Shayne's Crazy Makdo Life

Vilma, the Health Food Store Lady

This is a picture from last week's visit to my friend, Vilma's house. Here she is with her husband, celebrating his 45th birthday. Vilma is affectionately known to most of us as "Health Food Store Lady". She and her husband own a health food store in the city next to me, and when all of the volunteers were here during training, we'd frequent her store to buy healthy food, such as almonds, dried fruit, and tofu (I know, can you believe that I can get tofu here?!). She is just about THE nicest Macedonian I have met here and treats me like I'm part of her family. I visit her a few times a week at the health food store, mostly to say hi and to catch up, and she's always there to greet me with a hug and to talk excitedly about whatever is going on. When I leave Macedonia, she will definitely be one of the people that I'll never forget.

In other news, I've been battling with the flu for the past few days, which is sadly ironic, seeing that I never get the flu vaccine at home and never get the flu, and the one year I decide to get the vaccine, I get the flu. Most Macedonians have told me that I'm sick because I don't wear enough layers in the cold (note: cold=20 degrees, it's not that bad), but my crazy theory is that maybe it has something to do with all of the children who are sick at my school and who are continuously coughing without covering their mouths. That's just my crazy Western thinking, though.

Just in case anyone's wondering, these are some typical suggestions from Macedonians on how to get rid of a cold:

• wrap a brandy-soaked rag around my neck (with optional hot peppers)
• get 10 injections at the local ambulance stand, then go back the next day for 10 more
• wear socks soaked in vinegar
• drink bottles upon bottles of hot red wine with pepper in it

That being said, I hope everyone's having a good week!

posted by Shayne @ 10:19 PM