Dance with Me

Seasons Change 

Spring has sprung! Suddenly last week, flowers began to bloom, and the temperatures warmed to the low 60s. Along with the warmer weather, the change of season is bringing better moods and a generally more vibrant feel to the city. ☀️

Because of this, my friends and I have gone out together a lot more in the past couple weeks – dancing, yes – and also up to Vodno (the mountain next to Skopje) and along the river bank in Gradski Park. I also went to dinner last week with a Fulbright professor who is here teaching at the same university as I am (UKIM). She’s a professor at South Alabama and one of the coolest and kindest people I’ve met here. Included on her long list of interesting life experiences is kite surfing in Turkey, so I got the details from her (because you already know my motto) and will hopefully go before I leave Macedonia. 

March 8th was International Women’s Day, which is celebrated here with lots of flowers, chocolates, and discounts from stores. Every woman (myself included) was walking around with flowers from significant others or friends. Personally, I gave chocolates to the first-year girls I taught that day. Paired with the spring weather, the mood was really festive, and it felt special to be part of it. 

I’m really proud of my students, they’re doing great work so far this semester. Their vocabulary is improving immensely, and they are choosing to be vulnerable and share their opinions in class regularly. Attendance could improve some, but you win some, you lose some….

I’m going on another solo date to the Philharmonic later this week – they’re playing Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”, one of my all-time favorites. 

It is hard to believe we are already approaching the middle of March…! Tuesday the 19th is exactly 6 months since I moved here and started the whole adventure.

(Song Credit: Orleans)