#ACYPLMacedonia in Florida -- Meeting with Ambassador Christopher Hill

I was honored to be the State Host of the delegation of Macedonian political leaders for the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) in December, organizing a 6-day visit in December. 

We kicked off our program in Florida by visiting Ambassador Chris Hill and his wife Julie.


Ambassador Hill was the first Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia (1996-1999) and Special Envoy to Kosovo (1998-1999). Hill received the U.S. State Department’s Distinguished Service Award for his contributions as a member of the U.S. negotiating team in the Bosnia peace settlement, and was a recipient of the Robert S. Frasure Award for Peace Negotiations for his work on the Kosovo crisis.




We enjoyed a lively and thought-provoking discussion about foreign affairs.

For me, the highlight of this visit was when one of the delegates, now the Deputy Minister of Science and Education in the Republic of Macedonia, presented the Ambassador with pictures from when the Ambassador visited his school, many years ago.  Some pictures of those pictures are included, below.

literally popping the champagne to toast to the arrival of the Macedonian delegation

presenting Ambassador Hill with a bottle of Macedonian Vranec

One of the delegates was able to return with an inscribed copy of Ambassador Hill's book,, Outpost: Life on the Frontlines of American Democracy

For more about ACYPL, see their website: http://acypl.org/

#ACYPLMacedonia in Florida -- quick stop in Madeira Beach, John's Pass, and Cuban Paradise

 I was honored to be the State Host of the delegation of Macedonian political leaders for the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) in December, organizing a 6-day visit in December.

To get from Ambassador Hill's residence to our next meeting at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, we drove through Madeira Beach (my hometown), so we made a very quick stop to see the beach - and to stop by John's Pass baordwalk.

A special treat was stopping by my former student's store -- Cuban Paradise -- and to see the 4th generation Cuban cigar rollers.  (Also a great spot to enjoy a Cuban coffee!)

For more about John's Pass, see http://www.johnspass.com/

For more about Cuban Paradise cigars, https://www.cubanparadise.com/collections/all

No time for swimming....but we had to see the beach at least once while the delegation was here!

 

At Cuban Paradise in John's Pass, learning about Cuban cigar rolling techniques

and a tour of humidor

Events honoring the 23rd Anniversary of the University of Tetova

Recently there were events honoring the 23rd anniversary of the University of Tetova -- and a colleague sent to me pictures that were included in the powerpoint slide show presentation.  I would have loved to have attended and to have celebrated the anniversary of the university in person -- but so nice to be there in spirit!

For more about the university, see the website http://unite.edu.mk/en/

More about my time teaching at the University of Tetova can be found here:

Highlights of my time at the University of Tetova

And more about the founding of the university: Museum, Founding of the University of Tetova

#IEW2017 International Education Week at USFSP - "Rule of Law and Civil Society in Macedonia"

I was delighted to share my experiences during my Fulbright to Macedonia during this year's #IEW2017 events at USFSP.

Thanks to Wendy Baker, Director of USFSP Global Initiatives for the invitation.  (See more about International Education Month at USFSP   here)

And thanks to all those who came out to learn more about my award: "Rule of Law and Civil Society"

here are some of my Macedonia travel books that I brought for "show-and-tell"

and here is the posted that I created for the USF World/Fulbright Association Welcome event earlier this semester ...along with other "show-and-tell" items, the Mother Teresa gift from the University of Tetova as well as the Seal of the South East European University

The event flyer, featuring colleagues from the University of Tetova and South East European University:

Welcoming Fulbright Scholar from Vietnam -- Quyet Nguyen -- in my American Government class at USFSP #IEW2017

What a pleasure to welcome Fulbright Scholar from Vietnam - Quyet Nguyen - to my American Government class during #IEW2017.

He shared with us more about the government and politics of Vietnam, offering a comparative perspective.

Quyet is at USFSP this semester, hosted by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Frank Biafora, who was himself a Fulbrighter to Vietnam. 

What an incredible international network of scholars fostered by the Fulbright Program!

Article Published in Justicia: International Journal of Legal Sciences, published by University of Tetova

During one of my first meetings with the Law Faculty (see blog post about first meeting at UT and blog post about meeting wtih the Dean of the Law Faculty) at the University of Tetova (http://unite.edu.mk/en/) I was invited to submit an article to the journal published by the law faculty (Fakulteti Juridik):

Justicia: International Journal of Legal Sciences

Vol. 5, No. 7 (7/2017) includes an article that provides an update to my study of Congressional participation as amicus curiae before the US Supreme Court: "Congress Befriends the Supreme Court: Congressional Participation as amicus curiae before the US Supreme Court."

The journal was just released at a conference organized by the Law Faculty this week.

Thank you to Prof. Jusuf Zejneli and the editors and reviewers. I am delighted to have my research included in this publication.