VOICES magazine January issue

voices

Magazine for all young people of Skopje

2012 January Free

Maxime Gallasse

Dear R e a d e r s a n d Co - Vol unt eer s , We just e n te r e d Ne w Year w hi c h hopef ul l y w i l l br i ng us a l ot o f h a p p in e s s , l ov e and good em ot i ons . I t ’s m y firs t ed ito r ia l in Vo ic e s, f i r s t i s s ue I f ul l y par t i c i pat ed and fi rs t J a n u a r y fa r fr om m y dear P ol and.

We agr e e d to c h o o s e as a m ai n t opi c ent r epr eneur s hi p but a fte r a ll th o s e c el ebr at i on I s ee t hat i t s houl d be abou t fir e s in Ma c e doni an hear t s w hi c h ar e w ar m ing us a n d me ltin g th e s now ar ound us . T he t r adi tions I s a w la s t we e k s i n t he s t r eet s w i l l s t ay f or ev er in m y min d a s o n e o f the bes t ev ent s i n m y l i f e.

New Ye a r b r o u g h t u s new m em ber s of Voi c es F am ily : Awa – F r e n c h E V S v ol unt eer, P ol – C at al an c or responde n t in B e lg r a de, D i m a – M ac edoni an c or r es ponde n t in Wr o c ła w, M ar t a – P ol i s h E V S v ol unt eer in Kava d a r c i, Iv a , Ka li a, A l ek s andr a, A j r i na and A ngela – o u r n e w lo c a l vol unt eer s , w el c om e aboar d. I wi s h y o u g o o d le c tu r e of our ar t i c l es and gr eat f un wi th ne w c o lu mn with j ok es .

J adwi g a Mis ta k

02 03 05 06 09 10 11 12 13 15

Drawing of the Month Editorial Entrepreneurship vs. 30% unemployment rate AIESEC - Leadership cycles in Skopje and Prilep Improving my neighborhood YES for business When informal surpasses formal My Turkish Experience Be volunteer seems very cool Go Green Kurban Bajram - the most important celebration in Islam

17 18 20 21 22 24 26 28 30 31

Christmas on the road Bedtime stories at a conference on the sunset of dictatorship

Few cinematographic tips to dive into the Italian culture A la ville du ... Beograd Interview with Blagica Pop Tomova Extraordinary real - life fairytale: Alice in Wonderland Syndrome Sabbatical holidays for professionals My EVS storyl Funny Page Moments from YE Youth for Culture Back to Vevcani 2012

VOICES team

Photo: Sara Fantova.

Reporters & Translation:

Design & Photos:

Ajrina Mann Aleksandra Petkovska Angela Burneska Antonella Nuvoli Awa Badji Bledi Cami Daniel Bento Dimitar Trajanovski Elena Davidovska Florina Emini Jadwiga Mistak Kalia Dimitrova Marta Lipińska Maxime Gallasse Monika Ashtalkoska Pol Guàrdia Sanja Paunovska Sara Fantova Sylwia Gorska

Antonella Nuvoli Ilona Olehlova Maxime Gallasse Sara Fantova Sylwia Gorska

Production & Coordination: Nikola Stankoski Gjoko Vukanovski

Contact:

Volunteers Centre Skopje Emil Zola 3-2/3, 1000 Skopje Tel./Fax. +389 22 772 095 vcs_contact@yahoo.com www.vcs.org.mk

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Photo: Sara Fantova. Workshop in Daily Centre for Children from the Street. Masks Workshop.

E n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p vs.

3 0 % u n e m p l oy m e n t r at e Jadwiga Mistak

E

ntrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, being the one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods. There are many factors improving entrepreneurship, but what if they do not exist yet in your country? How to be entrepreneur?

First of all we should ask ourselves if we have the required knowledge, skills and experience for successfully starting business. According to GEN survey, 52% of respondents in Macedonia, who are non-entrepreneurs, consider themselves as self-starters, but if you try to ask random people in the streets, the most frequent answer is: “I’m not interested in business, I do different things’. The same situation appears with consideration of career path, survey shows extremely high number (80%) of people who see entrepreneurship as a good career choice. How to believe in those numbers in country which is still in the transition and most of people are afraid of loosing money and fighting with formalities? The answer is quite easy, people are actually forced to be entrepreneurs by labour market which can not provide employment for such a big number or young and educated people, what reflects the typical entrepreneur characteristic - male, at age from 25 to 34, with higher educational level and higher income. In comparison with the region, the gap between male and female entrepreneurs in Macedonia is still higher than in neighboring countries, but on the other hand the youngest population (18-24) shows much higher interest in business compared with the countries in region.

The desire to start business meets one main obstacle – lack of financial resources. Western European students usually have at least one business incubator at their universities, Macedonians have one in the whole country. Even the most common path of developing new business looks here different. In the first phase,

called seed phase in most of EU countries young people can get huge help from business angels, including mentorship and especially financial resources, even if it’s risky, experienced investors help to build company and support the process of business planning. The second phase, so called start – up reveal much more opportunities like credits, leasing and mentioned before informal financing. The risk is moving on the side of entrepreneur, but still he or she is able to gather enough resources. Third phase, phase of early growth opens the access to venture capital, factoring, etc.

Entrepreneur has a chance to diversify the risk connected with financial resources, and actually during whole process private resources are not really necessary. The most important is idea, which attracts business angels and then everything goes more or less safe. The only thing is that some of institutions supporting start up process share income with the owner of company. In Macedonia YES Incubator gives unlimited freedom for it’s graduates, but it’s worth to mention the fact that we – let’s say western Europeans, can get even 250 000 euro to start company and we are still complaining about bad conditions of starting new business.

The conclusion is that we should learn from each other, how to start business slowly, following small steps and how to establish the new conditions, how to attract successful entrepreneurs with our ideas and start cooperation. It is worth to remember that awareness of being enterprising is significant but the most important is to turn the desire to action.

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AIESEC Leadership cycles in Skopje and Prilep Jadwiga Mistak

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nterview with Mirabela Gacea, the member of Macedonian National Board of AIESEC, Human Resources VicePresident, the girl who brings positive impact, the girls who lives with AIESEC values and wants more and more, the girl who is going to develop every young person in the world.

AIESEC is an international organisation, for students, recent graduates, under 30 years old. Purpose of AIESEC, de-

scribed by our vision which is peace and fulfilment of humankind’s potential, reflects in 3 types of opportunities for young people: Leadership Opportunities, International Internships and Global Learning Environment. Our organizational structure is built in order to offer the members possibility to take the leadership opportunities like leading teams and coordinating the members and after that members can apply to be the leaders. The elections for national and local boards are every year, so we have this leadership in cycles. What’s more we organize conferences and seminars with international speakers. Also we work on Global Learning Environment, which gives people opportunity to exchange information and have acces to different virtual platforms.

Could you explain the difference between two types of internships AIESEC offers? Which one is for whom?

Volunteering interships last between 6 and 24 weeks (most of them 6 - 8 weeks), during which interns are working on different projects made by AIESEC in cooperation with other organisations (p.x. NGOs, high schools, etc.). Projects are on different topics, like: ecology, entrepreneurship, HIV, project and event management, communication skills, etc. Interns are delivering some workshops, training sessions, they have as well some activities with students. Experience is not required, just they have to speak English which is our working language. This kind of internship is more for personal development, connected with international working environment, cross- cultural experiance and improvement of soft skills. There are also projects in orphanages or with disabled people which have a possitive impact on the society and hosting community.

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“...Macedonians

want to go abroad to see other countries, develop themselves...”

What about the professional one?

Professional long-term internships last between 3 - 18 months.

The interns are working in companies or organizations in the following areas: economical, p.x. marketing, human resources, management, organizational management, PR; technical: IT mechanical, engineering, electronical; educational. For those positions, interns need to have some relevant experience what means that candidate needs to be master or at the last year of university or recent graduate with experience. The main countries for professional internships are not only western countries, a lot of internships offer: India, China, Brasil, Columbia.

What are the conditions of those internships?

For both participants have to be maximum 30 years old students or recent graduates (max. 2 years after graduation). For volunteering internsips usually the hosting community is providing food and accommodation, interns have to cover travel costs and their pocket money.

Proffesional internships are paid by companies. Participants also need to pay one fine, depending on community.

Which countries are mostly wanted by Macedonians?

At the beginning it was a bit hard to see it, they were saying during interviews that they want to go in Western Europe, because they belived that in more developed countries they can develop themselves more but it’s not about the country because you can gain the same experience if you go to Serbia or to India, because you are working on a project and with internationals. Of course Indian culture is different from Serbian culture but the main thing is that you receive the same personal development. During last recruitment process I put 3 options: more exotic countries - India, China, Brasil, Columbia; central european – Czech Republic, Romania and Russia and Balkan States. I was really surprised that candidates mostly wanted to go to the Balkan Countries. They explained that they visited the Balkan Countries, but they never worked with the people from p.x. Croatia, Serbia or Bosnia, so they want to get known them better because it’s they are Slavic brothers. And also Turkey is on the list, it’s popular especially at the International Balkan University where are a lot of Turkish Albanian people who wants to explore their or even their grand parents countries How did you come here to Macedonia and how does your work looks like?

I applied to be a vice-president in several countries, but Macedonia was always in my mind, I thought it’s similar to Romania, but I had cultural shock, I realised that Macedonians are not the same as Romanians. At the beginning I didn’t know excacly why AIESEC should be here. It was hard to work here at the

beginning, it was summer, everybody were on vacation or had exams. After they came back and I worked more with them I realised that young people here need AIESEC, because there is no other place where they can develop so much. During our last conference in October they where totally surprised that AIESEC has so much activities, so many international fascilitators.

Interviwes shown me that Macedonians want to go abroad to see other countries, develop themselves. In Romania it’s a bit different, they say they want to have something on their CVs. Macedonians are open-minded, curious, hard-working…

Yes, but when it comes to hard-working, I’m not sure I’ll tell you by the end of my term which is in July

At the end of interview I heard that if I called Mira to ask for interview before she joined AIESEC (2008), she wouldn’t say even one word, in 2011 I had great time with girl who revield the mystery of leadership – the point is that you are not a leader if you don’t develop new leaders.

АИЕСЕК – Лидерски циклуси во Скопје и Прилеп Јадвига Миштак

И

нтервју со Мирабела Гацеа, член на Македонскиот Национален Одбор на АИЕСЕК, заменик претседател за човечки ресурси, девојката која придонесува со позитивна енергија, живее со вредностите од АИЕСЕЦ и е желна кон повеќе, девојката која ќе им помогне на сите млади во светот во нивното усовршување.

АИЕСЕЦ е интернационална организација, за студенти, неодамнешни дипломци, под 30 години. Целта на АИЕСЕЦ, опишана според нашата визија е мир и исполнетост со хуманост од страна на луѓето, се одразува преку 3 видови на можности за младите луѓе: Лидерски циклуси, интернационална пракса и глобална средина за усовршување. Нашата организациска структура е изградена со цел да им овозможи на членовите можност да ги искористат лидерските прилики како што се управување со тимови и координирање на членовите, а потоа членовите можат сами да се пријават за лидери. Изборите за локални и национални одбори се случуваат секоја година па затоа ние имаме лидерски циклуси. Исто така, ние организираме конференции и семинари со интернационални предавачи. Работиме и на глобалната средина за учење и усовршување која им дава можност на членовите за разменување на информации и пристапност кон различни говори.

Дали можете да ни ја објасните разликата помеѓу двата видови на стаж кои АИЕСЕК ги нуди? Кој стаж е за кого ? Волонтерскиот стаж трае помеѓу 6 и 24 недели (повеќето траат 6 до 8 недели). Во текот на овој период членовите работат на различни проекти изготвени од страна на АИЕСЕК во соработка со други организации (на пр. НГО, средни училишта и др). Проектите се изработуваат на различни теми како на пр.: екологија, претприемништво, ХИВ, комуникациски вештини и сл. Членовите работат во работилници, сесии за обучување и исто така имаат и активности со другите студенти. Не се бара искуство, тие само треба да знаат да зборуваат и пишуваат на англиски јазик кој е и официјален јазик на работата кај нас. Овој вид на работилница е повеќе за лично усовршување, поврзано со интернационална средина, искуство од повеќе култури и подобрување на личните квалитети. Исто така постојат и проекти за децата без родители и за децата со посебни потреби кои позитивно влијаат врз хуманоста на луѓето.

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Што е со професионалниот пракса? Долгорочниот професионален пракса трае од 3 до 18 месеци. Студентите работат во компании или организации во следниве области : економски на пр, маркетинг, човечки ресурси, менаџмент, организациски менаџмент, односи со јавноста; технички: машински, архитектски, електронски; научни. За тие позиции, студентите мора да имаат некакво искуство што значи дека кандидатот мора да биде специјалист, да ја привршува последната академска година или да дипломирал со претходно искуство.Држави во кои може да се здобие професионален стаж не се само западните држави, понудени се и држави како : Индија, Кина, Бразил, Колумбија. Кои се условите за професионален пракса? За двата видови на пракса, кандидатите мора да имаат највеќе 30 години или да имаат скоро дипломирано (највеќе 2 години после дипломирање). За волонтерскиот стаж на волонтерите, од страна на организацијата, им се платени трошоците за храна и сместување, тие треба само да ги покријат трошоците за патување и нивниот џепарлак. Додека пак за професионалиот стаж сите трошоци се покриени од страна на организацијата. Кои држави се најбарани од страна на Македонците? На почетокот беше малку тешко да се увиди, за време на интервјуата тие рекоа дека сакаат да одат во Западна Европа, бидејќи мислеа дека во развиените држави тие можат да се усовршат повеќе, но не е се до државата бидејќи исто искуство работејќи со луѓе од различни земји може да се добие и во Србија и во Индија. Секако дека културата во Индија е многу поинаква од културата во Србија но најважното е дека се добива исто лично искуство. При последниот процес на новите членови, им понудив 3 опции: егзотични држави како Индија, Кина, Бразил, Колумбија; Централна Европа : Чешка, Романија, Русија; и Балканските земји. Бев многу изненадена кога повеќето од кандидатите сакаа да одат во Балканските земји. Тие објаснија дека ги имаат посетено тие земји претходно но никогаш не работеле со луѓе од Хрватска, Србија или Босна. Затоа тие сакаа да ги запознаат подобро бидејќи се Словенски браќа. Исто така Турција беше една од понудените земји која беше многу популарна поради Интернационалниот Балкански Универзитет поради кој многу турски албанци сакаа да ја истражат нивната како и земјата на нивните предци.

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Како се случи да дојдеш во Македонија и каква е твојата работа тука ? Аплицирав за местото заменик претседател во повеќе земји но Македонија секогаш ми беше во мислите. Најпрво мислев дека е многу слична со Романија но доживеав шок, Македонциите воопшто не се слични со Романците. На почетокот не можев да сфатам зошто АИЕСЕК треба да биде токму тука. Имав многу потешкотии да работам тука во почетокот бидејќи беше лето и сите беа на одмор или пак имаа завршни испити. Откако се вратија од одмор работев многу со нив и сфатив дека на младите македонци им е потребна организација како што е АИЕСЕК бидејќи нема друго место на кое би се здобиле со вакво искуство. За време на нашата последна конференција во Октомври македонците беа изненадени од активностите кои ги нудеше АИЕСЕК. Интервјуата ми покажаа дека Македонците сакаат да патуваат во други земји за да се здобијат со лично искуство. Романците се поинакви, тие сакаат да имаат нешто со што би го пополниле своето CV.

“... македонците сакаат да патуваат во други земји за да се здобијат со лично искуство...” Македонците се отворени за нови работи, љубопитни, напорно работат... Да, но кога зборуваме за напорното работење не сум многу сигурна. Ќе ви кажам на крајот од моето работење тука кое завршува во јули. На крајот од ова интервју, дознав дека доколку би ја прашал Мира за интеврју пред да стане член на АИЕСЕК (2008 година) немаше да добијам многу опширни одговори. Во 2011 година си поминав преубаво со девојката која ми ја откри мистеријата на лидерството поентата е дека човек не може да биде лидер доколку не ги развива новите лидери.

Photo: Sara Fantova.

Photo: Sara Fantova.

Improving my neighborhood Sara Fantova Talking about entrepreneurship, one thing about my city came to my mind. I live in the old part of Bilbao a small city with 350.000 habitants in the north of Spain, in the Basque Country. The neighborhood where I live before was a neighborhood with problems, the people thought that it was a bad and dangerous neighborhood because a lot of immigration came. There were also problems with prostitutes and drugs, but with the years this changed. And even if some people still thinks that is a bad neighborhood to live, I’ve been very happy here and for me it’s a perfect place to live.

and restaurants come, other ones close, but there’s never a stop.

Anyway there are some shops and restaurants that survive to second year and are still working. For example two clothes shops, they made their own clothes and designs there, and they are very successful, “Cultto” and “Trakabarraka”. Also one book shop, they are specialized in cinema, photography, architecture and this kind of books. And also with this some restaurants are very successful, for example “Belmondo”. Also some art galleries found their place in this neighborhood.

Very few people wanted to open a shop in the neighborhood of San Francisco, and in front of this the neighbors and the city hall started to think something to improve the neighborhood. And now every person that wants to rent a local to open a shop, a restaurant or any trade will get economic help from the city hall the first year.

Another good thing for the people that has small business, is that every first weekend of the month a small market takes place in the street “Dos de Mayo”. Every person or small bussines can bring whatever they want (old movies, earrings, second hand clothes, handmade things…) and sell their things.

With this the neighborhood now it’s very alive, but there’s still one problem. A lot of new shops are appearing, but few of them are the ones that survive to the second year. Although this also has one good thing, the neighborhood is in continual movement, new shops

San Francisco is an old neighborhood, but the people who live there love their living place, and we will always try to do the best for it. It’s an old neighborhood but with a lot of young people coming to live there.

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YES for business Jadwiga Mistak

I

nterview with Aleksandar Filiposki, project assistant in Yes Incubator, the only incubator in Macedonia. There are around 300 application every year, how to become one of YES Companies? How to be successful? Enjoy the answers below.

Few words about you, your role in organisation and about YES Incubator I work in YES Foundation as a project assistant since april 2011.

This year I had participated in many events we had successfully organised 2 Startup Weekends and The Global Entrepreneurship Week. Those are very huge events which take a lot of planning, time consuming, and involves a lot of human reasources.

What is the main idea of those start up weeks?

The main focus is to provide some guidance to young people in Macedonia that have some idea to start their own business which has to be related to IT sector. It’s an event licensed by Kauffman Foundation from the United States, where young people come together and they develop their idea for business into prototype of product in only 54 hours, during one weekend.

They do not know each other, they present themselves in one minute , their ideas and after the voting procedure finishes they form teams. After that they work on developing business model and prototype of the product and the idea. The teams do not work alone, they work under intensive mentorship from experts and consultants from Macedonia and abroad (USA, UK, Netherlands, Turkey). The results were that we awarded the top 3 winners which were voted by the jury of experts. Right now, we are in the process of establishing the teams as new startup companies.

What are the conditions to join this project? How to apply?

Participants just have to fulfil application form and pay a symbolic fee of 20 euro.

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Is there any other option to start a new company in YES Incubator?

There is the regular way where the people apply with their ideas, they have to fill an application form and send it back to us. We make evaluation and if the idea has a potential to develop into profitable business the applicant is called to “defend� its idea before the employees of YES Incubator. The final decision is made in 5 days.

What kind of support you provide for them?

They receive an office for subsidiary prices that includes all overheads (cleaning, electricity, water, internet, etc.). We have very modern location with the space where they have ability to use meeting-room, laboratory with the computers. Since we have 16 companies in the Incubator they usually have a benefit of working together. We provide mentorship, trainings, promotion for them. The Incubator is a part of several European networks, and everytime there is an international event where YES participates, it promotes its companies in order to expand their reach and to arrange new collaborations. In addition, we always try to arrange visits from abroad, so that the companies receive broader knowledge and experience. The incubation process lasts for 2 years and the companies leave the incubator and continue to be succesful companies..

What about companies which already graduated this process?

They are pretty much successful. After they leave incubator usually they become our virtual tenants. They continue to to use the services of the incubator, like trainings, mentorship, promotion, the technology etc.

How you can measure the level of entrepreneurship in Macedonia among young people?

The results show that the level of entrepreneurship is really high, but what is concerning is that people become entrepreneurs because they can not find a proper job for a long time, they are more entrepreneurs from necessity.

What about the general conditions of starting and running the business in Macedonia in last years? Have you noticed any significant changes?

The Government has made some changes towards easing the way of establishing businesses, but still there is a problem with financial resources, there are no business angels and no venture capital in Macedonia.

Wh e n i nformal s urpasses f ormal

My Turkish experience Ivana Stojkovska Note: as the title explains, in the down-written sentences, I will try to avoid the frame of formality. I would not like to sound like a tourist guide (even though a collection of brochures stares at me waiting to be used, while I am writing this article). I do not want to sound official by only extending the schedule of the training course which I visited (although I would not have to be creative in adding activities, because the schedule was ‘thick’ enough - the 20 hours of constant sleep after the return to Macedonia confirm it). I do not want to write just in order to fill place in this already colorful magazine (the fulfilling events in Turkey, do not allow me this). I only want to manage to present even a glimpse of my unique Turkish experience (albeit I believe that it is impossible to explain something that it is breathtaking even in the moments of actual presence.

In the middle of December, the last 2011, it happened by fortuity for me to go on a training course called “A new leader is born for Europe”, located in Cadirli (a town situated in the Asian part of Turkey). As a new and scarcely-activated member of VCS (NGO), and at the same time a representative of the Macedonian Civil society (a role indented to me and my team partner since we were the only two from our country there), after brief preparation and in half-confusion( because of the expectations of the this trip, first from this type in our life), we headed for Turkey. Luckily, we got our way through the airports, and to city Adana where the coordinator of the project should have waited for us in order to take us to the terminal destination. While we were waiting , covered with “we aren’t from here “ facial expressions that showed us up (as the coordinator mentioned later , it was how he recognized us), we met with 2 girls, that had the same expressions in combination with an extrinsic light complexion, who happened to be our course-colleagues from Russia. On the way to the little town, in a van full of women, most of them from Eastern Europe together with representatives from the host-organization, I must mention that a crazy thought rang a bell in my mind - human trafficking. The darkness spread by the night and the surrounding that followed us through the way, offered a view near to “the end of the world” one, that did not help the paranoiac assumptions of mine to go away. Concluding that the global hysteria and skepticism probably did not exclude me from their radioactive field, after an introductory spontaneous acquainting, humor and a couple of quips, the suspicions faded away.

In the next few days (I could probably write a novel about the trip or at least a scenario, but the point is fitting on 2 pages), as we were getting to know each other better (with the girls and boys from Holland, France, Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Russia, Belorussia , the host-Turkey) I understood that even though we came from different countries, we share the same fears and passions for the occurrences swallowing the globe (or at least the European continent, which we had the opportunity to see even more analytically from Asian soil). While vivid books apprised from different backgrounds, were sitting next to me every day, I felt that history could not be read, nor speculated, but could be told only by human (who has lived it, or lives its consequential dis/accommodations). Due to the fact that diversity was everywhere, the profile of world leader that we framed through this training course, that I can freely name

as seminar (even an academic one), gained characteristics that aspired toward objectivity. Additionally, the profile - draft was even practically supported by living examples – heads of town (mayor, governors) from the Osmaniye province (where Kadirli is situated) who we had the opportunity to meet in person.

The organization and hospitality, the pleasant company and devotion of the participants, the introduction to the skills and practice, the walks through history and productivity of the place (Karatepe open museum from 8 c. BC, Valley of the radishes, the workshopstore for handmade carpet weaving etc), the local people who wholeheartedly uttered their excitement over the visitors (as it was mentioned to us before, Europeans have not came there for a long time)… made me feel more than welcomed and extra motivated (that the group positive energy confirmed as a general mood). After the traditional meals and drinks, spontaneous dances on random local weddings that took place in our hotel, gifted, we came back, flattered by loveliness from the homely warm grates, in untouched natures (recreative complex in a national park, where we were located half of the time).

Through the cultural shock days, I had an opportunity of exploring my own tolerance and stereotype barriers. Finally and truly, I learned that people are products of social surroundings in which they exists , as much as they recall on open-mindness. Because of this, a constant reconsideration is crucial, relentless work on one-self, and mobility in order of meeting differences and understanding of the world. In conclusion, the mobility that I did not find in the formal educational systems’ offerings, I manage to find here in the informal sphere that genially opens horizons, surpassing closed covers and sentences compatible for full stop.

The truth grows lavishness when it is shared. Paradoxically, at the same time, the real things in our life, no word, nor picture could suitably articulate without the feeling and without the immediate presence. Leaving the lavishness packed in memory, I conciliate. As for you reader, I present you the challenge to discover new groundings, different rectitude and presence.

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Be volunteer seems very cool Elena Davidovska

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nja Dimkovska and Angela Burneska, 18 years old students from the high school “Vasil Antevski Dren” for the first time in their life were getting new experience in non - governmental organization. Without any obligation they came to the workshop of project Bridging divided communities by youth work and make their move for the future plans.

How did you find out about Volunteer Centre Skopje (VCS)?

There was a presentation of VCS in our school. Seems interesting to meet different kind of people, we liked the way that we can educate more and it is not obligated. There were things on this presentation that we never heard about it.

Why do you think that being a volunteer will help your future developing?

Well, we were interesting in activities that can offer us more self assessments, learning language, be useful for the society etc.

This NGO attracted us with the activities that offers. And it will help us for developing of ourself for the future life, we will meet different kind of cultures. We can build our character, learn how to work in a team, be part of a team, which we can not find it in our school.

How did you like the workshop that you are attending now?

It is really interesting. It is surprising that in our country we can find a lot of information and do a lot of thing with other cultures.

We think that the high school students are not well informed about volunteering. We did not know till the presentation in the school was done. It is nice to be part of a different kind of people. As we can see we learn, work in a group, talk with everybody and also we are solving an issue. Learning by doing for us, this moment seems very interesting. Now we like this kind of

activities a lot and also we are planning to visit them more often.

Do you have some issue that NGO can help to solved?

Well, here for the first time we did not know what to think. As we can see, this NGO works with a lot of people and do a lot of activities. We can use this workshop for promoting non discrimination maybe. We will look for the next meetings what we can do for better society.

Did you learn something from this meeting today?

Also we are very interesting in writing articles, work with the media. This workshop help us to learn how to do it right, to use in the practice. Even next meetings we will try to do something connected with this.

So, did you plan to join Volunteer Centre Skopje?

Ohhhhh yes!!! Be a volunteer seems very cool. We haven’t chance before to communicate with people with different background and now that is so nice. We feel that we like it more than school. Non - formal educating our self will help us for our decisions for future plans about university, maybe going somewhere abroad, and work with this kind of stuff etc.

What you would say to the other students?

Be a volunteer, you can make the world better.

This project was funded, in part, through U.S. Embassy grant. The opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed herein are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of State.

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Photo: Project Bridging divided Communities by Youth Work. Media workshop. Realized with support of United States Embassy Skopje.

Kalia Dimitrova

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his issue in VOICES-magazine we have Antonio Jovanovski-president and co-founder od Go-Green independent, non-political and not-for profit organization that focuses on addressing the issues of climate change, global warming, sustainable development, nature’s protection and the development of renewable energy sources. Their vision is to build a peaceful world where humans live in harmony with nature.

Tell us a brief history about the beginnings of Go Green.

Go Green Skopje is officially founded on 01.02.2010 in Skopje, but the idea started to develop in October 2009 while I was still in the Netherlands. At that time, Boris Manev (my partner) started his Master studies in Amsterdam and came to visit me in Groningen where he attended a conference on renewable energy sources. We knew each other from Paris, where he studied for 4 years and I was President of AIESEC in France (June 2007-June 2008), and we haven’t seen each other since then. We immediately reconnected and started sharing about our common passion for sustainable development and environmental protection. The idea for forming an environmental organization in Macedonia came naturally, one month later while I was attending a conference in Amsterdam and stayed at his place. After two and a half years abroad, in November 2009 I came back to Macedonia and started working on the dream to become a reality.

Is this organization something you always wanted to create?

Yes, it is. I always wanted to be an entrepreneur and dreamed of having an organization that has a positive impact in the society. I was just not sure in which area the organization will be engaged. During my mandate in AIESEC in France, I attended several events about sustainable development and environmental protection and learned that it is the most important area where we all need to engage and contribute, because our future will depend on the efforts we put in protecting our Planet

Earth. So, I realized that “going green” gives true meaning to my work and decided to found an organization that develops values and principles for sustainable development and enables education and practical solutions for environmental protection.

Was it difficult to manage your idea in the beginning?

It wasn’t difficult to engage people around the idea, but it was difficult to raise funds for the budget of our first project. As every beginning of an organization it is difficult to convince people, embassies or companies to support you, so the first year was a struggle financially to realize the planned projects.

Is Go Green your personal idea, or other people were with you from the start?

Other people were engaged from the start. Despite Boris, with whom I had the initial conversations, my family and closest friends got involved immediately. We are seven founders of “Go Green” and those are, myself, Boris Manev, Frane Jovanovski, Martina Tevceva, Marko Sokolovski, Iva Jovanovic and Dimitar Popov.

Are you happy with the success of the NGO so far?

Yes, I am. Even though I always say: “we can always do better”, I am happy with the level of development we reached for less than 2 years. New members join the organization all the time, we have continuous support from the Norwegian, Swedish, French and Slovak Embassy, the media is interested in our activities and we are developing relationships with local and national Government in order to increase our relevance. There is a lot of work to be done, but we are making progress daily.

How many members are there and are you satisfied with that number?

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ucational campaign” that includes the municipalities, schools and faculties, and the third one is “media and collection campaign” which involves the supermarkets Tinex, Vero, Ramstore and Kammarket. The projects is in the third phase and there are special tubes in the supermarkets where you can drop your waste batteries and get a green hug from our members for your responsible action  What are your main goals for the future?

Our main goals is to expand the platform for youth sustainability by engaging more members, organizations and supporters, to establish a sustainable waste management system, to raise awareness and educate about renewable energy sources, and to support the implementation of the environmental laws through media pressure and lobbying.

Creating “green jobs” is the point we need to reach and we have a lot of work to achieve that, both personally and organizationally.

Do you think that the people in Macedonia lack “green consciousness”?

In general yes. It is not about having or not having “green consciousness”, it is more about feeling “responsible”. The responsibility we feel when we are in our home is the same responsibility we should feel when we get out of our home. Do not throw garbage everywhere, clean after yourself, save electricity, turn off the water when you are done etc. From our work so far, I can say that the more “mature” generations are more irresponsible then the younger ones. I feel that the younger generations appreciate more the nature and they are not only concerned about making money as the more elderly. I feel they are more globally aware and understand that we are part of a wider system which is not bordered with the political borders, but is governed by the laws of nature and Planet Earth.

“... Macedonia is taking the pioneering steps in becoming environmentally responsible country and the road is challenging ...”

Do you think that your organization is supported by the community?

Yes. In general our organization is positively perceived and accepted. For us is most important that we get the support from the young population and their parents. For the future, I hope we will get more support from the relevant local and national institutions because until now we haven’t received any funding from them.

Do you feel it brought positive change to the community?

Yes definitely. I believe our actions are relevant and bring positive change to the community because they aim to support implementation of certain environmental laws and are closely related to the local reality.

Do you think that there is still a lot of work to be done in this field?

Yes, a lot of work is required in this field and we need support from all stakeholders. Macedonia is taking the pioneering steps in becoming environmentally responsible country and the road is challenging. We are lacking formal environmental education and investments in environmentally responsible projects. The crucial point is change in people’s mindset. We need to develop a mindset that will make us profit and boost the economy and not endanger the relations with the nature in the same time.

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If yes, do you believe that Go Green is improving the current ecological awareness?

Yes, I believe we improve the awareness. All our projects are media covered and every activity is being promoted through the internet and local media. For example, the “Go Green Campaign” reached more then million people with the song “Bidi Zelen” and is still working on the behalf of raising environmental awareness and involving young people in joining the green movement.

Tell us more about how people can get involved in Go Green?

Well, it’s simple. Write an e-mail cvetko@bidizelen.org or go to our website www.bidizelen.org and leave your contact details in the database. With this you will be informed about our activities and you can join the weekly meeting where you get to know the members and get involved in certain activity.

Photo: Sara Fantova.

Kurban Bajram the most important celebration in Islam Awa Badji

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urban Bajram is the Balkans’ name for the celebration of Eid al-Kabir (which means “the big celebration”) and it is the most important holiday in Islam.

This holiday takes place every year at the end of Hajj. It’s on the 10th of the month of Dhu al-Hijja, the last of the Islamic calendar, after Waqfat Arafat, or the descent of Mount Arafat.

This celebration represents a submission to Allah. In fact, this celebration commemorates Ibrahim’s (Abraham) obedience to Allah, symbolized with the episode when he accepts to sacrifice his own son Ismael, by God’s command, in order to show his love and faith. At the last moment Allah sends a ram through the archangel Gabriel to replace the child as a sacrificial offering. In memory of Ibrahim’s total submission to God, Muslim families sacrifice a ram or a sheep, but sometimes other animals such as cows or goats.

They are slayed lying on the left flank with their head facing Mecca (in Saudi Arabia), after a prayer and an Eid/Bajram sermon.

Eid al-Kabir is called Tabaski in Senegal and other countries in West Africa (Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso). In Turkey, it’s called Kurban Bayrami and in the Balkan countries it’s called Kurban Bajram. The celebration is the same around the world but there are several cultural differences regarding the food, clothes, etc.

The celebration lasts for 3 days. The first day is the most important because men go to the mosque and pray. Afterwards they go to sacrifice a ram or sheep. They cut the animal on 3 parts: the first is given to poor people so they can have food on this great day, the second is for friends and neighbours and the third is for the person who offers the sacrifice and his family. After this, they go to the cemetery to visit the deceased ancestors and close family members and to say a prayer in their name.

The celebration takes place in the home of the oldest person in the family and people also go to other people’s houses to wish them good luck, happiness, health, etc. But nowadays the formalities for the holiday are changing. The price of sheep is also constantly increasing: Macedonia: between 100 € and 200 €, France: between 100 € and 300 € and Senegal: between 100 € and 1500 €. We also must add the price of food, clothes, gifts etc. The price is relative and not so important because the price of sheep doesn’t play a role

in these events.

It’s also the time to make the Zakaat (the Third Pillar of Islam) or giving money to the poor people or to the mosque which gives to the poor people, which is 2,5% of your wealth every year on this date. The result is evident with the economy during this period increasing. There’s a circulation of millions and millions of euros all around the world for a good cause: sharing.

People only see the slaughter of sheep but they don’t see all you need behind this celebration. It’s more than a celebration and killing sheep; it’s a moment of unity, sharing, solidarity, love and submission to God. Depending where you live, the celebration is seen differently. For example, in France, which is a secular country, religion is separated from the government. Only the Christian holidays are public. In other cases, people take a day off. That’s the case for Muslims during this period. The legislation for the slaughter of sheep is strict.

Slaughtering must be carried out in designated slaughterhouses and not illegally. The celebration is not really recognized but it’s tolerated.

In Senegal and Macedonia, the celebration is part of the society.

People from different religions celebrate together the diverse celebrations and it’s a time for sharing between communities. This is a time when all tensions disappear and everybody learns from each other. It’s a moment of joy and love. Husein, an Albanian seller, summed up the nature of this holiday: “Every Friday prayer (al jumu’ah) represents the celebration of Bajram for me”.

I asked my interviewees to describe this event with one word; the most frequent words were: harmony, faith, reunion, sharing, openness. I simply choose “Islam” because it summarizes or rather includes all of these words. After all, the literal meaning of the word “Islam” is “submission in peace” and I think that the very essence of this holiday is merged in all these words. This is my final word for a celebration that is largely misunderstood.

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Курбан Бајрам – Најважниот исламски празник Ава Бадји

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урбан Бајрам е името кое се користи на Балканот за прославата на Ид ал-Кабир (што значи „голема прослава“) и тој е најважниот исламски празник.

Овој празник секоја година е на крајот од Хаџ (аџилак, арапски), на 10. ден од месецот на Ду ал-Хиџа (Dhu al-Hijja), последниот месец од исламскиот календар, после Вакфат Арафат (Waqfat Arafat), или слегувањето од планината Арафат. Овој празник претставува потчинување на Аллах. Всушност, празникот ја прославува послушноста на Ибрахим кон Аллах, симболизирана преку настанот кога тој прифаќа да го жртвува својот син Исмаил, по Божјата заповед, со цел да ја покаже својата љубов и вера. Во последен момент Аллах, преку Архангелот Гаврил, испраќа овен за да се жртвува наместо детето. Во спомен на целосното потчинување на Ибрахим кон Бога, муслиманските семејства жртвуваат овен или овца, но

формалностите на празникот се менуваат. Исто така, цената на овците постојано се зголемува: Македонија: помеѓу 100 и 200 евра, Франција: помеѓу 100 и 300 евра, Сенегал: помеѓу 100 и 1500 евра. Исто така мора да се додаде и цената за храна, облека, подароци, итн. Цената е релативна и не е толку важна, бидејќи цената на овците не игра улога во овие настани. Ова е воедно време да се даде зеќат (милостина; третиот столб на исламот) или давање пари на сиромашни луѓе или на џамијата која дава на сиромашните, што е 2,5% од богатството на секој човек и се дава секоја година на овој датум. Резултатот е воочлив во економијата која во овој период се зголемува. Во целиот свет циркулираат милиони и милиони евра со добра причина: споделувањето.

“...Ова е време кога тензиите исчезнуваат и сите учат еден од друг. Тоа е момент на радост и љубов...” понекогаш и други животни како што се крави или кози. Тие се колат лежејќи на левата слабина со главата насочена кон Мека (во Саудиска Арабија), по молитва и бајрамски обред. Ид ал-Кабир (курбан Бајрам) се нарекува Табаски во Сенегал и други земји во Западна Африка (Гвинеја, Мали, Брегот на Слоновата Коска, Буркина Фасо). Во Турција, се вика Курбан Бајрами, а во балканските земји се вика Курбан Бајрам. Прославата е иста низ светот, но постојат неколку културни разлики во однос на храната, облеката, итн. Прославата трае 3 дена. Првиот ден е најважен, бидејќи мажите одат во џамија и се молат. Потоа тие одат да жртвуваат овен или овца. Го сечат животното на 3 дела: првиот се дава на сиромашни луѓе, за да имаат храна на овој голем ден, вториот е за пријателите и соседите, а третиот е за човек кој ја принесува жртвата и неговото семејство. По ова, тие одат на гробишта да ги посетат починатите предци и блиски членови на семејството и да се молат во нивно име. Прославата се одвива во домот на најстарата личност во семејството, а луѓето исто така одат во посета во домот на други да им посакаат среќа, здравје, и слично. Но, денес,

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Луѓе гледаат само на колењето на овците, но тие не гледаат она што стои зад овој празник. Тоа е повеќе од една прослава и колење овци, тоа е момент на единство, споделување, солидарност, љубов и покорност кон Бога.

Во зависност од тоа каде живеете, на прославата се гледа различно. На пример, во Франција, која е секуларна држава, религијата е одвоена од власта. Само христијанските празници се државни. Во други случаи, луѓето земаат слободен ден. Тоа е случај и со муслиманите во овој период. Законите за колење на овци се строги. Колење мора да се врши во одредени кланици, а не нелегално. Празникот не е признат, но се толерира. Во Сенегал и Македонија, прославата е дел од општеството. Луѓето од различни религии слават заедно различни разници и тоа е време за споделување меѓу заедниците. Ова е време кога тензиите исчезнуваат и сите учат еден од друг. Тоа е момент на радост и љубов. Хусеин, продавач кој е Албанец, ја сумираше природата на овој празник: “Секој молитва во петок (џума) претставува славење на Бајрам за мене”. Од оние кои ги интервјуирав побарав да го опишат овој настан со еден збор, а најчести зборови беа: хармонија, вера, обединување, споделување, отвореност. Јас едноставно го избирам зборот „ислам“ бидејќи тоа ги сумира или подобро кажано ги вклучува сите овие зборови. Впрочем, буквалното значење на зборот „ислам“ е потчинување во мир и мислам дека самата суштина на овој празник ги спојува сите овие зборови. Тоа е сè што можам да кажам за прославата која во голема мера не е разбрана.

CHRISTMAS ON THE ROAD Marta Lipinska Council for Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (SPPMD) Usually people associatie Christmas with a family dinner, presents under the tree, carols and a merry bustle. Most of my Christmases had always been like that too but taking the adventage of living on the Balkans, I decided to travel around and spend the end of the year on the road. It was a very joyful and adventurous time for me and I wouldn’t change this experience for anything else!

During ten days of my trip I visited four countries and three capitals, I met a bunch of friendly and helpful people, I got a chance to see a huge transport port from a window of a truck, I was taken for a native Macedonian, I was asked a dozen of questions by a Serbian custom officer because of one particular stamp in my passport, I rode a bike in the freezing cold, I tasted the best burek in my life and finally – one of my dreams come true – I spent white Christmas in the mountains!

I started my travel by hitchhiking from Kavadarci, where I currently do my EVS project, to the Alexander the Great airport. The challenge was quite big as the night before it had been snowing heavily.

I put the raincover over my backpack, rolled up trouser legs and headed on the road. I reached airport quite fast and easily but it turned out my flight was delayed fifty minutes. Then sixty-five. And eventually ninety.

Nearly three hours later I put my feet on the Italian soil. As an EUcitizen, unlike most of other passengers, I wasn’t asked any questions – just a short glance at my passport, ciao and I was ready to go. I stayed overnight in lovely Treviso, enjoying a glass of fizzy

proseco in a crowded café in the historic centre of the city. The following day I hitchhiked towards Slovenia.

My best ride turned out to be a young Bosnian trucker, Hari. He stopped to pick me up in Perdenone and drove me to Ljubljana where I was headed. Thanks to him I saw a transport port in Koper and witnessed the process of filling in a truck with a special hoist with tons of grains. In Ljubljana I joined my friend Blaž with whom I spent the Christmas weekend in the Slovenian Alps. The weather was perfect for hiking and the views were simply breathtaking!

The next stop was Zagreb. Hitchhiking took more time than expected but again I was given a lift by a nice Bosnian trucker. Although the weather wasn’t very good, I couldn’t resist cycling around the city with Brane. We warmed ourselves up with a mug of hot cocoa in the Retro Bar, a kafić away from the centre with a nice, vintage interior.

I arrived in Belgrade at midnight two days later. Drinking wine with fellow travelers and being interviewed by a Serbian custom officer on the train was a whole lof of an adventure. If tourist guides say that the best burek is in the Serbia’s capital, there must be something in it. I was entranced.

Seeing sunrise on 1st January above Macedonian mountains from a train was simply amazing… as if all forces of nature were saying: Zdravo! Welcome Home…

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Bedtime Stories at a Conference on the Sunset of Dictatorship Ajrina Mann

What inspired me to write this was a conversation I had with a Polish student in Germany last May, but I’m writing it while preparing to welcome the New Year on Vaci Street in Budapest. I’m from Macedonia by the way, and I’m currently listening to an Italian song playing on TV. It’s a European story alright!

Different countries, different studies, with an age difference of more than 5 years, and different personalities, what could Jan, from Poland and I possibly talk about? Hmmm, the only thing I could think of Warsaw, Krakow and guess what else? A cartoon

“... It has not been easy to be part of a generation in SEE that tries so hard to be like those in the west...” mine, and other generations, grew up with. Can you guess? I’d say it’s probably Poland’s best export and it’s Mish Uszatek! Мечето Ушко (Mecheto Ushko) in Macedonian.

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So Jan and I who had virtually nothing in common spent 40 minutes talking about this cartoon that generations in Eastern Europe grew up watching before going to bed, and this over lunch at a conference in East Berlin on the representation of dictatorship in history class. I remember him saying: “It’s the most vivid memory

of my childhood days. I never went to bed without watching an episode on TV.” Ha!, a guy from Poland, whom I’ve never met before just described one of MY childhood habits. It was brilliant how Jan and I, miles apart, felt exactly the same about something.

We talked on how the East, which no matter how horrible it was represented in textbooks and media, and its past left us with great memories, things that tie different nations together, even now after the fall of most communist regimes in the East.

It somehow turns out that it’s not just communism, and later socialism, that binds us together, but rather these flow of creativity, the simplicity and passion that threaded our daily lives.

It’s taken me a while to accept that where I come from isn’t as bad as it seems. It’s actually influenced me for the better. Nowadays I kind of appreciate what a great mix South East Europe is of the Eastern and Western, and truth be told I appreciate the Eastern more. Talking about Mecheto Ushko made me realise why people feel nostalgic for the old days, even though looking out the window of my hotel room in East Berlin, I thought that drifting away from the past was the best thing ever.

It hasn’t been easy to be part of a generation in SEE that tries so hard to be like those in the west, when we have more in common with our eastern peers. Talking about the whole of Eastern Europe and its past, I’m sure most won’t be to kind, except for the divided opinions about Yugoslavia. Yet there is a silver lining even in the difficult past that lets us reminisce even about little things such a bedtime story with a teddy bear narrated with a soothing voice as if preparing us for better things to come.

Приказни пред заспивање на конференција за заоѓањето на диктатурата Ајрина Манн Она што ме инспирираше да го напишам ова беше разговорот со еден студент од Полска кој го запознав во Германија, минатиот мај, но го пишувам додека се подготвувам да ја пречекам Новата Година на улицата Ваци во Будимпешта. Инаку, јас сум од Македонија и моментално слушам италијанска песна на телевизија. Ова е баш европска приказна! Различни земји, различни студии, со разлика во возраста од повеќе од 5 години и разичен карактер, за што би можеле Јан од Полска и јас да разговараме? Хм, единственото на кое можев да се сетам беше Варшава, Краков и погодете што уште? Цртан со кој израсна мојата, а и други генерации. Можете ли да погодите? Според мене тоа е веројатно најдобриот производ на Полска и е Mish Uszatek! Мечето Ушко на македонски. Па така, Јан и јас кој немавме скоро ништо заедничко, поминавме 40 минути разговарајќи за овој цртан со кој генерации во Источна Европа пораснаа гледајќи го пред да си легнат, и ова за време на ручек на конференција во Источен Берлин за преставувањето на диктатурата на часот по Историја. Се сеќавам дека рече: „Тоа е најјасниот спомен од моето детство. Никогаш не си легнував без да гледам епизода од цртанот на телевизија.“ Ха! Дечко од Полса, кој никогаш порано го немав сретнато само што опиша една од моите навики во детството. Баш беше супер што Јан и јас, кои живеевме оддалечени со километри и килиметри, се чувствувавме исто за истата работа.

Зборувавме за тоа како Истокот, кој без разлика колку ужасно е претставен во учебниците и медиумите, и неговото минато не остави со убави спомени, нешта кои поврзуваат различни народи, дури и сега по падот на комунистичките режими на Истокот. Некако излегува дека не е само комунизмот, а потоа и социјализмот, што не поврзува, туку овoj излив на креативност, едноставноста и страста кои го означија нашето секојдневие. Ми требаше долго време да прифатам дека местото од каде што доаѓам не е толку лошо колку што изгледа. Всушност и добро влијаеше на мене. Денес, ми се допаѓа одличниот микс од источното и западното кој е Југоисточна Европа, и да бидам искрена повеќе го ценам источното. После разговорот за Мечето Ушко сфатив зошто луѓето чувствуваат носталгија за старите денови, и иако гледајќи низ прозорецот од мојата хотелска соба во Источен Берлин, размислував како оддалечувањето од минатото е најдоброто нешто досега. Не е лесно да се биде дел од генерацијата на ЈИЕ која се обидува да наликува на оние на Западот, кога имаме повеќе заедничко со нашите врсници на Истокот. Кога зборуваат за целата Источна Европа и нејзиното минато, сигурна сум повеќето нема да кажат многу убави работи, со исклучок на поделеното мислење за Југославија. Но има нешто позитивно дури и во тешкото минато кое ни дозволува да се навраќаме на убавите нешта како што е приказната пред заспивање со едно мече, која ја раскажува наратор чиј глас кој смирува како да не подготвува за поубави нешта што доаѓаат.

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Few cinematographic tips to dive into the Italian culture

by Antonella Nuvoli During these months in Macedonia, I met a lot of people who love this country from where I am supposed to come, Italy. It’s nice that, thanks to Benigni’s La vita è bella, people can say Buongiorno principessa… Actually, I’ve heard this sentence more times abroad than in Italy! In this article I just want to suggest some recent films, probably unknown to foreigners, to broaden your knowledge about the boot-shaped peninsula.

Perhaps not everybody knows that before La vita è bella Benigni made other good films. Between them, I especially recommend Johnny Stecchino (1991), in which the director created a funny way to speak about mafia. It’s the story of Dante, a teacher who unconsciously resembles to the imaginary mafiaboss Johnny Stecchino: he has to survive in the middle of a fight between families, without knowing to be part of it. The sentence “If you go to Palermo, do not touch the bananas!” is absolutely epic. Just watch the film to understand it..

Coming back to more recent days and putting aside mafia or camorra, the comedy Tutta la vita davanti (2008, in English Your whole life ahead of you) shows the everyday troubles of young people looking for a job. Nowadays it’s quite impossible to find a permanent job in Italy and a lot of people have to settle for a 3-month contracts, desperately hoping for a renewal. This is what happens in the film to Marta, a 24-year-old woman that, after getting a degree in Philosophy, ends working in a call center.

You can also find the same actress, Isabella Ragonese, in La nostra vita (2010, in English Our lives), a slice of everyday life of a particular family with financial problems, along the heart-rending notes of Anima fragile, again from Vasco Rossi.

Last year, the film won the Best Actor prize in Cannes for the interpretation by Elio Germano.

When he received the award, he used critical words against Berlusconi’s government that were censored from the main TV channels in Italy.

“...Nowadays it is quite impossible to find a permanent job in Italy ...”

Speaking about mafia, it’s a must to remember I cento passi (2000, in English The Hundred Steps), a film about the real life of Peppino Impastato. He was a young guy from Cinisi (Sicily), killed by Cosa Nostra more than 30 years ago. His fault was to think that it was possible a society without organized criminality. He fought till the end for his ideals, arriving to object also to his father. Now there’s also a great song with the same title, sang by the group Modena City Ramblers.

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Another movie, Fortapasc (2008), directed by Marco Risi, is related to victims of camorra (organized criminality in Campania, southern Italian region with Napoli as the capital city): here we find the story of Giancarlo Siani, a young journalist that tried to work honestly in a corrupted world and was killed in 1985, which strikes our hearts until tears. After watching it, you’ll always remember the scene in which the actor drives a car on the notes of Ogni Volta, a song by Vasco Rossi.

Last but not least is the comedy Benvenuti al Sud (2010, in English Welcome to the south), Italian remake of the French Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, that is very useful to understand the differences between North and South and the stereotypes that govern everyday’s life in a country that is supposed to be tolerant, but that too often proves not to be. Claudio Bisio, an actor and showman, wears the role of a post office clerk that had to go to live from Milano to one small sunny city, Castellabbate, next to Napoli. A lot of funny episodes make the film a pleasant vision and allow us to laugh while reflecting on the most common prejudices that people from Northern Italy have against Southern.

There’s nothing else to add than enjoy them.!

‘A la ville du...

Beogra d’

Pol Guàrdia (Media Education Centre)/ Belgrade

T

he Barcelona Olympic Games of 1992 beat the Belgrade candidacy, what could happen if the Yugoslavian capital is defined as a host instead of Barcelona? During the summer of ‘92 the Yugoslavian football team was banned from the Eurocup. Croatia participated as a different country in the BCN Games and won the silver medal.

This year 2012 that we’re just starting is a special year for me. As a Catalan, that will be the 20th aniversay of the Olympic Games in Barcelona. Those Games were the way to put the catalan city in the map of the world: After the Franco’s dictatorship and a young democracy, the city, the country and the special effort of the civil population showed to the world what we were able to do: Organizing such a big event after dealing with a lot of controversial difficulties like the political ones, the terrorism issue or the need of proper structures of communication. And we’ve succeeded.

But this story started in Lauzana (Switzerland), in October 1986, when the president of the International Olympic Committee, Joan Antoni Samaranch, announced that the city chosen for hosting the next Olympic Games would be: “La ville de... Barcelona”. The Mediterranean city wasn’t the only one waiting for those magic words; there were also Paris and Belgrad in the 3rd place which weren’t the chosen ones. That was one year after my birthday and now I’m living in Serbia doing my EVS project. The other day I found an old graffiti on one of the grey walls of Belgrade, so I was wondering what could have happened if my actual city was the chosen one by the Olympic Committee. After 1986, it was easy to forget the ‘other ones’, the cities that lost the challenge, but thanks to the graffiti I considered the possibility and started thinking what it would be like to host the Olympic Games in Belgrade in the 1992, when the Yugoslavian War started.

During the same time there were the European Football Cup taking part in Sweden. Originally, the Yugoslavian team was suposed to participate but the team was disqualified because of the war which was ruining the country. The substitute team, Denmark, would have won the Championship after beating Nederland in the semi-final and Germany in the finals.

In Barcelona ‘92 we had the example of the other position: Despite the war, they weren’t banned of the Olympic Games even the Croatians competed under their own flag in a separate team than Yugoslavia; the first sign of the Yugoslavian decomposition was clear - at the same point also the URSS was deal-

ing with such a similar process-, and both teams competed against each other. In Basketball, one of the most significant sports in the region, the croats, leaded by Petrovic , won the silver medal, and took the achievement in a nationalist way, showing they are more ‘powerful’ than the international community.

But just two years before (1990), Drazen Petrovic was playing in the same team as his best friend, Vlade Divac -the current president of the Serbian Olympic Committee-. They both, one croatian and one serbian, leaded their Yugoslavian team to the gold medal in the World Championship hosted in Argentina. The same day of the victory they started a fight. It was in the same field where they just won the match and it was because of a supporter who jumped to the field with a Croatian flag. After this they had never spoken again because of the war and because Petrovic died in 1993 in a car accident.

It’s impossible to say what would have happened if Belgrade was the Olympic City in 1992. We just can say that two good friends lost their opportunity to speak. Denmark got their second chance, and Barcelona enjoyed its best chance to grow up in the European family. We can’t change the History but we can read it again, from different positions, just to be sure that everything can happen... or not.

MAYBE OTHER PIECE (I keep this part) Tricky heroes But there is another chapter related to the Olympic History and the Yugoslavian war. During the siege of Sarajevo, the former president of the International Olympic Committee, Joan Antoni Samaranch which announced that Barcelona succeeded candidacy, visited the surrounded cities as a member of the ‘Olympic Family’, because his bosnian city was also hosting an Olympic Game in winter 1984.

Nowadays, in the Olympic museum of Sarajevo there is the coat that he wore that day. Samarach was the President of the International Olympic committee despising other main political activites during the Franco Regime as the ambassador of the URSS.

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with

Blagica Pop Tomova Monika Ashaltoska Monika Ashaltoska

Interwoven emotions of art and humor make this opera performance timeless and attractive for everyone’s taste. It’s a love story between a successful cabaret performer Varesku Silva, whose masterful character was presented by Blagica Pop Tomova and aristocrat Edwin, singed and performed by singer Dzordzi Cuckovski. Known story of forbidden love between different social status, and the real magic on the stage was the dynamic perceive of the story, were the soloists who sang and danced simultaneously, although Macedonian opera singers do not have education for stage movements.

M

acedonian Opera and Ballet’s repertoire, last week was enriched with another premiere. The audience was able to follow the performance of the operetta “The Chardash Duchess” of the Hungarian composer Emmerich Kalman, performed by renowned macedonian opera singer Blagica Pop Tomova. This masterful performance was directed by the Austrian director Ursula Horer and led by conductor Uwe Teimer, flowed on stage performances choir, orchestra and ballet of the MOB. What do you think is something that the average person would never even realize is a reality for a professional opera singer?

Musicians have a specific dynamics of life, always giving of her private life on stage. Musicians have stronger feelings and are very emotional, so therefore have the power to enter into an operatic work.

“... Musicians have a specific dynamics of life, always giving of her private life on stage...”

In this musical comedy completely dominated Roma folk elements, and this operetta is one of the most successful of the author Kalman (1882-1953). The operetta was first performed in Vienna Johann Strauss Theatre on 17th November 1915 year.

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Immediately after the long applause and admiration of the audience I had the opportunity to talk with the soprano with great talent, charismatic Blagica Pop Tomova, known for her distinctive voice.

Always different and each performance is new in her life experience. In conversation with her, we tried to reinvent the process of preparation of the Chardash Duchess, about her experience whit the characters in the operetta, and its path through the cultural scene in Macedonia.

How do you experience the main role of Silva Varesku, in the operetta the Duchess of Chardash?

Silva is a completely built person. Apart from being queen of the scene, she knows how and how much to give in her private life. She is a strong woman, determined to the end, and I experienced her as a heroine.

How did you handle the interpretation of the character?

Because Silva is a very energetic woman, it was very difficult and hard to get her energy, because in private life I’m phlegmatic person, but with strenuous exercise in the past 2 months I think I got the right light of Silva Varesku.

What about the preparations that lasted 2 months, for your cooperation with your colleagues and of course who took care of your outlook?

Preparations were exhausting, but with great love for our profession the time passes quickly and it is a great pleasure to work with professionals. I must say that we wore beautiful costumes made

by Elena Luka.

What challenges do you see for yourself in the next 5 years?

Very hard work, work that worth, sung many major roles, that are pleasure and honor to sing, for example to open next May Opera Evenings in 2012 with the role of Violetta in the opera La Traviata by Verdi. The biggest challenges in my life are my two sons, Philip and Christians who are bright point in my life. I devote the rest of my time in the dynamic life.

The hard work surfs at the end.

How did you fall I love whit the opera?

When I began to study in the music high school and I started to realize how difficult classical music as well as beautiful.

How does Skopje culturally lives?

In Skopje are performed all sorts of cultural events, but culture is not in a significant level.

How much do the people love the opera?

Not many people like opera, everyone would love her if they know what they hear.

In which operas have you performed?

Die Csárdásfürstin, Orpheus and Eurydice, Turandot, Tosca, Carmen, Cavalleria rusticana, The Merry Widow, Don Juan and Pagliacci and I am always in the lead female role.

Интервју со Благица Поп Томова Моника Ашталкоска

Р

епертоарот на Македонската опера и балет минатата недела беше збогатена со уште една премиера. Публиката имаше можност да ја проследи изведбата на операта Војвотката на Чардашот на унгарскиот композитор Емериџ Калман, во изведба на познатата македонска оперска певица Благица Поп Томова. Зад оваа маестрална изведба се потпиша австријската режисерка Урсула Хорер,а предводени од страна на диригентот Уве Тајмер на сцената настапија и Хорот, Оркестарот и Балетот при МОБ.

Испреплетените емоции на уметност и хумор оваа оперска изведба ја прави привлечна за сечиј вкус и безвременски прифатлива. Се работи за љубовна приказна помеѓу успешната Силва Вареску, чиј лик маестрално беше претставен од Поп Тонева и аристоктратот Едвин, во изведба на певецот Ѓорѓи Цуцковски. Позната приказна за забранетата љубов помеѓу различните општествени слоеви, но вистиска магија на сцената беше динамиката со која што се доловуваше приказната, солистите покрај што пееја истовремено и танцуваа, иако македонските оперски певци немаат едукација за сценски движења. Во делото целосно доминираат ромските фолклорни елементи, а оваа опера е една од најуспешните на авторот Калман (1882 – 1953). Операта за првпат е изведена во виенскиот театар Јохан Штраус на 17ти Ноември 1915 година.

Како се снајдовте во толкувањето на ликот? Бидејќи Силва е многу енергична жена, беше многу тешко и напорно да ја доловам нејзината енергија, бидејќи јас во приватниот живот сум флегматична, но со напорно вежбање од 2 месеци мислам дека влегов во правото светло на Силва Вареску.

Веднаш после долгиот аплауз и восхитот на публиката имавме можност да поразговараме со сопраното со голем талент, харизматичната Благица Поп Томова, позната по својот специфичен глас. Секогаш различна и поинаква, секој настап за нејзе е ново животно искуство. Во разговорот со неа се обидовме да го откриеме процесот на припреми на Војвотката на Чардашот, на нејзиното доживување на ликовите во операта, како и за нејзиниот пат низ културната сцена во Македонија.

Какви предизвици гледате за себеси во наредниве 5 години? Многу напорна работа, труд кој се исплаќа, испеани многу главни улоги кои ми претставуваат задоволство и чест да ги отпеам, на пример за отворање на следните мајски оперски вечери во 2012та со улогата на Виолета во операта Травијата од Верди. Најголем предизвик во мојот живот се моите два сина Филип и Христијан, кои се светлата точка во мојот живот, на кои им го посветувам остатокот од моето време во динамичниот живот. Макотрпната работа на крајот излегува на површина

Што мислите за тоа дека има нешто кое возрасната особа никогаш нема да го осознае како реалност за една професионална оперска солистка? Музичарите имаат посебна динамика на живот, и секогаш даваат дел од својот приватен живот на сцената. Музичарите имаат појаки чувства и се многу емотивни,а со тоа имаат сила да навлезат во едно оперско дело.

Што ќе кажете за подготовките кои траеле 2 месеци, за вашата соработка со колегите и секако кој се погрижи за вашиот изглед? Подготовките беа макотрпни, но со голема љубов кон нашата професија бргу поминуваше времето и големо задоволство е да работиш со професионалци, и морам да кажам дека носевме прекрасни костуми изработени од Елена Лука.

Kако ја засакавте операта? Кoга почнав да учам средно музичко и кога почнав да сваќам колку е тешка класичната музика а воедно и прекрасна. Колку Скопје културно живее? Во Скопје се случуваат сите културни настани, но културата не е на едно завидно ниво.

Како ја доживувате главната улога на Силва Вареску во оперетата Војвотката од Чардашот?

Колку луѓето ја сакаат операта? Многу малце луѓе, секој би ја засакал доколку знае што ќе слуша

Силва е една комплетно изградена личност. Освен што е кралица на сцената, таа многу добро знае како и колку да даде во приватниот живот. Таа е силна жена, одлучна до крај, а јас ја доживува како хероина.

Во кои опери имате настапувано? Кавалерија рустикана, Кармен, Паљачи, Тоска, Орфеј и Евридика; Турандот,Дон Жуан, Веселата Вдовица, Војвотката на чардашот и секогаш сум во главната улога.

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Extraordinary real-life fairytale: Alice in Wonderland Syndrome

I

magine: You’re hallucinating, and you know it. Time is messed up. First it seems slowed, and then it seems to be speeding up. Even more noticeably, when you look at your body, it seems to be morphing. You’re getting smaller. Minutes later, you’re growing larger and larger.

That is a description of a rare form of Migraine aura, called Alice in Wonderland syndrome. It is a neurological disorder that was first discovered by psychiatrist John Todd, at 1955, during his work with patients which complained of visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations and altered perceptions. They were confused about size and shape of part or all of the body, most common the hands that they thought that hands were growing or shrinking. Beside the body, they thought that the objects around them were getting closer of getting further from them. Usually, the patients were confused about the timing, events speed up or slow down, akin to an LSD experience. Hearing voices, music or sounds and “spongy” ground under their feet were one of the common distortions. Sometimes, their clothes felt like stone.

All of his patients shared similar symptoms but none of them shared a condition that would explain them. The patients couldn’t be mentally ill cause they were thinking rationally and they haven’t confuse hallucinations with reality. Than he discovered something that was in common for all of his patients, the family history of migraine.

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John Todd named the disorder Alice in Wonderland syndrome after the novel by Lewis Carroll “Alice adventures in Wonderland”, because of the similarity between some of the common Alice in Wonderland Sy symptoms and a part of Alice's story. Alice drinks a mysterious liquid labelled with the words “Drink me”' and shrinks until she is small enough to fit through a tiny door and enter a very small room. She eats a cake, labelled “Eat me” and grows so tall her head hits the ceiling.

Alexandra Petkovska

It is speculated that the author himself was suffering from this syndrome and the story about Alice was based on his personal experiences during the migraine auras.

“... I can not explain myself, I’am afraid, Sir, because I’am not myself I see

...”

“Throughout my early childhood I suffered from migraine headaches. My mom got migraines too so she just gave me children's Tylenol and told me to tough it out. When I was 10 years old, I woke up one morning and I almost felt like I was still asleep and dreaming. I was still laying down in my bed and I held out my hands in front of me and they didn't feel like my hands, they felt like long skinny dry twigs. If I concentrate hard enough I can 'remember' the feeling and my hands start to feel that way again. After a few minutes it all went away and I didn't say anything to my parents about it. But for the next couple of weeks it happened more and more often, usually in the evening. Most of the time it was when I was sitting still, I would feel so incredibly heavy that I was sure I couldn't move any part of my body and my depth perception felt like it was completely off.

One time while I was walking down the hall I felt like the walls were rushing past me at 50 mph. One afternoon after school I was sitting on my bed, which was a day bed with a spiraly-cast iron design on the headboard and while I was looking at it it started to move and rotate, like it was turning like a wheel. When I tried to explain this to my parents I got frustrated because my eyes were telling me that my bed wasn't moving, but my brain was telling me that it was moving.

And every episode was followed by a killer migraine headache... An

Door: Why it's simply impassible!

Alice: Why, don't you mean impossible?

Door: No, I do mean impassible. Nothing's impossible!”

EKG, an MRI, and a couple of months later the diagnosis was I had an 'abnormal brainwave' which was 'triggered' when I had a migraine, causing hallucinatory side effects to my migraine. The doctor actually called it 'Alice In Wonderland Syndrome' saying that it was compared to how Alice felt while tumbling down the rabbit hole.”

“The adventures first,

explanations take such a dreadful time.”

Neurologists speculate that Alice in Wonderland Sy is far more common than we realise. Exact entrance to the mind's rabbit hole remains a mystery. The most common cause of this syndrome is migraine, which can or can not be always presented with headache. But also, there are other reasons for development of this disorder like epilepsy (of the temporal lobe), brain tumors, using all kinds of psychoactive drugs, Epstein-Barr viral infection. Alice in Wonderland Sy mostly affect children and younger adults. It seems to be at it’s worst in the teens and early twenties. It is more often represented in women than in man. It can happen just once in a lifetime or few episodes during the day, every day.

There is no specific treatment for this disorder. Alice in Wonderland symptoms respond to anti-epilepsy and anti-migraine therapy and beta blockers, still the symptoms persist for a lifetime, even though their effects aren’t that intensive as they are without medications.

Read Lewis Carroll book or just watch the movie Alice in Wonderland, so you could see, just for a moment or two, the world from the eyes of all the real-life Alices.

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SABBATICAL holidays for professionals

by Sylwia Gorska

H

ow to compare two things, the necessity of earning money and the necessity of having the space for your personal development? One of the answer can be a rest from work called “Sabbatical”. It shows how it is important to have a longer break from the things you have been doing for a long time. It is good to make a change, to find a new inspiration, motivation for job, make dreams come true or to turn all your values totally.

Sabbatical is a holiday for professionals – workers with a long experience can be burnout and need some change but at the same time they do not want to lose their jobs and salary. It is popular especially in American companies. Studies confirm that “the best managers and leaders have rich personal lives”. Employers allow their workers to make a longer break, at the same time they keep a place for them and sometimes also pay regular salary.

Travel Sabbatical See the world, or just part of it.

Experiencing another culture never fails to provide a new perspective on what we have at home.

Volunteer Sabbatical This program gives employees an opportunity to donate time to a charity they and their companies believe in, such as Habitat for Humanity, teaching English to Guatemalan children, or helping with a church missionary project. The possibilities are endless and endlessly rewarding.

INCREASED CONFIDENCE ITMENT RENEWED COMM ERGY REPLENISHED EN

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There can be different types of Sabbaticals, such as: Green Sabbatical Companies interested in social responsibility can give employees time out to help with a clean-up project, further a renewable energy effort, or do field research. Whether tagging sea turtles or working with an approved environmental group, the individual learns how to help the earth and his or her company reaps the benefits of supporting “green” causes.

Research Sabbatical These programs enable employees to take time out to develop a new product or business process, or work on a project, book or theory.

al would be Perhaps, a sabbatic good idea.

Innovation Sabbatical This program stimulates fresh thinking by giving employees the opportunity to experience a different work culture, inside or outside their own industry. Upon their return, the insight they gained while “out of the box” fuels their creative juices and provides fresh inspiration for their coworkers as well.

Family Sabbatical

Many companies give employees the opportunity to spend time with their kids or take a trip with an aging parent. Providing a solid block of quality time with family members helps these people balance their priorities and gain perspective and renewed energy for their workplace objectives.

Learning Sabbatical Educational sabbaticals enable employees to finish an MBA, become fluent in a second language, earn certification in a software program and more.

Personal Growth Sabbatical This time out for self-reflection can take the form of a silent meditation retreat, reading a stack of self-help books, or even filling up a journal with reflections, Lifelong Goal Sabbatical hopes, and plans. However it is done, This program allows employees to individuals return with a personal clarity re-energize themselves by chasing a lifelong that might not have been possible dream such as acting in a theater production, comotherwise. peting in a triathlon, or hiking Mt. Everest. Going after an audacious goal – and conquering it – can create powerful momentum for the individual and the company that fosters that achievement.

Of course there is a risk that when the employee comes back from the sabbatical he can decide to change his life completely.

He can realize that the previous job is not a source of satisfaction anymore. I know 2 girls who were burnout and decided to go to the South America. When they came back they gave up their previous job and decided to open a restaurant, serving food from different parts of the world. Can we call it a loss?

Well, from the company point of view of course but from wider perspective the world has gained two happy souls and a place with a great food!!!

NESS SELF-AWARE

THE ABILITY TO INSPIRE

VITY A SURGE OF CREATI

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my evs story Dimitar Trajanovski

To be young brings many challenges: trying new things, meeting new people, learning new cultures, and in a way building your individuality and finding your place in this global society. Being young also means a desire to travel. I think by traveling and living abroad we are becoming more open for new horizons and perspectives in our lives.

Many people ask me: ”Why EVS in Poland?” Curiosity, discovering new cultures and the need to search for something new are some of the reasons that made me go to Poland. I think any country on Earth has its own beauty and has something unique to be seen. Wrocław - the city where I live now is the fourth largest city in Poland. I can say it is the most beautiful city in Poland. It is a historic city of Silesia, and today is the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city was part of Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Prussia and Germany, but in 1945 again became part of Poland as a result of the changing of borders after the Second World War. Wroclaw was also chosen as European Capital of Culture for 2016. Styles of art such as Baroque, Gothic and Flemish renaissance occur throughout the architecture of this city. You don’t need much to fall in love with Wroclaw.

Daily activities in “Multicultural Language Cafe” I have been in Poland four months now. My coordination and host organization is Semper Avanti and I work on a project called “Multicultural Language Cafe”. Everyday we have different activities such as organizing workshops in high schools in the area of human

rights and various presentations on countries where EVS volunteers are from. I hold conversation classes in English and teach Macedonian folklore dances to the elderly in “Sector 3” which is an organization that works mostly with helping older people . I also hold lectures in the Serbian language for beginners in “Mediateka” and help at the Family house - a home with adopted children with various activities in their free time.

Macedonian Cultural Evening “Club pod kolumnami”, Wroclaw – Poland I have always believed that Macedonia has something to be proud of and whenever people ask me where I come from, I always respond with a love for my country. Although our country is small in area, everyone should know that we are people with great heart and soul. Thus, on the seventh of December in Wroclaw, Poland at “Club pod kolumnami “ with the help of my host organization, I organized Macedonian cultural evening. My role was to lead that cultural event. Through the presentation of our natural resources, cultural and tourist attractions, our well-known food and wine to our rich folklore, music, tradition, hospitality and kindness, I tried to capture Macedonia’s spirit for an audience from across Europe.

За ЕВС Димитар Трајановски Да се биде млад значи многу предизвици: пробување и учење на нови работа, запознавање нови луѓе и култури, со еден збор градење на својата индивидуалност и пронаоѓање на свое место во ова глобално општество. Да се биде млад исто значи и да се патува. Сметам дека со патувањето ни се отвораат нови видици и хоризонти во животот. Многу луѓе ќе ме прашаат: Зошто ЕВС во Полска? Љубопитноста, потребата за потрага по нешто ново, запознавањето на нови култури се некои од причините кои мене ме натераа да отидам во Полска.

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Сметам дека било која земја на оваа Земјина полутопка има свои убавини и има што да покаже. Така и Полска. Вроцлав - градот каде што моментално живеам е четврти град по големина во Полска. Интернационален и одлично уреден,

можам слободно да кажам дека е најубавиот град во Полска. Тој е историски град на Шлезија, а денес е главен град на Долна шлезиски војводство. Низ вековите, градот бил дел од Полска, Чешка, Австрија, Прусија и Германија, но од 1945 година станува повторно дел од Полска како резултат на менување на границите по Втората светска војна. Исто така Вроцлав е избран како европска престолнина на културата за 2016 година. Нема како а да не се вљубите во Вроцлав . Стилови на уметноста како барок, фламанска ренесанса и готика се јавуваат во архитектурата на овој град. Секојдневни активности во „Multicultural Language Cafe“ Во Полска сум веќе четврти месец. Моја координациона и домаќин организација е Семпер Аванти. Работам на проектот наречен “Multicultural Language Cafe”. Секојдневно

имаме различни активности од типот на организирање на работилници во средните училишта од областа на човековите права и различни презентации за земјите од каде што доаѓаат ЕВС волонтерите. Потоа држам часови со конверзација по Англиски јазик и учење на Македонски ора во “Сектор 3”. Тоа е организација која се занимава претежно со учење на постари лица, а исто така држам предавања по Српски јазик за почетници во “Медиатека” и помагаме на еден дом со посвоени деца со разни активности во нивното слободно време. Македонска вечер во „Клуб под колумнами“,

каде доаѓам со голем љубов зборувам за мојата земја. Иако мала по површина треба секој да знае дека ние сме народ со големо срце и душа. Така, на 07 декември во Вроцлав , Полска во “Клуб под колумнами” со помош на мојата организација домаќин организиравме Македонска Вечер. Мојата улога беше да ја водам таа вечер. Преку презентација за нашите природни богатства, културни и туристички знаменитости, нашата добро позната храна и вино па се до нашиот богат фолклор, музика ,традиција, љубезност и гостопримство се обидов да ја доловам сликата за Македонија во очите на шеесетина гости кои впрочем ги имаше ширум од цела Европа.

Вроцлав - Полска Отсекогаш сум сметал дека Македонија има со што да се гордее и секогаш кога некој странец ќе праша од

Shërbimi Vullnetar Europian Dimitar Trajanovski Të jesh i ri domethënë të kesh shumë sfida: të provosh dhe të mësosh gjëra të reja, të njoftosh njerëz të rinj dhe kultura të tjera, me një fjalë, të bësh ndërtimin e personalitetit tënd dhe gjetjen e vetes tënde ne këtë shoqëri globale. Të jesh i ri, gjithashtu domethënë edhe të udhëtosh. Mendoj se me udhëtimin hapen shumë dyer dhe horizonte në jetë.

Shumë njerëz do të më pyesin: Pse vullnetarizëm në Poloni?

Kurreshtja, nevoja për hulumtim për dicka të re, njohja e kulturave të reja janë disa nga arsyet të cilët mua më shtyen që të shkoj në Poloni. Mendoj se secili vend në këtë tokë të rrumbullakët, ka bukurinë e vet dhe ka cka të tregojë. Ashtu edhe Polonia. Vrocllav-qyteti ku momentalisht po jetoj, është qyteti i katërt më i madh në Poloni.

Internacional dhe shumë bukur i ndërtuar, mundem lirisht të them se është qyteti më i bukur në Poloni.

Ai është qytet hisorik i Shlezijës, ndërsa sot ëhtë kryeqyteti i Shelizës së Poshtme. Ndërmjet shekujve, qyteti ka qenë pjesë e Polonisë, Cekisë, Austrisë, Prusisë dhe Gjermanisë, mirëpo prej vitit 1945, përsëri bëhet pjesë e Polonisë si rezultat i ndryshimit të kufijve pas Luftës së Dytë Botërore. Gjithashtu, Vrcollavi është zgjedhur si qendër evropiane e kulturrës për vitin 2016. Ska se si mos të dashuroheni te Vrcollavi. Stilet e artit si të Barokut, rilindje dhe gotike flamese paraqiten në arkhitekturën e këtij qyteti.

Aktivitete të pëerditshme në „ Multicultural Language Cafe“ Në Poloni jam afër katër muaj. Nikoqiri dhe koordinanca ime, është

organizata Semper Avanti. Jam duke punuar në projektin e quajtur “Multicultural Language Cafe”.

Për cdo ditë kemi aktivitete të ndryshme të tipeve të organizimeve të puntëtorive nëpër shkollat e mesme nga fusha për të drejtat e njeriut dhe prezentime të ndryshme të vendeve prej të cilave vijnë QVE vullnetarët. PAstaj mbajë orë për komunikim në gjuhën Angleze dhe mësim për vallet maqedonase në “Sektorin 3” ( ajo është një organiztë që mirret me mësimin e personave të moshuar ), gjithashtu mbajë ligjerata në gjuhën serbe për fillestarët në “ Mediatikë” dhe i ndihmojmë një shtëpie më fëmijë të adaptuar me aktivitete të ndryshme në kohën e tyre të lirë.

Mbrëmbje maqedonase në „Клуб под колумнами“, VrocllavPoloni Gjithmonë kam konsideruar se Maqedonia ka me cka të krenohet dhe gjithmonë kur ndonjë i huaj pyet se nga vij, me shumë dashuri flas për vendin tim. Edhe pse me sipërfaqe të vogël, duhet gjithkush ta dijë se ne jemi popull me zemër të madhe dhe shpirt të madh.

Ashtu me 7 Dhjetor në Vrocllav, Poloni në “Клуб под колумнами“ me ndihmë e organizatës nikoqire, organizuam Natë Maqedonase.

Roli im ishte ta udhëheqi atë natë. Nëpërmjet prezentimit të pasuirve natyrore, objekte kulturore dhe turistike, ushqimi jonë i njohur dhe verë deri te folklori jonë i pasur, kënga, tradita, këndshmëria dhe mikpritja, jam munduar që të jap një pasqyrë për Maqedoninë në sytë e gjashtëdhjetë mysafirëve që ishin mbledhur nga e gjithë Evropa.

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Гладно глувче сака да излезе од неговата дупка за да најде храна. Но се плаши да не го чека мачката надвор. Се обидува да слушне дали мачката е пред дупката но слуша само Аф аф. Глувчето помислува : Мачката не е надвор тоа е само куче. Излегува од дупката а надвор го чека мачката и го јаде. Насладувајќи се мачката си помислува : Колку е добро да знаеш два јазици.

Dy përkthyesve në një anije po bisedojne: - “A mundesh të notosh”, tha një prej tyre.

- “Jo” u përgjegj tjetri, por unë mund të theras “Ndihmë!! në

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Двајца преведувачи разговараат на брод : Знаеш да пливаш ?

– прашува едниот Не, но знам да викам Помош на 9 јазици – одговара другиот Разговараат два кактуси : Дали го знаеш јазикот на луѓето ? Да, многу е лесен. Тие само викаат “Ауч”.

Bisede midis dy kaktusesh: “A e dini gjuhën e njeriut?”

“Po” u përgjigj, kaktus tjeter. “Është e lehtë: të gjithë ata thonë

you th exchange

re You t h f or cultu 2012 back to vevcani

Patricia Fernandez Lopez As everybody know, getting to Macedonia is really complicated, but when life takes you, it becomes quite easy.

I could say that my trip to Macedonia had already started 2 years ago in Portugal.

With my Erasmus I started my life abroad. There, I met the classmate ever, chatting, travelling (and, of course, drinking vodka) I knew this country and I was really looking forward to going there. I could come to this land that I had been dreaming of the last year.

Here I met more international people. At the beginning, I had to check on the internet information about this small country, I only knew that the capital of Macedonia is Skopje, but since I didn’t pronounce it correctly, suddenly I got really interested in reading and searching for more information about the Balkans. Few weeks later, I met one guy from Serbia, he was talking about his country and he told me that his culture was very similar to Spanish culture and the way the Spanish live. The time was passing by very quickly and I had a new goal in my life: going to the Balkans.

Suddenly, this day arrived and I went to Macedonia for the youth exchange Back to Vevcani.

I was so happy because I was going to go to deep Macedonia; I like using the adjective “deep” to talk about these small villages where you could see the best of every country (elderly people, kids, tiny shops and traditional food).

Although I have only been in Macedonia, I felt as if I had been travelling around the Balkans because almost all the people I have met were from there (Bosnia, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Croatia) they thought me how to dance their folk music and how to feel it, even though I don’t understand the lyrics at all...

The reason why we were there was the carnival in Vevcani. We went to our wedding between zombies and ex-Yugoslavian pioneers. It was wonderful to discover that although we have different cultures and language (I will need 20 years to learn Balkan Esperanto) we are similar.

Above all, it was the best story and cultural lesson ever. And I have new dream-like place to go If you go to Macedonia, it will be difficult to come back as your luggage will be heavier and full of great memories and lots of new friends.

e

“It was thry

best sto l ura and cult ver. lesson e

...”

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YOU TH exchange

YOUTH FOR CULTURE BACK TO VEVCANI

2012