Saint Nick, saints’ days, and svadbi

“Orientals seem to grow stout because they are fond of their food and their food grows fond of them, and it and they elect to live together in a happy symbiosis.”

--From Rebecca West’s chapter on Macedonia in "Black Lamb & Grey Falcon, a Journey through Yugoslavia" (1941)


It is customary in the region to eat heartily. As a guest in other peoples homes, as I so often am, it is expected that I should eat what is put before me, even if I’m not hungry or have clearly eaten enough already. This Macedonian hospitality my Peace Corps friends and I sometimes jokingly referred to as “hostitality.”

Thus eating in Macedonia is not merely for gustation, but a sign of hospitality and for socializing. There is the food itself, and there are the rituals of consuming what, when. We have our customs in the US—kinds of food at the holidays and their order of eating. Yet the effort exerted in food preparation here (and most always by women) creates an expectation that the food will be eaten by friends and family. Whereas in my family we generally only cook for ourselves and would thank the cook for their effort, here it is practically an insult to do so, for cooking and eating well are a way of life, and nothing to be put on a pedestal and praised. Here one must eat. “Jadi, jadi!” (‘eat, eat!’), gracious hosts will shout.

The winter though brings more occasions and food than any other time of year, as the days are short, the weather formidable, and there seems to be an increase in the celebration of “saint’s days.” These are the multiple days per month which celebrate a certain Orthodox (and often Catholic or Christian) saint. This Monday was St. Kliment Ohridski day, the Monday before was St. Georgi (George) day, and so on. These saints’ names, however, are also those of many individuals here, and even the patron saints of certain families. Today is St. Nikola day, for example, in honor of St. Nicholas. The many Macedonians with his name or a variation of it (eg, Nikolina, for women) will consider this their “imen den”—‘name day.’ St. Nicholas is a particularly famous saint, however, and thus it is a bigger saint day, with many of my students telling me of plans for it; and I’ve been told that at least one city in the country (Štip) even considers him the town saint, marking the holiday with official celebrations. Regardless, saints' days may very well be celebrated by many people such as those who have his or her name, for Christian reasons, and/or if their family honors this saint as their patron saint.

When families celebrate a saint’s day for their patron saint they call it a “slava.” The most recent slava I attended was last week for St. George’s day. Upon arriving at the family’s house whose slava I attended, we paid our tribute—or “ater,” a Turkish word for honoring— to their patron saint by congratulating and wishing them well. In return, they welcomed us into their dining room. While St. George was the famous dragon slayer, slaying or butchering was cast aside for the day and the food served consisted of salads, vegetarian dishes (beans and potatoes), and fish. There was no refrain from indulgence, however, and beverages offered still included plenty of whisky, brandy, and wine. Conversation while grazing over the smorgasbord ensued until dessert was served and it was time to go, though there was no pressure to do this, even after being there for several hours.

But many other occasions will arise in the following month as Orthodox Christmas (January 7th) arrives and the several saint day and new year celebrations ensue. There are a remarkable number of such days, with unique customs and traditions accompanying them. They include the Old New Year (January 12th), St. John's day, and "Vodokrst." In rural Macedonia, bonfires are made and generally men celebrate around them with drinking, story-telling, games, and dancing. Yet throughout the Orthodox world, a remarkable tradition is that on Vodokrst-'water cross' day. Symbolically tied with the celebration of the New Year, a local priest throws a cross into a body of water and several men compete to retrieve it. Whoever does will have luck the year through. But while winter is tame in Macedonia and the water in rivers and lakes may be up in the 40s or 50s, the images broadcast on TV of such events in Russia and many other snow-covered countries, where men plunge into ice covered lakes, will send chills down ones spine!

Getting back to food, there are particular dishes for these holidays. In central Macedonia, where I lived some years ago, families will eat “pastrmajlija”—a delicious flat-bread dish baked with eggs and salted pork on top. On “Badnik,” or Christmas eve, the dinner is light in honor of Christ, and no meat or oil is consumed. Generally, the meal consists of beans, bread, and fish. However, on Christmas day itself, “Božik,” friends and families indulge again in an array of dishes.

On a final note, and in reflection of some of the other events I’ve attended recently, weddings (svadbi) have their own rituals when it comes to eating. While the food is more typical and not a huge part of the occasion—dancing and rejoicing are—they still serve plenty of it. Whereas the tradition of eating in Macedonia is usually characterized by friends and family grazing over a table of salads, finger-foods, meats, and cheeses, at weddings the food is there but the live music and dancing from the beginning of the event tend to cast food to the side and make conversation rather difficult. Indeed, weddings are a true celebration with dancing beginning shortly after guests arrive and lastly for several hours without much of a break. Further, the main course isn’t served for some time: At the most recent wedding I attended, which didn’t begin until 9pm, dinner wasn’t served until after midnight, and intermittent dancing was still going on until the cake was cut at 1am! Therefore, while there was plenty of food for the eating, it wasn’t the primary focus of the evening’s event.

Having recently married but not yet having had a svadba, I can even testify to my new family’s concern in ensuring enough food be present at the dinner following the civil ceremony. While only a dozen people attended our dinner, my mother-in-law had the restaurant prepare eight pounds of lamb that she had bought, in addition to the large salad platters, appetizers, and dishes of pork, beef, chicken, potatoes, and bread that we had requested ahead of time. Altogether, there was undoubtedly enough food to feed twice as many people as were present.

This is the relationship though between people here and their food—it’s a “symbiosis” and perhaps love affair that may border on excessive indulgence. But while they may know it is not always healthy, it is a large aspect of their customs and culture, and thus one which they would only most regrettably part with.

Fesbuk, Skajp, & Jugo-nostalgia

I haven’t written in nearly a month, but much culminates in my mind these days as I finish PhD applications and the winter solstice and holidays near. Indeed, the time passes and the chaos of city life infiltrates my concentration. My teaching, life, and socializing are pleasant, but my time to write my thoughts seem fewer!

Thus I think to share some noticeable differences between Macedonian and American culture that have come to mind lately. Oddly enough (though perhaps testimony to where I spend some of my time), I’ll begin with Facebook. It’s the social networking application that most Americans and Macedonians I know use, with whom I’m “friends” on both, so is a good place for observation. I’d say the main uses of Facebook, besides collecting friends and communicating with them in personal messages, is to share updates (eg, Justin is…), photos, articles; to join causes and clubs of sorts; and to chat and write on people’s “walls.” How we know about what everyone’s doing, however, is not just through what I write them or they write me, but through the main page when one logs in. We see who’s posted, written, or joined what, who’s single or married now, what pics of friends of friends can be seen. That’s interesting enough—that we see into other people’s worlds so easily via the internet.

Yet a difference I’ve noticed in Facebook usage among the Macedonians and other friends in the region I know is that they’re not active on it in the same way as Americans. Whereas most Americans I know are more inclined to update their status with sarcastic remarks or personal comments, write on other people’s walls, change their relationship status, or share news articles, I see my Macedonian friends do so less often. Instead, they setup their accounts with less information and use them to chat and join causes. But with high speed internet readily available these days, it’s not for lack of connectivity. Instead, it seems that Facebook has a unique cultural utility, representing a different culture's characteristic behavior. That is, Macedonians are very inclined to communicate, and use the application mostly for that. Americans are also inclined to communicate, but more so to seek attention (and dare I suggest boast?) by sharing personal comments, pictures, and thoughts for all friends to see. To vouch, I know my Macedonians friends are often online because I’ve been at their places and seen them huddling over the computer, using Facebook to communicate with friends. Not to mention those who have access to it all day at work!

But another very interesting aspect of Facebook usage here is the more political and nationalist causes people support or “become fans” of. I’ve seen friends support the “I feel Yugoslavian,” “Unite SFRY,” “Mother Teresa was Albanian,” and somewhat conversely, “Mother Teresa of Calcutta.” I’ve seen “I love Macedonia,” “I love Kosova,” “Macedonian Sun,” “Macedonia United,” “Stop Greek and Bulgarian propaganda against Macedonia and Macedonian People” and in another realm, support or opposition to politicians and/or accused war criminals. And as a good segway, I’ve even seen fans of “Skype.”

Usage of Skype here is worth noting as well, as the free (when computer to computer) internet calling service is also used in a unique fashion. Because people are charged per minute on landlines and mobile phones yet they have unlimited internet, they use Skype to talk to local friends—to plan the evening or just catch up. In contrast, in the US we have unlimited talk on landlines and nearly so on cell phones, so I’ve only used Skype to communicate with friends abroad, just as I use it now to communicate with family back home. But I’ve got some Macedonians friends on Skype as well, and they occasionally pop-up with a chat message or ring to say hello, even if they’re just a five minute taxi ride away.

Thus it is that human adaptability and consumption go beyond getting used to conditions and technology and using them not just for their initial purpose, but instead in new ways that seem most effective. Do what you can, where you are, with what you’ve got…

Negotino Revisited, Six Years On

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"...I was 23 and just out of college. I had little inclination to join the American workforce, and being a barrista in Bloomington, IN wasn't satisfying enough. I yearned for adventure, I had wanderlust. I joined Peace Corps. That was 2002. As a parting gift, my old friend from college, Lisa, gave me an appropriate shirt from the "Life is good" people. It said "Not all who wander are lost," quoting Tolkien. I wore the long sleeved T on several occasions during Peace Corps training, and it became the slogan on our groups' self-produced t-shirt.

Indeed, it came to be that year that I joined 19 other Peace Corps trainees in Washington, DC, for a three day orientation, and then departed the US on Thursday, November 14, 2002. We flew Austrian Air to Vienna I recall, using a portal at the airport there to send free emails and grabbing a coffee on that early Friday morning arrival. But we flew on to Skopje, and it was a fanciful feeling to know that soon I'd be in a very foreign country, and one to which I'd have to immerse myself so immensely.

I recall the flight over more arid and mountainous land, and in my journal that day I wrote of the windy bus trip from the airport in Skopje through the Vardar River canyon and valley to the south-central town of Negotino. It was dark by the time we arrived, but we were all excited and engaged in conversation with the Peace Corps staff, and the energy didn't stop once there.

Upon stowing our bags in our hotel rooms we were greeted and entertained by Macedonian folk dancers who offered us the traditional bread and salt. Like the famous Yugoslav rock group, "leb i sol." Yet their energy and our excitement got most of us onto our feet to dance the "oro" for the first time. We had a buffet of meats, cheeses, veggies, and olives, and a few of us ordered our first bottle of local Tikves wine. It was a time of many firsts.

In the ensuing days I recall intense moments of wondering whether I could do this. I struggled to say the word for thank you in Macedonian, as it sounded so foreign. "Blagodaram." I couldn't get the intonation right, and I wasn't alone. I suppose that made me feel better, that I wasn't in a Spanish speaking country where other trainees may very well have spoken Spanish fluently upon joining Peace Corps. No, we were all a bunch of Americans with hardly a clue about what the hell the Macedonian language was. Those days were busy but momentous, as we formed a unique bond that not every Peace Corps group does.

This was in part due to the fact that we were the first group back in the country after the conflict in 2001. Thus we weren't following anyone's footsteps, and only Macedonians and a few American Peace Corps staff were there to greet us. It was somewhat ominous though, with that recent conflict still festering, the short, late autumn days keeping us confined indoors, and the overall foreigness of the land and language. Much has changed in the country today, but some of my earliest grievances then still figure into my thoughts these days. As I wrote on November 17, 2002 and still lament today:

"There's often smoke in the air; someone lights a cigarette and you're suddenly inhaling it. They don't have good ventilation systems here--one little difference. Another: toilet paper doesn't go down the toilet, but in the can beside it to be removed by someone. Someone with a dirty job. I hope they wash their hands."

But I quickly got used to it, and minus a few bouts of stomach illness, came to accept it as part of the culture. Not to mention, there wasn't much I could do about it and I was more concerned with learning the language and getting to know my host-family. I think all of us opened our minds and braced ourselves for the onslaught of cross cultural experiences to come; the three month pre-service training (PST) and homestay living experience clearly the most challenging of all.

What's amazing is how quickly we all did immerse ourselves. I'm sure there were variations, but within six days of arriving I was writing sentences in Cyrillic and having elementary conversations with my host family. I recall Matt and I visiting our friend Hank that first week at his family's house, where his host-father gave us the historical lecture of the country (the one we'd hear over and over again throughout our service, and personally to this day): that the Turks had occupied the country for 500 years and all that had followed since. Well, maybe not all, but a brief synopsis that we miraculously understood most of despite being told in a very new foreign language.

Those were the days, from Negotino to Pepelishte for five of us living there; and to Gradsko, Rosoman, and Demir Kapija for the other trainees. Negotino was our hub, but our small towns and villages our homes. That we were always happy is unlikely, but we submerged ourselves in the ocean of Macedonian culture, and I think few of us regret it or deny having an affinity for this country.

Personally, six years on my philosophy on life has changed, yet my love of Macedonia remains. I see it prospering and preparing for a new era yet still embracing its traditions and character. A couple of recent visits to the old training haunt (as my actual volunteer site was another town) allowed me to fondly recall those days. In contrast to Skopje and other cities, the peacefulness of the town of Negotino is one thing, but not even as sublime as the provincialness of the anachronous villages such as Pepelishte; except for electricity and running water, they largely exist today as they did centuries before. Only the sounds of roosters are heard, the roads are dirt, and dogs, donkeys, and pigs make up half of the living population of the village.

Anyhow, from one of my recent visits I've created a Flickr slideshow. Those of you who were there will view things a little more personally perhaps. For those of you who weren't but never saw where I was, here you go!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31046246@N07/sets/72157609046479855/show/

Golem pozdrav & srekna godishnina,
Dzastin

RIP, 2008 elections

The post I'd wanted to publish today wasn't on Obama, but you'll understand why it is and how it relates to the image in a moment. Indeed, I'm having some HTML issues in copying and pasting from Word the blog I'd written, so I suppose it's fate that I should write on this topic. I must be short given that it's Halloween eve and party preparation is in order, but the elections and the duration of the campaign that now nearly comes to its end warrant one last farewell. Perhaps that's appropriate too--an RIP for the 2008 elections.

I think a first note is in regards to the fact that these elections didn't begin in 2008, but some two years ago. While the political machine is well lubed and the money's been a flowin' for it, it's a rather sad system when seen from afar. No European democracy allows its senators (or MPs) to be so absent from their positions while they campaign and no system allows such atrocious amounts of private money to finance campaigns and thus buy votes and influence. But that it Washington, that is America--we have extreme corruption masked as business lobbying and campaign finance, and the media just follow along. As Studs Terkel (RIP) once responded when asked whether there were still gangsters in Chicago: "Yes, but these days they're mostly in business, or politics." Thus, we need serious campaign regulations put in place so that future campaigns are transparent, truly democratic, and last only a few months--not dozens. But that's another story.

Speaking of Chicago, what I want to write about is the one problem with Obama--from a SE European and primarily, Macedonian perspective. Indeed, there is one thing that's really bothered me about Obama since I've been back in the Mak, mostly because my support of Obama is met with swift opposition in frequent conversations: It's his blind support of the Greek and Serbian diaspora lobbies in America (via Chicago no doubt).

Briefly, and as I mentioned in an earlier blog, Greece has blocked Macedonia's entrance into NATO and threaten to do so with EU entry unless the country changes its name. As 125 countries recognize Macedonia by its constitutional name--and as most sensible people would agree, any country should be allowed to call itself what it wants--this is the largest domestic, neighborly spat the country is currently embroiled in. What's worse, Greece has gotten even nastier recently by getting other random countries like DR Congo, Mexico, and Panama to call Macedonia "FYROM," as Greece does. It's pathetic and petulant, but it is alive and real. (May we grant it its RIP soon.)

The international mediator's current proposition to this problem is to call this country the Republic of Northern Macedonia. But [sigh] Macedonians will continue rejecting any proposition until the international community changes its willingness to negotiate on Greece's behalf at all. Like a bad student in class, Greece certainly doesn't deserve the attention.

Anyhow, back to square one--unfortunately, under the pressure of the Chicago Greek-American lobby, Obama's led the proposition in Congress which accuses Macedonia of irrendentism, in short. It's an example of poorly educated politicking, and my good friend, Eric, explains further in his blog so read on if you're interested.

http://polysemic.org/?p=166

And to play devil's advocate (I'm enjoying this Halloween theme) a scholar at Kingston University (UK) has some good points about Republican foreign policy in the Balkans, and it being the better choice for the region.

http://greatersurbiton.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/john-mccain-would-be-best-for-south-east-europe/

That said and to conclude--I am an American first and foremost, am disgusted by the havoc the Bush administration has wreaked on the world, and thus look forward to an Obama victory next week. Dare I be optimistic, I even believe that a new era of more hawkish Democrats and diplomatic realpolitik foreign policy in the Balkan region is possible. (As yes, being more hawkish now might actually prevent greater conflict in the future. Keep your eyes on Bosnia--it's post-war reconfiguration was impractical, has not been effective, and is stoking another conflict.)

Lastly, RIP neo-con Republican Party!

Go tell it on the mountain

Topography is a unique characteristic of every country. There are lowlands and highlands, rivers, valleys, hills, and mountains. And often these geographical entities—for they do seem lifelike in the character they bring to a place—serve as the borders between neighboring lands. What makes up the southern borders of the SE Midwest? The Ohio River. What makes up the borders of SE Europe? Well, a few rivers but mostly mountains (and plenty of politics!).

Politics aside, what’s even more interesting are the effects the land has on people. It has always fascinated me in the Balkans how much one community can differ from another based on where and how they live, what customs they cultivate, and what they consume. Sea-side communities tend to have a maritime history and an ongoing influence from the adventures of the sea. They live and work on and near it, reaping and consuming its fruits. In lowlands people are agricultural, growing the grains that feed so many. They work the land, but perhaps through their steady life and conservative customs, are also the heart of a nation. As elevation increases and depending on the climate, so does the availability of what can be grown or raised. In Macedonia, with its lowest point barely above sea level in a Mediterranean climate and its highest point over 9,000 feet in a continental climate, there’s little that can’t be cultivated here. From citrus and olives on the border with Greece, to the Pelagonian plains of grain, to endless vineyards to the north, people grow what they can where they can. Most vegetables are grown throughout the lowlands of the country, and as one travels up they see rice paddies, varying fruit trees, and shepherds tending their flocks and herds—goats, sheep, cows.

Living in the lowlands of Skopje and usually traveling to other low-lying towns and cities (for that’s where most towns have been settled since antiquity and thus people in fact live), it was a rare treat to head up into the highest mountains of the land last weekend. The Shar Mountains, which stretch from the northwest to the southwest of the country, make up the border with Kosovo and Albania. They are the tallest peaks in the country, reaching up into the clouds and as I witnessed, pulling the clouds over their ridges.

I had the company of two friends, Marc and Eric. Marc is a Peace Corps volunteer here and Eric a Fulbright Scholar. We had planned this trip since early-September, at which time I thought we were planning too far ahead and it would not come to pass. Well, a rainy and cold September has led to a beautiful October thus far, and we had stellar weather at the onset for our journey.

We made the drive to the city of Tetovo—an hour from Skopje—last Saturday morning, and drove on up to the resort village of Popova Shapka from there. At nearly 5,000 feet, it’s largely a tourist spot for skiing in the winter and cooler weather in the summer. Despite the golden leaves of autumn and mild weather though, it was dead as could be this time of year.

Not knowing exactly where we were going, but with the goal of summiting the highest peak within 20 miles—Tito’s Peak, we stopped into a small café for an espresso and directions. Well, we got vague directions from the teenage server working that morning, so after checking out the Turkish toilet (always an adventure in itself!) we parked a few hundred feet further down the road and headed off for our walk.

We began at some small ski lift called “Aerodrom”—'airport'—and just started winding up over the bare slopes from there. An important addition to our team came at that point, however, as two local mountain huskies joined us. Only puppies, these “Shar Mountaineer” (Shar Planinec) dogs, as they’re called, started bouncing along as we paced ourselves for the uphill climb.

According to the local mountaineering society who I’d been in touch with, there were supposed to be markers on the trail. While we saw a few red marks here and there, however, the trail came and went and never a cairn did I see. We thus carried on, climbing one hill only to see another, but enjoying ourselves as the sun shone, the puppies paced, and we made good conversation. Not being accustomed to the mountains and wanting to enjoy rather than work too hard, we took our fair share of breaks. While the walking is good exercise, it was during those moments of playing with the dogs and relaxing on the soft ground that I felt such peace. And oh, how nice it was to get away from the chaos of Skopje!

After a couple hours hiking and having arrived at some early season snow patches, we saw what was going to be our primary goal for the day—a rocky ridge touching the clouds overhead. As we’d lost the trail completely by that point (a factor which earlier had led us to an amazing rock massif but in a mountain cul-de-sac of sorts, which we then had to climb out of), we trod over bushes that were only inches high and spread out across the mountainside as we headed upward. The view to the east at that point was splendid, but nothing prepared me for the cauldron like valley on the other side, with high peaks surrounding it nearby and and jagged ones off in the distance. When we arrived we stood on flat ground for the first time in an hour, the sun remained, and the puppies sat with us as we prepared to ascend the ridge to a higher point. Where Tito's Peak was at this point, however, was unclear. I saw a peak of sorts to the southwest, but it didn’t seem high enough. As 3pm was nearing and the clouds looking more ominous, we made the decision to halt our expedition within the half hour and to eat lunch.

We enjoyed the sun as we hiked a ways more up, but upon reaching some old antennae and deciding it was a good place to rest, we had a new angle and saw only briefly the peak of Tito—Titov Vrv. It was further over and up than I’d thought, yet the clouds that soon consumed us put a clear halt to any ambitions of making the ascent. We needed some lunch badly, so I got out the giant tub of pasta I’d made and dished it out. Fortunately for the dogs, a fourth friend didn’t join so I had extra noodles for them. They ate voraciously, as did we all. The serene sunshine having given way to whistling winds, however, forced me down into a crevice where the wind wasn’t so strong in order to eat without gloves on (which I’d in fact forgotten). But the cold air was rather unpleasant, so after a good sojourn and laugh over pasta and chocolate, we turned back to descend.

Despite no trail wearing on my feet, I enjoyed the descent—even using my backpack as a sled down the grassy mountainside—and we discovered the trail and a better way back for the next trip. We warmed up with tea where we'd earlier had espresso and watched the sun set. But given that we didn’t make the peak as planned, I intend to return once again sooner rather than later!

To see pictures from our hike, please see my Flickr slideshow at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31046246@N07/sets/72157608107648246/

The Macedonian Question

An Anthropologist, Manning Nash, once said that “a language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” His point was that the languages of the world number far greater than the number of countries, and that further, the language of a country can be a very contentious matter. Macedonia is no exception.

From before the onset of Socialist Yugoslavia to the present, the literary Macedonian language has been a demarcating line. Writings of southwestern Macedonians in the 19^th & early 20^th centuries clearly show a different dialect of a south Slavic tongue similar to Bulgarian, but when Tito split Yugoslavia off from Stalin’s cominform—and grand Soviet Communist plan—post-WWII, he bolstered the development of the Macedonian “language” in order to forge a stronger Macedonian identity. The goal was to give this melting pot region of the southern Balkans a more distinct character in order to separate it from Soviet linked Bulgaria.

Politically, closed borders between Yugoslavia and Bulgaria meant things would go their own way. But culturally and linguistically, Macedonia shared a good deal with Bulgaria. A century ago the main cultural cities where Macedonians—including the famed revolutionaries who overthrew the Turks and the Ottoman Empire—went for education and international flavor were not so much the current capital, Skopje (which was then capital of the Ottoman province of Kosovo), but the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, as well as the provincial Ottoman capital in southwestern Macedonia, Bitola, and the greater Macedonian port city of Thessaloniki/Solun (now in Greece). The majestic Lake Ohrid (which borders Albania), with its hundreds of Orthodox churches and monasteries, was the patriarchate of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, founded in the year 927. The Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC), however, didn't gain its autonomy from the Serbian church until 1959 and then declared autocephaly in 1967.

Therefore, a Bulgarian identity clearly preceded a Macedonian one, as Macedonia was more of a geographical reference point (though no doubt with its own culture and character). Early south Slav immigrants from the region to the US, for example, corroborate this: they claimed to be Bulgarian but from Macedonia. It’s akin to my being American, but from Indiana. The former is my political identity, but the latter is my geographical and cultural one.

How we perceive our identity is thus a changing, fluid notion, and the repercussions of this are unequivocally present in the “Macedonian Question” and today’s political climate. The Macedonian Question refers to the overlapping use of the name Macedonia to describe geographical and historical areas, languages, and peoples. For most of its millenia long history and until the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, the territory of Macedonia was twice as large as today—covering what is now southwestern Bulgaria and northern Greece. More contemporarily, from the time of the Ottoman Empire, the region was increasingly populated by large numbers of Sephardic Jews, Vlachs, Turks, Greeks, Albanians, and Roma, in addition to Macedonians and other South Slavic groups such as Bulgarians and Serbs.

Consequently, with so many people and vying powers yet so little territory, Macedonia has had ongoing quarrels with its more powerful neighbors, all focusing on issues surrounding the development of an ethno-national Macedonian identity. With Serbia to the north, there is the conflict of Macedonia’s separation from the Serbian Orthodox Church and creation of the MOC.[1] Having strong kinship, trade, and former political ties to Macedonia, Serbs have seen the region as theirs, even calling it southern Serbia when they occupied it in the interwar period. Their presence was not appreciated, however, as one scholar on the region writes.

Macedonia at times appeared to exist in a state of virtual war between the population and the forces of government, which many civilians perceived as foreign. Against this backdrop violent clashes continued between armed bands and police, and assassins targeted Serbian officials, reinforcing the view that the Macedonian Question here remained unresolved and posed a vital threat to domestic order.[2]

Along with Greece, who got its spoils by receiving southern (Aegean) Macedonia, Serbia sought to divide the region then. Nearly a century later, Serbia may oppose the MOC but it is only Greece who truly counters Macedonia’s right to exist as a nation-state. Despite the US, most of the EU, and dozens of other countries’ recognition of Macedonia by its constitutional name—the Republic of Macedonia—Greece immaturely refuses to call it as such, calling it either FYROM (an acronym for “former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”) or just Skopje.

Greece's irredentist claims to the Macedonian territory come from ancient Macedonia’s Hellenic ties. However, a more suitable explanation is that they seek to cover up the events of the past century. Indeed, fierce assimilation and draconian measures under the Greek dictatorship and until recently made Macedonians and other minorities into “Greeks.” Harassment, arrest, and imprisonment of those speaking the south Slavic tongue have been all too common in Aegean Macedonia. Thus, while perhaps the ancient home of democracy, modern Greece lacks any erudite traditions of yore by behaving as they have and blocking Macedonia’s entry into NATO—an issue all the more important not just for peace in the region but for international peace, as Russia clears the way for its re-igniting of the Cold War.

The last neighborly spat is with Bulgaria, who consider Macedonians to still be Bulgarian. What Bulgaria has cleverly done, and which many Macedonians have taken advantage of, is allow those who willingly claim Bulgarian identity to acquire Bulgarian citizenship and the valuable accompanying passport. This began five years or so ago, but now that Bulgaria is a member of the EU, that new political affiliation is all the more valuable for visa restricted Macedonians (who can only visit three of their five neighbors without a visa—Albania, Kosovo, and Serbia). This surge in Bulgarian affiliation is most evident on the streets and roads of Skopje and the country—Bulgarian license plates abound like never before. Whether it will affect the identity of those who took the carrot remains to be seen, but 21^st century Macedonia is at present a clearly demarcated, autonomous, and democratic nation.

---

[1] This even came up when I mentioned my Macedonian affiliations at the Serbian Church in Indianapolis on Easter this year.

[2] Brown, The Past in Question: Modern Macedonia and the Uncertainties of Nation, 42.

Back to the numbers

Not that it’s my main focus, but it’s what people talk about here—and increasingly in the USA—and I strayed from it last week: economics.

It’s all about the “duckets”, “moolah”, “dolari”, euros, denari…You walk down the street here and listen to people’s conversations—usually being vocally held under shop awnings, on street corners, over coffee—and it’s about money. It’s hard to say whether it’s a legacy of socialism or just a southern European cultural trait. I’d vouch for the latter, because I’ve heard conversations in other Mediterranean countries as well, more so than in the US or W. Europe. But I’d say that the replacement of the socialist “pretend to work and we’ll pretend to pay you” by the free for all of the free market has made money-making for some, and observation of it for most, into the conversation of habit.

The combination of patronage with corruption and the association of criminality with those earning money makes for some interesting assessments of the free market indeed. That is, I think money is the topic of conversation because people either find you criminal or regal for having it. There are those I know from certain good old families who get given “something extra” (extra money!) at the money exchange bureau (which are very common here, since many people get paid in or keep euros, even though it’s not the currency used here) or just get things done by giving small gifts to the right people. And then there are those who seem to have profited through some ingenuity and perhaps even entrepreneurialism who get labelled as swindlers. No doubt some of them are, and that French President Sarkozy may have it right that capitalism needs to be regulated, but it makes you see how different we perceive making money/earning an income in the US.

We keep our salaries and stock options secret, allowing some to earn more than they should because no one can point their finger and say—“wow, that’s exorbitant!” (Well, we can for some but it’s taboo and no one really listens. Though maybe with the plummeting economy someone will?) But perhaps it’s just that people from a former socialist country like Macedonia are nostalgic for the “work ethic” of yore, and loathe the fact that in business you don’t get what you deserve, but what you negotiate.

But costs are relative too. Certain products/commodities are priced because of economic laws of supply and demand. Others, however, are luxury goods; or at least are marketed as such and thus carry an unworthy price tag. We have more of the latter in the US because businesses spend more on marketing and there’s been more money to go around no doubt. But what I’ve done over the last few weeks is keep tabs on some costs, and have seen that while most things are cheaper here, others are quite the opposite. While it doesn’t reflect how much these costs add up for Macedonians (because they don’t earn what an American does on average, far from it!) I’ve converted the prices to dollars. But when you see my hourly teacher wage at bottom—which is twice what many Macedonians earn, if they’re lucky enough to have a job—you’ll get a better idea how life is here for the many less fortunate.

Dozen farm-fresh eggs $2

Gallon of milk $4

Feta & white cheese $3-4/lb

Ground beef $2.50/lb

Good deli meats $3/lb

Loaf of good bread $.75-1.00

Bananas $.75/lb

Litre of local fruit juice $1.25-1.50

Dinner at local restaurant $5-7 per person

Good pizza at pizzeria $6-8

Flaky meat & cheese pastries $1

Cappuccino $1.25-2

Cake/dessert $1-2

Ten minute taxi ride $2-3

New bike tire tube $3

Gas $7/gallon

Samsonite umbrella in mall $60

Cheap umbrella on street $2

Bodum French Press $65

“Dzezva”—local coffee

maker $4-5

Haircut $3-4

Rent for 1 BR apt in Skopje $200/month

Room in villa on Lake Ohrid $30/night

Private boat ride on lake $3.50

My pay for teaching $7.50/hour!

Moles & Medicine

Differences in culture around the world also extend to medicine—health, perceptions of it, and medical treatments. To begin on an unusual note (but one remeniscient of Austin Power’s gawking over Fred Savage’s giant “mo-le” in Goldmember), something that's always bewildered me are the moles on Macedonians. They seem to all have them, and some are really quite large, even on kids (I walked by a teenage girl with one the size of a quarter on her upper back just recently). Older folks though definitely have them and some can be quite substantial, generally visible on people’s faces and arms.

My theory is it's all about people’s internal energies, their equilibrium. Here people have incredible social customs/constraints; they talk, eat, and drink a lot of coffee and alcohol, and don't get much aerobic exercise. It’s just a personal theory, but I think in particular the social stress and lack of aerobic exercise this makes for a social stress that contributes to a mole’s growth. It seems to be where the body channels some of its excess energy.

I’ve never had a conversation about moles with a Macedonian—because frankly, I don’t know where it would begin—but aspects of their homeopathic and medical traditions they’re happy to impart. On the surface they’re just different customs that we Americans are told about (and which as Peace Corps volunteers were imposed upon us!) by the loving friends and families we came to know here. They primarily include not walking around without slippers on (except for in the summer) inside; always having something on your feet when you’re outside; not going outside with wet hair (generally more of an issue for women); not having more than one window open in a vehicle, house, etc, for fear of causing “promaja”—a draft.

One is quickly scolded if he/she violates these customs of Macedonian society, as even on hot summer days you only might get away with having a couple windows open. But generally speaking, it’s taboo. Why is this? The concerns are of course that one will get ill from the cold and/or the moving air. To some extent this is legitimized by the more arid climate and the dry air. My theory is that cool dry air is more disturbing to the body than more humid air, such as many of us are used to in the US. It does seem to give one more of an ache in the neck if you’re exposed to it for long periods of time. But this doesn’t explain the instantaneous dislike of the draft by many Macedonians. No, it’s a fear that is somewhat a result of the climate but more so something cultural, and thus largely incomprehensible to many Americans. It is the air that is therefore the primary culprit. Having wet hair or breaking a sweat will allow the air to get right to you, and illness may very well follow.

One part of me always tries to understand and differentiate myself and my culture from this. But another part of me believes it’s half true. This week I’ve been sick, and I admittedly attribute it to walking barefoot and later biking outside in the rain Sunday and Monday. To me it was a pleasant rain, a cool relief from the heat. But it was also rather cold.

The remedies for illness are generally tea, use of brandy, and paracetamol—a common pain reliever in Europe. Indeed, for fever—which I’ve experienced several times in my life in this country including this week—the remedies include soaking socks in brandy and putting them on, and receiving a quick body massage with warm brandy, followed by being covered from head to toe and put under layers of blankets in order to force a sweat to break. Does it work? For me somewhat, but so does the body’s immune system. And further, I firmly believe it’s the same psychological process that allows placebos to work—individuals receive positive attention that reassures them, and therefore they heal.

Indeed, from a cross-cultural perspective what I always try to understand about treating illness is how people perceive potential illnesses, their vulnerability to them, and their consequent treatment. I’ve discussed the first and last of these, but it’s really the perception of vulnerability that can play such a role in actually getting sick. It can be legitimate, fore no doubt our immune systems do weaken and elements, viruses, and bacteria can do us harm. But the concern with illness here differs because it will generally be a result of the elements, not so much of microbiological organisms. In the US, we are always more concerned with the latter (except for in cases of hypothermia or extreme heat), fearing the common cold—a “bug” that is one of a hundred rhinoviruses that only prevails when our bodies get stressed or exhausted. Instead of looking at this as an illness should we not look at it as a measure of our body’s needs?

Regardless, here and at home it is my opinion that the key elements of illness and treatment are the same. We have preconceived notions of what might ail us, it does, and we treat it according to our customs and rituals, if you will. In the US it's generally what a doctor prescribes or a pharmacy provides. Here doctors don't prescribe, and pharmacies abound but they serve that societal yet healing purpose of assuring someone of their malady and suggesting they take some soluble paracetamol tablet, drink tea, and get rest. The rest is in our heads!

Work

Since one reason I’ve come here (and need to do to make some money to live off of) is to get a job, I feel it’s worth sharing some of the differences in getting a job here in Macedonia that I’ve come across so far. Given my past experience in the country, education, and knowledge of the language, I’ve had a pretty good week of getting my resume out and even interviewing for a job, Macedonian style. I shot my resume off to some places, met with a few school secretaries, and used the Peace Corps network to discuss other opportunities.

Yesterday, though, I went to a new office-like building that I knew to house the relatively new American College Skopje (ACS). Well, I got there a little late in the day for Macedonians—3pm or so—and so found only a few people lingering to speak with. Having sent it over email a few weeks ago, I left my resume and information and parted with a smile and thanks. On my way out though, I started speaking to another guy who said I should talk to a certain gal. Now, being in the building, I thought I was about to speak with someone from ACS, and gladly went to talk with her. Lo and behold, after telling her who I was, being served coffee, and engaging in a conversation that immediately jumped into politics and history, I discovered that this woman was from another school, rather amusingly called MIT!

Now the school has no affiliation with the MIT stateside, though it does offer IT courses (in addition to culinary and environmental science type stuff). The gal, Biljana, was very kind and sharp, but an hour into the chat and after she’d smoked several cigarettes, I was wondering where this was all going and how I fit in. We discussed my visa situation and pay, and in the end she said if I got her a plan for how I could teach for them than I was in. I should’ve been enthusiastic, right? But knowing what was confirmed right after by meeting up with an old Peace Corps volunteer who’s been in the country 12 years, I sighed and laughed at the insanity that is modern Macedonia. That is, the situation here is a cocktail of a South European/Balkan patronage system mixed with post-Socialist apathy mixed with free-market greed. What I wrote about last week is what’s making for a huge discrepancy between rich and poor here. And by poor, I mean people who don’t have enough money to eat and cover their most basic needs.

As evidenced by the educational system (which I’m getting to), Skopje and all the country are in a real mess. If one is lucky enough to get work they might not even get paid for it. But this comes about through pure proprietary greed. Owners of stores, restaurants, and in my case, new “colleges” and schools, are just withholding salaries from employees and pocketing them. In the case of the Berlitz language school franchise that opened, I was told that the owners were making their teachers put down a thousand euro “deposit” to ensure that they wouldn’t steal the Berlitz technique and run off and start their own language school. So not only did some of those teachers not get a salary after working a couple of months, they were swindled out of a grand too.

Apparently ACS and MIT are actually both decent programs for the time being, but these schools (many, for what it’s worth, claiming to be the “first private university in Macedonia”) are sprouting like weeds. They’re all across the city and generally charge €2,000-3,000 ($3,000-4,500) tuition. They’re comprised of some well educated faculty by Yugoslav standards, but the problem is that everyone’s gotten greedy and education’s become a business. (No doubt we’re seeing this somewhat in the US, but because of our laws and, most of all, incredibly bureaucratic universities, it’s like comparing apples to oranges.)

So, what will happen with me? I’ll have to play the game and get used to nothing like direct deposit, but I fortunately had dinner with a very sharp Peace Corps friend last night who’s stuck around Macedonia (there’re a few of us) and worked for ACS among other schools. He gave me some salary demands to make for these so called universities and colleges (€15-20/hour), and at least €10/hour for the numerous private language schools around. Fortunately, I arrived at the right time, as most schools don’t begin for a couple of weeks (and many in early October), so I should be finding out in the next week or two what will work out. Fingers crossed, an old partnership between IU and a EU backed university that’s opening a branch in Skopje could yield a position, and one with a secure pay check. I’ll need that in no time, as with rising costs and a weak dollar, I’m counting my dollars more closely than I used to. Speaking of that, stay tuned for a list of prices and how they differ. A gallon of gas, for example? About $7…

The wheels on the bus go round and round…

How many times I’ve come and gone to Macedonia is equivalent to the number of years it’s been since I first came here in 2002. How much has changed is harder to quantify, however. I had little idea what to expect when I first came in Nov ’02 as a Peace Corps volunteer (PCV), and I spent my first few months in a village that has hardly changed in the last few centuries, let alone the past few years.

Six years later, the nation’s capital, Skopje, is another story. When my good buddies and I escaped up here for a night during PC training in December ‘02 (and were reprimanded for it!) the 2001 conflict (and even Kosovo’s in ’99) were very recent events that left the city still shaken and divided, but which had brought the first groups of international workers en masse. Skopje only had a handful of decent outdoor cafes, grocery stores, restaurants, and nice cars from W. Europe. With Yugoslav and E. European makes like Yugos, Zastavas, Ladas and the like, it just felt stuck in its socialist ‘70s. I recall looking around at the New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31, 2002, telling my friend Kim just that. It was like we were living in a movie about a forgone era. But it was real—old cars, old clothes, and old habits. Oh, times have changed. Well, mostly...

With the ‘free market’, money appears more abundant, products imported from abroad are readily consumed, and heightened foreign direct investment (FDI) means more money is being poured into the country than at anytime since before the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991. Fiats, Volkswagens, Audis, BMWs, not to mention Mazdas, Hondas, and Toyotas race down the city streets and country roads. While the market is far from saturated with these products and services (as indeed, many people remain rather poor), their presence is testimony to the money that has flowed in here and really changed people’s lives. Nearly everyone of my generation or younger has mobile phones, cable TV, and the internet (or at least they use it). I even saw the bus company’s website on the side of the city’s decades’ old red buses in sprayed on, stencil letters. www.jsp.com.mk

It still has that socialist look, but it represents a whole new world in this country of two million. People ride the bus less and take their own cars or taxis more. You can even hear it in how they describe directions: Rather than say it’s a fifteen minute walk they say it’s a five minute drive. Whether it makes life more convenient or just causes more accidents and pollution I’m not sure. But regardless of the mode of transportation, the wheels are rolling forward and Macedonians are plugging along…