Voices Magazine

Aurelie has to sort out a little work and we attend the meeting for her magazine together. Voices is monthly issues addressing young Macedonians on various thematics such as culture, politics, work, sex etc... It is written in 3 languages, English, Macedonian and Albanian. 6 European volunteers are sitting in a round table talking about next month subject, the online version of the magazine. This remembers me a little of the good old Satelitte meetings where we would discuss things for hours, many sharing their point of view, some sitting there in silence and some never managing to say anything because others speak louder. Today however, Yohann is leading the meeting in a very experimented way and without being rude or unpleasant he controls what is going on.
We have to leave to attend a meeting with the youth council Aurelie is supposed to work for. Since she has been her, over 4 month, she never actually did what she came t do, teach French to kids in a poor suburb. There have always been problems with the administration and she grew more and more angry at some Macedonian habits. Not to respect engagements, not to work but mostly speak and promise nice things and no problems when the reality is quite different. and today once again, as she is happy to have been called to the offices and hopes to finally meet the kids, her boss, a 18 year old student (!!!) tells her it wont be possible today. We hurried out of an interesting meeting for this... no he shows us his slid show for his tourism class and asks us about last nights white night... Disappointment again...

At night, we hit the local film festival for an old movie bout the 63 earthquake in Skopje. An impressing documentary showing the massive support but also the remaining problems for homeless citizens in wait for a home. Support came from all the world and in those times of cold war, even American and Russian soldiers worked together!