looking forward to seeing them. This brings me to my next topic and that is that I am leaving Macedonia in 9 short weeks. I have no idea, at this point, what will happen after I leave, other than I am flying into Philadelphia and staying with my Cata and Musashi. Not knowing my next step is adding significant stress in my personal and professional life. Igor wants to know what next and I cannot answer him. My bank accounts want to know when they will be replenished. I had dinner with Dao last night and realized (again) that I am very comfortable here, albeit a bit homesick. I know all I can do is continue to work hard at my internship and apply for jobs. I want to be excited about my future and lose this anxiety. I listen to President-elect Obama's acceptance speech to inspire myself and say the "Yes we can" mantra to myself. In all reality, I have not learned how to accept my feelings and not fight them. Sure, I don't want to go overboard, but just allowing myself to be would be refreshing. I have learned so much during these past 6 months.

In other news, Belgrade was fantastic, even though I was there for something like 6 hours. I loved the bus I took - it was a commuter bus and they showed movies and even gave me bread and butter for breakfast after we crossed the Serbian border! It was such a different bus experience from when I went to Sarajevo. No 2 hour border crossing! No cramped, musty seats! No smokers in the front of the bus! I had lunch with my UNIFEM colleagues and they are so wonderful. What a blessing to have such wonderful people to collaborate with and to have terrific conversation. I did not make it to the Tito Mausoleum or the Tesla Museum but that just means I have to go back. I managed to immediately get lost upon exiting the bus station and the people on the streets were so helpful and friendly. I did get to see the bohemian cafe street and roam the pedestrian area. As much as I love Skopje, being in an actual Capital City with 2 million people (keep in mind 2 million is the entire population of Macedonia!) was refreshing.

I reserved my tickets to Rome for Christmas. I have until December to pay for them and I am trying to get excited about going! I get to see Jennie and Ste, along with his family and, oh go to Italy for the first time! I won't get to spend new years there because the flights from Rome to Skopje are only on certain days and I don't think they fly on Jan 1.

And, finally, I will be 30 in a couple weeks and I am in shock - I never pictured myself being 30, let alone that I would be in Macedonia to celebrate. I hope my 30th year is not as difficult as my 29th year. Don't get me wrong, fantastic things happened this year, but it has been very challenging. I will start my new career, visit exciting places and get a dog. Sounds like a plan. Onward!