My Peace Corps service is now over. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, I went through all of the procedures necessary to end my service, including returning various items issued to me such as a bike helmet, fire extinguisher, smoke detector, Albanian and Macedonian dictionaries and a slew of other books. I also went through a final… Read More »
I’m about to finish my service. Next week, I’ll be at the Peace Corps office in Skopje to get a final medical checkup, deal with a bunch of paperwork, then ring a ceremonial bell to mark the end of two years of service in North Macedonia. One of the last things I did was attend… Read More »
What just happened with Donald Trump in a New York court, and what does it mean for the future? I’m writing this mostly for the benefit of my non-American friends, but some Americans who haven’t been following the news may find it informative as well. Let’s start with this: I’m writing this strictly on my… Read More »
OK, I’ve been running for some time now and I’ve improved my health quite a lot. I’ve gone from pretty badly obese (a body mass index of more than 35) to only slightly overweight (a BMI of 26.8). Back in April, I ran my first 5K race. I had to take a couple of walking… Read More »
What’s going to happen with the U.S. House of Representatives? The slim Republican majority can’t agree on whom to speak as speaker of the House. Most wanted Steve Scalise, but enough wanted right-wing firebrand Jim Jordan that Scalise wouldn’t go through a public vote for speaker. As I write this, Jordan is planning for a… Read More »
My running continues to make progress. On Sunday, Oct. 1, I finished the 5K race that’s held as part of the Skopje Marathon with a chip time of 34 minutes and 53 seconds. For those unfamiliar with running lingo, “chip time” refers to the time from when the runner crosses the starting line to crossing… Read More »
It’s looking more and more likely that the U.S. government will shut down on Oct. 1. If it lasts more than a few days, it’s going to be a real problem in the United States. But how will it affect Peace Corps volunteers and employees outside the USA? Most likely, very little. To begin with,… Read More »
OK, folks. I’ve had a lot of confusion come up about the “Benjamin Franklin” post. Here’s what it’s all about. I’ve already explained that it was an assignment for an Albanian class, which is why it was written in Albanian. I live and work in an Albanian-speaking part of the country, which is why I’m… Read More »
(Following is a homework assignment for studying Albanian.) Të martën shkova në një konferencë gazetarie për të rinjtë. Isha i lumtur të flisja për lajme të rreme. Një vajzë në konferencë ishte dikush që e kisha takuar muaj më parë. Ajo po aplikonte për një mundësi për të studiuar në Shtetet e Bashkuara. Programi për… Read More »
Well, I did it. I completed my first 5K race. I’ve been running for some time now, with most of my running on treadmills. I did take a “5K buildup” class from a trainer at the Wellness Center at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, which involved running outdoors. That was a big help. But… Read More »