March 2009

An ordinary sunny day in an extraordinary time of the year. Shinning, sunny rays enter my room and slowly wake me up, only to remind me that March it’s already here. While I get ready for school, it starts snowing and I just smile because I know that is usual for March who has 300 faces according to an ancient Slavic proverb. But last March was not that ordinary. NOVA Family Spring Bazaar. Model European Parliament in Cyprus. A lot of celebrations all over the world. Elections in Macedonia. The beginning of a worldwide panic and crisis called swine flu. Various events worth mentioning and writing for.

But let’s start from the beginning. March is the third month of the year and throughout history different cultures tried to explain and associate this month with different deities, events and important dates. Until approximately 700 BC March was the official beginning of the year and the beginning of a new war season. Wow! The year began at March? Well yeah, taking into consideration that it is a month of rebirth and changing of season, March was listed as the first month in the year. This was so in Russia until the end of the 15th century. Ancient Greeks and Romans attached the notion of war and fighting to this month and the beginning of a new war season. There are also many holidays celebrated in March throughout the world. For example, the Iranian, the Hindu and the Balinese-Javanese New Year begin in March. Furthermore, Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17), Human Right’s day in South Africa, spring equinox, as well as, the beginning of spring season (March 21), even believe it or not, many mathematical holidays, such as World Math’s Day (first Wednesday in March) and Pi Day (March 14). Another day that is widely celebrated in our culture is March 8, which signifies International Women’s Day and it celebrates globally the economic, political and social achievements of women. While this is the original purpose of the holiday, this day has turned into a day when all the women are supposed to get flowers or another present from the men in their lives.

And the March of 2009 was not only filled with all these celebrations for me, but it was a month worth living for, full with adventures, travelling and unforgettable experiences. March 28 was reserved for the annual NOVA Family Bazaar, which this year had an exceptional number of activities organized in order to entertain the guests, but also to raise great deal of funds. This year’s funds were donated to the Bitola Orphanage, for the purchase of diapers, baby food and other baby related products. The Bazaar included a variety of products at affordable prices in aim to raise more money and promote Macedonian products to the public. However, what was so special about this year’s Bazaar was the Fashion Show, NOVA’s PTA and Student Council organized together with couple of fashion brands and assisted by NOVA’s students, who handled great the task of being models and successfully showing off the new collections of these brands. I was part of these students and I can only say it was an immense pleasure for me to be a model, even only for a day. We went through the whole process of getting ready for a fashion show, starting from getting up early in the morning, going to the hairdresser’s and makeup artist, including numerous rehearsals and trying out different combinations of clothes, in order to look the very best for that special event. The feeling of going out in front of the audience, while everyone’s eyes are set upon you, the sun shining directly in your eyes and warming you up, knowing you do it all for a noble cause is just indescribable. The sounds of the crowd going wild, clapping and screaming for you and the flashes from all the cameras twinkling like little stars right in front of you give you the ecstatic feeling of being proud, satisfied and happy at the same time. Afterwards, the student council members were involved in selling handmade jewelry and continue raising funds for those in need.

In the same period, couple of students were invited to attend the annual international Model European Parliament session in Nicosia, Cyprus. I had the opportunity to be part of the Macedonian delegation that represented NOVA International Schools in Cyprus. It was an incredible experience to work with same-minded prosperous young people from all over Europe and share ideas about current political and social topics including global economic crisis, nuclear waste disposal, recent events in Gaza, renewable energy resources and human rights in developing countries. Besides the fact that we practiced our debating skills, exchanged ideas and promoted our country in a truly European setting, we also had the chance to learn about the culture and customs of our respective hosts and make a lot of long lasting friendships and strong bonds with people we only knew for couple of days. We experienced truly what it means to be part of the European political system, resolve problems with a global background and present ideas and resolutions in the general assembly. On the whole, it was an invaluable week filled with precious moments spent in the island of the ancient goddess of beauty-Aphrodite.

The month of March was significant not only on a local, but also on a state level, because the presidential elections were organized for the fifth time in the same time as the local elections. The new president was elected after the second round of elections because not enough voters showed up on the electing places. Our new president is Gjorge Ivanov, who got a mandate in duration of five years.

Another event on a global level that shook the whole world and caused panic and fear was the appearance of the so called “swine flu”, or “influenza A (H1N1)”. Since then, the whole world lives in terror and fear of the deadly virus that appeared for the first time in Mexico and started taking its first victims. New regulations and laws were imposed in order to control the spreading of the virus. The governments cooperated and worked together to make a plan to stop the panic that started ruling people’s lives. The scientists managed to develop a vaccine and an effective cure against the virus that unfortunately mutated since its appearance and has a lot of subspecies now. The important thing is that people decided to work effectively and join in the fight against the virus and help each other, so they would combat this 21st century threat.

And another month of March passed…What a month…Filled with joyful and unforgettable events, as well as, serious and threatening happenings. The important notion is that people have the strength and the will to continue living and working and cooperating so they can live those short, but worthwhile moments of happiness and satisfaction, although on the long run they are interrupted with temporary entries of terror, fear and disappointment. Those short moments make people move on and continue with the everyday activities throughout the months of April, May, June, July…and wait impatiently for the beginning of the new year.