Taste of Home!

The local cuisine here in Macedonia is really wonderful, to be honest--especially the skara (aka. grilled meat), bread and shopska (aka. cucumber, tomato and shredded feta salad).  However, there are just some days that I miss a good California club sandwich, a non-mixed meat burger without fries stuffed in the bun, or Cali-Mex flavors.  You know, a taste of home.  Those days tend to pop up more often during the holiday's, btw.

Well, Sunday after church while enjoying macciatos and conversation with friends, one couple mentioned finding a new restaurant called, "Taste of California."  Yes, I admit that my head snapped up and the "where?!" was out of my mouth before I could even fully process the comment.  Then came their description of real nachos, homemade guacamole, salsa, real burgers, sandwiches and, be still my heart, Cali-Mex! They enjoyed it so much they went two days in a row! [Seriously, I must admit that my mouth is watering even as I type this!] 

Yesterday another friend and I decided to track this place down and to give it a try.  Oh my goodness!  Let me just say that it was WONDERFUL.  We ordered nachos and taquitos to share/try and a club sandwich.  It was all delicious, but I must say that so far my favorite is the club: grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, melted cheese, bacon and advocado on lightly toasted, homemade bread... the proportions were perfect and the flavor was.... a taste of home!

Yep!  You guessed it!  This California girl has signed off on this "Taste of California" in Skopje, Macedonia as being pretty authentic and a welcomed taste of home.  For those who are interested, it's located on Ortse Nikolov between DM and Hotel Tim's.

For those who are interested, it's located on Ortse Nikolov between DM and Hotel Tim's.

Overcoming Incompetence

Moving overseas into a new culture and language is like becoming a child again in many ways. Everyday things that we accomplish without thinking in our home country become monumental tasks in the new one. And our self-esteem? Well, with the steep descent from being a competent adult to a complete incompetent bowl of culture-shock-stress-filled jelly is brutal. Honestly, even the simplest tasks can make you feel like a child again.

I remember....

...the first time I purchased produce in the supermarket... and felt totally embarrassed when they had to send it ALL back with a clerk to the produce department to get weighed and priced as it's not done at the check-out.

...the stress of getting an official-looking paper saying I had to go to the customs office for a package that just arrived for me... and bursting into culture-shock-induced tears as they proceeded to grill me and I couldn't understand a thing they were saying! (fyi, it was just an exercise video).

...breaking out in a sweat when I had to take a bus... not sure I was on the right one, whether it was "private" or "public", how much it cost, baffled about what to do with a ticket if there was one and how to get off at the right stop (yes, there's even a particular etiquette for that as well and if you don't follow it the bus may not stop).

...riding in a taxi and helplessly motioning the directions to where I was supposed to go when I didn't even know the words for "left" or "right" or "stop here, please."

...answering the phone.

...the stress having people say things to me and the complete feeling of being like a "deer in headlights" when I couldn't understand a single word... or worse yet, understanding the words but not having a CLUE as to what they were actually saying.

...the uncertainty about fast food places like the one pictured and, aside from WHAT to order, but how to do it...

...the annoyance of "personal space" being much different here than back in the USA... and store clerks following you around.... to be honest, this particular one can still get under my skin.

...the continued culture-stress reality of learning to live in a constant state of ambiguity.

...my first trip to the doctor when my back went out and being told that I need to turn the air-conditioning off.

...my first trip to apply for a visa... the long dark hallways with closed doors where everyone seemed to know which door they had to go to and what the etiquette was for going through it and doing their business... I was scared spitless, to be honest...

And then there was today...

All foreigners need to register with the local police within 24 hours of coming into the country and then de-register when they leave. When you have a visa, though, that's no longer necessary.... unless your visa expires before they've processed the paperwork for the new one.

That's the situation I found myself in this morning...

When I first came here, registering with the police was SO scary and VERY intimidating! This morning? Sure, I was a little nervous (I mean, come on... who isn't nervous when they have to talk to the police... or when you have one driving behind you--even when you're driving the speed limit?!) But you know what??? It went so smoothly! I simply explained the situation with my visa and the officer didn't bat an eye and was really nice and helpful. I filled out the proper form (IN Macedonian, mind you), turned it in and confirmed that I need to return when my new visa arrives. I felt so... so.... COMPETENT! Especially since it was ALL done in Macedonian! Yay me!

I was so excited about this small triumph that I even called a colleague to share my joy who responded with equal excitement and encouragement for herself about when she needs to do it as well.

Seriously, to some this may seem like a small thing, but for someone who's moved from a country, language and culture with social rules that were part of me to a place where even paying the monthly bills inspired a certain amount of boot-shaking... this is a serious triumph! A celebration of overcoming incompetence!

Sourdough!

Growing up in California I developed a taste for the wonder that is sourdough bread, my favorites being the ones from San Francisco and San Luis Obispo. There's nothing better than a chunk of sourdough bread and pepperjack cheese or a sandwich made with the fragrant and tasty bread.

Sourdough bread is one of the "foods" I miss most living here in the Balkans. Last year while I was in Wyoming I found an "Oregon trail" comic cookbook that had a simple starter recipe for sourdough. Upon my return to the Balkans I eagerly set about preparing the starter... but then it got this funky, smelly liquid on top and I thought I'd ruined it. So I threw it all away and started over. This time there was no funky liquid, but then the dough never rose either... I mean, I waited a whole two hours. So I threw that one away too.

I must interject an important factoid at this point: I have NEVER made bread on my own before. I've tried, but always failed. So my dreams of sourdough, while a simple thing to some, was overly ambitious for me. And the above experiences seemed to prove it.

But then a few weeks back after a mildly successful try at a simple bagel recipe (the dough actually rose!!) I decided to try my hand again at my favorite of the breads: sourdough. Instead of using the old west cookbook I decided to "Google" (don't you just love how that's a verb now??) "sourdough starter" on the internet. And this is the site I found: Sourdough Baking by S. John Ross.

He made it sound so easy, growing a "pet" of sourdough starter, so I gained a little confidence. A cup of flour and a cup of water and daily "feeding" for a week resulted in a starter that was bubbly and smelled pretty good. So into the fridge it went and now just weekly "feedings." Then on Saturday I decided that it was time. So I dumped the starter in a bowl and prepared the "sponge" for "proofing." And then I went to bed.

In the morning there were no bubbles and no "froth." Did I ruin it?? "I have such bad luck with breads," I muttered in disappointment and decided to "feed" it just once more before heading to church. Five hours later I arrived home to find my sponge was smelly and frothy like it was supposed to be! Yeah me! So in went the flour and other ingredients and then the kneading... and kneading... and kneading... And then back into the bowl to rise. It took about 6 HOURS to double in bulk, but after beating it down and forming mini loaves they rose a second time in just an hour.

I couldn't believe it! Could I be "this" close to having actual sourdough bread?? Well, after 45 minutes in the oven I got to savor warm bread with melted butter... and it was wonderful! It wasn't perfect and the loaf looks a little odd, but I think it's cute and I'm so proud. ;)

And I can't wait to try making it again... and again... and again... =)

April Fool's Day Macedonian Style!

This morning some ladies and I met for breakfast at a favorite restaurant in the mall and periodically would see unusually dressed people and munchkins walking by outside. At first I didn't think anything of the two ladies that were dressed in the white and blue Mother Theresa style habits (you see them occasionally as this is where she was born)... but then a guy with Bozo hair passed by.... then a class full of little munchkins dressed up in everything from a princess to a cowboy with wands and guns waving.

Then it hit me.... Aha! That's right! It's April 1st and "Maskinball" here in Macedonia.

On my way back from breakfast this morning I stopped into my local burek place just to say "hi" and just in time for the owners daughter to arrive in her costume. So after taking a picture of mom and daughter, the little girl persuaded me to put on her mask and hat for a photo of my own!

Ha ha... I stopped writing for a moment because I heard a large group of teenagers passing by on my street.... they were gathering together to line up in formation so that they would arrive at school in "style"... several were dressed up as professionals in suits, others as flight attendants, a soldier, a "tourist" wearing a huge sombrero, a couple flamenco dancers, a beach bum, lady bug, Tweedle Dee and so many others.... I wish my batteries hadn't chosen this moment to die because it would have been a pretty funny picture to share!

Welcome to just another interesting day here in the Balkans! =)

Simple Pleasures

It's always exciting when something new appears on the shelves here in Skopje. Things like: M&Ms, brown sugar, tortillas, Brita filters and so much more! Well, the newest item to show up was celery stalk! Frankly, I couldn't hide my excitement when I saw them! I snatched one up and held it too my chest, smiling like an idiot and dreaming of all the wonderful things that can be done with celery. Sure, we've been able to get celery root here all along, but it's JUST NOT THE SAME as the snappy, crunchy wonder that is a celery stalk (especially in soups, stuffing, stir fry, etc).

The next purchase I made was some peanut butter.... mmmm..... celery sticks and PB... a favorite snack. It's amazing how something so simple can bring so much pleasure. :)

A-4 Paper and the GCF

This morning on my way to work I dropped into an office supply store to purchase some A-4 paper. When I asked which brand was the least expensive they suggested the yellow one at 220 denars. When she said this I was mid-reach to the brand that I usually buy as it has, until now, always been the cheaper one.

With my hand paused mid-air I asked her how much my usual brand was. When she responded with 260 denars I simply couldn't hide my shock and blurted out, "Seriously??? I remember when that same paper was only 190 denars!" Of course she was not basking in the same glow of disbelief as I and simply blinked and looked at me with a blank unmoving stare as if to say, "so?" Pause.... "Yeah, you're right," I said to myself, "it is what it is..." And then I purchased the yellow one...

Perhaps the price of paper is standing out to me more simply because we've tried to go as paperless as possible at the office. So it tends to be a while before I have to buy more paper.... Though it seems like we still use a shocking amount! Anyways, to help you understand my shock this morning as the realization of inflation and exchange rates dawned anew for me, let me translate this into dollars and cents.

Seven years ago when I first arrived, $1 was equal to 61.4 denars and a ream of paper cost only 190 denars. AKA $3.10

Today, that same ream of paper at 260 denars and an exchange rate with USD of 43.75 translates to $5.94.

That's a $2.84 price hike per ream! And that's just paper.... this makes me wonder what sort of percentage price increases there have been on other items.... items that our budget has to cover.... Sigh.... let's leave those thoughts for another day... All that said, though, it is a strong reminder to be thankful for the Lord's provision and to remember to thank everyone who's given to the GCF so that we can make these types of purchases that are a basic but necessary part of ministry. Thank you.

Epiphany

"I live in the Balkans." Sometimes that realization makes me catch my breath.... or pinch myself. Standing on the bank of the Vardar River with a few thousand of my neighbors to watch a cross be thrown into the river on a chilled January day known as "Epiphany" I was again caught up in the wonder of it all.

This California girl who took high school Spanish with Mr. Marelich, but never really applied it, was now bundled up listening to the priest bless the river in Macedonian... and actually understanding more than a fair bit. Most of my days are spent communicating in a strange mix I refer to as Makaenglish: Macedonian in stores, taxis, on the street, with friends and English just as often.

Then there's the cultural learning... somehow after living here for several years I've learned to live with the constant state of cultural stress and ambiguity, knowing that there will always be things, cultural subtleties, that I won't understand. To be honest, there are some days that the stress really wears on me and I'm tempted to pack up and go back to the familiar of "home" in the US...

But then there are conversations over turkish coffee, shared meals, the human connections that happen in the sharing of lives, hopes, dreams, joys, fears..... and days like that cold one two weeks ago where I find myself simply soaking it all in: the people, the language, the culture, the.... the unfamiliarity of this place where East and West converge that somehow has become so familiar in my heart. My personal epiphany I suppose you could say. Yes, I love the people here, the place, the culture.

I live in the Balkans.

O Christmas Tree.....

Now that Christmas is over it's time to take down the tree, pack up the ornaments and move the furniture back to their proper place. Sigh. It's a sad time. There's just something so charming and home-warming about a sparkly tree decorated with items I've collected over the decades: a saddle from Wyoming, a decorative egg from Budapest, a hibiscus from Hawaii.... And it seems so empty after having been such a fixture in the living room for over a month. Even as a kid part of me longed to hold onto the holidays and to beg Dad to wait just "one more day" before he sawed up the tree into pieces perfectly sized for the fireplace. But he was right. It was time. And thus today it's time as well to, in this case, take the tree apart and to stow it away for another year...

A New Decade & "Revealing" Trip to the Embassy

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.

I'd Rather be Shoveling Snow

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. =)

Yesterday's News

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."

Shalakin My Head

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). =)

Customs and Lines

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. ;)

Transitions, Cultural Stress & Being a Foreigner

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!

"You Are Macedonian Like Me!"

Really?? Yes, just one week before returning to the US for a spell I find out I am (or can be) Macedonian! :::tongue only half-firmly planted in cheek::: OK, let me explain ;)

Here in Macedonia, a foreigner cannot have a bank account without a current valid visa (with the account being frozen once the visa expires). As I have a new visa expiration date, I went to the bank on Friday to give them my updated information.

Confusion ensued as I dutifully handed the clerk my foreigners "lichna carta."

The gal just couldn't understand my inquiry about needing to update my visa info even after referencing with her supervisor and showing them my ID. I found out later that this was not a language barrier issue, but of course I thought it was and so I asked to speak to someone in English. She deferred to her supervisor.

He too was not sure of my question as he said, "There is no problem with the account," in response to our questions about making sure the account does not get frozen due to not having my current visa info. He continued, "you are free to withdraw and deposit up to 10,000 Euros each month." That, of course, had me question further because up until that point I thought that foreigner accounts had a limit of 2,000 Euros. (Not that I necessarily work with those large of numbers. I was just noticing that there was a difference in the standard limit for foreigners).

When I questioned the amount the supervisor then involved the bank manager. Several minutes passed as the clerk went back and forth between computer checks, taking and returning my passport, ID and bank book and discussing things with the bank manager. In the end the manager came over to me and expressed the source of the confusion.

"You see," he began, "if you come to the bank with this," gesturing with my passport, "you are a foreigner." "But," he continued, "if you hand us this," holding up my lichna carta aka Macedonian ID, "you are Macedonian like me!"

Ha! Who knew!

In the end we settled that I am a foreigner and they updated the account with the appropriate info. It did get me thinking though. Hmm.... am I feeling more Macedonian or American today.....?

Buying Time

Heading down the detergent aisle I spotted what looked like a bottle of "Tide" only it was actually a bottle of "Time." Ha! I must confess, I simply LOVE the irony of "buying time" and how fitting it is to apply it to doing laundry in the Balkans...

For almost 7 years now I've washed my clothes in a washer that doesn't clean too well and takes up to 3 hours to run a cycle. The clothes are then hung either on a drying rack in my living room in the Spring and Fall, on the balcony in the Summer and, my personal favorite, on the radiators in the Winter.

Hung on the racks it can take up to three days for clothes to dry... and it's hard to escape that musty smell and always wondering about potential mold growth (some colleagues have had this experience, not on the clothes, but on the walls of their apartment!). In the summers, which, just like my hometown in Sacto, are always blistering here in Skopje, clothes can be dry in less than an hour for cottons, two for thicker fabrics. The next fastest drying time is on the radiators in winter, which depends upon how much the heat has been cranked up on the water pumping through them from the central station.

Trivia:
The reason why the last one is my favorite is because it's the closest my towels ever get to the fluffy soft ones that come out of the WONDERFUL dryers in the US. The rest of the year I have to settle with rough stiffness (as evidenced in the picture)... and no, fabric softener doesn't help with that much. (Oh how I miss dryer sheets too!)

The thing about doing laundry here is that it takes planning ahead. There are no quick loads of laundry. It takse time, sometimes days. That's why I love the irony of buying "Time" to do my laundry. =)

This irony deepens for me, however, because I realize how my concept of time has changed since being here... the rhythm of time in the Balkans is so much different than in the US. Sigh.... I'm really tempted to discuss these differences here, but I'm thinking it is best explored in a blog entry all on it's own. So for the moment I will simply leave you with the fascinating image of being able to literally buy some Time. =)

No Comment

No sooner were the words "I'm a bookkeeper for..." out of my mouth when she interrupted me with, "Oh! Do you have a blog??"

"Uh, yes. A Bookkeepers Balkan Update," I responded, question and surprise punctuating my voice.

"Ha! My husband and I just found your blog while looking for information on the Balkans!" she explained excitedly.

I sat a little dumbfounded and (to be honest) just a bit creeped out. I knew it was bound to happen one of these days, but was totally unprepared to meet someone in person who first met me through this blog. lol. This little interaction was followed with a fun discussion of life and culture here in the Balkans. They're a lovely couple and I'm looking forward to getting to know them over the weeks and months to come. (And if you're reading this: so nice to have met you!) =)

This was a relevent reminder that people do read this blog and reinforces the chosen focus I have for it: to simply share about life and culture here in the Balkans from an expat's viewpoint and always with respect. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy reading about the Balkans as much as I enjoy living in it! =)

Brenda Begged the Balkan Bag Bonanza

Brenda in Paraguay tagged me saying, "I thought it would be interesting to see what is in your purse way over there in Macedonia." So, I'm dutifully (though belatedly) complying with her request. =)

Here are the rules:
1) "Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. No, you cannot go up to your closet and pull out that cute little purse you used back before you had kids. I want to know what you carried today or the last time you left the house."


My purse is all about function. I'd love to have a stylish one, but I'm clueless how to pick the right one let alone chose a color that will work with everything... and besides, style and function don't always work together. That's why I have this basic black. =)

The day-to-day contents vary, but at any one time you can bet the following are in it:

• Passport and Mac ID... don't leave home without them
• Camera... you never know what Kodak moments may occur simply walking through town
• Bible...that cute Macedonian knitted thingy has a Bible in it that was given to me by a friend several years ago while I was on home assignment... yes it was from a boy and yes we're just friends.
• Cell phone... since I don't have a landline nor an answering machine (do they even make them here??) I make sure I have my cell phone on me (and try not to lose it!)
• External hard drive.... yes, you may think I'm crazy to carry this with me, but since most of my travel entails going from home to the office and I use the hard drive to transfer files... it's a no-brainer
• iPod... this cute green thing was a gift from a friend of mine in the US who knew I was looking for one. :) Thanks! It's been wonderful to finally be able to listen to music without the CD player skipping while I walk. Now all I need to get is a docking station with an alarm clock and I'll be set at home as well!
• Inhaler... a must have with asthma
• Cough drops... still recovering from being sick and they help with singing on Sundays.
• Music for Sunday sets... typically I'm carrying them from one place to another and/or going over them in preparation.

My purse is usually stuffed full of all sorts of things, but those are the basics. =)

2) " I want to know how much it cost:) And this is not to judge. This is for entertainment purposes only. So spill it. And if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, I’d love to hear it."

This purse was purchased in the old section of Skopje from one of the many vendors and cost about $10. There's not a big story behind it, only that I was looking for a functional purse and found this one while showing a short term team around town one summer. I've had this purse now for about 4 years and it's served me well! Though just recently one of the inside zippers broke, so perhaps it's time to get a new one. :)

3) "Tag some chicks. And link back to this post so people know why the heck you’re showing everyone your diaper bag/non-diaper bag."

I know this is a little lame, but I didn't tag anyone as I figure if someone wants to do this they can leave a comment, post their own blog and link back to this one. It's also because I don't really know anyone to tag in the first place! :)

Hope you enjoyed this silly little post. :)

Goodies!! Thank you!

As I exited the elevator my eyes glanced towards my mailbox... and what did I see?? A green card! Yes, the wondrous little post-card that lets me know there's a box waiting for me at the post office. =) Inside were some delightful goodies that have "share me" written all over them. ;)

Two "totally American" things I'm most often asked the recipes for are: Rice Crispy treats and chocolate chip cookies. And since we can't get marshmallows nor real chocolate chips here I'm really excited to share these items AND the recipe cards that were so sweetly included! Also the Starbursts will be shared soon as well. Books are always a blessing too. I love to read and it's hard to track down good titles locally. I'm looking forward to reading both of these and then passing them around as well. The last care package I had included A Thousand Splendid Suns which was fabulous and has since made the rounds to about 5 other people!

Being the recipient of a care package is always special and such a treat. The name "care package" says it all. That someone thought of you, put in fun things that they thought you would like (or in the case of my friends, things that harken to cherished shared memories or inside jokes) and pack it all up and send to you with love. I can't begin to express what a blessing it is to us workers living overseas to have a little bit of "home" sent every once in a while.

The same goes for "I'm thinking of you" cards and/or letters. It can be lonely at times here and those letters, cards and/or packages are a special reminder that we're loved and an encouragement to keep on keeping on. Infact, I have an "encouragement" scrapbook where I keep all those cards and letters... and pull out to read through on those days I'm needing a bit of encouragement... or even in times of thanksfulness and joy...

To all those who have sent letters, cards and packages over the years.... my deepest and heartfelt THANK YOU! May the blessing return to you 100-fold. :)

Cultural Clues for Living in the Balkans

As I was hurrying to blow-dry my hair before heading down to the store just to buy some eggs (so as not to shock the locals by being outside with wet hair), I thought it would be fun to share some of the cultural clues for living here in the Balkans.

• Yellow lights can mean either "go faster" or "go" depending upon which color comes next (red or green respectively)
• Parking on sidewalks is normal
• Ladies, don't get in the front seat of a taxi or the driver may try his best pick-up line on you
• Keep your shoes clean at all times (keeping a brush by the door is handy)
• Leave your shoes at the door (hostesses will provide slippers if needed, or you can bring your own)
• Have house shoes (slippers) available for your house guests
• Air-conditioning can give you a head ache and is the cause of neck and back pain
• Drafts (aka cross-breezes) will make you sick
• Ladies, don't sit on concrete without a sweater or cardboard beneath you or your ovaries will dry up
• Going outside with wet hair will make you sick (even if it's 100+ degrees)
• Being outside with wet hair won't make you sick if you're on the beach and swimming
• If shopping for produce at the supermarket be sure to have them price it for you BEFORE going to the checkout
• Paper or plas..er..pennies?? Thanks to a new law, produce baggies and check-out bags are paper (and with no handles!)... if you want plastic in the produce section: SOL; plastic at checkout? 3 Denars please. This applies everywhere: corner stores and even fast food places. So I'd suggest bringing your own bag. Must say, though, this is very green. :)
• Please don't talk loudly while walking in public or yell across the street to your buddies
• Don't make eye contact and smile at everyone you walk past; however, if you know the person, be prepared to stop, shake hands and chat for a couple of minutes... a simple nod of recognition won't do
• When in the outdoor market it's not necessary to answer each vendor with "no thank you" when they offer a "povelete?" [ha ha... I did that one a lot when I first got here and even now after 6 years am tempted...]
• Bring flowers or chocolate or some other small gift when visiting someone for the first time (or after a long time). Just be sure the flowers are in uneven numbers. Even numbers are reserved solely for condolences and funerals.
• When visiting, be sure to shake hands and greet each person in the room starting with the oldest and/or most important person.
• When people come to visit, be sure to immediately offer them something to drink (juice, coffee, tea... water as last resort) and put out something salty (like nuts) and/or sweet (chocolate or cookies) on the table.
• Salty and sweet food items are usually kept separate.. not served on the same plate (no sweet potatoes with that turkey!) and in buffets are usually placed on opposite sides of the table or on a different table altogether.
• Spitting in public is against the law and could cost you €50.

Now that you have some cultural clues for the Balkans... Come visit me and we'll put them into practice! =)