Celebrating 25 Abroad

Wearing new slippers our host gave as a birthday gift

If it is your birthday in Macedonia, you treat everyone else. In our few weeks of training and living in the culture, this is one of the things we learned early on.  In language class I was asked by our teacher how birthdays are celebrated in the United States. I answered that family and friends usually take you out and buy you dinner and drinks. In Macedonia, it is the opposite. The person celebrating their birthday is expected to cover the bill.

Sharing coffee with the language class

Another Macedonian tradition is to give something sweet, usually chocolates, to people when you welcome them into your home or begin something new. Keeping with the new culture on the day of my birthday, I made coffee for and gave chocolates to everyone in my language class.

Host family and Veles PCTs

Mixing the cultures, our host family threw me a party. They prepared tons of homemade food, a chocolate cake, and invited my fellow Peace Corps trainees. In a Macedonian fashion, I welcomed my friends, introduced them to our hosts, and served everyone drinks. The last part I wasn’t so good at.  My host kept reminding me to offer drinks and keep the glasses full. 

Since we were celebrating my birthday, it was my job to host and serve, but our host family could not resist helping. They are very hospitable, and sharing food and drink with others is an important part of their culture. The food, drinks, and company were wonderful and plentiful.

The delicious cake our host family made

 Despite limited Macedonian language abilities on the part of the trainees and limited English on the part of our hosts, we had a wonderful night. It was definitely unlike any birthday celebration I’ve had before. I am so appreciative of the family who put it all together, and the friends who shared it with me.

-Jarred