meeting with Tanja Tomik - former Member of Partliament and women's rights activist

Mayor Leslie Waters (Mayor of Seminole, Florida and former Florida state legislator) and I bonded over projects designed to engage more women in politics.

She has been conducting trainings with women across the globe. Indeed, as I type this, I believe she is overseas working with women leaders from Libya on behalf of the International Republican Institute (IRI).  (See the IRI website: http://www.iri.org/)

When my application for the "Rule of Law" award with Fulbright was still in its nascent stages, Leslie told me about a remarkable woman she was going to be working with -- Tanja Tomik -- and mentioned that Tanja was from Macedonia (a former Member of Parliament).  I asked Leslie to see if there were any materials from Macedonia (brochures, etc) that she could bring back for me. (There is not much available about Macedonia at our local AAA office, I am afraid.)  Look at these wonderful maps and brochures and cookbook that Tanja gave to Leslie to bring back to me in Florida! We loved looking through the pictures and learning more about Macedonia as we were preparing to move to Macedonia.

Shortly thereafter, Tanja Tomik and I became friends on facebook - so I feel like I have known her forever.  It was such a pleasure to finally meet her in person! I enjoyed learning more about her work as an elected official -- at the municipal level as well as a Member of Parliament. As well about her current work advancing women's rights in Macedonia.  She runs this webpage http://ednakvi.mk/ And here is the organization's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ednakvi.mk/ that conducts research about legislation that affects gender equality, research about women in politics, and promotes women in business and entrepreneurship. She also conducts trainings and mentorship programs for women interested in getting involved in politics. I enjoyed our conversation about her work as a legislator (and leader of the Women's Caucus in Parliament), women in politics in Macedonia - and the current political situation.

Kosovo: Presentation at the American Corner in Pristina

I truly enjoyed my time at the American Corner in Pristina. My lecture was about the Supreme Court of the United States. Lots of interesting and far-ranging questions.

loved these special glass doors - adorned with symbols of Kosovar and US freedom/liberty

the American Corner is at the National Library

We got to the corner a little early so we could play games and read books

we can't wait to send this picture to my daughter's Language Arts teacher in Madeira Beach -- I chaperoned a Field Trip earlier this academic year (back when we were in Florida) during which we saw a performance of "The Raven" at the Mahaffey Theater in St Pete...we had fun with this Mad Libs...I think we Americans were causing (too much?) commotion in the American Corner as we were giggling with how the poem turned out with the random nouns/adjectives/adverbs/and verbs that we inserted

making new friends at the American Corner

I had brought some pictures that I had saved from my time in the White House - and donated to the American Corner

many thanks to Gresa for organizing this program!

enjoyed having dinner with our new friends from the American Corner

this mural was painted by volunteers at the ACPristina

For more information about events and activities at the American Corner Pristina, see the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/acpristina/

Kosovo: Museum of Kosovo

We were disappointed to learn that the Museum of Kosovo was closed (renovations?).  However, the ground floor was open - where you could see ancient Roman mosaics from the 4th century - as well as some volunteers making mosaics for the hands-on children's section of this museum.

Of course, this begged the question -- could we make (and take?!) our own mosaic??  No, not yet. But they are working on organizing just the kind of workshops we requested. We were advised to follow the facebook page - so we could plan a return visit.

Here is their facebook page:   https://www.facebook.com/Museum-of-Kosova-Muzeu-i-Kosov%C3%ABs-119616464733073/

ancient Roman mosaics (although we were told the largest, most significant mosaics had been taken to Belgrade - and have not been returned - a subject of negotiation)

interactive exhibit where kids can dig for pottery and try to re-assemble the fragments

Kosovo: out and about in Pristina

with our new friends from the American Corner

here are a few of the souvenirs we brought back from Kosovo - the woman in traditional clothes, the replica of a terracotta goddess from 4000 BC that was found near Pristina (now in Museum of Kosovo), a bill from the former Yugoslavia,and a piece of the mineral trepca

Burek!!  We loved this place so much we ate there for lunch - and came back for dinner

I was glad I snapped the pics of the Kosovo Independence Day celebrations when I did - when we walked this way again, they had been removed

the National Assembly of Kosovo

we meandered through the old Bazaar

Yankees ball caps for sale in the bazaar

did someone say ice cream?!

ice cream is always in season

we enjoyed our macchiatto and ice cream outside (!) - was more fun to people watch - and - as it turned out - we were watching the decorations from the Independence Day (February 17) being taken down as well

we bought this tablecloth and some lovely crocheted doilies from this lady

and a macchiatto To Go before my presentation at the American Corner

our hotel - we woke up to snow flurries on Saturday morning - but - no accumulation - and we had a nice day to explore Kosovo

we had some extra time in the morning before the Ethnologic Museum opened - so we drove through this park in Pristina (tennis courts, swimming pools - looks like it's a lot of fun in the summer months)

this previously was a building occupied by Serbian Special Forces - but was bombed by NATO