tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37105417130587914242026-09-20T05:05:42.775-07:00Life and cooking in Macedonia.VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-58988068597399269292012-07-03T03:57:00.001-07:002012-07-03T04:00:16.578-07:00

Yeah, I finally began to study today for the first time in days.  I was really unmotivated for a number of reasons.  But mostly because I'm a lazy miserable homesick brat.  It's the fourth of July tomorrow, and all my family is telling me there fun plans, and I'm so jealous.  I wish I could go to the barbeque with everyone, but I can't this year.  I'll say, I never

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-47466009782863521922012-06-28T14:50:00.000-07:002012-06-28T14:50:47.135-07:00

I haven't studied in 2 days.  I'm not proud of it. But circumstances arose, and I found that everything else in the world was more important than studying.  Really, I just didn't feel like it.  Yesterday, I was feeling kind of down.  I'm a little homesick, and I miss working.  I'm just saying, sleeping in, having no deadlines, and wearing comfy clothes all the time is

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-21421740822954304482012-06-26T13:20:00.001-07:002012-06-26T13:21:16.855-07:00

I didn't study today.  But I talked for 30 minutes with my mother-in-law getting the recipe for zucchini burgers.  And another recipe that uses zucchini in soup.  It's really amazing that I can manage to go days living in a foreign country and not have to speak the language.  Today, I managed to pay the electric bill, the water bill, and buy groceries without uttering a

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-24504942456124000682012-06-26T13:12:00.000-07:002012-06-26T13:13:27.087-07:00

Just a week ago, my grandfather was complaining that there were no zucchini and that he wanted to pull up the plants because they were taking up so much space and not producing any fruit.  Well, one week later look what happened. I started with 11, but I gave away 5 and used one for dinner, and this is what's left.  That tiny little dot is a quarter. All from only 4 plants.  I

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-66945465150040974342012-06-25T13:51:00.001-07:002012-06-25T14:00:52.952-07:00

I used to really enjoy talking to kids, before I moved to Macedonia.  Joking around with them, getting them to laugh.  But trying to communicate with children in a foreign language is beyond difficult.  Especially when the children speak in dialect.  Today, as usual, I studied Macedonian for 30 minutes, then headed out to run some errands.  I met up with my husband at

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-17543818338451134592012-06-22T07:50:00.000-07:002012-06-22T07:50:57.985-07:00

I have new motivation for studying Macedonian.  I was recently contacted by this woman in North Carolina, who has asked me to keep a journal of my language studying.  So, since I already have a blog, I figured I will just make small posts each day on my progress. Today, as usual, I studied 30 minutes of the Book2 English-Macedonian, which I programmed into Anki, which is a digital

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-5745160406388230392011-11-24T05:19:00.000-08:002011-11-24T05:19:13.791-08:00

There are so many things that I will have to adjust to while living in Macedonia.  Not recognizing American holidays is just one of them.  It's not Thanksgiving here, all the stores and banks are open. I guess I can consider that a plus because I need to go to the bank today, but it's really not that big of a deal, because if I really needed cash in the States I would just hit up any

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-6370676680598685552011-11-19T10:22:00.001-08:002012-04-12T01:54:56.733-07:00

The other night, I went to a dinner party, held in my honor with my mother-in-law's colleagues to celebrate my recent wedding. She told me she had worked with these women for 30 years, and they were more than just co-workers, they were family.  It amazed me that anyone was able to work at the same company for 30 years, but even more amazing that they were all friends for that long as

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-60164130668760841842011-11-15T10:21:00.001-08:002012-04-11T23:47:32.315-07:00

Jesus-Christ-Christian-Icon-from-Ohrid-Macedonia-Wood-Wall-Plaque Item has sold!!! Items has sold!!!

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-10114245810525235482011-10-30T10:38:00.000-07:002011-10-30T10:38:29.125-07:00

After a over week of hard work, and new challenges with knitting, I finally finished my first sweater.  I made it for my dog, Max, and it turned out amazing.  I was so excited to put it on him, I didn't even get a chance to take a picture of it, but this is what it looked like.  It ended up being a little big on him, so me and my mother-in-law sewed on some elastic so it would

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-60151847565185967452011-10-28T11:31:00.000-07:002011-10-28T11:31:13.770-07:00

Cold and flu season has arrived, and I've picked up a terrible cold & sore throat.  However, my wonderful Macedonian parents have instructed me on some interesting home remedies they use and I thought it would be interesting to share them. MK Remedy #1.  Tea with honey and freshly squeezed lemon.  Not sure why, but my mother-in-law always tells me to wait until the tea has

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-46599575189774119772011-10-27T08:29:00.000-07:002011-10-27T10:27:47.794-07:00

This was pretty funny and also a little sad.  I recently got married in the Republic of Macedonia and at my civil ceremony, my sister ended up taking a lot of the pictures.  A little background:  She and I are both American and my husband and his family are Macedonians. But my sister and I are a little different than my fellow slavic family members; we smile when we take

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-52316525835126008782011-10-27T07:52:00.000-07:002011-10-27T10:42:55.314-07:00

If someone would have told me three years ago, that one day I would work in Afghanistan, meet my future husband, quit my job and move to the Republic of Macedonia and be married in a Christian Orthodox Church, I probably would have punched them in the face and told them they needed medication.  But, I would be wrong, because all of those things happened. It's been forever since my last

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-69714346312167584042011-09-08T07:59:00.000-07:002011-09-08T07:59:38.354-07:00

Worldwide Travel Alert As we mark the 10th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Department of State informs U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad of the continued threat posed by al-Qa’ida and its affiliates. While we have not identified any specific threats from al-Qa’ida affiliates and allies to attack the United States or our interests on the 9/11 anniversary

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-18692952314371587852011-09-08T07:54:00.000-07:002011-09-08T07:54:41.060-07:00

I'm so loving this song right now!!  I have two reasons to celebrate today. 1.  Today is Macedonia's Independence Day, and 2.  My sister is coming to visit me!!!  Two more days until my other sister returns, then there will be three Bergey's in Macedonia!!! Yay!!!

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-13632553789915677932011-09-07T07:36:00.000-07:002011-09-08T13:37:35.456-07:00

The procedures for calling from inside and outside the country of Macedonia can be rather confusing.  After having issues trying to contact the US Embassy today, I asked my husband to explain this topic in detail.   If you wish to call a number within Macedonia from outside of Macedonia:  For an example, we will use the US Embassy's phone number. +389 2 310-2000  Dial: (00

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-28185003007816692262011-09-06T13:00:00.000-07:002011-09-08T05:16:47.709-07:00

I finally purchased my veil.  I've had my gown for over a year, but I waited or procrastinated to purchase this.  Good thing I did, the veils are super inexpensive in Macedonia.  I wish I could say the same for wedding gowns, but they are about the same as the States.  I purchased a hand made two tier veil, finger length, for only $12.  It looks very similar to the

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-73870977306739266272011-09-05T14:33:00.000-07:002011-09-05T14:33:29.704-07:00

After much thought, I decided that my last name would end in "ski" rather than "ska".  Yeah, I know the consequences of Macedonians thinking I am a man.  But I've been American for 29 years, I don't want to change my tradition of taking my husbands last name.  It's what I've always wanted.  It was kind of funny that during the civil ceremony when the officiant asked me what

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-31222519860972105862011-08-27T09:27:00.000-07:002011-10-27T10:48:26.755-07:00

Just Married Yesterday was the civil ceremony and it went very well.  From left to right, the mother of the Godfather, the father of the groom, the Godfather, or in this case, the godmother, me, the bride, the groom, and mother of the groom.  After waiting almost two years, we finally got married.  This process is only the first step.  We decided to have the civil ceremony

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-80787767451458607672011-07-17T05:31:00.000-07:002012-06-22T03:29:08.628-07:00

My real name is Jennifer, but everyone calls me Jenny in Macedonia. I currently live in the Republic of Macedonia, with my husband.  I studied to be an Accountant and half-way through the Associates Program, I changed my mind, and decided I wanted to be a hair stylist.  I then began an 11 month program to become a hairstylist.  I felt bad leaving behind unfinished business with my

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-55209318811323158552011-07-16T10:46:00.000-07:002011-09-07T14:23:05.515-07:00

Yesterday, I watched the documentary, "The Weight of Chains."  and all I can say is wow!!  This film was a real eye opener.  It takes a critical look at the role that the US, NATO and the EU played in the tragic breakup of a once peaceful and prosperous European state - Yugoslavia.  Skip down to the bottom for information on this film. I already have some poor opinions of

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-28086129280244426542011-07-16T09:11:00.000-07:002011-09-07T14:32:22.596-07:00

I don't know if it's the heat in this country or what, but I'm losing it over here.  Seven days, with temperatures over 90 degrees, and heat advisories issued on the news, I'm wondering...is this normal?  I've been hiding out in my bedroom with the a/c on, but that's not helping much because the A/C is giving me a headache and I developed cabin fever.  Yesterday, I got out of the

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-51388579908820179832011-07-15T04:17:00.000-07:002011-07-15T04:56:40.969-07:00

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-47676309531552646682011-07-14T06:22:00.000-07:002011-09-07T14:47:43.879-07:00

It is not uncommon for guests to stop by unannounced in this country.  Cousins, friends, neighbors, just pop in, whenever they feel like it.  It's like an open door policy here.  And when they come, it is customary to offer coffee and food.  Specifically, Turkish coffee, and it's prepared in a specific way, usually not more than one or two cups at a time.  How to make

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3710541713058791424.post-32367424404889290232011-07-12T07:26:00.000-07:002011-07-14T05:41:30.807-07:00

If it isn't difficult enough to get married in Macedonia, this process just made it worse.  Okay, let's face it my husbands last name has 15 letters in it, I have yet to meet an American capable of pronouncing it correctly, including all of my family members, no matter how many times I say it, or how slow I pronounce it.  Not to mention, if I take his last name, people will think I'm a

VendiPoleenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02096671679465178989noreply@blogger.com21