SKOPJE & OHRID, MACEDONIA: WHERE ARE WE GOING?

That’s what I asked myself when I got my itinerary for the Marshall Memorial Fellowship and saw Skopje, Macedonia. The idea of an American visiting Macedonia usually doesn’t get the reaction of excitement or anticipation, let alone a place on the “must visit” list. When I got my schedule for this fellowship, I looked up my cities and countries that I was assigned. What I found on Macedonia sparked some curiosities. I mean, the land of Alexander the Great shouldn’t be too bad?

By now you should know that from reading my titles to my blogs, it’s usually a hidden meaning, discovery or lesson to be learned by the conclusion of it. Rest assured this title has a deeper hidden meaning.

When I departed Macedonia, I was made a believer of its landscape, its city life, its country sides, and its rich, fruitful history-past, present and future to come. Moreover, I was exposed to a culture and a country that I wouldn’t normally have been exposed to. Well, I don’t want to keep Macedonia all to my self or should I? Continue reading to find out how Macedonia answered my question of “Where Are We Going?”

FRIDAY

After a nice flight of having my knees into my chest again (me and the travel agent need to have a talk), I unfolded from my quasi-Karma Sutra pose in my seat and got off the plane in Macedonia. Now take note that you exit the plane and walked on the field to the gate. I love doing this because it’s so old school, reminding me of the Beatles triumphant arrival to America or some of our past US Presidents exiting Air Force One waving at their destination with a mission and a promise of a better, collective tomorrow. Anyhow, after we walked through the passport screening, we gathered our belongings and were met by two men who would drive us to our hotels in a couple of Mercedes-Benz (NICE). We arrived at the Holiday Inn on the Riverfront of Skopje, which is the capitol of Macedonia. Now, I know you’re tempted to snicker because it’s a Holiday Inn, but in all actuality, it was some wonderful accommodations, which was right next to the mall and the Riverfront, which featured a ton of cafes, restaurants, bars and discotheques. We had a free block before our welcome dinner, so after exchanging some money into the local currency, I went to the local store to get some refreshments. I know we have a consumer habit of gravitating to items that we’re familiar with, but I like to take a risk every now and then, so I bought some local items, which turned out to be pretty good and came in handy during one of our outings, which I’ll get to later. It’s nap time!!!

Later on that evening, we all gathered in the lobby and met our coordinator, Biljana “BB” Petkovska, a Marshall Memorial Fellowship alum and current Director of the Macedonian Institute for the Media for dinner. The institute was founded in 2001 as a non-profit and truly independent organization, open for all media and journalists in Macedonia, featuring 79 media, news agencies and professional organizations from Macedonia are members of the institute. The main goals of MIM are to upgrade the professional skills of Macedonian media, support the development of independent and free media, future journalism education, professional standards and ethics and to develop links between Macedonian and international media professionals and support their participation in regional and international training. We all went to a lovely outdoor Italian restaurant called Vodenica. The outdoor seating was reminiscent of an Italian country side, with trees to match.





We were joined for dinner by two other MMF alums from the area, Edvard Mitevski and Dane Koruga, who added a pleasant, youthful energy to the dinner conversation and the weekend as a whole. Edvard is actually working on his Masters in Dispute Resolutions at Notre Dame (Go Irish!). As the dinner continued with the array of courses being brought out for us to indulge in, we talked about Macedonia, public perceptions, what has changed since its separation from the Yugoslavic Republic and what it has to offer Europe and the rest of the world. As the dinner ended, I thought to myself that this was an interesting, yet gentle beginning to our visit in Macedonia. As the rain moved in to conclude our evening, I thought about tomorrow and asked myself “We are we going?” Little did I know, our destination would become an adventure that even Indiana Jones® would be proud to be a part of.

SIDE NOTE-One of the things you get used to or adapt to as an American traveler in Europe is smoking. I only bring this up because it became a distant afterthought throughout my travels until I looked down the table and noticed how elegant BB looked when she smoked. All you had to do is paint the scene black and white and you would have a classic looking movie starlet smoking in an elegant pose that anyone could appreciate. It almost looked like a cigarette ad. I made a note about it because it spoke volumes to the idea if you’re going to do something, do it with some style.

SATURDAY

Woke up this morning got to thank God; I don’t know but today seems kind of odd…if I only knew what Ice Cube was saying in “Good Day” would be applicable to my Saturday in Skopje, I may have stayed in bed, but I would have missed moments that I would talk about for years. I started off my day happy. Why? Well, for starters, we didn’t have to be up at the crack of dawn or have a number of appointments before noon. In fact, this Saturday was starting off nice and easy. I guess you always get the calm before the rain and not in the imagery sense either. Actually, in order to do it justice, I have to break this day down into its proper chapters.

LOST IN THE TRANSLATION RIVER

I was preparing for the day when my mobile rang, which was odd because everyone would either e-mail, text or IM me. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was one of my MMF colleagues. I picked up the phone and said hello and what followed woke me up really fast. It was dead pause followed by a crackling voice filled with concern. My colleague went to the local post office to ship some of the items we have been given back home in order to lighten the luggage weight. She asked how much would it be and the postal worker gave her an estimate. After she finished packing the box the agent gave her the final price. My colleague didn’t have enough local currency on her and they didn’t take credit cards. She offered to go get more money from the cash machine. However this got lost in translation because she knew little to no Macedonian and the agent knew little to no English. The agent became angry because she thought my colleague was trying to play a joke. What made the situation worse was the post office became packed with customers, voices escalated and the culmination of my colleague being told that her stuff would be thrown in the river began to take its toll.

So, she did what any one of us would do-call someone you’re familiar with to come help you. Since my name began with a B, I was first on her list. After getting directions and trying to figure out how to get there, I made HASTE to meet her. Making haste was a 6’5” 350lbs black man running through the mall of Skopje trying to locate my MMF colleague. I don’t have to tell you that I was turning heads, but I’m light on my feet and I amaze myself at times. However, the mission at hand was to get to her. After about ten minutes, I found the post office. I must say it was good to see her so I just grabbed her and gave her a big bear hug and told her it was going to be ok and that we will get her items back. I didn’t know how it would be done, but sometimes you just need to offer some assurance your friend in such times and this was one of them. I then told her that we would be laughing about this situation in a couple of hours and that we would add this to our chapter of memories for this fellowship. What I should have asked her was how many people she called-LOL. She had called some of the other MMF’s that were at the hotel and they connected with our city coordinator. I reached BB by phone and told her which post office it was and like the consummate coordinator, she and Edvard came walking up together. She and I began to explain what happened to BB. Her and BB walked in to talk to the postal agent and cleared the matter up and the package was mailed. As we walked away from the post office, I had to chuckle on the inside about the entire incident. Why? For one, it’s still amazes me how communication can make or break a situation. Wars between countries have started over communication issues and here we are diffusing a situation over a lost translation. Second, I chuckled because I finally was able to come up with a nickname for this particular MMF-Post Office Barbie (wink). Finally, I chuckled because good or bad, we will always have this memory of this moment in Macedonia.

RAIDERS OF THE STRANDED AMERICAN MARSHALL MEMORIAL FELLOWS
SURVIVOR SERIES: AMMF EDITION
MMF ISLAND (GILLIGAN’S ISLAND SPINOFF)
MMF JONES AND THE CAVERN OF DOOM
MTV (Marshall Television) REAL OUTDOOR WORLD: MACEDONIA
MISPLACED (CW/BET BOOTLEG VERSION OF “LOST”)

I don’t think I can pick a bad title for this part of the day, but I wanted to give you, the reader, an opportunity to choose the title that best fits this segment of the day. So after you read this part of the blog, you let me know which one should be the title and the one with the most votes is the winner. The participants that were actually there, (Natalie, Jamie, Chas, Doua-you get three votes, David, BB, Edvard, and Dane) your votes are counted as two.




After our post office adventure, we all got into cabs and headed to the outskirts of town. Now because Macedonia is in the Balkan region, you are treated by some wonderful geological treats of hills, valleys and mountains. As our landscape transformed from city to rural, I was prepared to “wash” away the morning adventure and continue on with our day-together as a group. We reached our destination and were greeted by a serene river with an eco-friendly dam that gives the area its electricity. We walked up the hill for a little bit and it was a café. As we were walking we were asked if we wanted to go up the river via boat. Not knowing when I would be back in Macedonia, I was eager to do this; a chance to see what nature has given in Macedonia.

As we waited for our boat, we order some refreshments, including some cheese fries, cheese bread and this spread, which I still don’t know what it’s called, but can assure you it was very tasty and memorable and I know that I can only get the best, homemade kind in Macedonia. I know many of you are ready to call the carbohydrate police, but if you knew what laid ahead for us, you’ll think again about dialing that number.



Our boat came and we loaded up and made our way down the river. I had my iPod and I played…you guessed it Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Rio”. It was such a good set of songs to set the tone for this boat ride. The mist rising up to cover up the ripples we made cutting through the water was something to witness. What I didn’t notice was the clouds beginning to come together. We made our way further up and then stopped off at one of the natural sites that included a cave. As we climbed up this hill, with makeshift banisters included, one of my MMF colleagues proclaimed in a jokingly, pessimistic tone, “Don’t get off the boat. You know what happens when the visitors get off the boat?” I started to add the creepy sounds from Friday the 13th to add to the mood. How ignorant we were to Dave’s prophetic statement.




We made our way to the top of the path and entered this natural cave. This cave was truly remarkable to be in. From the natural carving from the water to the nest of bats sleeping (yes, there were real live bats in the cave), this cave gave us everything of Macedonia’s nature. As we concluding our picture taking, a thunderous sound vibrated the hollows of the cave. A storm had formed. We, along with another group from a separate boat had to wait it out at the mouth of the cave. As we were waiting…pat. Did something hit me in my head? No. As I was saying…pat, pa, pat. Something did hit me in the head. It was a hailstorm that kicked off the rain for the next two and a half hours. Now the question changed from “Where Are We Going” to “WHEN Are We Going?”


As the rain increased and decreased, many of us just made the time pass by telling jokes, making fun of the situation, and just waiting out the moment. Some of us had iPods, which helped to pass the time. BB, our coordinator, was just as calm and collected as she could be, particularly when her family had joined us for the outing including her young son, who seemed more fascinated by the weather and watching us cope with it all. Still, some of us tried to figure out when we could leave, while others just longed for some dry clothes. Speaking of dry clothes-HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUA!!! What a way to start off your birthday by being trapped at a cave. ☺

After the storm finally passed, the boat operator felt it was safe to go back. Wet, tired but revved up with a destination of hope, we made our way back down the river. Even though the rain has subsided, the cool air and the wet clothes could spell trouble. We found some garbage bags and made some ponchos to protect the ladies. As we made it to the dock, I was happy to be back, but I also had a moment to think to myself. Through all the jokes, watching the sky and listening to one another, it occurred to me that we just left something amazing-a moment of us and nature; no more, no less. It also meant that three things would be in order-a shower, a nap and an outing to celebrate a new appreciation for life. Would Skopje, Macedonia be ready?




We made it back to the hotel. We all agreed to meet in the lobby later on for dinner, but David, one of the other fellows, and I wanted something right then, so we decided to walk around the Riverfront and the mall in search of something to eat. As we were walking, David noticed this black guy sitting in the restaurant. The guy gave David the “head nod” when we walked passed, similar to what we would do in America with other African-Americans. We walked a little further and David suggests that we go back and introduce ourselves. We went back and discovered that he was sitting in La Bodeguita del Medio, a Cuban chain restaurant in the middle of Skopje’s Riverfront. We sat and introduced ourselves to him and started to share stories about why we were in Skopje, what we’ve seen and what is there to do. As Dave and I shared stories with our new friend over some Cuban chicken wings, rice and Coca-Cola, the adventures in the cave were soon a distant memory. We began to wrap up our conversations so we could meet the others back in the lobby, when we were alerted that Latin Night would commence at the restaurant and would feature some Brazilian dancers. Having frequented Brazil a number of times, I new what type of night and energy would be in store. I told him, depending on how our itinerary looks that we would try to come back.

We walked to a restaurant in one of the main squares and sat at this long table that’s been prepared for us and the libations and food began to flow. The talk of the evening was of course-THE CAVE. However, it was laced with humor and insightfulness. The funny thing is how food and alcohol can make some of the most uncertain moments seem certain and manageable. I wish I had faired better with my food selection. Edvard tried to warn me, but in my daring bravado, I ordered the curry chicken pizza. The concept sounded good, but what was brought in front of me was a manhole cover of cheese slathered with an 8oz helping of curry chicken with the gravy to match. I need not begin to tell you how difficult it was to try to eat this. Admitting defeat, Jamie, my MMF colleague saved me and shared her pizza with me. Thanks Jamie!!!



Edvard had scheduled to take to one of Skopje’s outdoor clubs, but because the weather had been uncooperative, we decided to go to La Bodeguita del Medio for the Latin night. When we were there earlier, you could pick any seat. When we got there after dinner, the place was packed with patrons rhythmically moving to the Latin sounds being played by the in-house DJ. We saw the guy we met earlier. Some of his friends joined him and we added to the party making the best of the night. The drinks kept flowing including this mojito that looked like a Big Gulp from a local 7-Eleven. What got the place excited again was the encore appearance and performance of the Brazilian dancers. She sliced her way through the crowds with a Samba sway. Dressed in traditional Brazilian colored clothes, her presence caused an added excitement to the patrons (yes, some of the female patrons cheered as well). Watching all of this, it hit me-I’m in Macedonia, at a Cuban bar/restaurant for Latin Night, watch a Brazilian dancer. How did this happen? I just chalked it up to Macedonia-expect the unexpected and then some. LOL



Afterward we made our way toward a dance club called Midnight and trust me it was way after midnight when we arrived. We made our way down a flight of stairs which opened to a large room filled with people dancing to the latest sounds of House, Techno and Beat music. What I noticed was the bar. What was cool about this bar was the wall behind the bar was actually a sound equalizer monitor, where as the music played the bars would fluctuate. After a couple more hours of dancing, people watching and trying to hold a conversation in a loud club, we made our short stroll back to the hotel. We had to prepare to depart for Ohrid in the morning. After experiencing the cave, dinner, and dancing the tranquility of Ohrid may just be what the MMF doctor ordered.

OHRID-THE TRANQUIL APPLE OF MACEDONIA’S EYE

SUNDAY

As we peeled ourselves out of bed and made our way into the lobby, we loaded our bus up with luggage, snacks and a blurred memory of the night before. Well, my vision was clear as day, but you get the point about the night before. We hit the road for a two hour journey to Ohrid- a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and is referred to as the Macedonian Jerusalem.[1] The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. It is located southwest of Skopje, west of Resen and Bitola, and east of Elbasan and Tirana in Albania (from Wikipedia).

I sat in the front seat of the bus, which may “seem” like the seat to be in. Well, let me tell you that Macedonia has some tall hills and mountains and some narrow roads, so after riding in this seat for about an hour, I affectionately dubbed the seat the “Planes, Trains and Automobile” seat after the Steve Martin and John Candy comedy. Seeing semi-tractor trailers heading your way or Speed Racer curves where you look down some hundreds of feet below made this seat the roller coaster seat from hell. Lucky I had my iPod with me; not that it will stop the semi from coming our way, but at least it takes my attention away from watching the traffic coming.

Along the way, we stopped at a toll both. I noticed this young boy at the both, which I thought was odd. I wondered if he was just there to watch the cars go by. Turns out he was asking for spare change. Even in the outskirts of Macedonia, I am reminded of the blessings I have been bestowed. More so, I am prodded to remember that we as a world have some work to do to address global poverty. As we continued on our journey, the weather was showing signs of being uncooperative, but we pushed ahead until we stopped for a restroom break. For being such a good co-pilot, the driver treated me to a Macedonian treat. It was baked bread filled with this curd like cheese. It was hot, crusty, chewy and pretty tasty. I like sampling local favorites because it helps me to identify with the culture.

We loaded up and got back on the road and arrived in Ohrid. Our hotel was on the lakefront of Lake Ohrid. After lunch and a quick moment to rest, we set out on our sightseeing of local monuments with a tour guide. A walk down the lakefront to get to our tour guide with the sun making a special appearance helped set the tone for the rest of the day. We arrived at the town center and met our tour guide. Due to the inclement weather from earlier, our tour had to be cut in half, but he promised we would experience a good portion of what Ohrid has to offer.

We made our way up the cobbled street as our tour guide peppered us with facts that took us back to when Ohrid was settled. In between dodging cars that share the road with pedestrians, we stopped at a paper maker. Yes-a person that actually uses the old science of making paper for writing and printing, which is a fascinating process to watch. We then moved on to one of the first monasteries in the city. We talked about how Ohrid was a religion center in the region and how at one time it had a church for every day of the year. Talk about faith!!! We continued our tour ascending to the top of the hills of Ohrid. The steepness of the trail reminded me of football camp and not the happy moments either. Along the way we passed an ancient Romanesque amphitheater, where the city still utilizes it for music festivals and other performances.


We continued our ascent to discover one of the oldest monasteries in Ohrid. It was being excavated for artifacts, but we were able to go inside and see some of the artifacts that have been preserved. Although the sky had a significant amount of clouds, the sun was able to break through and leave its footprints across the lake as it began to set for the evening. We descended from the top, where I asked myself why we didn’t take this route in the first place, but I digressed. We arrived at the town square where everyone disbursed for some shopping. I sat in the middle of the square in a park so I could just people watch and enjoy the dusk colored sky as people made their way to and from the square. Now I know it’s not everyday that locals see a big Black guy sitting in the middle of their square, but they just walked passed, looked and would nod their head, speak or even wink (don’t ask no questions and I tell you no lies).




We visited a local pizzeria for dinner, where the conversation became a recollection of what we experienced. The restaurant music caused us to play name that tune, where the participants had to tap the table and the last two to tap in had to guess the name of the song or the artist in 10 second, or be subjected to drink. It was a good diversion from the day and it reminded me of college when you would get creative in a restaurant or someone’s house gathering. We stayed almost three hours partaking in conversation, music and food and the owner was gracious enough to offer our party a drink on the house. We walked back to the hotel along the lakefront. The moonlight painted the lake and the walk back. After the journey, the rain, the steep hills and the breathtaking views of Ohrid, nothing seemed to measure up to this moment. It was just me, the dark lake, the moonlight and the clouds forming over the lake preparing to serenade our sleep with the sounds of rain. At this moment, at this place and at this time, I realized why I was slated for Macedonia-so I can appreciate everything life has to give. It was time to slumber.

MONDAY

After a weekend of being acclimated to Macedonia, we began our business part of the trip with a visit to the Youth Council of Ohrid-an NGO that works for and in the name of the youth, protection of children’s rights, disadvantaged youth, environmental protection, human rights and Civil Liberties, democratization, civil society development, Peace and Conflict resolution, voting and democracy, Women’s, and many other activities of interest of the youth. We began our meeting with an introduction of the staff, where we learned that many of them were volunteers or interns, which meant this was a profession of passion for most of them. We talked about what drove them to work with the council and what did they hope to get out of their efforts. We also discovered how the work of the council was impacting the lives of children around Ohrid.



We departed to see some of the local monasteries placed within Macedonia’s mountains. We first stopped at a village called Jance, where this old monastery was located. We entered the main sanctuary and were marveled at the decorum of the place, including the classical paintings that adorned the walls and ceilings. A particular piece showcased the milestones of Jesus Christ from the last supper until his ascension into heaven, which Natalie and I discussed with our colleagues. Hey Momma, Sunday school paid off!!! ☺


We continued on our way through the mountains when the van made a sudden sharp turn. Where are we going now? We tracked our way up this one lane road through a village and at the top of the road was a brand new resort where we were to have a traditional Macedonian lunch. When we made it to the top, we were greeted by a row of flags waving us in. This resort sported boulder like bricks, mingling with natural wood. We walked into a very earthy looking place filled with high ceilings, a friendly, attentive staff and a huge table full of everything you can imagine to eat. It looked like the welcoming feast from the Harry Potter® novels, except it we were the participants. I’m not going to describe the food, because I don’t want it to seem like I’m rubbing it in your face, but I can tell you that it was one of the best meals I had on the entire fellowship-PERIOD. It wasn’t just because of the taste, the variety or the location. It was because of the people present. All of us, the fellows, the host and the drivers just sitting around together breaking break and having a conversation, well the little conversation that occurred because everyone was focused on the food before them.


After we walked around the property and looked at its breathtaking views of the Macedonian mountains, we loaded up and rolled out to our final destination before we tracked back to Skopje. We stopped at one more monastery, where after the ladies put on their mandatory dresses, we were greeted by some special greeters-peacocks. We entered the grounds and came upon the man sanctuary where a service was in progress. Being respected, we entered quietly to observe the proceedings. Outside the main sanctuary were walls that told the story of biblical characters and saints. Upon our departure, clouds have gathered and begin to shower the area. Driving through the mountains became that much more challenging, but our drivers were up to the task. During the ride, the rain stopped and the sun broke through and with that one of God’s greatest reminders was revealed-a rainbow. Cutting across the sun-laced, gray sky a gigantic rainbow appeared. It metaphoric message can be of many things, but one things for certain, whatever storm you face, there is always an end to it and something to look forward to. So what would we have to look forward to heading back to Skopje?



We made it back to Skopje with a free evening to ourselves. Some of us was beat and decided to stay in. Not me. I can sleep later. So the rest of us would take a minute to freshen up and meet back up for dinner. We met back up and made our way down the Riverfront and felt the need to stop at the place that washed away our Cavern Calamity- La Bodeguita del Medio. We had partied there, but how would it be to eat there? David and I knew the answer but wanted the others to experience it for themselves. We sat outside so we can enjoy the atmosphere and ordered a variety of dishes. (No Jamie, you do not have to order the risotto). Our wait staff was very friendly and even tried to translate some of the Macedonian language into English for us, which was really cool. After our dinner, we journeyed back to the hotel to get a good night sleep so we could be well rested for our last day in Macedonia.

SUPER TUESDAY



I called it Super Tuesday because everything we experienced dealt with Macedonia’s democracy in action. First our day started off with a visit to the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” (IDSCS) is a non-government, non-partisan, non-profit organization. Its goal is to work on the improvement of the democratic processes in the Republic of Macedonia and on the development of the political culture of the citizens, mostly through implementation of scientific and research projects, through organizing lectures, debates and conferences as well as through its publishing work. We talked about the progress of democracy in Macedonia, the challenges in ensuring an equitable democratic society and some of the techniques they use to forward their agenda.


Next we headed to a lunch meeting with Mr. Ivica Bocevski, Deputy Prime Minister, in-charge of European Affairs for Macedonia. Mr. Bocevski took time off of his scheduled vacation to meet with us and talk to us about the outreach efforts of Macedonia with its European counterparts. We also learned how the government is dealing with some of the issues that Macedonia is facing as it relates to its pending memberships into NATO and the European Union.


As if the day could not get any better, we transported ourselves to the next meeting of the day. We met with the Honorable Koce Trajanovski, the Mayor of Skopje. The Mayor began the meeting giving us an overview on the history of Skopje, the direction of Skopje as a municipality and his hopes for Skopje as Mayor. The conversation continued with questions from us ranging from some of his toughest issues he had to tackle as mayor to asking him how much of his strategic plan is still on track. The Mayor, who seemed delighted to converse with us, through the use of his translator, closed out the meeting by presenting us as fellows some gifts from Skopje that would promote a prosperous house and journey. This item, along with a group picture of the fellows will be housed in the German Marshall Fund headquarters in Washington, DC. As a return gesture of appreciation, we presented the Mayor with some municipal gifts from us including gifts from the City of Charlotte, NC and Mecklenburg County, NC as well as gifts from the City of Chicago and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After posing for numerous pictures, the Mayor gave his regards and continued with his day of governing Skopje.


After this exciting meeting with the Mayor, we kept the momentum going with a visit to another NGO, the Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women (ESE). Its goals is to raise the degree of legal literacy and promotion of the position of women in the legal system-flight against domestic violence by making it visible and through appropriate ways of tackling domestic violence, increased participation of Women in politics and their active involvement in advocating for women’s issues and interests. The conversation centered on how the NGO helps to champion some of the gender issues in Macedonia, particularly domestic violence with women victims.


Through this meeting we also learned how dynamic and special our group is. As ESE was passing out material, David noticed one of the items of literature had a purple ribbon. He then asked the group if they new the origin of the purple ribbon. Well come to find out, David, along with his mother and other family members started a non-profit in Charlotte called Mothers of Murdered Offspring (M.O.M.O.). The origin of the purple ribbon comes from M.O.M.O in honor of one of his family members who was murdered as a result of domestic violence, as purple was her favorite color. See how something that started locally spread across the globe brought some emotions to not only David, but also every one of us in that room.


Our final meeting took place at the working residence of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Gjorge Ivanov. Yes, this was the equivalent of going to the White House. We walked onto the grounds to be greeted by a meticulous kept yard with shrubbery to match. In the middle was a modern deco house to focus your attention on. As the Macedonian flagged rippled through the air, we entered the house to be greeted by the Macedonian Coat of Arms. After walking around the holding room we were taken upstairs to meet with the Deputy Prime Minister who was the Secretariat-General of the Macedonian government. Joined by other officials, the discussion centered around the direction of the newly, the issues being addressed and a comparative discussion on Macedonia’s relationship with the Bush Administration and the Obama Administration. As we concluded, it occurred to me that we just met literally every level of executive government in Macedonia, from the grassroots NGO, a mayor of a local municipality and two high level central-government officials.




We left, went back to the hotel and went to Gino for our farewell dinner. To me it was bittersweet. For a city of country I never really paid attention to all of sudden being a city and country I was not ready to leave or have gotten so much from, it was truly a eyep-opening experience. As the food was being passed, gifts exchanged and hugs, kisses and shots tossed back, Macedonia had given us everything it has to offer. It opened its doors and welcomed six Americans with open arms. Our coordinator and other hosts showed us what Macedonia is all about. More importantly, we learned that there is life after the post Yugoslavia block and that the Balkan laced countries have a lot more to offer than just a reference to “those countries over there”. We gave each host a gift bag full of items from our city and our hearts. I left dinner early because we had to be up and out to the airport for a 6:00am flight. I gave BB the biggest bear hug I could and not just because she looks cool smoking or because I thought she was adorable. LOL. She has continued my streak of having some outstanding city coordinators and Macedonia did not disappoint. I didn’t know how else to express the pleasant destination Macedonia has been to all of us.




As I watched people enjoy themselves, I finally realized my question had been answered each and every day. So, when I asked where are we going and now where we’ve been, I can proudly admit that we’ve been to Macedonia, and it was fantastic. Good night blog readers and tune in to the next blog to find out who couldn’t hold their sleepiness in the airport, if I finally was charged for my heavy luggage by some overachieving agent and if Berlin-the Final Frontier was a finale or fiasco.

Same MMF time. Same MMF channel.

TURKEY-DO WE HAVE TO GO?

TURKEY-DO WE REALLY HAVE TO GO?

No really-do we have to go? That was the question we all asked; not before we arrived, but when we were about to leave Turkey. Turkey as a destination was truly a remarkable experience that had us hating to leave and wanting more. The mixture of slow (Ankara) and fast (Istanbul) was a perfect combination of contrast as far as style, urban living and political paradigms.

As we arrived in Ankara, we wondered what Turkey would have in store for us. We pondered if this was going to be fulfilling or futile. Well after reading this, you’ll see that Turkey gave us more that we would ever hope for.

We arrived in the Istanbul airport from Paris. We had to connect to Ankara, so Istanbul would have to wait. We got our visa for Turkey on site (15 euros) and got a nice colorful stamp for our passport (sweet). As we walked through the airport, we stuck out like a sore thumb, but it was not uncomfortable. Most of the time, we just got curious looks and then a smile, head nod, a hello or even a wink (don’t ask). We found our gate, but we were about to experience a significant difference in travel from the US-go for what you know boarding. When it’s time to board, the sign flashes and everyone just goes to the gate-no groups, no numbers. It was something to experience. It was like passenger bumper cars trying to get through a gate where the end destination would still be determined by the assigned seats. I stopped trying to figure things out or rationalize things. I am just “going with the flow” as it helps one enjoy the moment.

ANKARA-SMALLER CITY, BIGGER IMPACT

MONDAY

We arrived in Ankara about 50 min later and gathered our bags. We were met at the exit by a Ceylan Akman, Program Associate in the Ankara office for the German Marshall Fund of the US. Ceylan, an intelligent, modern woman with a classic Ingrid Bergman look would continue my streak of experience outstanding city coordinators for this fellowship. We boarded our bus and were whisked away through the traffic on Ankara. As I was looking out the window of the bus, I just notice that once again “I was not in Kansas anymore” as I saw people weave through traffic trying to cross the streets of Ankara. As our journeyed transitioned from outskirts to main district, the hustle and bustle of Ankara was alive and well. From shops, street vendors, cafes or just friends hanging out, Ankara was alive.

We checked into this sleek, modern looking hotel that was a subtle monument to steel, concrete and energy conservation, with the abundant natural light that illuminated the property. The room itself was modern and comfortable with a tasteful bathroom, laid with marble. After getting over our awe, we decided to get into the crowd of Ankara and walk the streets. Walking down the street was an adventure in itself. A funny moment happened as I was walking. We stopped for the ATM and these young men who were working in a restaurant saw me and came out to “observe” me. The youngest one came behind me and stood on this tree rail. I soon discovered they were amazed at my size and height. So I told him as best as I could how tall I was. He just looked in amazement. We continued our walking excursion and for some reason we wanted to cross the street to experience the other side. Now why did we want to do that? Crossing the street in Ankara is like playing Frogger, except you’re the frog trying to avoid the on coming traffic.

We made it back to the hotel and sat for a spell. We couldn’t sit in amazement too long as we were scheduled for a dinner conversation on Trends in Turkish Politics, with Professor Ömer Faruk Gençkaya at this warm restaurant called Tike. Tike is earth-tone heaven for an interior decorator, with subtle walls, bold wood grains accents and hints of green. This décor was reflective of the cuisine, as Özgur Unluhisarcikli, Director of the GMF office in Ankara, who joined us for dinner, explained the vast variety of Turkish dishes we were about to partake. Everyone sung praises about the hummus stating the best ever. I gravitated favorable toward the Turkish salad. In fact, I combined this mixture with a white cheese and this warm, fluffy pita like bread that I was able to cut in half and expose an open, puff pocket. Delight was achieved in one easy pocket.

Throughout our travels in Europe, much of the conversation has always been peppered with Turkey, its candidate status to the European Union and its impact on Europe as a country. Now we get to hear from Turkey itself. The dinner included conversations about the perceptions of Turkey as a Muslim country, how it will contribute to the European Union and how some including some Turks use the secular state status as an excuse to hinder Turkey’s EU membership. During our dinner, two of our colleagues finally joined us due to a delayed flight which caused them to miss the connecting flight. Now our group was complete and the conversation continued. One thing was certain from this conversation; there would not be a right and wrong position because everyone had a different position full of validity and conviction.

TUESDAY

The next day was packed with some wonderful meetings and outings. The first order of the day was to visit the Turkish Parliament for an introduction to the Turkish Political System. The campus for the Turkish capital had a look and feel of a college campus except the governing of a nation took place here. Our visit took place during a Parliament meeting day, so needless to say security was extra tight. After passing the metal detectors, we were taken to the actual Parliament chambers. This chamber was an immaculate white marble with burnt orange furniture. It was a sight to see and more so to be standing in. In fact, it was the same room where President Obama addressed the Turkish government. We were given an overview of the Turkish Parliament by one of the officials of the Parliament who explained the layout, protocols and the various debates that occur in the chamber.



After this informative overview, we then headed to our meeting with an actual member of this Parliament. We met with the Honorable Fatma Şahin, MP, Justice and Development Party and head of its Women Branches. This meeting would began a day that would ultimately remind me that women in general are still treated as subordinates, but that there are dedicated, intelligent and resolute women who will continue the struggle to eradicate this thinking, classification or social practice. MP Şahin talked to us about how they are constantly fighting to ensure the rights of women in Turkey and how they are legislating these changes in Parliament.


Our next stop was to Antikabir-the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the leader of the Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first president of the Turkish Republic. This mausoleum was truly fitting for someone that has contributed so much to the Turkish Republic. It was not just a resting place, but it was a walk through Turkish history. On a sunny day, you can see clear across Ankara in all directions. Our tour guide filled in every blank that the exhibits did not convey, which made the tour of the mausoleum really fulfilling. It was comparable to an American touring Valley Forge.



Next was out outdoor lunch where we had a panel discussion on Turkey, European Union and the United States, A Foreign Policy Assessment. This star studded lunch included Mr. Burak Akçapar, Head of Strategic Planning –Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Arno Kirchhof, Political Counselor, German Embassy and Mr. Daniel O’Grady, Political Counselor-US Embassy. As I met each individual, I started to think; where else would I be having a lunch with this group of people talking comparative foreign policy- through the Marshall Memorial Fellowship. The lunch conversation revealed each individual take on foreign relations, particularly from Turkey’s EU candidate status, how this will impact Germany and other EU countries and what this does for US relations with these countries.

After lunch, we headed to our next appoint, which became a real eye opener for me. This appointment was about Gender Issues in Turkey with Flying Broom-a women’s NGO for gender equality. The meeting was with Ürün Güner, the Project Coordinator for Flying Broom and a MMF Alum. Ms. Güner, who is truly knowledgable about the various gender issues in Turkey, began to systematically explain the historical context of these issues, how Flying Broom and other women focused NGO’s in Turkey are addressing them and the work and challenges that still remain. I can honestly say at the end of this meeting I was thinking of the Virginia Slims slogan, “You’ve Come a Long Way Baby!!!”, but I added a phrase “But You Still Got Some Ways to Go.” I say this because if any inequalities exist somewhere, then inequalities exist everywhere. So gender based, racially based, ethnicity, economic, it’s all travesties. So I became more alert to gender based issues because of this visit.

As the day of meetings concluded, we were given a surprise. Our host dinner, was actually a host PARTY!!!! Ms. Güner invited everyone and anyone she knew to her house for an outdoor dinner extravaganza. From Turkish officials, to US and Canadian Embassy staff, everyone was there. I need not tell you that she introduced all of us to the party as the guest of honor. The conversations were diverse and the backdrop of the high hill residence overlooking one of Ankara’s valleys helped set the tone for the evening. I must confess that my most memorable conversation was talking with Ceylan about politics and the art of political discussion. I won’t divulge the conversation itself, but it reminded me that we all have something to offer, we have something to teach and we all have something to learn.

The next day was individual appointment day and then departure for the next city. Surprisingly enough, my appointment actually happened and did not cancel. I meet with Mr. Recep Çakal, Head of Information Society Department. Mr. Çakal talked about his department, the current initiatives in trying to standardize technology platforms in Turkey and some of the organizational challenges in meeting these goals. I learned that no matter where you are, government is government and the challenges inherited with it makes the job “fun”. After this meeting, I departed for the airport. I began to look forward to the next part of this trip. Why? Ankara has welcomed me with open arms. So much, it made me excited to go to Istanbul. Everyone talked about how fast and metropolitan/cosmopolitan Istanbul is compared to Ankara. So I was thinking, if that’s the case and Ankara has been a great stop, then Istanbul is about to be amazing!!!

To see more pictures from Ankara, click ANKARA PICTURES

ISTANBUL-THE URBAN GEM OF TURKEY

WEDNESDAY



After a short flight, we hit the ground (literally) and docked into our gate. What we were docking into was a world away from the world, which is called Istanbul. We were here. It was time to see if everyone’s advice, comments, suggestions and observations were true. We hopped into our van (starting to feel like a band on tour) and headed straight to our hotel. Zipping through the city, we began to notice how busy and populated it is. I particularly noticed that Istanbul has a lot of hills, so it shouldn't be a bad view from most places. This was truly the case with this hotel, as we entered our rooms and dropped our bags in awe. My room had a breathtaking view of Istanbul’s cityscape and the Bosporus Sea in the backdrop. I know you’re not reading this blog for a hotel description, so I’ll get back to the Fellowship.

We had our first meeting in Istanbul in our hotel over lunch with the Bilgi University Center for Migration Research. The conversation centered around the French, German and Turkish Dialogue Project on EU issues. More importantly, it helped us to understand what the behind the scene conversations regarding Turkey’s EU membership efforts and how this organized dialogue is helping to “demystify” the notion of Turkey as an EU member.

Our next meeting was an enlightening meeting to say the least. We had a meeting with Ms. Lina Filiba, the Vice President of the Jewish Community of Turkey. I will be the first to admit that I was ignorant of the fact that a Jewish population existed in this Islamic practicing country. Actually, according to what I found on Wikipedia, the history of the Jews in Turkey covers the 2,400 years that Jews have lived in what is now Turkey. There have been Jewish communities in Asia Minor since at least the 4th century BCE; and many Jews expelled from Spain, the Sephardic Jews, were welcomed to the Ottoman Empire, including regions part of modern Turkey, in the late 15th century. Despite emigration during the 20th century, modern day Turkey continues to have a small Jewish population. Our conversation gave us insight on the current status of Jews in Turkey, how they interact with the local community in Istanbul and how they are dealing with generational challenges within their communities.




After this wonderful meeting, we then headed back to our hotel to freshen up and prepare for our dinner meeting with Dr. Hakan Yilmaz, a professor of political science at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. In order to get to dinner, we had to venture down this steep, cobble stone road that ended at the Bosporus Sea. We walked half way and entered this undecorated door that didn't advertise much of anything. After walking a couple of flights of stairs, we got to an elevator. Small and compact, this elevator was taking us to a big and open world. As we exited the elevator, all the glory of the Bosporus Sea was in our sight. This restaurant called Leb-i-Derya, was breathtaking in décor, view and taste. The outdoor patio for drinks or the indoor dining for couples or groups alike made this the destination for “hip” in Istanbul. We were whisked away to the next level, which was a private dinning room with the same view and ambiance, except it was ours and ours alone.

As Dr. Yilmaz arrived, we were served a Three-Seeded Tulum Cheese Salad. This salad was impeccable in presentation, taste and balance featuring assorted greens, apple slices, walnuts, strawberries and drizzled with pommegrenadine vinaigrette and fried tulum cheese coated with three types of seeds. After polling some of my colleagues, it is safe to say that this was one of the best salads many of us have ever had. Only a hearty conversation of how religion and politics in Turkey would make this evening more fulfilling. Be careful what you wish for, as Dr. Yilmaz gave us just that. We discussed the difference of a secular state and how the lack of separation of church and state impacts the equitable governance of Turkey.

After taking in all that food and conversation, we walked it all off by strolling through the markets of Istanbul. The atmosphere of the cafes, people and sights reminded me of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. After walking the night away, we headed back to our hotel to discover that our hotel has a magnificent outdoor, roof top bar with a panoramic view of Istanbul. So we ventured up there to talk about our day and just enjoy the moment of being in Istanbul.




THURSDAY

Our next day was packed with a balance attack of business, education and shopping. We started off with a meeting with the American Business Forum in Turkey (ABFT). This is a US Chamber of Commerce affiliate group serving to improve the business investment environment for US companies in Turkey. Here we heard from such companies as Hilton Hotel, Cushman Wakefield and AIG Investments to name a few. We discussed what the current international business climate is in Turkey and the pros and cons of investing within Istanbul versus focusing on other areas in Turkey.

Our next destination would not only remind me of who benefits from our efforts in education, but re energized me as far as professional purpose is concerned. We visited the Educational Volunteers Foundation of Turkey (TEGV). This is a Turkish NGO providing non-formal educational opportunities for children and youth in need throughout Turkey.

We first had a presentation about the organization by some of the staff members. After talking about the state of education in Turkey, some of the needed reforms and how NGOs have been an instrumental advocate for these reforms. We then toured the facilities, which had a school like atmosphere. We were fortunate to see some of the kids in their classes, interacting with their teachers and one another. As we visited the classes, they looked on with a child like curiosity, but then just burst into salutations.

This part of the trip really got to me. We stopped at the outdoor pavilion where there were four boys sitting there. I walked over to them to speak and before I could say a word, one extended out his fist to me to give me a fist pump. Something we used to do in the neighborhood, on the football field or basketball court has transcended to an NGO in Turkey. We then took a group picture and continued our tour, the four boys caught up with me. The one that gave me the fist bump said to me “50 Cent”. At first I thought he wanted fifty cents, but as I listened, he was talking about the artist. Sure enough, it was translated to me that he wanted to know if I knew of 50 Cent. Here again, something that started in the streets of the South Bronx has penetrated the streets of Turkey.

We walked and talked more about Hip-Hop in general. As we walked and talked, I just noticed how excited they were getting and how their eyes would light up by the mere fact we were conversing about Hip-Hop. What I didn’t notice was that it was time for us to go. I didn’t want to go and they didn’t want me to leave. I decided to take a picture of these four boys. Why? Because of them, it reminded me not only why I work in government and education, but why I fell in love with Hip-Hop in the first place. So to repay the gift they gave me, I decided to make each of them a CD of Hip-Hop, so they too can possibly be inspired to reach for their dreams because that’s one of the forces of Hip-Hop; reaching for your dreams. As I rode off, I realized that we all have a purpose on this Earth and if nothing else, it’s to have an impact and to be impacted.

We headed back the hotel for lunch and to freshen up. The afternoon would promise to be blueand bizarre as we were scheduled to go to the Grand Bazzar, the Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. I would sit this afternoon out to catch up on some much-needed sleep, but the rest of the gang would forge ahead. I would meet the group later on at the Blue Mosque. This mosque was magnificent in every shape form and fashion. The blue bricks were unique to see and to be in such a magnificent place of worship. We would top off this evening with a boat cruise of the Bosporus Sea. This boat trip was something you would dream of, except we were living it. To sea the blue waters from the hotel and to glide across it at a purposeless pace made a big difference in the experience. To see Istanbul from the Bosporus made Istanbul that much more beautiful. After taking numerous pictures, I had to pull out my iPod and get lost in the moment. Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” and George Benson’s “Breezin” would be in order.



I thought we would return to our original port, but little did I know our destination would be where we would be dining for the evening-Eftalya Fish Restaurant. This bi-level seafood restaurant with a view of the Bosporus sea boated both scenery and the “be seen” clientele. We were joined by some of the Turkish alums of the Marshall Memorial Fellowship program, which offered the dinner a good compliment of conversation.

As I sat and ate all the wonderful food that was brought before us, I realized that this fantasy would be coming to a close. I sat and watched the bridge change colors at a blink of an eye. I also realized that my perceptions of Turkey changed in a blink of an eye as well. I just realized that I didn’t want to leave.



The next morning, we trickled into the hotel restaurant for breakfast with a melancholy look on our faces. It was evident that we all had enjoyed Turkey to the point that we didn’t want to leave. Ceylan walked into the restaurant, but we didn’t recognize her because she had let her hair down and with letting it down it revealed a different side that I never would have noticed-a more relaxed, radiant and different aspect that I haven’t experienced. It was a perfect metaphor to my experience in Turkey. If you just let your pre-determined guard down, Turkey will surprise you and captivate your imagination. I promise you that you wouldn’t want to leave either.

Thanks Turkey!!!

To see more pictures from Istanbul, click ISTANBUL PICTURES