School Is Over & Getting Together In Ohrid

          School is finally over. I love my kids but everyone needs a break and I've been going nonstop since December.  It's a bit different than back home since I live in the village with them so I really can't get away. Fortunately, we have our Language IST this coming week so I'll be able to break away before coming back and seeing them again.  For the next week this is exactly how I feel:  

Except in Macedonian: "Викенд е, јас тебе не те знам, ти не постоиш."

          However with great lines such as this one I'm going to miss my 9th graders: 

          I savored this beauty to celebrate the end of the school year:

          Yesterday, most of the volunteers from Ohrid and neighboring Struga got together on an invitation by a couple from Texas for some TexMex. We went out on their boat, I kayaked, swam and enjoyed nothing but pure Americana.  It was fantastic and normally I'd have a photo or two but I just forget to take pics. Fortunately our hosts didn't. 

          However, I did go out with one of my Lakocerej friends on the lake and got this view: 

That's St. Jovan on the left. 

          Also, a couple PCV's came into town to visit so we went out to one of the restaurants on the other side of the lake and were rewarded with this sunset view: 

Remember, I'm not adding filters to any of these pictures. 

        While together we chatted about our Macedonian experiences so far.  It's interesting how similar our lives are, our work, pay and food for example but also how vastly different things are for each of us.  For example, a business volunteer has vastly different challenges than a TEFL volunteer. It's much easier for us to integrate since we're with kids everyday and we see their parents around the villages.  They have to deal with sitting in an office, applying for grants and trying to get projects started in an unstructured environment.  We all laughed that they wouldn't want our jobs and vice versa. 

          This has been my morning view while I'm sipping on my coffee enjoying a moment alone: 

This is what it sounds like.

          Here's a shot of the old city and Samuil's Fortress:

          Lastly, I want to say happy birthday, среќен роденден, and congratulations to many of my family members back home. There have been several birthdays, graduations, a family history book and poetry book published plus other festivities. I'm proud of you all.