A Bookkeepers Balkan Update

The Incessant Buzz Buzz Buzz of a Christmas Eve Morning....

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:56:08 PST

This morning started really early. 6am to be exact. Buzz! buzz! buzzz! as a finger incessantly pushes the button for my apartment so I'll get up and buzz them into the building. I sleepily looked at my watch, turned over and pulled the covers over my head.

Then the sound of young voices began to echo up the stairwell and down the hallways of my building, in ever increasing volume, "...Kolede lede padnalo grede.... ke koleme tele tele vika 'le le'..... Kolede!" (a really horrible song, btw). Over and over they sang the song as they trolled each level of my building and ringing everyone's doorbells just hoping for someone to open their door and give them nuts, fruit, coins or candy.

Yes, in the past I've gotten up and handed out tangerines or chestnuts, but this year I decided not to. As a foreigner here, learning about the culture and traditions is important.... and I must say very interesting. The tradition of the children going door-to-door does have it's roots in pagan folk religion, most similar to Halloween, but still it's a part of the culture and important for a guest like me to learn about. And to be honest, I really enjoy learning about other cultures. And the traditions around Christmas are definitely something to experience. However, having experienced it several times since living here, I decided this year that I'd not answer the door and sleep in instead.

Sleep.... well.... I didn't get much of that regardless of how hard I tried. However, I was luckier than others whose doorbells rang and streets were filled with children's voices singing the verses in a sing-songy melody reminiscent of "Ring Around the Rosie" as early at 3 and 4am!!! Eventually, though, sleep eluded me enough that I simply got up and began the day.

On another note, it's Christmas Eve and it looks like it won't be a white Christmas after all. The snow melted today. =( The bit we did have, though, made for an ironic sight yesterday that had me laughing when I was in the city center. It's one of those random pieces of art that have gone up around the city. This one is called, "Chance meeting." Take a good look at the picture and try to guess what I found so funny. I'll give you a hint... that puff of white is NOT a hat on her head! ;)

Doorbell image credit: http://thesophisticated.wordpress.com/2008/03/

Snow! It just may be a White Christmas this year!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:08:50 PST

Last night I went to bed very late after a very full day exploring all around Skopje with friends, shopping, enjoying the lights, restaurants and cheeriness of the city bedecked in holiday enchantment. At the end of the day I Twittered that the only thing that could have made it even more picture-perfect was if there were snow. Unfortunately the weather forecast was only for rain.

So you can imagine my surprise (and JOY) to wake up this morning to a fresh blanketing of snow over the city, piling up on rooftops and clinging to trees! This is a site I've come to really look forward to just after the New Year... I was hooked three years ago when it snowed right on New Years Day. Then last year it was January 2nd. This years New Year dusting happened a little later, but JUST IN TIME to fulfil a childhood dream of a "White Christmas." Can you hear my girlish squeal of delight???

White Christmas??? Yes, I did say Christmas. That's because Macedonia celebrates the holiday according to the Julian calendar, so January 7th is the day. You might find it interesting that "Santa", Christmas trees and gift-giving happen for New Years. I've recently learned that this transition happened during communism where New Years, being smack in the middle of the "Catholic" Christmas and the "Orthodox" Christmas, seemed the right compromise. The happy by-product of this is that Christmas is just about Jesus' birth, which is pretty cool.

Christmas in Macedonia is celebrated a bit differently as well. I've shared some of the celebrations and traditions in previous years' blogs and so will try to take a different perspective this year. The festivities start tonight with the Kolede bonfires, which have their roots in old Slavic folk religion, but like the Christmas tree, have taken on new meaning over the years ("Christ's light coming into a dark world."). Still, though, the locals tell me they go just for the fire, dancing, food, rakija and visiting with friends and neighbors. With the new layer of snow today, it should make the fires a bit more inviting. :) Anyways, as the tradition unfolds this year I will try to share some stories and pictures along the way.

Until next time, here's a pic of the pile of fuzzy snowflakes that I awoke to this morning....

Freaky Rain-Coated Children, Fish & Painting in the Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:03:59 PST

I had a really hard time picking just one of these "gems" to share today, so it seemed prudent to simply share them all!

When I first saw this "street" art exhibit it totally creeped me out! Freaky rain-coated children! As I drew closer I thought for sure the faces would be skeleton's or something. Thankfully, they weren't! Then, as I looked more intently, it seems that they could be adults slogging their way through the, er, pavement. Coupled with the sinking car behind them it seems to fit. Maybe they were in the car when it began to sink and they're wading out? What do you think??

This exhibit is just a block or so off the center square and is part of the outdoor display of a funky art gallery... Seriously, that gallery is full of very odd, different and "can't help but gape at" art. Worth a look-see for sure!

This little guy, whom I lovingly refer to as "Sebastian" (my favorite name for a fish), popped up recently near the old train station. One of the gals I was with commented that it would be cool if there was a machine underneath it that blew up bubbles. Now wouldn't that be fun?!?! If you're the artist, take note of a great idea! :)

Finally, this painting on the side of a wall took me by surprise. The ladders looked SO REAL at first glance that I took a double-take (and triple and quadruple). It's really quite simple but there's just something I really like about it. The quote says, "Современа подлога за современи конфликти." Roughly translated as: "Contemporary background for modern-day conflicts." The key words can be translated as: advanced, contemporary, modern-day.... I'd be interested in any insights to this that my Macedonian friends can give... particularly with my very rough translation. :) For those interested, this wall painting is right around the corner from the freaky rain-coated figures (across from Soul-Pub).

With sites like this around town, and new ones popping up all the time, it makes taking a walk through the city center an adventure into what new quirkiness awaits! :) Come visit (hint hint hint) and I'll be happy to show you some of my favorites!

A not-so-typical Sunday... sharing another "day in my life"

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:25:58 PST

This morning started much later than a "normal" Sunday as I didn't need to be at church at 8:00am... so I slept until, shhh don't tell, 9:00am! The reason why is that I took this week completely off from worship team: no singing, no music picking, no practice and no overheads. The past couple months have been really hectic with Christmas prep and I was beat! I must confess that it was REALLY nice and MUCH needed to have the break.

Just as I was heading out the door I looked outside to see myriads of white puffy flakes storming down across the city, blown fiercely by a cold, horizontal wind. It totally reminded me of the blizzard that snowed in my friends and I in Wyoming last Spring. But alas, this riot of snow was not to last. Sure enough, by the time the taxi dropped me off it was already tapering off.

Church was great this morning. It was a little weird, though, to have no responsibilities, but I must confess that it was nice. :) The message was one of those that tends to hit ya between the eyes as well... about Lordship and is He really FIRST in my heart and life.... lots to chew on here.
After church I went home, made lunch, then cuddled under a fleecy blanket to watch a favorite 80's flick. Then it was time to get to work. Yes, I said, "work." You see, in the flurry of busy-ness in this past month with "refried beans" (aka bookkeeping) and preparations for the Christmas Eve service I was short on time and thus missed a writing deadline. For some reason, this particular report was a little challenging for me to write... writer's block I'd guess you say.

After a couple hours of making no real progress on the report, I ended up putting it on hold again to head off to "Soul Craft" (a church service that has contemporary worship and topical messages and all in Macedonian). With my responsibilities elsewhere it's been a long time since I've been there. I was SO NICE to see many faces that I've not seen for a while and to do some catching up. Walking home my heart was full with joy of reconnecting with some dear people. One of my "goals" (not "resolutions") for this new year is to spend more time with my Macedonian friends and work on reconnecting. Soul Craft is a place to start. :)

Once back home I set back to work on the year-end narrative. This time the words came a little more freely as I sought to sum-up this past year's work. It still took me quite a while to finish, but I'd determined to not go to bed until it was done. 2am Monday morning rolled around and I finally let my head hit the pillow having just emailed the report. Whew. What a day. (My perfectionist tendencies were most likely the culprit in it taking me so long to write something so simple... but that's another blog for another day)

Yes, so as far as blogs go, this one is likely more mundane and boring than others, but for those of you who wonder about a day in my life... here was another one for ya. :) If you made it this far, BRAVO and THANK YOU for taking the time to read. Thank you too for your continued prayers for me and my work here in this wonderful place called, "Macedonia." Until next time....

40 Years of "Adventure"

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:42:52 PST

In keeping with my fascination of city graffiti/street art, my celebration of 40 years AND the looking forward to the next 40, this picture seemed an appropriate and timely one to share. It showed up on the wall of an abandoned building near the city center this past summer and originally said, "40 years of global lies." Now that's a social commentary that I won't even touch... instead, I've "photo-shopped" it with the sentiment that I find much more preferable and fitting to a wrap up of the previous decade(s) and forging forward into the adventure that lies ahead! =) Bring on the next adventurous 40!!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:42:58 PST

2010. Wow! When I was a teenager I'd wonder what the year 2000 would be like as I listened to Prince's "1999." But 2010? It was so hard to imagine... first, because I'd be 40... yes, I did that F-O-R-T-Y. Funny, though, I'm sitting here on warm and sunny New Years Day 2010 in Skopje and can't help but feel the best years are ahead. Honestly, it kinda boggles my mind what I've seen in the last 40 years.... and I can only imagine what amazing things are ahead. One thing is for sure, though, I'm happily taking each day as they come. So enjoy last night with me as you peruse some of the photos from the celebration in the Плоштад (Skopje's center square).

Brass Band

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:41:38 PDT

This statue piece was one of my absolute favorites in Skopje.... always sure to inspire a joyful smile on my face! That is until one by one each piece dissappeared! It was so sad to see the lone trumpetman playing without his buddies... little old ladies would pass by and shake their head and tsk at the shame of the loss.... then just a few months later all that was left was the concrete slab. =(

I think the one I missed the most was the guy in front with the big puffy cheaks blowing with all his might... kind of reminded me of the guy in the picture below from a local concert of the Philharmonic orchestra (guest musicians pictured):

Well, in the past few months several new statues have been appearing all over Skopje (pics and blogs to come).... and so imagine my joy to see that they replaced my favorite statue with the same basic "Brass Band." It's definitely not exactly the same, but that's OK, because like an old friend it's good to see it and it always brings a smile to my face when I pass by. =)

Bugs o Buggin'

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:28:24 PDT

This was the site that welcomed us after one worship team practice last month, when it was still quite warm and muggy outside.... They were everywhere and you just couldn't slap them away... There's a reason they're called "bugs"! Funny thing is that just 1/2 mile away and 15 minutes later at my home the street lamps were clear of these bugs... barely any at all... I'm thinking that this phenomenon must be related to proximity to the city park.... Who knows! I'm just glad that the seasons have changed and so no more bug 'o buggin!

A New Decade & "Revealing" Trip to the Embassy

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:25:56 PDT

When my brother saw the picture in my passport he teased me mercilessly! "Ha ha, Carol! You're stuck with THAT for 10 years! Ha ha ha!" Well, yesterday that passport was nostalgically placed in a drawer and a new decade begun, though not without first making an adventurous... and... er.... revealing trip to the US Embassy.

There's a new US Embassy here in Skopje and boy is the security tight! On my last trip there to submit my passport renewal application I learned that bringing less is more. So, this time I thought I was so clever and full of fore-thought as I left my purse in the car and walked up to the security checkpoint carrying only my keys and passport.

Well..... as you will see, it turned out that I was not as clever as I'd fashioned myself to be.... as I completely didn't pay attention to what I was wearing and how it would affect getting through security....

You see, I was wearing boots for the first time this season.... and the metal "fashionable" strip on the bottom inevitably tripped the alarm... "Beep!" To which I then had to unzip them.... and reveal the fact that not only was I wearing unfashionable white ankle socks, but also that... er... my legs were in need of shaving!

But even more embarrassing was that I was wearing a belt! Again, for the FIRST TIME this season.... So I'm having to... er... discretely put my hands under my shirt and remove the belt.... through the scanner it goes... then on the other side I get to put it back on. Can I just say that it's REALLY disconcerting to stand there and re-zip up boots over hairy legs and then re-loop and buckle a belt whilst a couple of (really cute, btw) guards watch my every move??

The whole time I just kept laughing to myself and my "cleverness." Mental note: next time go beltless and wear slip-on shoes... oh, and SHAVE YOUR LEGS! I must say, though, that the guys were really nice and courteous and I know that they were just doing their job. =)

Perhaps the funniest part, though, was that for the first time in my life I was asked to put my glasses through the scanner... so I was pretty much blind through all of the above!

After my "revealing" trip I picked up my new passport and what was left of my "clever" pride and blushed my way past the cute guards and headed home. =)

The upside of all this? My new passport is really sweet... especially love all the pics and quotes. Oh, and I'm pretty sure that even my brother would approve of the picture. Thus I begin a new decade..... and did I mention that I'm turning 40 soon? A new decade in more ways that one! lol.

Gorilla in our Midst!... Say What?!?!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:54:02 PDT

Driving to work the other morning I nearly had a car accident at this intersection as I and several other drivers and some pedestrians were seriously distracted (and quite a bit amused) at this site! I just couldn't believe there was a mangled gorrilla on the side of the road and so took a double take (or two)! Ironically, he's only a block from the City Zoo. Buster (ya, I had to name him) was only there for one day, but it sure was a sight to see (and, YES, I just had to pull over, park and get out my camera). Just another day here in the Balkans! =)

Happy September

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:32:22 PDT

This is a happy picture: the balloons swirling everywhere in various colors, the wide-open mouth of surprise, delighted flapping arms and wind-tossed hair. I see so much of myself in this picture right now.... but it's more like, "Look at all those things I've got in the air with arms flapping trying to catch hold of them!" Happy September!

Well, OK, it's not so bleak as that. ;) Though it is a good representation of the mix of fun and stress that has been my life for the last three months. The "blog-balloon" was just one of the "delights" that I let fly away in favor of the many other things that have taken priority.

The work balloons: When I got back from the US I had just over two weeks to not only catch up on 2 months of bookkeeping and to prepare for fiscal year-end and the splitting up of the books into two autonomous sets... I had to pack up and move the office. With the move to a new place comes all the little details that aren't so big in themselves, but simply suck your time away like a quickly deflating balloon.

Happy September, though, in that I'm caught up, moved, set-up (mostly), completed with the bookkeeping gymnastics and can finally hunker down and get back to "normal" and re-frying some beans (aka. bookkeeping).

There have been many other balloons swirling around in my life these past few months, some stressful, some sad, but also some joyful and pure delight. Now that some of the extra-swirly balloons from summer have been let go (aka. finished tasks/responsibilities), the picture for me is becoming once more a happy one instead of a stressful one. That is the mix that I see in that picture above entitled, "Среќен Септембри!" (Happy September!)

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And just in case I haven't already hacked this analogy to death, there is one more that the picture evokes, and it's related to the weather and seasons:

With September came the turning of leaves, the chilly breezes while the hint of summer heat inexplicably remains in the air, the sweet smell of roasting peppers and the SHOCK of the weather changing from Summer to Fall in a DAY (one Saturday afternoon it was 100+, by that evening it was 50 and hasn't really gotten above 80 since)....

The days of summer floating away like those colorful balloons..... Happy September!

OK enough with with analogies! lol. Frankly, I'm glad it's September with the busyness of summer behind me and the cool and more "normal" days of Fall ahead of me. =)

I'd Rather be Shoveling Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:05:11 PDT

As I'm huddled in the new office with no air-conditioning, lamenting the Skopje summer heat (and the sweat that comes with it), I can't help but dream of March in Wyoming and being snowed in for two days by "the blizzard of the season." [The picture below was taken at 5am after the snow had been blowing strongly and horizontally for 14 hours already!]

Oh it was so nice! Nestled in a warm log house with my drukarki (closest friends), cooking chili and cornbread, figuring out a puzzle, swooning over Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice and laughing hysterically at Nacho Libre taking off on his scooter. We also went out to play in the snow... yes, in the blizzard... we can only imagine the neighbors looking at us and collectively shaking their heads at our stupidity and muttering, "city folk."

Being snowed in was not without it's challenges, though. The septic system backed up, but we were able to fix it by finding... er... the poor little mice family that had given their lives to clog it up in the first place. Also, a day after the storm while rushing outside to catch the snowplow before it bypassed our driveway... Whoop! Slip! Clunk! My foot slipped on the steps and Smack! went my back onto the wooden planks. I was up in moments, though, because if we didn't catch him to plow our driveway we'd be locked in for even longer. The driver kindly plowed our driveway and my back turned out to be no worse for the wear. =)
Ah! Good times were those spent with my friends on that road trip to Wyoming.

Sigh... the landlord just stopped by and snapped me back from my daydreaming of cooler days. The phone guys are here to install our landline. It's great to have the landline, but honestly, I'd rather be shoveling snow right now. =)

Walking to Work -- the unintended circuitous route

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:59:26 PDT

This morning I headed out into the muggy warm morning with no particular route planned, just that I'd head in the general direction of the new office and then see what I'd find. What I found was that I'd stumbled upon an area of town I'd never been in before. Honestly, it was quite shocking and a little disorienting! Here less than 1/2 mile from my place are some streets I'd never explored before.

At one point I was almost convinced I was lost... and I found I wasn't the only one either as I passed an older gentleman with hand on chin looking from building to street with a confused look that must have mirrored my own. We joined into an unspoken pact as we determinedly put one foot in front of the other looking for the glavna ulitsa (main street). Eventually he found another older gentleman who was obviously an old friend who pointed him in the right direction... and I surreptitiously followed! =)

Back out on the main street I was dismayed to find that I'd essentially been walking in a zig-zag pattern that zagged more than zigged and ended up parallel to where I needed to be. And here I thought I was walking on a diagonal line! Oh well. I found some new places, fun graffiti and interesting nooks and cranny's that deserve further exploration. But I decided to leave that for another day and purchased some bananas and peaches (amazing, btw, as they are in season) and walked the remaining five minutes to the office.

In the end, what should have been just a 20 minute walk turned out to be almost an hour instead. LOL. Gotta love the self-guided tours.

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I didn't have my camera handy to take a pick of the new and interesting graffiti, so the one up top is from last years GCF walk.
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Yes, it's the start of the new budget year and so I'm back on my feet and walking to work. It helps, though, that the new office is half the distance of the previous one. =)

Yesterday's News

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:16:49 PDT

When I went to the corner store to ask for "yesterday's news" so that I could use them to pack up the more fragile things in the office, I'd not realized what "day" that would have been. As it was, the papers they gave me included several stories covering the deaths of Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. I must confess, it seemed a bit wrong to use these papers... but as I needed to pack up, pack up I did.

And as each page was wrapped around cups, plates, pictures and other items in the office, I reminisced about the many good memories I have from high school for which Jackson's music was the soundtrack... or the many "mysteries" my friends and I (as "Jill") solved when we were 8 and pretending to be the "New Charlies Angels."

Presenting..... A Random Sight in Skopje!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:23:59 PDT

The other night a colleague/friend and I headed down towards the river for dinner. Upon entering the square we were greeted by a sight of true randomness: A performance curtain set up at the base of the Old Stone Bridge. No signs or anything indicated what on earth it was there for besides just being a testament to the occasional and always entertaining randomness that comes with living in the Balkans. =)

Thoroughly enjoyed the peek-a-boo view of the square from the bridge perspective. As there's many new art statues around town maybe this is related? Who knows. ;)

Shalakin My Head

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:28 PDT

Went to the store tonight to buy some hairspray... well, I ended up asking for whipped cream for my hair instead! You see, the word for hairspray is "Laq" and the way I remember the word is to think about shaLAQ'n my head... but then if you accidentally shorten that word (like I did tonight) you end up asking for "shlak" (шлаг) which is the word for whipped cream. So that's how I ended up asking for whipped cream for my head!

Gotta love language bloopers! They are pure entertainment (especially for my local friends). =)

Moving, Chaos and My Disorganization...

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:01:29 PDT

Since I was 10 years old I have packed up and moved somewhere every 1-2 years. There was only one stretch of time when I was able to stay put for 5 years... This moving trend continues to be a major element in my life...

The field office moves on MONDAY and so right now I'm in my office and surrounded by Chaos and disorganization: stacks of filled boxes, binders, drawers pulled out of cabinets, computers and equipment unplugged and awaiting a box or the movers steady hands. All this while trying to catch up on bookkeeping, prepare for fiscal year-end and a big bookkeeping change for the team....

Nothing like getting back from the US two weeks ago and having to hit the ground at an all at sprint! Oui....

Have I mentioned before that I don't enjoy packing or moving?? As of this moment I feel so unready--Monday's coming way too soon! And because I'm just back from the US and playing catch-up, I've not been able to pack like I prefer... instead it's, well, unorganized chaos! =( I'm also finding that we're short in the number of boxes needed and.... can you tell I don't enjoy things like this??

Having moved so much in the last 30 years (ie. apartments, homes, offices, cities, states, countries....) I don't enjoy change and can get quite stressed about it. (I know, shocking for a "bean-counter" lol!) Add to that all the other things on my plate right now and.... well, I guess you could say I could use the prayer. =) Even amid the chaos, though, I can see how God is working to pull the details together and so He is my rock in the middle of all this. :) He will provide, I know. :) He always does. =)

Thank you for praying.

Meeting Friends at Enriko's

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:25:50 PDT

It's hard to believe I've been back in country for only 2 weeks... my time in the US seems so long ago already. One of the things I missed while in the US was meeting friends for coffee or breakfast/lunch at a little place called "Eriko's." It's tucked away in the Leptokarija shopping center, around the corner from "Gringos" (lol) and on the opposite end from Tutunska.

For you Californians, I'm sure this name makes you imagine all sorts of Mexican cuisine. Sorry, this restaurant, though it's decor and menus boast African/tribal themes, the food is all Italian... Macedonian-style. :)

The atmosphere is quaint and inviting with seating both indoors and outdoors and the servers always polite and helpful. The food... well, let's just say that they make the BEST pepperoni pizza on the PLANET! (No, I'm not exaggerating.) Not too much sauce or cheese, lots of real pepperoni and the most amazing crust ever.

Other favorites include what's called the "Enriko Breakfast" and is the perfect blend of flavors; the fruit salad that's always changing according to the season, but always flavorful; and rich coffee that always comes with a small piece of homemade chocolate. I've never tried their pastas, but as the pasta itself looks like it's made from scratch I imagine it's great too!

The best thing about Enriko's, though, is to enjoy this atmosphere and meals with friends. I've had the pleasure of going a couple times now with two different friends. One friend & colleague and I had a "girls days" that consisted of a trip to our favorite hair-stylist and then heading out to lunch. We enjoyed a great time catching up on each others lives and continuing to build on the friendship. The other friend is a relatively new one. I'd met her just before I went to the US and this was out first day hanging out since I got back. Enriko's was again a great place to go and hang out and chat, while enjoying some of the best food Skopje has to offer. =)

It's great to be back in Mac!

[My apologies for how much like a commercial this sounds! That was so not intentional!]

Billboard... of Death!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:00:19 PDT

Sometimes a billboard is so striking that I just can't resist taking a picture and sharing it. This one, complete with "death" holding not only the sickle but a checkered finish-line flag, is no exception. The message?

"Drive rashly, arrive prematurely!"

Wow, that makes for quite the billboard statement as well as a comment on driving in Skopje. Just maybe defensive driving is in our future, then, rather than offensive. That'd be a nice change. =)

Poppin' for Shampoo & Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:50:02 PDT

Pop! Bang! The sound of sporadic popping of balloons and a crowd filled Ramstore's entry way this morning. There was a lot of popping going on, but it'd never occurred to me that it was on purpose. :)

It's Saturday and normally the day for different promotions: from chocolate and cheese to vita-drink mixes and dishwashing soap. Normally, I just walk on by, but today there was an announcement over the store speakers that if you spent over a certain amount of money you could enter a contest by bringing your receipt to the main entrance. Ah, I thought, the balloons... but as I didn't understand everything being said I'd no clue as to what the contest was and was curious to find out.

I thought perhaps we'd have to fill out a form and submit it for a drawing or something. Nope, this was infinitely better: you get to chose an orange, green or white balloon. Then a girl marks your receipt and then grabs the balloon and a pin and POP! The balloon explodes and a folded piece of paper flies out (or across the room, or hits someone in the head) that tells you what you've won! Ha ha! What fun!... though I'd no idea how the gals didn't jump like I did every time they skewered a balloon. ;)

For my balloon-poppin fun I won some shampoo, soap and a coupon for a free toast at Twiggy's. =)

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For those who are thinking, "Gee, she won a piece of toasted bread... yipee...," it's actually much much better than that. Here in Macedonia "тост" is actually more like a grilled cheese sandwich with lunch meat ham and optional mushrooms, ketchup, mayonnaise and, of course, oregano.

Customs and Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:31:25 PDT

You see them, first time travelers, disheveled, wrinkled and looking as wide-eyed as a deer in headlights while trying to negotiate their way through immigration, aka. Customs. Many times I've wished they'd actually hand out a list of "Customs" for these newbie visitors if only to ease their nervousness.

Last week while waiting in the "Foreign Residents" line at the airport, I reflected back to when I myself was one of those newbies. It was 2001, just a year after the crisis in Kosovo and I was here with a short term group to help with humanitarian aid and teaching English. We'd been traveling for about 36 hours, which included an overnight in the Zurich airport, and arrived tired and very hot as it was 100+ degrees outside.

As we stood in the customs line, not really sure if we'd picked the right one, I felt as if I'd followed the rabbit down the hole into wonderland... or rather, "where am I again" land". Everyone around spoke a different language, there were strange sights, smells and, well, everything was different... I did mention this was my first time in Eastern Europe, right?

Anyways, what got me thinking about all this last week was due to the EXTRA TIME I had to wait and wait and wait in the customs line... and how 8 years ago when waiting in this same line I unwittingly started a tradition that continues to this day: I pick the wrong line and always seem to be one of the LAST FOUR people on the plane to be processed. Always. It's like Murphy's Law or something.

Yes.... I am writing a blog on this.... I claim sleep-deprivation and jet-lag! ;)

It never fails... each time I return to Skopje I end up picking the wrong line at customs... this time I thought I'd picked a good one as it was moving quickly and there were at least 30 people behind me. I thought, "Yeah, this looks great! I just may break the vicious cycle of wrong-line-picking."

Well, no sooner had I thought that than I noticed a group of "foreigners" (aka non-locals) being given the VIP treatment and being escorted to the front of MY LINE! (The people were arriving for some special event happening that was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture or something.) When all is said and done, I was again one of the last people to make it through customs. Even the 30 or so people behind me managed to maneuver to another line. :(

The upside of all this, though, was that due to the little green ribbon I tied to each of my pieces of luggage, an airport worker had removed each of my suitcases from the baggage claim belt and stacked them neatly on a cart! So when I got through customs (and walked by the table with the Swine Flu hand-outs) my luggage was ready to go! So, no complaints about waiting this time.

Besides, getting in the wrong line almost seems nostalgic at this point anyways. ;) My own personal Macedonian-entry-custom, I supposed one could say.

*******

Note: Some may wonder about me using this image again.... well, it's become a fond image for me to use with anything refering to waiting in line. So, as one tradition/custom continues, so does another. ;)

Early Morning Sounds

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:12:24 PDT

BBVVVRRRRR.... the baritone rumble of a biplane flying low over the city intrudes into my dream giving sound effect to some WWII drama before waking me up... sleepily I rub my eyes and assess the situation.. "Oh, they're just spraying for mosquitoes," I acknowledge before dropping my head back on the pillow, turning over and going back to a now dreamless sleep.*

The first time I heard this sound, back, oh, in 2003, I lept from bed to see what was going on (camera in-hand, surprise surprise). Some 6 years later, though, and that BBBVVVRRRR rumble has just become one of the normal early morning sounds to mix with the pre-dawn 4:30am "Call to Prayer" and the subsequent church bells every hour on the hour... oh, and don't forget the cooing of the ever-present pigeons determined to make a home of the air conditioner unit on my balcony. =)

Gotta love the early AM in Skopje.... AND, in a nod to yesterday's post, I actually was up for it this morning (well, eventually). lol.

*(Yes, they do spray for mosquitoes each summer.... perhaps it's a good thing not to be up and about with windows open on those mornings.....)

A Little Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:21:21 PDT

Sleep deprivation has been my friend, my constant companion, since returning from the US this week. I find myself wide awake at 2am, at times sleeping in until 2pm, then wanting to go to bed at 5pm! Then when I am awake it's like I'm sleep-walking in some sort of strange fog. Oui! Gotta love jet-lag!

This morning I was up at a somewhat normal time (9am) and so after sitting with some java and QT for a while, I decided to set out on my first real adventure back into life in Skopje. Yes, I went shopping!

Walking out the door I was immediately struck by all sounds and fragrances of the city: car horns, conversations of passersby, fragrant trees (like honeysuckle), exhaust, fresh bread... I could go on and on... but it all combined to evoke the fond memories of Skopje and a sigh of joy to be back here. :)

As I walked to the store I also took in just how much had changed in three months: one store out of business, three new ones, a building almost completed and a cafe that has completely renovated (for the 2nd time in as many years).

In the store things had changed as well. Whole aisles have been rearranged and not many things were in the same places I remembered them. At least the produce department gives you plastic bags again for collecting fruit (the paper ones, while green, were not quite user-friendly). I also found freezer bags--a bonus find I must say!

After negotiating my way around the store my cart was a bit full (mostly veggies and cleaning supplies... the basics, really)... so I decided to catch a cab home. Well, while I was waiting, the sleepiness of jet-lag was starting to hit and so I wasn't really paying attention. Next thing I know my shopping cart had rolled off the curb and splattered my bags and their contents all over the pavement!

As I righted the cart and re-packed up the groceries, I chuckled at myself and the funniness of the whole thing and then vowed to take a nap when I got home... Sleep deprivation, though, made for a fun trip and I am convinced it's why it seems so strange for me to be back. lol

Culture Shock... er... adjustment to the US

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:36:15 PDT

Aha! And you thought I'd dropped off the face of the earth! ;) Actually, I've been adjusting to life back in the US and enjoying some wonderful time with family, friends and my church. I "got off the boat" so-to-speak three weeks ago today and each of those weeks was full of things to get used to again (or be excited to have access to):

wall-to-wall carpet!
kitchen islands!
green green well-manicured lawns
lots and lots of walking trails and amazing parks
press and seal! (what an amazing invention!)
ziplocks-a-plenty
sidewalks that you can actually walk on
no parking on sidewalks -- the car must be in the gutter with not even a tire sneaking up on the sidewalk
no yellow light to let you know the green light is coming
wide-open spaces... aka "big sky", rolling hills, cows and wild horses
public restrooms don't have squatties, but do have TP and soap
having to drive to the store 2-4 miles away rather than just walking 10-feet out the front door
salad spinners
California golden poppies! (though I still love the red ones in the Balkans)
prices! things are soo expensive...
too many choices of everything I didn't know I needed!
pepper jack and cheddar!
Chipotle Tabasco sauce (really, chipotle anything!)
gas at $2.20 a gallon (intead of $8!!)
big wide-open parking lots and many many places to park!
defensive driving rather than offensive
pedestrians have right-of-way
being able to understand all conversations around me as I walk in a store, down the street, or sit in a restaurant
wild turkey crossings

OK, that's enough for now. There are a lot more, but perhaps I'll save them for a later blog. :) As I am in California now my blog will take on a distinct California flavor (with a few other states thrown in for extra seasoning), though I'll still try to connect it to live in the Balkans in some manner. Either way, I hope you enjoy this change of pace (like I am).

Carolyn from California

Transitions, Cultural Stress & Being a Foreigner

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:14:55 PST

In my last blog I ended with the musing, "Am I feeling more Macedonian or American today?" Frankly, it's an especially relevant question for me right now as I'm just a day away from getting on a plane heading to the US. I'm sitting here surrounded by packing, going over the last-day checklist of bookkeeping, backups, goodbyes, packing, cleaning..... and trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'll be in my hometown tomorrow night. Just about 36 hours from now.

Back in the day overseas travel meant spending a month on a ship, which gave a very clear buffer in leaving your old culture, language, family and friends behind and preparing to enter a new culture, learn a new language, make new friends and become part of a different sort of family.

Now that buffer is just 24 hours of lay-overs, security checks and general sleep deprivation at 30,000 feet!

Returning to your home culture encompasses a whole new level of culture-stress known as "re-entry." Living and working overseas for almost 7 years I've lost a bit of my "American-ness" and gained a healthy dose of "Macedonian-ness" and even "European-ness." It's a strange sensation, like having your world-view expanded and contracted at the same time.

I've been gone from the US long enough that there are many social-conscious/culture events that I won't be able to identify with as fully as if I'd lived in the US (example: the election). Likewise, living here in the Balkans I've experienced the social-conscious/culture events along with the Balkan people (example: Kosovo's independence), something that my American friends likewise won't be able to fully identify with. In a nutshell, we've all changed as we've interacted with the culture in which we live.

It's strange to realize that I will likely feel like a foreigner in my home country similar to my feelings of foreignness here... and I'm sure I'll have plenty of examples to share in the weeks to come! =) The one thing, though, that I have truly come to appreciate about this moving between cultures is the deeper understanding into what scripture means that this world is not our ultimate home. The citizenship that trumps all others is the one that is heavenly and eternal. So from day to day I may "feel" varying degrees of being "American" or "Macedonian," but one thing is sure, I'm always God's kid (to use a beloved term of Dr. Johnson). =)

See you on the other side of the pond!