Long Long Time
The last blog post of my year in Skopje… How did we get here??
After a month-long summer trip to America, I visited Julia in Sweden to watch her complete a triathlon. Sweden and Denmark are always such relaxing places for me — I’m not completely sure why. It could be that the combination of being by the sea, seeing my sister, and not having a strict schedule there simply make for a lovely, low-key vacation. Either way, I enjoyed my time there so much, and came back to Skopje refreshed.
The past three weeks — my last three weeks — in Skopje have not gone by fast, surprisingly. I spent plenty of time resting after a busy summer, mostly reading (The Alchemist and Foreign Affairs) and laying in my air-conditioned living room, as temps reached upwards of 100 degrees (40 Celsius for my non-American friends).
I’ve frequented my favorite cafes (top spot goes to Paname), bars (I’m partial to Casa Cubana), clubs (in the summer, Havana), and restaurants (my go-to is always Kantina or Pelister). I’ve seen so many friends, hosted cultural exchange events, worshipped at church, had ladies’ brunch, went to a soccer game (MK won against Armenia in a shutout 2-0), visited my happy place by the river, and got on TV (from the game).
I also drove to Serbia with one of my best friends, Igor. It is the 20th country I’ve visited and remarkably very similar to Macedonia (of course). We spent the day in Nis, walked around the city, and ate McDonald’s because obviously I’m going to try Serbian McDonald’s! The special menu items were things like curly fries, a jalapeño McChicken, and a Milka McFlurry, among other things.
As I’m walking around now, Skopje truly feels like home. It’s amazing how familiar a place can feel in just one year. I feel like I know the city like the back of my hand — all the neighborhood cut-throughs, which cafe serves little cookies with their coffee, the grocery store that carries the best cereal, which buses take me to which area, how long it will take to walk to a bakery or walk to the park. I’m blessed that I have been safe the entire time, too.
I also feel like I know the culture incredibly well. I can have conversations with strangers, I know what to say for birthday greetings, which slang to use in which city, all the foods to order at a kafana, the words to the national anthem, how much is fair to pay for everyday items, which political party stands for what (and why the other side does’t like them), and why Macedonians are so proud of their heritage.
Teaching was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it taught me so much, including time management, crowd motivation, how to step into an authority role, lesson planning, problem solving, and how to answer tough questions about the U.S.
I have so many people to thank, it’s unreal. Thinking back to when I began this blog a year ago, I could have only hoped and prayed for an experience as perfect as this one. My family, American friends, university students, colleagues, language tutor, church friends, local friends, landlord, adoptive Macedonian families, taxi driver, local baker, Embassy mentors, American Councils and American Corner gang, Ricky the dog, Peace Corps Volunteers, and fellow Fulbrighters made it an unforgettable, life-changing experience. I am moving, but Macedonia will always have a really special place in my heart, and I will certainly be back to visit. Thank you all for being along for the ride and sharing in this year with me. I am so grateful.
All my love,
Lauren
(Song Credit: Linda Ronstadt)
