Tetovo is a city of about 60,000 people located in the northwest of Macedonia, not far from the Albania and Kosovo borders. The population is a mix of ethnic Albanians and Macedonians, Muslim and Christian.
The Tetovo WIESCO camp, a day camp begun in 2010, is located in a public K-8 school in the old part of the city. Our Macedonian staff are volunteers who have enlisted the support of the mayor’s office, a university professor and local businesses. We also enjoy the assistance of university English majors who volunteer as interns. The student body, approximately 85 in number, reflects the ethnic mix of the city. In 2012, we plan to recruit in the 10-15 year old age range. The camp runs for three weeks, Monday – Friday, with teachers spending a few extra days in Tetovo before and after camp.
Lodging for teachers is provided in rented apartments at varying distances from the school. Some weekday meals are provided at the school, the remainder at local restaurants. The local vegetables, cheeses and wines are excellent! Summer weather is hot and few facilities are air-conditioned. The Macedonian staff organizes weekend excursions for the teachers; possible destinations include Lake Ohrid, Lake Matka, wineries, Roman ruins, the capital city Skopje, Mavrovo National Park, and the Galicnik village wedding festival.
Contact Martha Munger or Don Mowry if you are interested. Martha is a social worker whose experience includes counseling, supporting refugee families and teaching at the college level. She has taught at WIESCO camps twice in Latvia, once in Lithuania, and in 2010 in Macedonia.
Donald Mowry is a Professor of Social Work and the Director of the Center for Service-Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he has been employed since 1988. He has taught at WIESCO camps in Latvia, Lithuania, and Macedonia. He has teaching and research interests in community organization, refugee resettlement, civil society development, and global citizenship