The Land of A-thousand Suprises

I hate surprises. They almost always end up being something bad.  That bombshell in your inbox. A negative or no longer wanted response to a forgotten query. The shock of an unsolicited phone call.

Travel was always a refuge for me. A place to escape from life’s reality.  Even after days of logistical set-backs, belligerent drunks, or sleepless nights on university sponsored excursions.  At least, I’d left everyday life’s problems behind.    

There are also places that make an impression. Those I thought would be lackluster.  A well-known monument may disappoint. But, the unsuspected sometimes leaves its  mark.  Despite the up’s and down’s, I thought that I’d never tire of traveling

And then I did. The beginning of May in Poland is called ‘Majówka’.  It’s a de facto holiday season. Many on my program traveled to Italy or other locations. I stayed in Wrocław despite the risk of boredom. It was better than facing more stress of the unknown.

Stress I’ve known here is different from what I’d experienced in the past.  The unknown comes to you. Surprises call at your front door; they’re never good.  They don’t stop after a two week excursion. I’ve long wanted to tour to the Baltic states.  I have a few weeks free this June. Yet, I lack the energy.

I used to long for travel to new lands. In the past year I’ve noticed a change.  Travel options are relatively limited from Wrocław’s airport. It’s still easy to reach unexplored western European cities. After my travel-bloated fall semester it just means another trip to the airport. Another hotel I may not be able to find.
Next year, I’m studying in Vienna. Many flight’s go to western and eastern Europe. I can easily fly to northern Italy or Latvia. But, locations I’ve already been to now hold more attraction. A discount airline flies from Budapest to Skopje. I’ve spent months in Hungary’s capital. I can get to its airport. Macedonia’s western lakes are impressive. I know what to expect.   

There’s also a certain fear.  What if the places I’ve visited don’t measure up to the memory?  The circumstances under which I see them will be different.  I haven’t been back to Maldives in five years. During Iftari at Karachi’s boat club, I vowed to return to Pakistan during February of this year.  I visited a friend’s family in Tunisia instead. Macedonia’s Lake Ochrid may not measure up.  Unexpected hazards may present themselves. Time differentiates the known and the newly  discovered.       

This afternoon, I received a rare surprise. After a year of grad school and a summer internship with the European Investment Bank’s Finance Directorate in Luxembourg , I’d planned to return home for a few weeks rest. My parents had informed me we’d be going on a tropical vacation. I wouldn’t know where until I saw our connecting flight’s destination.

 It could be to Mexico, Miami, to French Polynesia, the BVI, or back to Nicaragua for all I know. It’s the first time in a while that I can live with the surprise.

I ordinarily would have inquired about our destination. For better or worse I didn’t. Not knowing in this case would mean something.  I’m reminded of trips to Russia, Spain, and my first travel to Poland.  When the focus was not on the stresses I’d encounter - but on the wonders I’d find.

I appear to be doing fine in the short-term.  Yet, I’ve come to fear the future. It’s the perpetual surprise; many pundits predict it negatively for my generation.

the respite of my parents’ undiscovered country awaits me.  Before what may ever be after it:  The final frontier where none of us want to cross. 

Coexistence

My train was 3 hours late, so I was rather ready to get out of my second- hand Slovenian sleeper compartment as the train finally neared the Capital of Macedonia. I had read a lot about the country, and heard it constantly spoken of as the birthplace of Old Church Slavonic by Slavic linguistics majors who I knew. As the train crested the hill, and the skyline of Skopje came into view I was shocked to count 2 short church steeples and 8 towering minarets.
While I have been to both heavily Muslim and Christian countries around the globe, no city so effectly blurs the lines between the two like Skopje. While the two populations live distinctly in different neighborhoods overlap occurs throughout the city. Women in burkhas, and men in prayer caps walk in front of the site where Mother Teresa was born. Bars and advertisements for the local beer abound in the Christian section of the city, but are conspicuously absent in the Albanian-Turkish neighborhood on the hill across the river, where it is common to see restaurants with Arabic names. It was a surreal feeling to hear the ringing of the church bells join with the call to prayer.
In many other Balkan countries , Orthodox and Muslim groups have turned to violence.

Although I have heard that there is some tension beneath the surface in Macedonia the two groups, while largely segregated, seem to live in relative peace. I simply point out that the city of Skopje stands as an example that such piece is possible in the Balkans and elsewhere..

It's Not Greek

Starting from Middle School world history, American youth are taught about how Alexander the Great forged the Greek empire. Ironically, many Americans have never heard of the country which actually formed this territory.
The main square of Skopje in the Republic of Macedonia features a large statue of Alexander the Great, who built his empire after his father, Phillip II of Macedonia essentially conquered Hellenistic Greece.
While forging one of the largest empires in history isn’t a bad track record, the size and influence of Macedonia has had nowhere to go but down since that time. In the late 19th century Greece annexed the southern section of Macedonia and summarily decided that their section of Macedonia was the only legitimate one. Since Macedonia declared independence, this has lead to some disputes between the two countries. First of all Greece strenuously objects to the face that the Macedonians actually dare to call their country Macedonia. Even though the Macedonians agreed to adopt the official name ‘"the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia," the Greeks still demand that the Macedonians cease continuing to describe themselves as such.

The original flag of Macedonia was a 16 pointed sun, of the type used by the ainchant empire. The Greek reaction was so strong (Greece actually levied a trade embargo against Macedonia over this) that the Macedonians eventually changed their flag and money.
In practice none of greece’s complaints have deterred the Macedonians. The old flag is still widely flown from homes kiosks and private boats, and the country is refered to simply as “ the republic of Macedonia, even on the money.
While the amount of arguing over something as simple as a name may seem out of proportion. Given the history of the two countries it make complete since. By demanding to be recognized simply as Macedonia, the people of that republic demand that their territory and role in history be recognize. However, in recognizing this fact Greece would be forced to publically admit that greek Macedonia is not originally Greek. This would also imply that Greece’s role in aiinchant history was somewhat more minor than they currently claim.

Before coming to the country of Macedonia I was somewhat aware of this situation. When my Classiscs professor gave a lecture about the Greek empire, I raised the question of the nationality of it’s King. After a few seconds of science my professor began to respond. His answer to my question was a long explanation which essentially amounted to “Alexander was Greek. Well, not really Greek, but close enough.” This confused response illustrates how the fact of Macedonian identity has yet to be widely recognized in the Western world.