Here are some interesting specifics of Macedonian culture and every day life. Remember, these are my observations and not purely factual. I’m not speaking negatively in any way of Macedonian culture, I’m only speaking about my observations from an objective point of view.
Visiting a friend at his/her home = “Na Gosti”
Any time you are visiting a friend/family member/someone who doesn’t live with you, and you are at their home, you are on a “na gosti.” These mainly consist of drinking coffee (more on drinking coffee later), eating snacks that are on the table, and conversing with each other while the TV is on in the background. Typically, since it’s winter, these visits are in the kitchen, which is often connected to a room with a small couch or a seating area. The warmth from the oven heats the room.
Here is a more personal experience with what happens on a Na Gosti: I will tell it from the perspective of being the host of a visit.
When people come over, they immediately take their shoes off and we give them slippers. They typically look like this:
Visiting a friend at his/her home = “Na Gosti”
Any time you are visiting a friend/family member/someone who doesn’t live with you, and you are at their home, you are on a “na gosti.” These mainly consist of drinking coffee (more on drinking coffee later), eating snacks that are on the table, and conversing with each other while the TV is on in the background. Typically, since it’s winter, these visits are in the kitchen, which is often connected to a room with a small couch or a seating area. The warmth from the oven heats the room.
Here is a more personal experience with what happens on a Na Gosti: I will tell it from the perspective of being the host of a visit.
When people come over, they immediately take their shoes off and we give them slippers. They typically look like this:
Then, we all gather together in the kitchen (warm room) or living room if there are many people there. The hosts (that would be me and my host mom!) tell people to sit down and ask for their drink orders. Usually, these consist of “sok” (pop or juice) or coffee. Sometimes alcohol (rakija-similar to whiskey) if it’s the afternoon and on the weekend.
Then, the host brings the drinks to the guests while they continue telling me to sit down. But let me tell you, my friends, it doesn’t work like this. After delivering the drink orders, the host returns for snacks-chips, nuts, dried fruit, and sometimes sweets on small plates to fill the table and have the guests munch on them throughout the evening.
Finally, the host(s) sit(s) down and continues refilling the drinks throughout the hour or two that a na gosti lasts. Also, the snack bowls are refilled as well.
When the guests decide they need to leave, they are always told they should stay longer. It always starts with the first person standing in order to tell the rest of the family or friends they want to go. Then, everyone stands, including the hosts, and follow the guests to the hallway where they change back into their shoes. The hosts and guests handshake, hug, and kiss goodbye and the hosts proceed to follow the guests outside onto the street as we continue yelling “Cao! Cao!” (goodbye!) True story: one of my host mom’s best friends always follows us down the street whenever we go on a “na gosti” to her house. Even in the winter, we keep telling her it’s cold and to go back inside but she refuses. It’s hilarious and she’s so sweet for literally walking us home..
**One thing to note about na gosti’s-they are typically completely unannounced. People will call and say they are passing our house and want to stop by or sometimes we just hear a knock on our door with a guest or two! That is completely common here, so typically you always find snack foods and soda/juice in people’s houses ready for guests at any time.
So, this is what you lovely guests get to experience if you come visit me! It’s a great time and a really interesting part of Macedonian culture that has been an adjustment, but an interesting one!
Heating Our Home:
First of all, I’m very very very thankful and grateful for central heating in America where I grew up pushing a button and BAM, the heat kicks on. That’s not so much the case here in Macedonia. I’ve mentioned you typically find a stove that heats the kitchen (and in my case, the house). Sometimes these stoves are also what the family uses to cook with, but sometimes there is another modern stove that is used for cooking (also, this is my case too). So, you first have to build the fire in the stove, which consists of chopping small pieces of wood every morning to get the fire started. Then, throughout the day, we trade off making trips to collect wood from our huge stack of wood and add a piece to our fire every half hour or so. We typically stay in the kitchen room all day until the house is warm enough to sit in the salon, or living room, where there is a bigger space and more sitting room. So, I definitely get my arm strength in each day by either chopping or carrying (or both) wood into the house. Although, my host mom does way too much so I don't have to work nearly as hard as her.
Then, the host brings the drinks to the guests while they continue telling me to sit down. But let me tell you, my friends, it doesn’t work like this. After delivering the drink orders, the host returns for snacks-chips, nuts, dried fruit, and sometimes sweets on small plates to fill the table and have the guests munch on them throughout the evening.
Finally, the host(s) sit(s) down and continues refilling the drinks throughout the hour or two that a na gosti lasts. Also, the snack bowls are refilled as well.
When the guests decide they need to leave, they are always told they should stay longer. It always starts with the first person standing in order to tell the rest of the family or friends they want to go. Then, everyone stands, including the hosts, and follow the guests to the hallway where they change back into their shoes. The hosts and guests handshake, hug, and kiss goodbye and the hosts proceed to follow the guests outside onto the street as we continue yelling “Cao! Cao!” (goodbye!) True story: one of my host mom’s best friends always follows us down the street whenever we go on a “na gosti” to her house. Even in the winter, we keep telling her it’s cold and to go back inside but she refuses. It’s hilarious and she’s so sweet for literally walking us home..
**One thing to note about na gosti’s-they are typically completely unannounced. People will call and say they are passing our house and want to stop by or sometimes we just hear a knock on our door with a guest or two! That is completely common here, so typically you always find snack foods and soda/juice in people’s houses ready for guests at any time.
So, this is what you lovely guests get to experience if you come visit me! It’s a great time and a really interesting part of Macedonian culture that has been an adjustment, but an interesting one!
Heating Our Home:
First of all, I’m very very very thankful and grateful for central heating in America where I grew up pushing a button and BAM, the heat kicks on. That’s not so much the case here in Macedonia. I’ve mentioned you typically find a stove that heats the kitchen (and in my case, the house). Sometimes these stoves are also what the family uses to cook with, but sometimes there is another modern stove that is used for cooking (also, this is my case too). So, you first have to build the fire in the stove, which consists of chopping small pieces of wood every morning to get the fire started. Then, throughout the day, we trade off making trips to collect wood from our huge stack of wood and add a piece to our fire every half hour or so. We typically stay in the kitchen room all day until the house is warm enough to sit in the salon, or living room, where there is a bigger space and more sitting room. So, I definitely get my arm strength in each day by either chopping or carrying (or both) wood into the house. Although, my host mom does way too much so I don't have to work nearly as hard as her.
Drinking Coffee in Macedonia:
Here, filter coffee is not the drink of choice. People here typically drink Turkish coffee. Here’s how to make Turkish coffee from a professional (me). But really, I know how to make it and often get complimented on how good my coffee is! First, you add the Turkish coffee pot with water (it’s easier to fill coffee mugs with water for how many coffee cups you want and pour these in the pot). Then, you add the coffee to the pot of water on the stove (you add one helpful teaspoon for each cup of coffee). Mix the coffee in the water and add sugar if people want sugar (again, typically one spoon for each cup). Or, you can add the sugar to the single cups of coffee. You know the coffee is finished when you hear it sizzling/hissing (no clue if these are the right words to describe the sound it makes) and see bubbles begin to rise. Pour into each cup about half way and then return to the first cup and continue filling the cups to the top with coffee. You do this instead of filling up each cup one by one because with Turkish coffee, you see a thick substance at the top. These area the grounds and you want to divide those evenly among the cups (they will sink to the bottom). Then, serve to your guests. As you drink, be aware when you start seeing the bottom of the cup-you’ll see coffee grounds stuck to the bottom (you do NOT want to drink this). So, before taking your last sip of the liquid, let the coffee settle completely on the bottom and if you do it right, your last sip should only be the coffee liquid and the grounds should stick together on the bottom. Va la! You’ve successfully made and drank Turkish coffee! It’s quite delicious.
Traditional Turkish coffee pot: Modern coffee pot: Before coffee settles (thick): The residue you don't want to drink:
Here, filter coffee is not the drink of choice. People here typically drink Turkish coffee. Here’s how to make Turkish coffee from a professional (me). But really, I know how to make it and often get complimented on how good my coffee is! First, you add the Turkish coffee pot with water (it’s easier to fill coffee mugs with water for how many coffee cups you want and pour these in the pot). Then, you add the coffee to the pot of water on the stove (you add one helpful teaspoon for each cup of coffee). Mix the coffee in the water and add sugar if people want sugar (again, typically one spoon for each cup). Or, you can add the sugar to the single cups of coffee. You know the coffee is finished when you hear it sizzling/hissing (no clue if these are the right words to describe the sound it makes) and see bubbles begin to rise. Pour into each cup about half way and then return to the first cup and continue filling the cups to the top with coffee. You do this instead of filling up each cup one by one because with Turkish coffee, you see a thick substance at the top. These area the grounds and you want to divide those evenly among the cups (they will sink to the bottom). Then, serve to your guests. As you drink, be aware when you start seeing the bottom of the cup-you’ll see coffee grounds stuck to the bottom (you do NOT want to drink this). So, before taking your last sip of the liquid, let the coffee settle completely on the bottom and if you do it right, your last sip should only be the coffee liquid and the grounds should stick together on the bottom. Va la! You’ve successfully made and drank Turkish coffee! It’s quite delicious.
Traditional Turkish coffee pot: Modern coffee pot: Before coffee settles (thick): The residue you don't want to drink:
Social Life Here:
When first learning Macedonian, our class was practicing saying what we like to do on the weekends. I wanted to say “hang out with friends,” but Macedonia does not have a verb equivalent to “hanging out.” Typically, people say they are “going to coffee,” which can mean many things—this can be meeting up with friends at a café to talk, seeing friends but only sitting with them while everyone is on their phones, drinking juice or tea, or actually getting coffee. Also, another activity friends like to do together is to walk around town-they will walk through the center of town, along the river here in Kocani, hang out at the park, or walk to the dam that is a couple miles out of town but is a nice, peaceful walk away from town. And another main part of the social culture is here is the fact that people enjoy being seen by others or looking at others walking around. When there is warmer weather and the patio parts of the cafes are open, you typically find people sitting on the side of the table facing out. It’s just part of the culture here for people to watch others walk by-at first it was a little strange seeing everyone looking at everyone else, but to them this is part of the culture. I’m not sure if it makes locals uncomfortable, but it’s one major difference from American culture (not that people don’t stare in America, but it’s not a common occurrence to see most people at a café facing out and watching people go by). Keep in mind, this is not only what people do, but I've noticed this a lot with the younger people (young teenagers).
Giving Small Gifts
This could have gone in the Na Gosti section, but almost always when you visit another home for a Na Gosti, you bring a small gift such as chocolate or Turkish coffee. This is why there’s endless chocolate in every house…Also, when it’s your birthday in Macedonia, rather than you getting everything handed to you (typically in America), the birthday boy or girl does all the work. They are the ones who buy drinks for their friends or give chocolate to the friends/family. I had 2 students who are twins hand my co-teacher and I chocolate because it was their birthday. Also, there was another student who handed me a chocolate because his new sister or brother was born that day. They typically give chocolate bananas that have a foamy banana substance inside (I’m not a fan, but everyone loves them here). I've already told my students that since I'm American, they still have to bring me sweets on my birthday because that's my tradition :)
Random things I don’t know have a title for:
-This guy drove his car into the river to wash his car. GENIUS! Casually strolled past him on my run one day.
When first learning Macedonian, our class was practicing saying what we like to do on the weekends. I wanted to say “hang out with friends,” but Macedonia does not have a verb equivalent to “hanging out.” Typically, people say they are “going to coffee,” which can mean many things—this can be meeting up with friends at a café to talk, seeing friends but only sitting with them while everyone is on their phones, drinking juice or tea, or actually getting coffee. Also, another activity friends like to do together is to walk around town-they will walk through the center of town, along the river here in Kocani, hang out at the park, or walk to the dam that is a couple miles out of town but is a nice, peaceful walk away from town. And another main part of the social culture is here is the fact that people enjoy being seen by others or looking at others walking around. When there is warmer weather and the patio parts of the cafes are open, you typically find people sitting on the side of the table facing out. It’s just part of the culture here for people to watch others walk by-at first it was a little strange seeing everyone looking at everyone else, but to them this is part of the culture. I’m not sure if it makes locals uncomfortable, but it’s one major difference from American culture (not that people don’t stare in America, but it’s not a common occurrence to see most people at a café facing out and watching people go by). Keep in mind, this is not only what people do, but I've noticed this a lot with the younger people (young teenagers).
Giving Small Gifts
This could have gone in the Na Gosti section, but almost always when you visit another home for a Na Gosti, you bring a small gift such as chocolate or Turkish coffee. This is why there’s endless chocolate in every house…Also, when it’s your birthday in Macedonia, rather than you getting everything handed to you (typically in America), the birthday boy or girl does all the work. They are the ones who buy drinks for their friends or give chocolate to the friends/family. I had 2 students who are twins hand my co-teacher and I chocolate because it was their birthday. Also, there was another student who handed me a chocolate because his new sister or brother was born that day. They typically give chocolate bananas that have a foamy banana substance inside (I’m not a fan, but everyone loves them here). I've already told my students that since I'm American, they still have to bring me sweets on my birthday because that's my tradition :)
Random things I don’t know have a title for:
-This guy drove his car into the river to wash his car. GENIUS! Casually strolled past him on my run one day.
-Also while running, passed a donkey eating grass and it didn’t phase me at all. I merely ran to the other side of the road in case the donkey tried to charge at me (do they even do that?)
-I drank a drink called “Boza” and had no idea what the heck it was. I was at a bakery and was handed it by my host uncle. All I knew is that I was drinking something brown and thick with a chalky consistency. Everyone I asked told me they either didn’t know what was in it or told me different things. Here’s what’s in it (I think): ground chickpeas, flour, wheat, water, and sugar…but don’t knock it til you try it, right?! Have a look for yourself : http://www.findbgfood.com/bgmeals-boza.htm
That is all for now, thanks for listening/reading!
XOXO
-R
-I drank a drink called “Boza” and had no idea what the heck it was. I was at a bakery and was handed it by my host uncle. All I knew is that I was drinking something brown and thick with a chalky consistency. Everyone I asked told me they either didn’t know what was in it or told me different things. Here’s what’s in it (I think): ground chickpeas, flour, wheat, water, and sugar…but don’t knock it til you try it, right?! Have a look for yourself : http://www.findbgfood.com/bgmeals-boza.htm
That is all for now, thanks for listening/reading!
XOXO
-R