In my last Blog I toured the “suburbs” of Probistip which are relatively new, something like Levittown on Long Island, New York and about the same age. However, the villages that are spread out throughout the geographical area of the Municipality of Probistip have been there since the times of the Ottoman Empire. Most of them still have no running water, employ outhouses, and are inhabited by the full array of barnyard animals. They do have electricity, telephone service and the ubiquitous satellite dish. The Municipality has assured that there is a paved road to each of the villages from the main highway, but inter-village travel is accomplished on wagon trails and footpaths.
Most of the villages have seen a steep decline in the number of full-time inhabitants but there are a considerable number of people who live in town during the week and retire to their village on weekends and holidays. Sadly, there are also a sizeable number of abandoned homes in each of the villages I have visited, attesting to the changing times when a family can no longer subsist under such conditions.
Very few of the villages have “convenience stores” so a taxi ride (@ $5-6 round trip), a tractor or auto drive into town on pazar day (Wednesdays in The Probe) is required for such purchases as soft drinks, candy bars, chips or whatever comfort food one craves.
David, the other PCV in town, has set a goal to visit every one of the 32 villages in the Municipality during his two-year stay. My goal is less ambitious. I have accompanied him on several of his “hikes” so far and each one has been an experience which a person would never encounter as a tourist. When you enter a village on foot, it feels as though you were 400 years back in time. You really can understand how difficult (compared to modern times) daily life was. The residents must go to the village watering hole to fetch water if their home well is dried up, maintain a plethora of farm animals and equipment, sow and reap, maintain a flower garden, prepare winter food, patch roofs, make wine and rakija, etc. And yet, everyone seems so content.
The most wonderful part of our excursions is meeting the village people. We have yet to go to a village where the people haven’t greeted us with smiles and hearty hellos. Every villager we have met has invited us into their home for refreshments and good conversations and we rarely refuse. While few villagers speak English, we are able to carry on conversations in Macedonian as long as I have my handy dictionary with me (which I always do). Our visits are always full of laughter. They always have questions about America and they all seem to know someone who has been there. We all talk about our families.they are always curious to know why we are here and they marvel at why someone would leave America to come to Macedonia. They ask me how I like Macedonia and I show them my tattoo with the Macedonian and American flag and the Peace Corps logo and they smile appreciatively. It is always difficult to get up and leave such hospitable and genuinely warm people. They always insist we come back for another visit. And we will.
Click on the top of this page to view My Albums and get a taste of village life in Macedonia. A picture…blah, blah, blah. Also check out my YouTube posting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWO8NqqLT-w.
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