18 September:
Tetovo, Tetova
My first evening, already a week ago, I fell asleep with the
evening call to prayer. From my window in the dormitory (which are
called convicts here—always throws me for a loop) I can see three
minarets, poking over the apple trees and never-ceasing construction
projects, although many others can be heard. STUL/SEEU (South East
European University) is one of the few private universities in
Macedonia, and aside from that, was one of the first accredited
institutions of higher education to offer courses in the Albanian
language. For many residents of Tetovo, as one of the hearts of
Macedonia’s sizable Albanian community, this was (and is) a significant
issue during the 2001 conflict, and is now a source of pride, or so it
seems. As a non-Albanian speaker (and perhaps more importantly,
non-Albanian reader, as many of the signs are also in Albanian) arriving
in Tetovo was a bit of a linguistic shock. It’s been a while since I’ve
traveled some place and felt totally adrift linguistically.
But, as I’m getting to know Tetovo better, my picture of what Tetovo means is also shifting—however slowly. One of the peace corps volunteers described my side of town as “the dry side.” And I think this can be interpreted in a number of ways—yeah, alcohol isn’t widely available around the university—but honestly, I haven’t been looking for it, so I can’t really vouch for this, but I think this section of Tetovo is more Albanian; signs are pretty predictably in Albanian, people don’t speak Macedonian on the street, and thus far, I haven’t found a church in the near vicinity. However, up into the hills from the city center, the landscape (linguistic, topographic, religious) shifts, cafes have awnings sporting Skopso beer, rather than coke. Linguistically, things really range from only Albanian signage, to Albanian followed by Macedonia, to Macedonian followed by Albanian to only Macedonian. There is so much I have to learn.
The person in the next dorm room over is playing “somebody that I used to know.” Oh college. (oh the convict). Having all the new students here makes me feel suddenly old.
Tetovo is somewhat nestled between two shoulders of mountains—the Sar mountains whose foothills I see outside my bedroom window, and some un-named (to me thus far) mountains across the plain from Tetovo, but clearly visible on a day like today, sunny and warm. The Sar mountains separate Macedonia from Kosovo—although from this vantage point, literally the base of the mountains, I can’t tell if there are mountains beyond these mountains, or just Kosovo. The University is located about 2.5 km from the city center, along a main road, at the end of the development. Just beyond the university is the highway, going from Skopje to Gostivar to points beyond. Eventually the road bends around to Lake Orhid, but I haven’t made it that far yet. You can tell that this stretch of road has only recently been developed because it’s only one building deep. Across the road from the university, there’s a building (maybe five stories) being built, and behind that, someone’s corn crop. In the middle of the university campus is an apple orchard—although I’m not sure how productive it is, in part because it looks like it could use a good prune, and in part because it’s been a really dry summer, and everything’s suffered from it. Although the birds are having a ball out there. There’s also a pear orchard on the walk in from the university to the center—although whose, I have no idea. Although the pears look mighty fine.
(here’s the apple orchard. This is also the view out from my window, with the Sar planine (mountains) in the background).
I’m still figuring out what it means to be in Tetovo—in many ways it has the feel of a small town, while still taking up quite a bit of geographic space. I’ve already run into one colleague from the university twice, a student from the American corner, peace corps volunteers. For not actually knowing that many people, I feel like I see a remarkable number of them out and about. but there’s also a lot that’s almost overwhelmingly new, most of which hinges upon language. Even the most basic things—ordering a cup of coffee—all of a sudden take concentration and time. I’m sure if I needed to I could fall back on English and and good old pantomime—but I want to make myself understood—I just don’t speak Albanian.
But, as I’m getting to know Tetovo better, my picture of what Tetovo means is also shifting—however slowly. One of the peace corps volunteers described my side of town as “the dry side.” And I think this can be interpreted in a number of ways—yeah, alcohol isn’t widely available around the university—but honestly, I haven’t been looking for it, so I can’t really vouch for this, but I think this section of Tetovo is more Albanian; signs are pretty predictably in Albanian, people don’t speak Macedonian on the street, and thus far, I haven’t found a church in the near vicinity. However, up into the hills from the city center, the landscape (linguistic, topographic, religious) shifts, cafes have awnings sporting Skopso beer, rather than coke. Linguistically, things really range from only Albanian signage, to Albanian followed by Macedonia, to Macedonian followed by Albanian to only Macedonian. There is so much I have to learn.
The person in the next dorm room over is playing “somebody that I used to know.” Oh college. (oh the convict). Having all the new students here makes me feel suddenly old.
Tetovo is somewhat nestled between two shoulders of mountains—the Sar mountains whose foothills I see outside my bedroom window, and some un-named (to me thus far) mountains across the plain from Tetovo, but clearly visible on a day like today, sunny and warm. The Sar mountains separate Macedonia from Kosovo—although from this vantage point, literally the base of the mountains, I can’t tell if there are mountains beyond these mountains, or just Kosovo. The University is located about 2.5 km from the city center, along a main road, at the end of the development. Just beyond the university is the highway, going from Skopje to Gostivar to points beyond. Eventually the road bends around to Lake Orhid, but I haven’t made it that far yet. You can tell that this stretch of road has only recently been developed because it’s only one building deep. Across the road from the university, there’s a building (maybe five stories) being built, and behind that, someone’s corn crop. In the middle of the university campus is an apple orchard—although I’m not sure how productive it is, in part because it looks like it could use a good prune, and in part because it’s been a really dry summer, and everything’s suffered from it. Although the birds are having a ball out there. There’s also a pear orchard on the walk in from the university to the center—although whose, I have no idea. Although the pears look mighty fine.
(here’s the apple orchard. This is also the view out from my window, with the Sar planine (mountains) in the background).
I’m still figuring out what it means to be in Tetovo—in many ways it has the feel of a small town, while still taking up quite a bit of geographic space. I’ve already run into one colleague from the university twice, a student from the American corner, peace corps volunteers. For not actually knowing that many people, I feel like I see a remarkable number of them out and about. but there’s also a lot that’s almost overwhelmingly new, most of which hinges upon language. Even the most basic things—ordering a cup of coffee—all of a sudden take concentration and time. I’m sure if I needed to I could fall back on English and and good old pantomime—but I want to make myself understood—I just don’t speak Albanian.
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