One of the most mentioned cultural differences that PCV’s talk about is the Macedonian’s ignorance of waiting in a line. Every Volunteer has had the experience of having an individual cut in front of her/him while he/she was expecting to be the next person to be serviced whether it is at the post office, bank, market or entrance to a building. They are not doing it maliciously. It’s just the way they do it. They form semi-circles around the person being attended to.
On Friday I had to go into Skopje for a Sexual and Reproductive Health Education Committee meeting that I had volunteered to serve on (more on that in a future blog). I was standing behind a woman who was purchasing a ticket at the bus station ticket window and leaving her a little space so she could maneuver away from the window. I was obviously the next customer but as she began her move away from the window, this gentleman reaches in front of me and puts his money on the counter and requests a ticket to Skopje. It’s like I was invisible. There were only the three of us in the station at the time. I bit my tongue but vowed to take up the Peace Corp’s mantra and assimilate into the community – no more lines for me, only semi-circles.
The opportunity to assimilate came sooner than I expected - that afternoon on the last bus from Skopje to Probistip. Fridays are crazy at the bus terminal. University students are heading home for the weekend, commuters are commuting and weekend travelers are hustling to their weekend sojourns. So if one doesn’t want to stand for the two-and- a- half hour trip to Probistip, one needs to capture a seat. The word “capture” implies some form of violence and my no-more-wait-in-line conversion mentally prepared me for Operation Get a Seat.
At 4:30 I innocently stood in the back of the crowd of experienced travelers, feinting that I had no desire to participate in the upcoming event. I counted about 60 adversaries meaning anywhere from 10-15 standees. People were shuffling back and forth and the nervous tension could be felt all along the platform as everyone waited for the 4:40.
My position in the back of the crowd gave me the advantage of seeing the bus approach the station before anyone else. Therefore while it was approaching, I casually maneuvered to the front of the awaiting crowd which had not yet spotted the bus. Having this initial advantage did not last long as the crowd began to surge toward the anticipated boarding spot (the no-line mentality). I had to use my backpack to block and push people away. I was able to knock two elderly ladies and three little schoolgirls away from the bus door (it’s an acceptable practice) as college students and businessmen competed with me – the rookie- to board.
When the driver opened the door I was the second person to board, preceded only by an elderly grandmother. My victory in this contest enabled me to pick the seat of my choice and watch the last 15 passengers sullenly take a place in the aisle. If I recall correctly, they were the ones waiting in a line to get on the bus, courteously allowing the elderly and people with children to enter ahead of them.
On the very comfortable ride to Probistip, I was able to gloat over my ability to assimilate so easily. The two elderly ladies and the three little schoolgirls that I knocked over were amongst those now standing in the aisle, rather uncomfortably. They would often look toward me and mutter something in Macedonian that I took to be unpleasant. I would just look back, raise my index finger and mouth “Jac sum Broj Eden“ (“I am Number One”). I have to find out if their reply of sticking out their tongue at me has a universal meaning.
Anyway, I can’t wait to go to the post office.
2 comments:
Last summer I worked in the US and the company provided us with a free bus that came every 30-45 minutes. The problem is, there were always more people waiting than the bus could carry. So, if you couldn't get a sit straight away, you were doomed to wait for the next bus and try again. And let me tell you, there were no lines there either (admitedly, about half of the people were foreigners). It was a painful experience getting on that bus, but my experience as a Macedonian really helped me and thanks to some "elbow action" I never had to wait. The Chinese were pretty good too. :)
kudos. really like the broj eden touch. :-)
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