My recent trip to Macedonia

[Gocka]

I haven't got a clue. Like I said none of them talked Macedonian back to me except for 1 woman. I suppose its possible they aren't originally from the peninsula, maybe they are people from traditional Macedonian speaking villages who moved to the peninsula fairly recently? I am only guessing here. The thing is there seemed to be quite a lot of them. We were only an hour or two from Solun.

Originally Posted by Solun

I didn't think there were Macedonian speaking villages on the Halkidiki peninsula even as late as the 20th century. Maybe there were as late as the 18th and 19th century. In Solunsko there of course still are Macedonian speaking villages. Could you just clarify where you believe these people come from who at least understood Macedonian?

[Solun]

Originally Posted by Gocka

I haven't got a clue. Like I said none of them talked Macedonian back to me except for 1 woman. I suppose its possible they aren't originally from the peninsula, maybe they are people from traditional Macedonian speaking villages who moved to the peninsula fairly recently? I am only guessing here. The thing is there seemed to be quite a lot of them. We were only an hour or two from Solun.

Maybe considering that Macedonians are the majority of tourists, then speaking Macedonian is an important asset for employment and Macedonians are willing to re-locate in order to gain employment?

[Gocka]

That's definitely a possibility. It was too far from traditionally Macedonian areas so that certainly could explain it.

Another interesting thing I noticed was that despite there being an overwhelming amount of Macedonian tourists, none of the advertising was in Macedonian. There were signs and advertisements in Russian and Serbian, but not Macedonian.

Originally Posted by Solun

Maybe considering that Macedonians are the majority of tourists, then speaking Macedonian is an important asset for employment and Macedonians are willing to re-locate in order to gain employment?

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Gocka

...Another interesting thing I noticed was that despite there being an overwhelming amount of Macedonian tourists, none of the advertising was in Macedonian. There were signs and advertisements in Russian and Serbian, but not Macedonian.

I would have thought that the answer to that was more than obvious, as was the reason why many understand Macedonian but refuse to speak the language...

I'm more interested in knowing why the fuck you people go to visit that racist shithole...???

I get the fact that some are visiting their ancestral villages but for those of you doing the whole tourist thing...WTF people?

We've already done to death the whole 'fyromian' futility thread and yet the diaspora are just as culpable when it comes to self respect.

Personally, I wouldn't give those cunts the steam off my piss...just remember, the standard you walk past, is the standard you accept.

[Gocka]

I don't get it either. It wasn't even that fucking nice, and its complete bullshit that its "cheaper" than Ohrid or other places., its not. It was my first and last time.

Get this, at the border between Greece and Macedonia, when you try to cross the border with a Macedonian passport, they refuse to stamp the passport, instead they give you a piece of paper, that they stamp, and every time you go you have to bring that piece of paper. It was disgusting.

They wouldn't stamp my Macedonian passport, so when they gave me the piece of paper I said no, I'm not taking it. So then I gave them my American passport and said here you go stamp this, the bitch still wouldn't stamp even my American passport after she knew I also had a Macedonian one. She called someone over, they said some shit in Greek that I didn't understand, and I guess concluded that they had to stamp my American passport.

I will say though while there, people seemed pretty hospitable, I guess business is business for most.

I was there for two weeks, and it felt wrong the whole damn time. I don't understand how Macedonians can go there every year and subject themselves to that humiliation.

Originally Posted by Phoenix

I would have thought that the answer to that was more than obvious, as was the reason why many understand Macedonian but refuse to speak the language...

I'm more interested in knowing why the fuck you people go to visit that racist shithole...???

I get the fact that some are visiting their ancestral villages but for those of you doing the whole tourist thing...WTF people?

We've already done to death the whole 'fyromian' futility thread and yet the diaspora are just as culpable when it comes to self respect.

Personally, I wouldn't give those cunts the steam off my piss...just remember, the standard you walk past, is the standard you accept.

[Gocka]

Another interesting story while in Aegean Macedonia. I met a "Greek". I met a guy who worked at the hotel I was staying at, his name was Savas, something apolis. After getting to know him I found out that Savas was from Kozani, and moved to Solun when he was young. Guess where Savas was from? Ding ding ding, his family was originally from Turkey. He was about 55, and he said his grandparents were the ones who came from Turkey to Greece, during the population exchange. His grandparents didn't speak Greek (shocker), and his parents eventually learned Greek. He was the first generation in his family to speak fluent Greek. I asked him, do you consider yourself to be Turkish or Greek? He said, with hesitation, "I suppose Greek". I asked, are you not certain? He said " Well my family is from Turkey and spoke Turkish but we are Greek Christians, so we are not like other Turks. I felt bad for the confused soul, and I was satisfied with his answer so I nodded and let it go.

So the next time I here a Greek fucker tell me that all those Turks were really Greeks and spoke Greek, I can say, what about Savas?

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Originally Posted by Gocka

Another interesting story while in Aegean Macedonia. I met a "Greek". I met a guy who worked at the hotel I was staying at, his name was Savas, something apolis. After getting to know him I found out that Savas was from Kozani, and moved to Solun when he was young. Guess where Savas was from? Ding ding ding, his family was originally from Turkey. He was about 55, and he said his grandparents were the ones who came from Turkey to Greece, during the population exchange. His grandparents didn't speak Greek (shocker), and his parents eventually learned Greek. He was the first generation in his family to speak fluent Greek. I asked him, do you consider yourself to be Turkish or Greek? He said, with hesitation, "I suppose Greek". I asked, are you not certain? He said " Well my family is from Turkey and spoke Turkish but we are Greek Christians, so we are not like other Turks. I felt bad for the confused soul, and I was satisfied with his answer so I nodded and let it go.

So the next time I here a Greek fucker tell me that all those Turks were really Greeks and spoke Greek, I can say, what about Savas?

Savas really highlights the identity crisis that exists in Greece but is seldom mentioned. Many people seem to refer to themselves as "Greeks" in reluctance.

[maco2envy]

I'm more interested in knowing why the fuck you people go to visit that racist shithole...???

I was there for two weeks, and it felt wrong the whole damn time. I don't understand how Macedonians can go there every year and subject themselves to that humiliation. I was there for two weeks, and it felt wrong the whole damn time. I don't understand how Macedonians can go there every year and subject themselves to that humiliation.

This is definitely true, especially going to "Greek" Macedonia outside of family and ancestry reasons. It's a shame so many Macedonians head down south for holidays and shopping and therefore contribute to their economy. Despite its distance, Turkey is a pretty nice alternative for a mediterranean holiday and it's dirt cheap, in addition they've got the same cuisine as Greece (without the -des, ect suffixes), although I've heard Erdogan's rise to power has discouraged tourism in some regard. It's a shame with the diaspora though, they can really afford to go elsewhere but a majority still end up going to Greece.

Personally I've never been to Greece and don't intend on going, heck I even feel guilty buying imported products from Greece.

[Starling]

The Macedonians in Turkey could use more contact with other Macedonians.

Personally I've never been to Greece and don't intend on going, heck I even feel guilty buying imported products from Greece.

I was so pissed when my godfather pointed out the Macedonian peppers at the store came from Greece. Greece doesn't really have much appeal when you know how shitty the people in charge are.

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Gocka

Another interesting story while in Aegean Macedonia. I met a "Greek". I met a guy who worked at the hotel I was staying at, his name was Savas, something apolis. After getting to know him I found out that Savas was from Kozani, and moved to Solun when he was young. Guess where Savas was from? Ding ding ding, his family was originally from Turkey. He was about 55, and he said his grandparents were the ones who came from Turkey to Greece, during the population exchange. His grandparents didn't speak Greek (shocker), and his parents eventually learned Greek. He was the first generation in his family to speak fluent Greek. I asked him, do you consider yourself to be Turkish or Greek? He said, with hesitation, "I suppose Greek". I asked, are you not certain? He said " Well my family is from Turkey and spoke Turkish but we are Greek Christians, so we are not like other Turks. I felt bad for the confused soul, and I was satisfied with his answer so I nodded and let it go.

So the next time I here a Greek fucker tell me that all those Turks were really Greeks and spoke Greek, I can say, what about Savas?

Gocka...that's the story of Northern greece...sadly it's also those confused fools who tell us today that they're the 'real Macedonians'...they have always struggled to be accepted as 'greeks'...most of their customs were Turkish, most only spoke Turkish...the population exchanges of the day were based on religion and nothing else...for a people struggling for identity and much maligned by the 'greeks' in the newly established Hellenic Republic, they have finally found their niche at our expense...