My last day in Macedonia

Today I am sad to say goodbye to Sneska but excited to continue my trip. I have been looking up train schedules and getting prepared to go to Italy tomorrow. I will go from Skopje to Thessaloniki to Igoumenitso. From there I will catch an overnight ferry to Italy (Bari port). I am almost as excited about the traveling as I am about being in Italy, especially the ferry ride... I have heard that it is beautiful at night.

On my last night in Skopje, we are going to go out to a nice restaurant, one of Sneska's favorites, with some friends. I can't believe that it has already been three weeks since I have been here. Time just goes so fast. I have grown to feel very at home here... a really nice accomplishment (I think), since I am in a little known country in the Balkans where I don't speak the language. I have met so many wonderful people here and learned a lot about the culture, the tradition, the religion, just everything. I remember asking Sneska three weeks ago from my computer in Rentz, Georgia how Macedonia is different from the states. She said, "It is different, but I can't really describe it." There are so many small and subtle differeneces in the people and the way of life over here that I now understand exactly what she meant. I, like Sneska, don't know exactly how to describe it... It is mainly just a feeling... the feeling of being in a different culture, of living in a world that is different from the one that is familiar, of understanding that through all the differences humanity is the constant, and of appreciating where I am and where I can from at the same time.

Signing out until Italy...