House Hunter's International - Part 1

A couple of weeks ago, Chris and I finally made our way back to Serbia! After a year abroad, Subotica, Serbia had become our first European "home," and the sleepy city had found a way into the repertoire of our story. Our time in Serbia changed us so much that it is hard to put the lessons into meaningful words and sentences. I know that we will always remember our time in Serbia with fondness and deep gratitude. Over one too many cups of coffee, our group of friends said goodbye to us by focusing on the memories we had created in Subotica. The year had been full of picnics on Lake Palic, themed dinner parties, football and Frisbee games, sunny bike rides, family Slavas, and cultural home-cooked dinners. When Chris and I moved to Belgium in September of 2012, we promised our Serbian family that we would come back to visit as often as work and money allowed.

The truth is, the first six months in Belgium passed quickly. Transitioning into life in Belgium took longer than I had initially expected, and Chris' job proved very busy. I still feel like I am in a state of transition here, but I'm slowly finding my place and purpose in this new world. Getting back to Serbia was like a breath of fresh air - it felt like I was going home and waiting anxiously at familiar coffee shops for friendly arms to wrap me in a warm embrace. I remembered first stepping foot on the Korzo (main walking street) in Subotica, every face was the face of a stranger and every coffee shop was unfamiliar and new. What a difference one year in a new world can make, and how easily we can adapt if we allow ourselves to live openly and transparently. 

Farewell Subotica, Serbia

After a year, we are packing up our life in Subotica, Serbia. 

This packing disaster looks strangely familiar to me. Exactly one year ago, we were unpacking those very same boxes and beginning to arrange our new life in Subotica, Serbia. Luckily, our Serbian apartment was fully furnished; so only 30 boxes of personal items made the trip across the ocean with us. As Chris worked, I initially filled my days with unpacking and Serbian language studies. I self-taught myself by writing common Serbian phrases on post-it-notes and carrying those little, yellow helpers all over town.

Shortly after we moved, we met Marko, Lela, Sanela, Darko, Zoran, Sladjana, Danijela, and Nikola. They were warm, inviting and interested in our story; because of their acceptance, we started to feel more like friends than foreigners. Eventually, I started teaching private English lessons, and that provided me with some structure as well as flexibility in my schedule. With my first paycheck, I bought a juicer, and that juicer started every day with me. When Chris was able to take time off of work, we traveled! It's our dream to see as much of the world as possible, and we tried to make the most of our first year in Europe.

After a year, we had friends, we could communicate and we were generally comfortable in Subotica, and then - just like that, we were back to square one. Chris' company decided to transfer him to Belgium, so with that decision, our dusty packing boxes found their way out from under our bed. For a month, we sorted and packed and cleaned and said tearful goodbyes over many cups of coffee. As I reflect on our year in Serbia, I have to say that I'm glad it was hard for us to say goodbye; those emotions prove that we deeply invested in Subotica. We were more than two strangers passing through; for a year, we were immersed in the Serbian culture and we fell in love with Her people. This is the adventure that we signed up for, so while we're excited to call another country "home,"we will always have a special place in our heart for our first European home - Subotica, Serbia.

Just a few pictures of our last couple days in Subotica:

My Serbian bike is making the trek to Belgium - numbered and ready to go!

Last dinner with our awesome friends in Subotica (we are missing Danijela).

In front of the Subotica library. 

My last palacinke (crepe) at Boss Caffe. This was my favorite dessert. 

A sweet goodbye gift from our friends.

Wearing our American flare for the final farewell. 

We will miss you so much!! You are all invited to Belgium!

Last glimpse of Subotica's City Hall. 

When we moved to Serbia, we had no idea what to expect. A lot of people grimaced when we mentioned where we were moving, and even more people asked us to point Serbia out on a map. Chris and I moved without any judgements or expectations and we decided to make the most of our time in Serbia. I found a quote by Aldous Huxley that touches a cord in my heart, "To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries." 

Next stop on our little adventure: BELGIUM!!

Thanks for reading!!

Homemade Serbian Food

Stunning spring colors. 

There are so many wonderful travel blogs out there! The web is full of young professionals and dreamers who have left their corporate jobs to traverse the world. They backpack through the Amazon, lounge in Thai hammocks, eat their way through Italy, couchsurf all around Europe, snap pictures of Moroccan snake charmers and snowboard the Swiss Alps. I never in a million years dreamed that I would have time to sit down and actually read one post from a travel blog, but then again, I never really expected to quit my job and move to Serbia.

Then I even started my own "travel" blog - yet another personal shocker!

My birthday boy (Chris) and Marko and some homemade rakija. 

While the life of a worry-free-jobless-traveling-nomad sounds adventurous and exciting, I don’t wish to change our situation at all. We’re still traveling, but we’re doing it a little differently with a company that values my husband and has trusted him with an expat move. While we will see a lot of the world during our three-year contract, we will also have a good understanding of a new culture. There is something very special about truly feeling the heart beat of another country; it completely changes your world-view and you will never be the same again. So far, we’ve learned a bit about Serbia’s history, made a lot of Serbian and Serb-Hungarian friends, participated in a Serbian parade, gone to concerts, learned to spot region specific architecture, been invited to birthday parties, celebrated Orthodox New Year and Easter, tried a lot of rakijas, and just the other day we were invited to the country to meet Marko’s family.

Marko's family owns a goat and several pigs and they simply live off the land.

Lot's of little piglets! They're just so cute when they're little. 

A homemade grill (old washing machine parts) and pork from the farm. Hmmmm . . organic food!

Marko's father was such a wonderful host!

There is something very special about meeting family – about being invited to share an evening of stories and laughter and home cooked food. Marko’s mother and father live 45 minutes away from Subotica in the village of Lovcenac. Marko’s parents own a small plot of land with a garden, tool shed and a few animals. There they built a small house (now used for storage) that they lived in as they slowly built the larger family home where they raised their two sons. Today they live alone -occasionally babysitting the grand baby and entertaining when their kids come to visit. 

Marko’s father was an international truck driver during Yugoslavia's glory days. He has since retired, but he sure loves to tell great stories. In a husky, Serbian-Godfather-like voice he recalled his many trips through Europe, the Middle East, and Ukraine. He emphasized his treks through Ukraine because Marko had mentioned that my family has roots there. He looked at my little round Ukrainian face, beat his chest and proclaimed, “You see Lana (and Chris), we are all like family. You belong to us. You belong to us. . . to Serbia."

I was truly touched. That is something you don't hear if you're just passing through Serbia with a guide book and a few hours to check out a restaurant and sling back a shot of rakija or two. To truly feeling like you belong takes time and investment in a culture. 

Sitting across the table from the man of the house makes you realize that regardless of cultural, political and language differences, deep down, we truly are all the same. We are all people and we all belong. Every good father loves his family and ultimately wants to provide the best for them. Watching Marko’s parents interact with their little grandson, with their son Marko, and with two complete strangers, made me think of my own mother and father. It was Chris’ birthday and it was a special time for us to experience another facet of Serbian culture. 

Marko's sweet little nephew. 

This is their only grandchild and they just love him to pieces. 

What a wonderful homemade-Serbian-birthday meal! 

Thank you (hvala vam) for inviting us into your home and treating us like family. 

Thank you for making us feel like we "belong." 

Serbian Orthodox Easter 2012

This is a late post, but I figured it's April, so an Easter post is still appropriate. Easter in Serbia fell on April 15th, and just like Christmas, Chris and I enjoyed celebrating the holiday twice in the same year. On April 8th (Catholic Easter - celebrated in America), we attended an Italian mass at St. Mark's in Venice, Italy and the following Sunday, Darko's mother invited us into their home to celebrate with a traditional Orthodox Easter breakfast.

Easter is a special holiday in Serbia because the country found a way to hold onto the Easter traditions and celebrations even through the era of communism. While communism changed a lot of Christmas symbolism, it could not erase the Easter egg. The egg is a symbol of new life and a reminder of Christ's Resurrection from the grave. While in America, superstores are inundated with chocolate or plastic eggs, fluffy bunnies and millions of pink and yellow peeps, in Serbia, the Easter egg is still (for the most part) a real-good-ol-chicken egg. 

Darko and the Easter eggs!

Like in America, Easter eggs are colored in Serbia, but they're usually dyed naturally (so they can be eaten) and the most common color is red because it symbolized joy, happiness, rebirth and the blood of Christ. Families exchange eggs and say, Hristos Voskrese (Christ is risen). The response is Voistinu Voskrese (Indeed He is Risen). This is the same Easter greeting I grew up reciting in my Russian/Ukrainian family, so I was prepared to wow Darko's family with my vast Serbian vocabulary! I got a kick out of ‘tucanje," or the Easter-egg-fight-game where everyone takes an egg and hits everyone else's to see who has the strongest egg in the bunch.

Traditionally the exchange of red eggs and the Easter greeting must happen before the meal can begin. 

This is traditional breakfast/starter Easter food. This meal eventually leads into a spread of meats and heavier food, but we enjoyed the lighter Easter fare. Darko's lovely mother served a spread of pork prepared in various ways, sausage, cheeses, radish, tomatoes, eggs, horseradish, bread and red wine. I was a little homesick for my family, so it was wonderful to celebrate Easter with Darko's family. 

On our way out the door, Darko handed us a red hardboiled egg, "Lana and Chris, this is your housekeeper." Huh?! Last time I checked, I was the McCoy's housekeeper. "What - do you mean to tell me that this egg is going to clean the house for me?" Darko smiled and shared one last Easter tradition with us, "Hahah - no that egg will never clean your home, but it must stay IN your home for the entire year. In Serbia, the first dyed egg is kept until next Easter, guaranteeing family security and health."


My little red egg has a proud place on top of our fridge - she is housed inside a tupperware container - just in case the "housekeeper" accidentally falls to her death and breaks. That would stink! Literally!

Thanksgiving - bez Turkey.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday; but I love it for more than the three-day-food-comma and hours of endless football viewing. Take a look at this picture. That is my family. My amazing, constantly growing, fun-filled, life-giving, fabulously spontaneous, wholesome and encouraging . . . 

FAMILY. 

My parents (the two pilgrims in the middle) believe that community (not meaningless possessions) makes you rich, so they have always focused on living their best lives intermingled with the lives of others. When I was a kiddo, my parents started doing just about everything with three other young families. So we're not 'technically' related, but we are just about as close as any family could every hope to be. We all grew up together - went on houseboat trips every summer - shared a ski lodge in the winter - traded prom dresses - got into mischief - fell in love and then fell out of love - went to each and every graduation and birthday party - found any excuse for a dress up party (as seen in the picture above) - and walked through really good and really hard times together. 

This picture speaks a thousand 'Thanksgiving' words!

It is not at all politically correct to dress up like pilgrims and Indians, but we do it almost every year and we take loads of pictures, enjoy a tasty potluck, and the lay around for hours enjoying the company and laughter. 

Maybe it all clicked on our wedding day - when a torrential downpour tried to ruin our entirely outdoor wedding and the "first day of the rest of our lives," - maybe that is when Chris and I realized that our lives would never be "typical." When we watched all of our friends and family salvage our fairytale, perhaps in that moment, we realized that we could never do life alone. We were created for community, and we felt it deep in our souls. Maybe that was the moment when we realized that our hearts were longing for something different - for an adventure that would shape us and mold us into a dynamic couple that deeply loved others. We promised each other in that moment that we would never do life alone and that where ever life put us, we would be part of a vibrant, loving community of people. 

- Thanksgiving 2011 -  

I wanted to make Thanksgiving special for our new friends in Serbia, but it had to be done "bez" (without) turkey. You can find turkey here, but my tiny oven would not accommodate a turkey, casserole, and a pie all at the same time. So, adios turkey tradition. I hope they don't mind chicken instead!

While I am used to a Thanksgiving where you can hardly count all of the dishes, I have never actually brought anything to contribute to the potluck. How, you may ask, did I manage to get a free ride to family dinners for 28 years without contributing one morsel of food?? I asked myself the same question! Perhaps this year was my year of payback! All of our Sebian friends offered to bring food, but I insisted that I would prepare everything myself. This was an American holiday after all, and I wanted to treat them. 

I started researching Thanksgiving food (cause remember, I have never done this on my own before), and  I used google translate to figure out how baking powder and cream of mushroom translated in Serbian. My sticky notes, containing my shopping list in Serbian, and I headed out to the grocery store in search of all necessary Thanksgiving ingredients. I quickly learned that ALL casseroles contain some sort of canned ingredient that is impossible to find in Serbia, but I found a recipe online for homemade cream of mushroom. There is a wealth of random stuff online! During my supermarket excursion, I was able to find baking soda, not baking powder. I bought baking soda for my cookies . . . that's almost the same as baking powder, right? 

Chocolate chip cookies = a very American dessert! 

You can look forever, but don't expect to find chocolate chips in Subotica! For a second I was sad, but then I got resourceful and turned two chocolate bars into scrumptious chocolate chunks. Instead of brown sugar, I added extra white sugar and a spoonful of honey. The cookies turned out really well, and one of our guests said that the cookies were his favorite part of the meal. Housewife score! Forget the fact that I labored for hours over the meal! The cookies took about 10 minutes to make!

Hey, at least they were a hit!

After about six hours in the kitchen, this is what we ended up with! Two salads, corn, a broccoli casserole, white wine chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, an apple pie, chocolate chip cookies, and wine of course! Chris was worried that I had overcommitted myself, but with his help, we were done on time, and we all enjoyed a great meal. 

Where is your dishwasher when you really need one?! Ohhhh . . . yeah, that's right, I am the "housewife-dishwasher" these days! Chris watched football, and I tackled this dissaster.
Did I sign up for this? 

Serbian Sugar Please

I mentioned to my parents that they really would love Serbia. 

"You should really get over here and experience Serbia. It is great, and the people are some of the most friendly people on this earth. Plus your daughter and son-in-law live here; as if you need another reason?!" 

My father's first question to me . . . 

"So, does Serbia have those tasty little breakfast pastries? You know the sweet ones that just crumble and melt in your mouth? Hmmmm . . . . I could really get in trouble with those!"

"Ohhh yeah, there is a Pekera (Serbian for bakery) right outside my door. You can find pastries on every corner, dad! Hurry, get here before they all sell out!"

Dad assured me he would visit as soon as his schedule allowed, but he rapidly put mom on a plane to taste-test those Serbian delights. 

We picked mom up Monday morning, and I announced that the following morning, we would take the 6:15 a.m. bus to Belgrade. No rest for the weary - or for the jet-lagged. Get your walking shoes ready!

Me and Mom at Hleb i Kifle - Belgrade, Serbia.

Mom's a trooper, and her energy and youthfulness often get her confused for my sister rather than my mother. I used to hate that innocent misunderstanding, but now all I can say is, "you go mom! I am sure glad that I have your genes! Now stop smiling, and get ready to walk and sightsee for the next 10 hours!"

6:15 a.m. came quickly, but as planned, we boarded the bus with Darko (a good friend from Subotica) and enjoyed the three hour trip to Belgrade. Our first stop was to check out Hleb i Kifle (actually spelled in cyrillic). I had to prove to mom that the pastries really were as good as I had bragged. Hleb i Kifle did not disappoint, but it left me wondering why in the world Subotica did not have this particular chain?

Business idea perhaps??

At the "Happy Housewives Cafe" in Belgrade, Serbia. 

Then in true Serbian style, we started the day off right. With coffee, of course! How fabulous is this cafe?! "Vesele Domacice" literally means "Happy Housewives." Fitting, eh? We were so early, that the city had not come out for their morning coffees yet; nonetheless, we drank our coffee and planned our day. Mom said she could get used to the strong, aromatic espresso that's common place in Serbia. I am certain that the three coffees we had throughout the day helped her forget about the nine hour time difference she was fighting.

Mom and Darko and fall colors in Belgrade, Serbia.

Mama's Biscuit House Belgrade, Serbia.

There was no time to stop and have dessert, but I just wanted to tempt my father with all the sweeties at Mama's Biscuit House. 

San Marina Chocolate & Pralines Belgrade, Serbia.

We did do more than just eat while we were in Belgrade, although it may not seem like it from this post. We saw a lot of famous sites and monuments, but those will be saved for another time. This post is all about the sweeties that we tried in Belgrade, and I think I had my fill for the next month. Our last stop on the trail-of-sweets was to San Marina Chocolate & Pralines. 

Darko talked the place up, and although the handmade chocolates are pricey, they're more than worth a trip and a few delicious bites. Talk about a sweetie that melts in your mouth! You can choose any sort of combination; dark chocolate with coconut (my personal favorite), doughy-delights dipped in milk-chocolate and rolled in cinnamon, chocolate with hazelnut, and even dark chocolate with chili. Seriously. We did not try the chili-infused chocolate, but it is on my "to-do-list" when Chris and I return to Belgrade. 

Here are just a few pictures to make your hungry!

Mom, Darko and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Belgrade, and I am sure that I will soon be taking dad on the same route! 

We are accepting visitors to Serbia, so feel free to drop in any time! I promise to meet you at the airport with pastries in hand. 

A Little Piece of (Serbian) Heaven.

It may not conjure up images of fluffy clouds and chubby cherubs, but Subotica's outdoor market is my own little piece of 'heaven.'

Market bliss is within walking distance from my home; 8 minutes each way to be exact. You will never find green tomatoes wearing "Made in the Bahamas" stickers, and everything is healthy, fresh and pesticide free. Walking down the isles, I often feel like I am judging a beauty contest. "Now, which apples look better, is that the best price here for broccoli, and are those really nectarines?" While everything is cheap, my favorite game is to see how much I can purchase with as little money as possible. I never barter (although I have been told that it is acceptable and expected), but I get a good lay-of-the-land before buying anything. None of the vendors speak English, so the market is the only place that forces me to practice my Serbian. I still use hand gestures and creative facial expressions, but I am starting to get more confident with the language. With my limited Serbian, I have even met a few of the vendors, and every time I visit the market, the first place I run is to Maria and her shiitake mushroom stand. 

Our Serbian friends always chuckle when I talk about the market, it's as if they're thinking, "Ohhh, you silly American, you will get sick of all this soon enough." 

But how do you get bored with such a place? You can find just about anything that you need at the market - except, of course, for the kitchen sink. Unless your kitchen sink is plastic, and if that's the case, then you are in luck. 

The plastic store for all your plastic needs. 

My favorite little flower lady. 

There are several butchers at the outdoor market, but I am yet to brave the meat line. Darko told me that this meat is definitely more fresh than meat in the supermarkets, but I still haven't made the big switch. 

Tasty fresh apples. 

18 dinars for a kilogram of potatoes comes out to about .20 cents. Onions are also really cheap at the market. On one trip, I paid .5 cents for 5 mini onions. Housewife score! Shopping and saving, shopping and saving. 

On a recent trip, I carried my monogramed tote bag (thanks mother-in-law for the thoughtful gift) to the market, and this is what I came home with. My frugal side came out, and I purchased everything pictured for $2.50! 

Now you know why I say that the outdoor market is one of my favorite places! You are more than welcome to come and visit us in Subotica. 

I promise to introduce you to my own little piece of (Serbian) heaven. 

First Time in Belgrade

. . but definitely not my last. 

After 11 weeks in Serbia, I figured it was time for a visit to the bustling metropolis of Belgrade. Chris headed out to work, and my backpack and I made our way towards the Subotica bus station. Luckily the woman at the counter spoke a little English, but just in case I had memorized enough Serbian to purchase a direct ticket to Belgrade. Savvy traveler Note - there is a bus that stops at a lot of little towns on the way to Belgrade, and one that is direct. Three hours later on the direct bus, I watched Belgrade slowly come into view. The dark clouds and spitting rain gave the city an ominous and dreary appearance, but I was still excited to explore another part of my new home. 

The Real Housewife of Belgrade met me at the bus station and while navigating complicated traffic patterns, she pointed out a few interesting sites.  I dropped my backpack off at her place and we hit the streets with her cute little puppy and our umbrellas. As soon as we started walking around, the rain stopped and although it was still a little chilly, at least we were dry. 

The National Museum of Serbia  - currently closed for renovations. 

We made our way through Republic Square, and surprisingly it was not all that crowded. I attribute the lack of hustle and bustle to the drastic change in weather. Whatever it was, it was great to so easily navigate a city of nearly 2 million people. My tour guide commented that Republic Square is a common meeting place, although it may not seem that way on such a blustery day. In the picture above, I am standing in front of the stature of Prince Michael and the National Museum of Serbia in the background. The museum is the largest and oldest in Serbia, but unfortunately it is closed for renovations that will cost an estimated 26 million euros. That's a lot of money!

We walked through the pedestrian only shopping area of Knez Mihailova Street, and I had to take a picture of these four characters. What were they marketing?? A donut, coffee cup, banana, and . . . a radish?? We could not figure it out, but they seemed to enjoy all of the attention they were getting.

 There were little stands all over Knez Mihailova Street that were selling chestnuts! I had never had a chestnut, and The Real Housewife of Belgrade mentioned that you could no longer get them in the states. After singing "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . . " we bought our own and snacked on them as we made our way towards Belgrade Fortress. 

I took way too many pictures of Belgrade Fortress, but I will post a later blog specifically about the fortress. There is just too much to write about and I don't want to bore you! This monument is called "The Victor" - the protector of Belgrade. 

This is the Supermarket Concept Store, and I want to live here! Part clothing and home decorating store, part cafe/bar; it is unbelievable. 

As we walked through restaurant lined Skadarlija Street, the Real Housewife of Belgrade suddenly bent down to pick up a cell phone that had lost its owner. She explained that she had once lost a cell phone in Belgrade, but whoever found it, never took the time to track down the rightful owner. She went through the contacts and placed a call to "dear husband," he would most definitely know the owner. "Dear husband" was totally confused and the language barrier did not make communication any easier. As she was on the phone, a waiter from a nearby restaurant frantically ran up to us. "I know who that cell phone belongs to," he hurriedly exclaimed. "Please come with me." 

 We ducked into a well known restaurant and were greeted by an excited woman in her 40's. She grabbed each of our faces and kissed us over and over again. "Thank you thank you thank you," was all that she could say as she clutched her prodigal cell phone. She insisted that we take a seat and enjoy a drink on the house. We politely tried to duck back out, but they would not let us leave. It does not take too much to get a glass of red wine in my hands, so we finally agreed to the kind offer. A platter of desserts came out with our wine, and about 15 minutes later, a pitcher of wine also made its way to our table. They were so happy, and I was touched by their outward display of gratefulness. Would this ever happen in the US of A. . . over a cell phone??

We said many thanks as we shook hands, kissed again and again, and parted ways. 

Beautiful St. Sava at night. 

 We had a few more adventures in Belgrade, but I will save them for the next couple blog posts. I will wrap this up with a couple more pictures. 

 A sunny afternoon in the park. 

Where's the SAFETY?!

I used to work in the safety and loss control department of an insurance company, so this scene made me look twice. Where are his goggles and gloves and protective foot wear?! Thought my former co-workers would get a kick out of this picture. 

 If you ever get to Belgrade, visit Mama's Biscuit House for dessert (not biscuits). 

Just to make you hungry, that piece of gooey chocolate cake was mine, and I ate every last bite of it. 

To die for!