The 4th of July in Macedonia

Yesterday was my second 4th of July in Macedonia. It was business as usual for this country. The kids went to school, stores were open, and not a soul acknowledged that it is America's day of Independence.  They have a different day they celebrate for Independence from Yugoslavia, September 8th.  I feel like the re-adjusting to Macedonia is among my biggest challenges at this point. It's a little harder for me this time around. I guess the fairy dust has settled and I see everything clearer or less clear, I'm not sure.


I'm not angry about anything, but I see a life in this culture, that seems only to accept misery rather than attempt to do anything to change it. I realize that it is really hard to have passion to change something when you are a spec of dust in comparison to the whole. But I'm different, I guess, in the sense that I feel if I think about it, that in it self, is the first step to change something.

Like for example, yesterday we went to one of the supermarkets, Tus, and we wanted to purchase a set of glasses. They were marked as 160 DEN, or something close to that, but when we got to the register, it rang up at 175 DEN. Luckily, my fiance, noticed the price difference and inquired about it. The lady at the register, called her manager to check into the issue, she came back and said, it was marked wrong and there was nothing she could do. I couldn't help but have disgust for the store, as it was not the first time, I have had this situation happen to me, first at an appliance store, I attempted to purchase a scale that was marked as 1000 DEN, only for it to actually be 2000 DEN at the register; and the second time when purchasing clothing hangers. This disgusts me because I think, for one, it's bad salesmanship, and secondly, I feel it is purposefully done to take advantage of the unknowingly gullible consumer that trusts the store to charge the same as originally marked, only to find out upon returning home, if ever, that they were deceived. I vowed that in that particular instance, the only power I have, is to boycott that store and any other which attempts these same tactics to take advantage of people. In the end, I'm sure I will pay more for products, that must now be purchased in smaller stores, that seem to be, the only competition to big chain stores. But I see no other choice, I personally possess, other than the power of my purse. But you see, I am different, I am taking a stand, I just don't feel others here give a damn. They have learned to accept it from those they are supposed to trust. They have learned that corruption, deceit is normal, therefore, they can not be concerned with it, and push it aside and worry about other pressing concerns.


But that begs the question, should one accept things as they are, as bad as they may be, or try and change something that seems impossible to change???