Ajде Чао Драго Цемејство!

Pictured here are my host-sisters and host-grandparents



Last weekend I went to visit my host family for one last time before I returned to the US. It was pretty hard to say good-bye, for a number of reasons. They have fallen on tough times, like a decade ago. Blatec, a village outside of Kocani, is a village in a region that is severly economically depressed with little hopes of climbing out of a long-term economic slump. All the factories have closed down and most villagers live off the subsistence agriculture products they grow in their yard.

It was hard knowing that things aren't going to get better for them anytime soon, and I am powerless to do anything to improve their current situation.

It was hard knowing that my friends that I have now grown to know and love (although I was not allowed to wash my hair on a daily basis and was strongly encouraged to eat chicken soup for breakfast) will be far away and difficult to reach.

It was hard realizing that this is the end of a very exciting time in my life.