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5/1/1999 - Welcome to Bulgaria 2000 by Whitney Mason

Welcome Bulgaria ISTANBUL Turkey May ByWhitneyMason Withhis stylishlycoifedhairandwell cutclothes GiorgiKuzmov known George tohismanyforeignfriends mightnotlooklikesomeoneinterested international affairs Myold friend Frederic working FrenchEmbassy Sofia attachd audiovisuel introducedmeto George because ofBulgaria topTVexecutives heknewa ofBulgarianswhospoke English happened beautiful young women But joysoftheBalkans forareporter isthatherepoliticsisnotasubjectofinterest specialistsbuta universallyfascinating aspect ofthedramaofeveryday And perfectly natural night Giorgi I drove through Sofia holed streets hisDodgeVoyagervan thathebroughtup jectofKosovo whereNATOwouldbeginair strikesafewweekslater Wasn hypocritical U S moralize about Kosovo Giorgi asked rhetorically while never raising opposition Turkey oppression Kurds Since I heard question repeated times I never sponse offer AcoolacidjazztunebyUS3wasplayingloudlywhenwewalked E1 Cabana Giorgiintroducedme threebeautifulfriendsandordered ginand tonics around before segueing seamlessly Kosovo What would Americanssay ifblacksinNewOrleans wherehe djustspenttendays clared thattheywantedindependence Giorgi asked Giorgiaskedwhat IwantedtoreportoninBulgariaand Isaid Iwasinter ested Ottomanlegacy Amore specific question iswhyBulgaria sitionfromcommunismandsubserviencetoMoscowtocapitalismandtheWest muchmore peaceful elsewhere Balkans We patientpeople Giorgianswered There ajoke Bulgaria Onedaytheboss factory announces workers receive their salaries theworkers raiseno objection The nextweektheboss announces workerswillreceivenosalaryat again silence Thenextweekthebossan nounces workers their former salaries Theweekafter theboss announces theworkers willhave topaytheir fullformersalarytohim Stillnoobjection Inthefifthweekthebossannounces theworkers willhave tohang themselves Finallyoneworker raises Justonequestion hesaysshyly Willyouprovidethenoosesordowe toprovidethemourselves Hesmoked quietly aminute thenturned towardme Wanttoknowwhythere snowarinBulgaria Becausewe repus This tnecessarilyabadthing headded OneofthethingsthatmostimpressesmeaboutBulgarian infact istheir ability indulge theirhedonismwithout predilectiontoward destruc excess evident example Russia Their proachremindsmeof attitude ofmost enlistedmen military trying their heads while workingthesystemtominimizetheirburdensandmaxi their pleasures This passivityhas downside evidencedbynearly century SovietUnion mostloyaltoady Atthe birthdaypartyofanoperasinger oneeveninganactorinthenationaltheater whohad spenthismilitaryserviceinterpretinginterceptedAmeri conversations We saying about ourselves Bulgarians always freedom there ssomeoneto OneofGeorge sfriends oldresponsiblefor theFrenchcablechannelTV5inBulgaria different explanation Bulgaria peacefulness The reason there Bulgarians drink I mserious Bulgarianswouldnevergiveuppartying order fight I might sible ifmostoftheworstatrocitiesinBosniahadn tbeen committedbymensmashed rakia theplumor grape thenational drinkofbothBosniaandBulgaria AnotherpossibilityisthatperhapsBulgarians behav ismoderatedbytheirindividualism WeBulgarians great people individually groups saster Giorgi This notion echoes Turkish pression Nerede chokluk orada bokluk Where there aremany there Anillustrationofthisproblem could currently found Bulgarian Orthodox Church wheretwo factionsregardedtwo differentmen patriarch leader church One claimant beeninstalledduringthecommunisteraandissupported bythe Patriarch ofGreece while otherwasfreely lected local bishops after communism supported Bulgaria democratically elected government ThenextdayGiorgiandhis assistant aflamboyantly flirtatious oldnamedEva showedmesome Sofia sights Giorgitookmetolookatthemainmosque ThoughhespokeEnglishwell dneverheardtheword mosque Bulgarians Turkish ammia Outside sbiggestchurch NevskiCathedral Eva showed Ivan Yazov author tionalistclassic PodIgoto UndertheYoke Shesaid epicwasher favoritebook Giorgi proudly pointed proximity mosque synagogue Orthodox Church suggesting sodetywithsuchamulticulturaltraditioncould vulnerabletointerethnicstrife Ididn tmentionthattemples three religions stood equally close Sarajevo Again illustrating which people Balkans intoheavypolitical discourse Giorgi asked whytheUSisdeterminedtocreate aMuslimcorridor Balkans Bosnia Kosovo maybe turepartsofBulgaria ItoldhimIwascertainthatU S policy intheBalkanshadnosuchoverarchingobjectivebutwas setofadhocresponsesdrivenbytelevisioncoverage ofvictimswithwhommanyAmericanscould identify forthe simple primitive reasonthattheyarewhite ThenextmorningFrederic GeorgeandIweredrink coffeeand trying shake effects ofthe previous latenighttogetherwhenGeorge sprospectiveinterpreter sashayed Mila known friends Mila Tequila wearing boots Levi areddrivingcapemblazonedwith Canada exudedthebrashself confidence ofsomeonewhobegan tasting success before crave Besides being manager cable TV company controlsBulgarianrightstoMTVamongother stations shewas studyinglaw University Sofia Feeling ratherquaintnexttoher ItoldherIwasinterestedinthe perspective ofTurks intheRhodopeMountains Perspective I tellyoutheirperspective mountains sheep SinceIwasconsideringhiringhertohelpmetalkwith peopleintheprovinces itwasimportanttotrytoshake thisattitude Ipointedoutthatwhilecitypeoplealways lookdownonruralfolk itisoftentheywhomakehis In Bulgaria particular Ottoman thorities tallowChristians tocarryweapons bandits hayduks fashioned daggers sheep horns famous rebels began their careers shepherds Afewminutes laterMila declared convinced talking Bulgarian Turks wouldbefascinating KURDZHALI Afew later Mila I driving Daewoo Racer southeast toward Kurdzhali biggest concentrations ethnic Turks Bulgaria thestronghol dofapowerfulMuslimpoliticalpartycalled TheMovement Defense Rights Freedoms initials DPS inBulgarian ShetoldmeshethoughtBulgariawouldbebetter ifalltheTurksleft Mila sdimviewofTurkscamemostly famous Bulgarian movies Vremya Razdyelno Time Separate Kozyatrok Goat Horn Set amidthemayhemthatcharacterizedtheendofOttoman ruleintheBalkans KozyatroktellsthestoryofaBulgariangirl orphanedwhenOttomansoldiersbrutallymurderedherpar Sheavengesthembyfashioningaknifefromagoat hornandusingitto killdozensofprominentTurks This course character I invoked convince country people could interesting This iswhyBulgarians tlike Turks Mila YoumeanbecauseofmovieslikeKozyatrok Iasked needlingher No because ofwhattheTurks Themovie WM istrue TurkswerealwaysrapingBulgariangirlsdur slavery Mila insisted Mila other colleagues latertoldmetheyhadnevervisitedTurkey hisjust afewhoursawaybybus becausetheyshareMila sbias Needlesstosay theTurks actualhistory accurately thehistoryofthe multi culturalOttomans wasnot quite assimple themovies suggest TheOtto occupation ofBulgarialasted483yearsandwas mostlypeacefuluntilthelast50years In1884therewere Turks Bulgaria nearly quarter population The Ottomans offered immigrants former province emigrationkept steady But hundreds thousands ethnic Turks mained offering challenge Bulgarians perilous sense ofBulgarianness AfterBulgaria gainedindependence Bulgar intellectuals purge Bulgarian Slavicwords Placenameswereslavicized andmosques graveyards occasionally destroyed But tions between Muslim minority including TurksandBulgarian speakingMuslimsderisivelyknown Pomaks remained reasonably harmonious until whencommunistleaderTodorZhivkoviniti apolicyofgradualethnic religious purification Early efforts directed against Pomaks In words reminiscent Ataturk contempt Turkey Muslimbrotherhoods Nikolai Vranchev predicted Therewillbea strugglebetweenignoranceand deception knowledge truth other The bearers former Bul garian Muslims Pomaks bearers latter members younger generation Some oldergenerationwillpassawayandtaketheirignorance The young remain consolidate system enlightenment culture And there notbe memory BulgarianMus limproblemthattroublesus today In Party Congressbegan talking about importance priobshtavane homogeneity edinnabulgarskanatsiya aunifiedBulgariannation The governmentanditsacademictoadiesarguedallnon Bul garians actually ethnic Bulgarians deluded Ottomansabouttheirtrue identities I asthepurificationcampaignshiftedintohigh The Sofia News reported The 1960s witnessed first resurging national consciousness among Muslim Bulgarians which found expression renunciationby ofthousands ofpeople ofthe onceassumedpersonalnamesofArabicandTurkishori This depiction events reflects Bulgarian government official argument still widely accepted Empire Edge ScottMalcomson Faberand Faber Institute Current World Affairs evenbynon Muslimintellectuals thatPomakswerede scended Bulgarians forcibly verted onpain death Themorepopularviewamong Bulgarian scholars bycontrast thatmostBulgar Muslims induced convert economic centives namelymuchlower taxes grants sultan large tracts return military whichwasforbiddento Christiansubjects In Minister ofInternal Affairs Dimitur Stojanov declared Theyare theboneoftheboneandth flesh fleshofthe Bulgariannation although Bulgarian national consciousness might still blurred flesh blood children ofthe Bulgariannation theywere forcibly awayandnowthey arecomingbackhome There areno Turks Bulgaria In creation ofthemodem Bulgarian state ethnic Bulgarians accounted abouthalfofthe state spopulation accordingtoHugh Poulton referencingW Hopken From Religious Iden Ethnic Mobilization Turkishmi nority still accounted about percent population In Zhivkov stepped policy forced similation violent campaign force Bulgarian Turks toadoptBulgariannamesandevento speak Turkish among themselves In Turkey populist government ofTurgut Ozal urged onbythe public pressed outrage Mass rallies allowed Taksim Square first since 1980coup thecrowds cheered Ozal semptythreats ofmarch ingonSofia Tur opened borders refugees Zhivkovregime panickingoverrisingorganizeddiscon among Turkish community Some entered Turkey where refugee cards after which allowed become citizens Despite relatively comingreception abouthalftheemigrantslaterreturned Bulgaria Milasnappedmeoutofmyruminations tellingme tolistentothesongonthe stereo Playedbyabandcalled BTR theBulgarianacronymfor armoredpersonnelcar itwasasaccharineballadaboutunrequitedlove In Bulgaria thenames ofpopbands militaristic hitsongs aremelodramatically tragic On highway between Sofia Plovdiv passedtwohaggard sexlessfigures Iturned tolook Mila explained prostitutes serving truckers comingfromRomania especially Turkey Itried topicturethebackgroundofmenwhowouldpart withtheirmoneyinordertohavesexwiththeseroadsideslat terns Theircustomersmustcomefromsmall conservativevil lageswheremarriages arrangedand relations between menandwomenoutside familycannotexist ItoccurredtomethatonereasonEuropeanandNorth Americandiplomatshavebeenmoreinclined tosympa thizewithnationalistsintheBalkansthanwiththeircoun terparts farther addition obvious Christianity mightbe Christians relative liber alismmade itpossibleforexpatriatementofallinlove local girls Howmuch vigorously might great powers insisted creation pendent Kurdistan likes Charles Crane sociated mountains eastern Anatolia memories ofpassionateromance Mila assured several times restaurant I lunch Fromthe plain runningeastandwestbetweenthesnow cappedSredna Gora range north Rhodopes south finallyarose thatubiquitousmonumentto globalization theGoldenArches Is thisyoursecretplan I asked Yes Ithinkit sverygood Isitokayfor Outstanding I InsideMila ordered chickensandwichand fries In mypidginBulgarianIaskedforachickensandwichwith cheese Thegirl atthecountergavemeablanklo0k Mila confirmedthat Iwantedachickensandwichwithcheese andtranslated order Nevozmozhna camethe response Notpossible Having witnessed inflexibility nascent sumer cultures around world I smiled Not sible I asked No saidMila snotpossible Milawasnotyour typicalcommunistconformist inschoolunder thecom munist regime shehad gotten herself trouble singing decadent Beatles Yesterday communistmusic festivaland cuttingher teacher conformwith students required length Yeteven Milawaspreparedtoacceptthisexpressionofcommand economyrigidity But really I inMcDonald sallovertheworld inMoscow Korea Turkey Isaid exaggeratinga littlemyfamiliaritywith franchise Buthere snotpossible irlrepeated In virtually every restaurant dozen staff often manager moves faster colleagues animated concentrated uding ambition clearlyusing foodjob fromwhich spring greater things Such rushing kitchen counter debated viability special order Overhearing andhisprideperhapsprickedbythereferencesto McDonalds other countries manager whirled order through Sheandacoupleofotherworkersstared athim taking incarnation attitude about which undoubtedly least McDonalds trainingmaterials Themanagerboundedtowardthereg isterand struck severalkeys override system jectionofcheeseonchicken Welldone Isaid hesmiledandgavemeathumbs upbeforereturning lessrevolutionary duties Milaand Iateatatableoutside lookingatthedusty parking ofMercedes She explained belonged tothePlovdivmafia WhenIhad firstvisited Bulgaria January mafia power omnipresentintheformofstickersoncarsandbusinesses declaring property protectedbyvarious insur ancecompanies racketeers Onthisvisitthestickers disappeared andmanyBulgarians toldmethenew liberalgovernmenthadsucceededinreininginthemafia andpushingthemtowardmorelegitimatebusiness But other stories luxury attested change thurtingthem WedrovethroughAssenovgradandbeganclimbing foothills Rhodopes turned golden afternoon Themountains aheadwere steep sharp young elements Thevillageswepassedthroughwerepoor Mila pointed locals impressed Sofia cense plates gawkedaswespedpast After winding through mountains began driving downhill toward reservoirs On mobile phone Mila called ahead manager localcable televisionoperationwhomshehadasked tohelp Athis officeonthe corner ofKurdzhali square Pechu deputy Ulianna offered cigarettes discussed purpose visit Iexplainedthatmymaininterestwasrelationsbe tweenMuslimsandChristians Pechu assuredmethatnews ofproblems wildly exaggerated Sofia papers It painful thatpeople Sofia think going Kosovo Pechu comparison already amplifyingthearea sdramabeyondmyexpectations I going explain We allconnected wehavenoproblemshere Uliana saidthatatEasterBulgarianChristianstookeggstoMus onMuslimholidays Muslims sweets their Christian friends Aswe allknow peace ismorethantheabsenceof WM conflict Ianswered Soifthereisrealharmonybetween Muslims Christians whichis world I delighted towriteaboutthat Nowadaysthere aremo remosques thanchurches Kurdzhali butthenextdayPechupromisedtointroduce metoanOrthodoxpriest FatherBoyanSeriev whowas leading evangelizing effort hoped would verse ratio In Turkey government fighting theIslamistparty andinBulgariawe retryingtoaccom plishthesamethingbyconvertingMuslimstoChristian Butit snotnecessarytobefanaticalaboutChristianity andyoungpeopleunderstand FifteenminutesearliertheyhadassuredusthatChris Muslim relations harmonious nowtheywere singingthepraises priestwho wassavingsoulsfromthefanaticismofIslam Theopen seemed promising reporting region At election Sofia papers write things Onceagain Kurdzhaliwillremainafortress ofAhmet Dogan Pechu Mybackground reading formedmethatthelightningrodforinter ethnictensions region Ahmet Dogan founder Move Defense Rights Freedoms DPS mentioned earlier Bulgaria linked Dogantothemafia andafewmonthsbeforeacourtcase revealed before Dogan worked Sigurnost Bulgaria sfearedcounterpartto theKGB In realitypeopleherejust aboutwho thebest candidate saidPechu Statistics belie reality In October tions theDPSwonover8percentofthe roughly corresponding portion ofthepopulationthat ethnicallyBulgarian TheMovementgained24members ofparliament over650villagemayorsand20municipal mayorsandheldthebalance ofpowerbetweenformer communists Union ofDemocratic Forces SDS In1994electionstheDPSwon15 seatsinparliamentwith 4percentofthe Until Pechu explained Kurdzhali electoral district comprised immediate Thatyear almost entirelyMuslimtown20 meters along shore reservoir attached Kurdzhali district With expansion Christians becameaminorityinthe electoral district Inthe ratio Christians Muslims locals Bulgarians Turks district wholetheratio Thereisnowamovementto split district Christians again repre sentamajorityinthepartofthe districtwheremost ThisconflictbetweenMuslimsandChristiansmade nstitute Ourrent World Affairs Kurdzhali politicalhotspot ofBulgaria Pechu At electiontime papers there three cities towatch Sofia VarnaandKurdzhali ForDogan sanhonortobeTurkish saidUliana They Muslims believethat ifthemayorisn tTurkish llbeoppressedagain Sincetheendofthename changingcampaignin Muslims around Kurdzhali haveremaineddeeplymistrustfuloftheSlav dominated nationalgovernmentand convinced theDPSrepre sents their defense against renewed oppression Since Muslims outnumber Christians greater Kurdzhalidistrict theDPShasavirtuallockonthe votes Inthisunassailableposition saidPechuandUliana party undertaken oppression They offered example party replacement experienced Christianmanager military instru ments factorywithaMuslimwho dspent career statebakery Predictably sayourhosts factory tunesimmediatelyplummeted YetwhenIaskedwhether itwasnecessarilyduetomistakesmadebythenewMus director conceded market military instrumentshadalso collapsed NotallMuslimsintheareasupportDogan Moststill scratch increasingly difficult living tobacco farmers With family incomes ofbetween month little surprise farmers political demandis statesupportfortobaccoprices whichDogan hasrepeatedlypromisedtopushbuthasneverdelivered They continue tohope their willcomein after their Dogan doesn achieve price guarantees after mayoral elections October portmayfinallybegintowaver Butourhostswerecon vinced tobacco farmers fanatically conservative continue believe every promiseDoganmakes Ataroundsevenwemovedfromthecablecompany shabbyoffices chalet hotelona overlooking thecity Theplacehadbeenbuiltasaretreatfordeparted Stalinist Zhivkov known officially affectionate nickname Tato meaning Papa Now Pechu uswithanill fittingswagger itwasmanagedbyanold mateofhiswhohadpromisedto letushaveabigroom withtwobedsforjust During dinner managerjoined Pechu introducedhim Nikki He small anddark withaswarthy decadentlybaggyfacethatone wouldsayhadcharacterif itweren tconstantlyanimated bypuerile affectation Heinvitedustojoinhimafterdin inthebar upstairs The restaurant conformed inevitably univer salcommunistconceptionofhighclass blondwoodpan eling bright lights quietly obsequious waiters The kindly looking middle beardedmen wereplayingSergeGainsbourg Jet beaucoup singing thewordsinBulgarian Therewereonlyafewothercustomers mostdressed inthe aggressivelycheap styleofBulgaria sunderworld At table three specimens menand awoman Oneofthemenwasshortwithshifty eyesandapaunch goldchainsaroundhisneck clearly thebrains ofthegroup Theotherwasbuiltlikeabouncer hisneckswellingbeyondthewidthofhis littleears squarejaw crude Soviet statue dustry He posture automaton empty expression match The woman looked typicalstreetwalker highblackboots tights aform fittingminiskirt hersallowexpressionsetoffbyraccoon black eyeliner mascara That night Mila I werekeptawakebythe sounds ofmale growling along ridiculously theatrical rendition ofawoman sounds thatwebothfeltsurecamefromthis For dinner joined young Bulgarian Turkish journalist named Fekria With university Sofia Fekria supported ruling Social Democratsandworkedforaparty affil iatedpapercalled Demokratsia Shewasfurtherisolatedfromthe localTurk ishcommunitybythefactthatnearly allherfamilyhad emigrated Turkey among million people halfofalltheMuslimsintheKurdzhaliregion toleave since The youngest ambitious Europe andthe resttoTurkey wheremosthad relatives Since Turkey clamped immigration Bulgaria Bulgarian Turks about apiece smugglers getthem country Entire villageshavebeenabandoned Fekria Muslims supported DPS despite loathing saying better scoundrels theirs During change campaign Fekria plained theDPSeffectivelydefendedminorityrightsand became exclusively Turkish party Bulgaria spoliticalbalanceinthe 90shadbeengoodto allowing DPS deputies wield dispropor tionatepowerasswingvoters JUSTDESSERTS I dinner about thefive extra which Bulgarians revealingly bakshish MilaandI ratherrashlyitseemsinretrospect wenttothebartomeetNikkiforanightcap Thebarwas aparodyofcommunistkitsch redlightsweretrainedon bouquetsofdriedflowersgivingthesedeadthingsapre ternaturally lurid vitality crossbetween table Dickens Great Expectations colors I imagined fromthe helldepicted Sartre sNoExit Nikki whose fullnamewasNicholaiSurkov booth Mila scooted ourhostandI afterher Nikkitold hisvoicedripping withfalsemodesty thathehadplayedanimportantrole inter communal strife attracted Kurdzhali Beforethe tellinghis Nikkiaskeduswhat drink Mila I whatever drinking served glasses straightvodkawithorange chasers His animated expressions intended sagacious world weariness Nikki eased monologueas ifMilaand Ihadbeenpleadingwithhim explain How noble wounduppresidingover sorry relic ofabar Nikkiwasnearing30andtouringBulgaria asanillu sionistin1985whenthecommunistgovernmentofTodor Zhivkov launched aggressive phase similationcampaign Hundredsofpoliceinarmoredper sonal carriers deployed Kurdzhali enforcing speaking Turkish which first guage local population forcingMuslims adopt Christian names entirely abandon their Turkish Members Komsomol communist youth organization government workers alsoemployed thename change campaign For years government churned intensive paganda about Turkey Bulgaria inveterate enemy InBulgariathesummerof 89wasknownas Big Vacation Fed years persecution ZhivkovregimeandwelcomedbyTurkey thousands Muslims abandoned theirjobs fieldsjust cialsummer planting season tobacco began Bulgar ianprofes sionalshadtohelpwiththecropandBulgarian factory workers fulfill contracts Ten years later Nikki Turks behavior understandable theywere hated helping destroythe socialism inwhichmanyBulgar still believed This latest betrayal Bulgar family stories Turkish atrocities couple years before Kurdzhali transferred Ottoman control Bulgarian Zhivkovfell inNovember Thenextmonth onDecember29 Nikkirecalledwithdramatic precision theannouncementcameovertheTVand Bulgarian Muslims would allowed their Muslim names speak Turkish The ethnicallymixed regions country exploded Now 33andworking driver Nikkiand colleagues agreed drive Turks The taxis formed column drove aroundtownblaring their horns Arriving Kurdzhali square someone produced manual typewriteronwhichNikkibe gantohuntandpecka manifesto asserting loyal Bulgarians should Bulgariannames Leadingthe strikewasahugeresponsibility Nikki illustrating point rather distasteful WM sequitur during period changed socks ThetruthaboutKurdzhali saidNikki isthatthe townis dying In populationwas about This tragedy people mewho decided stayhere Nikkimanifested thedemeaning consequences tragedy predictably pitifulway After ishing heroic stand against tural pluralism NikkileanedtowardMilaand talked earnestly ather severalminutes Backinourroom Mila explained thatNikkihad urged joinhim drink after I sleep Surely expect romance I obviously Needless Mila terest seeing charming Around morning phone Mila answered ItwasNikki pleadingwithhertojoinhim drink She declined returned About anhour later thephone again This ignored But injury suffered brush little chosen thewrong dying Whenwecheckedoutthenextmorning recep tionist manager friend Nikki phoned remind charge dollar eignerratefortheroom overthreetimestheBulgar ianratewe dbeenguaranteedthepreviousevening Mila wasfurious feelinglikeaprostitute reverse Butsince hotel passports interviews getto Ipaidup KIRKOVO After quick breakfast burek cheese filledpastryubiquitousintheBalkansandTurkey Mila I south toward small abandoned bacco farming Kirkovo where pointment manager Two youngwomen innice lookinglong skirtsand coats arehitchhikingand wepick themup Oneisayoungmotherstayingathome otherworks personnel department build materials factory BothsupportAhmetDogan Movement Defense Rights Freedoms protection rassment experienced women sfamilieskepttheminsidethehouseformonths soldiers shotseveralTurksinthe We women local Momchilograd Further south turnsbad places iswashedoutentirely Armedsoldiersarewalk ingalong Thebuildings decrepit Thecivil darker perhaps because Anatolianblood ormaybefromlonghoursworkingun The looks almost Institute Current World Affairs leastas itwouldn tchangemuchif itbecameone An drive Kurdzhali reach centration crude breezeblock buildings chicken coops Kirkovo City Hall story structure center The light inside comes through windows electricity We young manager FikretHussein inhis upstairs office In1989 Hussein tells 000people allethnic Turks lived Kirkovo surrounding villages Ten years later population still shrinking The problem unemployment Under communist regime therewere anumber factories After Zhivkov nearly Thesedaysthere 000professionalpositions Kirkovo halfoftheminthe statehealth service After years Kirkovo manager Hussein isamongthebest paidprofessionalsintown earning month gross After taxes With amounthecaneatlunchinacheap restauranteveryday andkeephimselfincigarettesandcoffee Healsoownsa littlecaf6 whichbringsinanother 90amonth Officially slosingmoney bythusevadingtaxes itmakesalittle amonth Theother25 000peopleinKirkovodependontobacco arenotlivingnearlysohigh Husse Mostofthe farmers expensive tobacco called Zhebel Basma Until recently Bulgarian cigarettes includedsomeZhebelBasmaasaflavorenhancer cheaper artificial flavor enhancers rendered therichtobaccoobsolete Withcurrentpricesfortobacco average family Kirkovo makes between month A bread cheaper Sofia costs about40 cents WhenMila I visit farmers strike manding government guarantee decent price their The belongs government government negotiates buyers farmers behalf When buyers renege contract signed ahead harvest government enforce contract Hussein Bulgarian middlemenare exploitative oftenrefusingtobuyuntil thewarmspring weather threatens spoil tobacco andmakeitimpossibleto Thisyeartherewasasur tobacco which government boughtatalowfixed price Thegovernmentdoesn anythingtoimprovethesystembecause allthetobacco farmers Turks economy getthelowestpriority saidHussein Insuchconditions snotsurprisingthatthosewho haVen physically moved Turkey spend increas ingamountoftimethinkingabout Thosewhocanaf people Hussein estimates receiveTurkishTVbysatellite Manychildrenstudy Turkish fourhours aweekafter regular schoolhours Every about thousand people leave Kirkovo forTurkey Husseinbelievestherateofemigrationamong theyoungwill increase leavingonlyold people In early Turkish embassy Sofia giving visas month criterion knowledge Turkish As happened Bosnia before Bulgarian Muslims swiftly moving country unlike Muslims inBosnia mostBulgarianTurkspreferredTurkish cities toBulgarianones In1992Turkeytightenedimmigration requirements people lowedtoimmigrate tojoinfamily already inTurkey Reflectingontheassimilationcampaign Husseinsays withnosignofirony Mypersonalopinionisthatit simpos sible asksomeone choose anewnameforhimselL cause religion something givenby parents Indeed during communist periodareligionwasonlysomethinginheritedfromone family since everyone practice atheist The mosquesintheKirkovoregionwere allclosedandbars becametheplaceswherepeoplegathered theretoimbibethe state sponsoredopiateofthemasses plumbrandy Nowadays saysHussein thegovernmentissupport Orthodox Christian missionaries thisandcreate socialproblems Themissionaries offerpresents ofmoney clothesandfoodtoinduceMus limstoconvert They repushingpeopletodosomething creating social tensions Hussein TAKINGBACK BULGARIA SMUSLIMS The successful missionary burly Or thodox priest Kurdzhali named FatherVanya Seriev Born Pomak Bulgarian speaking Muslim Seriev studied Sofia before receiving calling merelytoconvertto Christianity buttobecomeanevan gelizing priest Seriev tells studied theology twoyearsbeforetakingvowsandreturningtoKurdzhali WhatSerievneglects tomention butIlearnlaterinSofia isthatbetweenlawandtheologyheworked forthe cretpolice thispromptsme towonderwhether instance God chosen through ricer Sigurnost For years working converting Bulgarian speaking Muslims theOrthodoxyoftheir distant forebears When I young I nonbeliever I never really atheist Seriev I always respectedreligion But sonlyGod whocanmake miracles gavemethis chance souls The thoughts IhadcamefromJesus ifthey dcomefrom Mohamed IwouldhavebecomeaMuslim I called tobecomeapriestandsavemybrothers forcibly converted Turks Seriev This historical moral imperative since centuries these people Orthodox Now God decided takethemback Thisphrase usedas itusuallyisasaeuphemismfor death gives chill He refers conversion Bulgarians ahuge ofbloodfrom thebodyofthe nation Seriev interested young blood It change beliefs people plains Seriev sownparentsremainMuslim For serene demeanor references humble dependence onhis God Seriev smodesty rings false Heemphasizes thathe isnotpaid whichcan anarrow technical sense sincesomeone ously family table He pronounces difficult worth Diffi cultincomparisonwithwhat Iwonder hisdeskjob Sigurnost farming worthless tobacco Serievsaysfurther thatheissustainedbythecon viction thathe rightpersonfor thisheroic mission And visitors haven gotten picture talking living legend Seriev mentions thatan organization called American Biographic In stitute hasnamedhim 500mostinfluential leaders thebeginning ofthe 21stCentury Despite Seriev imperious tonewhen talking about evangelizing expressed respectful sympathy Muslim supporters DSP They still clear memoryandfearsfrom So looking forpro tection becausebasedonhardexperiencetheydon ttrust theBulgariangovernment Buthesaidthere isnodan oftensionsbetweenChristiansandMuslims escalat ingunless sprovokedbyoutside influence The mutual distrust heard aboutseems tomedangerous enough withoutany As Hans Magnus Enzensberger written Where state canno longer enforce itsmonopolyon violence everyone defend himself Even Hobbes concedes almost unlimited executive thority state situation The jects towards their sovereign lasts heisable toprotectthemthroughhispower Man snatu right protecthimselfwhenno socannotbewithheldbyanytreaty SPEAKINGTHEUNSPEAKABLE OurlaststopbeforeleavingKurdzhaliwasPechu soffice where enthusiastic hostwanted interviewboth Civil Wars HansMagnusEnzensberger TheNewPress localcable channel He givenno indication ofwhathewantedtotalkaboutandMilaand I notbe fussed about being camera given thought Pechu introduced heavyset young womanwithdyedblonde hairwhowouldinterview Everyoneseemedquiteexcited MilaandIsatononeside longtablewiththeinterviewerandcameramanontheother In cheerful interviewer asked I assessed political situation I answered trustand communicationbetweenMus Christians struckmeas potentially dangerous Theinterviewerlookedabitbemused ddeviated script As trying prompt agreed scenario asked another question about local politics slowly givemetime torememberthe correctresponse Stillthinkingthatshewanteda seriousanswertoher seriousquestion Itoldher Themaindangeras Isee Muslims mistrust government leads uncritically support DPS This concentrates power hands DPS without DPS effec tivelybeingheld accountable Asthe saying lutepower corrupts absolutely inevitably DPS power abuses These abuses instance giving Muslims preference employment willnaturallyleadtoresentmentamongChristians Given reoutnumbered locally disaffected Christians mightturn Sofia forsupport As I spoke interlocutor widened alarm Howlonghaveyoubeenhere demanded Howdoyouknowallthesethings Whogaveyouthese ideas I I spent almost Bosnia andhad studiedtheBalkansbeforea rrivinginBulgariatwoweeks before Butthemainpointsofmyanalysis Iexplained werebasedonwhatwe dheardfromlocalpeople inthe 24hours I spentinKurdzhali Her twisted fascination ifshewereregarding amutant interviewer asked formyprognosisforthearea wasitreallysobleak Still oblivious soothing words I answered thatalthoughcivilwarmaybeunlikely itwasessential localpeople latent dangers order fusethem Specifically theyhad tobearinmindthat interethnic unrest inKurdzhaliturned violent theMus limsmaywellbeofferedsupportbyTurkey particu larlyifnationalistsgainedpowerinTurkey ashappened intheApril elections Theinterviewerlooked aghast Formyfinalques positive impressions visit Mila forced smile Please something Institute Current World Affairs nothing politics exagger atedly lighttone ofvoice Ah certainly I mered wracking brains plausible compliments The landscape solutely gorgeous I smiling cheerfully sible And people And landscapereallyisbeautiful Isaid repeatingmyself WhenMilaand Igotintohercarsheshotmeare proachfullook Youshouldneverhavetalkedaboutcivil That snotat allwhattheywantedtohear Theyjust wantedyoutosayhowmuchyou denjoyedyourvisit AsweclimbedthemountainsbehindKurdzhali Mila continued argue I planted dangerous people minds violentunrestcouldnevercometo allowed speak Sup pression ofsuchrhetoric ofcourse wasthe strategythat from1945to 1991hadgenerallymaintainedpeaceamong various peoples Yugoslavia While I agreed tirely Mila reading interviewer expecta tions I rejected conclusion I should given herthegroundlessoptimismshewantedtohear Whether taboo against expressions national consciousness Yugosla essential decades peaceful existence merely delayed exacerbated evitabledayofreckoning isdebatable Myownconvic tionisthatthesuppressionofresentmentsisasdisastrous incommunities families Nottalking about tential interethnic conflictbefore thename changing campaignin1985maywellhavehelped forestallthe problem butsilencewill certainlynotputthegenieback bottle What likely violence Bulgarian Turks continue grate leaving behind desolate wasteland Christians willinevitably describe peace DRIVINGTOLESHTEN WearedrivingsouthfromSofia Bulgariatowardthe village ofLeshten PirinMountainsnear Greek border My friend Frederic Jugeau attachd audiovisuel attheFrenchembassyinSofia isdriving In thepassengerseatisafriendofFred snamedMarcwho arrivedfromLille assess aneducationalprogram sponsoredbyFrance stopjournalismfaculty Isitinthe backwithRessa abrilliant oldwhosefatherhad recommendedher tobemytranslator Just40milesoutofSofiawestop ataroadsidefood standwhereIorderasandwichofsmallcylindricalpieces ground Bulgarians Turks kepabchiandtheerstwhileYugoslavscall cevapchichi Fred Marc going Leshten relax while I going explore village ofBulgarian speakingMus knownbythemildlypejorativeterm Pomaks uptheroad ItoccurstomethatFredericandMarkwill inanunusualposition critique theportionofmy Bucharest ROMANIA Danube Ishkur Gorse Delchev Gotse Delchev Arda O GREECE newsletter devoted place since themselves Youdounderstandthatasajournalist I llnaturally inclined invest place political tensionthanmaybeimmediatelyevidenttoyou Isay withmockself consciousness Frederic laughs You going beauti place sound picrocoline referring belli primitives Rabelais Gargantua Pantagruel Jean Baudrillard wrote ridiculous called L Amerique which begins confessing Je cherche Amdrique siddrale Isay sowhyshouldn I chercher Pirins picrocoline Thisbecomes greatjoke next24hours based inthe almostuninhabitedandidyl lically beautiful village Leshten Ressa I devote searching seeds conflict serenely bucolic community Gorno Dryanovo For another three hours drive south between cappedmountains Afterpassingthroughalargishtown Fredericmakesafish turntotheleftandwebeginclimb ingintothemountains Afteracoupleofminutesweseegroups ofroughshacksoneither ofthe whichiscrowded milling people donkey several goats ThesepeoplearegypSies A minutes later We making feeble gesturetohitcha Fredaskswhetherweshouldpick himupandIsayI drathernotbecausehelookssmashed AfterreachingLe shtenwe areshown toourrooms BALKANMOUNTAINS BULGARIA plovdiv Assenovgrad K O O Kurdzhali Kamchi TURKEY inbeautifulrestoredhousesrangedagainstasteep sitdownin restaurant dinner shopskasalad tomatoes cucumbersandBulgaria liciouscrumblywhitecheese alongwithtwokindsof homemadesausagesandfriedpotatoes Fredmakessome remark about particular taste recorded music towhichMarc takes exception arguing theoffense isnottogoodtastebuttotheverynotionof taste Fredericisvisiblyrousedbythechallengeandthey immersed minutes scholastic debate aesthetics onlyFrenchmen sustain Ressa I meanwhile discuss Macedonian question issue about which managed velop surprisingly strong feelings years Ressa argues Macedonia culturally historically divisible Bulgaria She regards Macedonian sense ofnationhood ashampropagatedbyBulgaria enemiesandits continuingindependence tragedy Bulgariamustcontinue toovercome Shesupports argument reference obscure aspects Bulgaria smedievalhistory For Iknow theymayall beaccurate Whatstrikesmeasmoreinterestingandim portantis thatthisbrightyoungwomanfeelssopassion ately thatthey relevant Ressa studying political science versity ofher professors communists whohave embraced theirvague notion ofAmerican mocracywith thesameuncritical orthodoxy communism She peers other wrestle alone substance underlying newrhetoric I vealways Iwasamemberofanex perimental generation Ressa Even first Ireceivedwasanexperiment andeverythingafter WM experiment different teaching American French German We should decide model The point develop warped hybrid cultures develop uniqueBulgarianmodel builtonourowntraditions Bulgarians arevery conservative people ourwayoflife isbasedonthefamilyandweshouldbasethewholesys temonthat ThenextmorningRessaandIwakeearlyandby8 wereach Gorno Dryanovo Wepark Frederic Peugeot between Russian Ladas square forearowofoldmenwhoare sittingalongaroughbench andtalking quietly orjust sitting Thesunisshiningand thetemperaturemild Ressa I begin ambling We twoolderwomen theirheadslooselycoveredbyscarves andanoldmaninaberet Dobro Good wesaytothem ToRessa I AskthemWhere wecanget ofcoffee Further along cafes Wethankthemandwalkon Onourrightwesee building small announcing We enter There booths teenage cuddling other another bytwo girlswholooktobeintheirearlytwenties Pic tures ofhalf cladwomendecoratethewallswhileonthe inevitableTVplaytraditionalmusicians GornoDryanovohasapopulationof1 allofthem Bulgarian speakingMuslimsor Pomaks Unlikeneigh boring Christian towns which years become ghost towns inhabited weekends Sofia bourgeoisie GomoDryanovoisgrowing Sonia ourwait tells people leave We seven newbabiesjustinFebruary Sonia herself studies education university sized cityanhour driveawayandworksinthe onvacations Sheseemsveryhappytotalk She tellsus there wedding later between local andaMuslimboyfromanothervillage Thoughthemar riage partially arranged couple probably disco Discos Sonia verypopular She allthe Trying picture disco might I askwhetherpeople inGornoDryanovo drink Sonialaughs Ofcoursewedo sesayswithasur prisinglycoolself ssurance People _owtheKoran follow rules Most eatpork Afteracoupleofcupsofverytastycoffee Sonia introduce people As Institute Current world Affairs alongthemainroad anolderwomanaccostsus tosay thatSonia thebrightestandbest educatedyoungper soninthevillage Shetellsusthatseveralothersarestudy ingatuniversitiesinBulgariaandthreeboysarestudying Istanbul Only families though emigrated toTurkey Sonia takesus averysmallshopnear entrance tothevillageandintroducesusto itsproprietress Ferda Beneath bright headscarf Ferda shine mischief She since eryone wedding Twenty years tells defied traditionalist mother tobecomethe firstwomaninthe village tobemarried white dress Her husband supported desire modern After minute Sonia returns village Arif Heis robust oldwho comfortable choppingwoodforhisfamily sstoveasheisreading theKo raninArabic Hehasbrightgreeneyes adarkblackbeard As I suppose might expect woodsimam heiswearingaheavysheepskin When I years night I dreamed I hadtogoto acemeterythatwasacouplehundredyards fromourhouse Ihalfawokeandwalkedtothere Nexttoa stone Ifoundtwosheetsofpaperandtookthemhome The nextmorningatbreakfastmyuncleshowedmethepages andtoldmetheywerefromtheKoran Don ttrytocon uncle parents He special Since Arif desirehadbeentobecomeanimam Undercommunism studied theKoranin secret AfterZhivkovfell studied religion Sofia years People attitudetowardIslamchangedundercom munism Most young people tradition ritual Koran I missionary trying reviveIslamhere But accordingtoIslam youcan tforce people accept Nowadays around about third ofthe totalinGornoDryan0vo cometo after school religion classes TWOWEDDINGSANDANENSLAVEMENT Bymid morningthe entire villagehasturnedOutfor thewedding Theweddingpartyidancing itsway themosquetotheaccompanimentofa traditionalkazoo instrument called Lorna In thewake revel theyoungerpeople ofthe village Soniaconspicuous among circle begin dancing Holding another fingertipsabovetheir shoulders steps right pause makea feeble right another stepsright Repeatingthesestepsoverandover thedanc ersappear serenelyhappy RessaandIfollow theweddingparty themosque I lookingmanin purple suitand shirtwhoseems close tothemand IaskRessa askhimwhothenewlywedsare Mehmetturnsouttobe bride brother After minutes inside mosque whichwedidn Mehmetseemsreadyfora breakand asksus tohavesometeawithhim His expressionwearybut peaceful Mehmettells Undercommunismwewere materially better But I about period although I mpoor I spiritually Themost obvious thisfreedomisMehmet ofhisMuslimgivenname until hewas offidallyknownas Kazimir But Mehmetsays hisnameisn timportanttohim oucan Donkey I concerned Myson alsonamedMehmet buteveryone callshim Johnnie I Mehmet theory origins Pomaks The official state explanation Otto forced Christians convert death worse But Mehmet other Pomaks I talked wellasmostnon Balkanscholars arguesthatsomeChris tianswereinducedtoconvertbyacombinationofpoliti economic incentives Mehmet argues ofthe ancestors ofthePomaksbelonged dualist heretical Christians known Bogomils Because wereoccasionallypersecutedbybothOrthodoxand especially Catholics theBogomilswelcomedpro tection Ottomans exchange conversion In hislandmarkstudyA ShortHistory ofBosnia historian Noel Malcolm offers explanation oftheMuslimsofBosnia During Communist period Pomaks verted toChristianityfora similarcombinationofpoliti calandeconomicadvantages Othersresisted Duringthe Christianizing campaign early whichwas aimedattheBulgarian speakingPomaks15yearsbefore turned Turks Mehmet father evaded authorities forayearbyhidinginthemountains Mehmetblamestheformercommunistregimeforthe persecution Christian individuals One brother suffered ruptured bladder needed driven Gorno Dryanovo hospital themountaininGotseDelchev Thegovernmentauthori tieswhowereintowntoenforcethenamechangepolicy refused Christian friend instead Mehmetused onlyMuslimin factorymaking phones It great It sponsible Iworkedwithacomputer TheParty tried topushhimoutfor refusing convertbuthis Christian bossdefendedhim Mehmet slifetooka strangetwistin1992 afteravisit tohisgrandmother sister whoin 1913hadmoved Izmir Aegean coast Turkey He pressed standard livinghesawinTurkey whichhe describes complete clashwith thepropa ganda aboutTurkey Bulgaria Butpeople seemed toworkharderandMehmetwasreluctant learn language leave family returned Bulgaria BackinGornoDryanovoMehmetusedcontactshe Izmir start business trading At first wasverysuccessful fromthestandpointofthebusiness course animals their hides twomonths itexportedsixtruckloadsoffurs HisTurk partner Mahmood visited local beautynamedSemraandmarriedher againstallodds asMehmetsays But everythingende dintragedy Mahmood Semra planned Gotse Delchev years tojoin brother whowas livinginGermany Mahmoodinvitedhisbrothertocome factory which talking about investing Instead brother stole The licefoundthe carsusedtotransportthefursbutalso covered brother bribed police along protection Mehmet consulted lawyers SofiaandlearnedthatInterpolwasafterthebrotherfrom Germany other crimes The forever andMehmethadlosthis savings about ButMehmetwas lucky compared toMahmoodand Semra Mahmood first resisted brothers eventually supported thief recalls Mehmet Heand Semra Turkey There Bursa outofGodknowswhatdesperationorvertiginoustemp tation plunge further depravity Mahmood Semra 000DM about U S Years later Bulgarian Gotse Delchev happened Bursa recognized S working cabaret prostitute He bought cabaret brought But already crazy recalls Mehmet Mahmoodwas later killed connection another crime After being financially ruined Mehmet worked fiveyearsaswhathe calls amushroombroker He nowstartingacompanythatwill selllumbertoGreece Hisambitionismuchhumblerthaninthedayswhenhe dreamed getting trade Mehmethopes about amonthfrom hisnew venture Themaximumhecouldimagineearningwould belessthan amonth Though people Gorno Dryanovo little money Mehmettell everyonehas hisland forgrow And horse donkey considerthemselves quite ForsomereasonthelocalMuslimcommunitiesseem flourishing while Christian villages decline ThirtyyearsagothetwoChristianvillagesoneitherside WM Gorno Dryanovo Kovachavitsa Leshten weremuchbiggerthanGorno Dryanovo Afew Muslimsdomoveaway Mehmet ssister lawmarried aChristianinGotseDelchevandanothermanmarrieda Serb while hiding mountains during changecampaign But echoing Sonia Mehmet insisted Iwillalwayscomebackhere Idreamoftraveling probably realistic The lesson I learned mybusinesstragedyisnottobetoohopeful Aswefin ishourconversation alltheyoungpeopleofthevillage continuing their circle dance around central square That evening Ressaand IwalkbackfromLeshten GornoDryanovo pickingourwayamongdeeppuddles piles animal mountains turnfrompurple todeep violet toblack Asweenter squarewehear thesamemusicweheard inthemorn withthesamepeople stilldancinginthesameway andwiththesameenthusiasm Iglanceatmywatchand theyhavebeenat forovertenhours Westep Ferda sshop tosayhello Sheis visiting couple friends similarly dressed Pomaks festive looking aloons headscarves Ferda serves US white rolls colored drink tastes pureed sweetened wheaties Ressa tellsmethe drinkisveryhighincalories andis oftendrunkbygirls tomaketheirbreastsbigger Wetell Ferda planning disco sheadvisesustohurry since allthegirlswillhavetobe homesoon The usual curfew girls cialoccasions suchasbirthdays girlmaybeallowed stayuntil It simportantfor girls tobehomeearly protect their reputations Ferda limitations alsomaketheatmospheremorehighlycharged Thefor bidden fruit sweetest Ferda bright twinkle inher That extra delicious I trying getinto spiritofmedievaleroticism I think right Ferda All young people discobecause rehoping gofrom disco other cocking brownaughtily Ressa explains shyly By other disco means thebed Al risqudinnuendohasmademekeento young It yards story featureless concrete buildingwe passed several times without guessing function We climb short flight stairs under bright fluorescent light Gorno Dryanovo single nightspot The tables Institute Current World Affairs around sides rectangular mostlyofmen The action isinthecenter whereyoung menandwomenare canyouguess dancingina circle The differencefromthedance outside nowtheyarefacingoutward Asidefromthissmallvaria isnumbinglyidenticaltowhatwesawthesame peopledoingallday fourstepsright foursteps right Ressa astutely notices thatnone drinks tablesappeared alcoholicandadvisesme against ordering We order bottles water waiter seats table great circle dance Thedancingthathadseemedcharmingbyday atleastforthefirstfewhours ometoappear nightmarish sameness I could imagine whatthe dancers could appealing about repeat these simple steps their enjoyment gives chill alienation Full cigarette smoke blaring turbo music disco strikes abstemious version Nikki horriblebar inKurdzhali After minutes ingaroundandlooking futilely forsomeintelligible tural artifact ponder I Ressa I killed waters neither think ofany sontodelayamomentlongerourwalkinthedarkalong roadwhose improvement topped agenda village swould bemayor ThenextmorningRessaand Iwakeearlyandagain minute Gorno Dryanovo We straight Sonia coffee invite Shesayssheoftenstaysuntilfiveinthemorningwith her22 oldboyfriend I tellheraboutourconversa tionwithFerdaandaskwhetherkeepingsuchlatehours doesn tprovokegossip Ofcourseitdoes shesayswith smile thatmixescoynesswithdefiance ThedaybeforeI Fekrit thedeputymayor I liketomeethisboss Tenminutes afterwearrive Sonia mayor walks company other Our acquaintance explains people walking along mediatelygoneto findhimfor ShukriPendevhasbeenGornoDryanovo smayor looselyaffiliatedwiththeMovementforRightsandFree fornineyears Heisdisappointedintheparty Atelectiontimetheymake lotsofpromisesbutthenthey tdoanything Hethinksthatinthenextelections DPSwilllose inthe villageandmostofthe region Iaskwhyhe sleavinghisjob inmid Pendev explains thathe justwonthe green lotteryand justacoupleofweekshe llbetakinghiswifeandtwoteenage kidsandmovingtotheUnitedStates Straussburg PA exact The mayor abroad toHungary Buthe Bulgarian friendwho sbeenliving inStraussburg foraslongashe beenmayor andhasalotmoretoshowforit Butwhyexactlydoeshehavetotry Iask Thefriendtellshimanapartmentwillcost Becauseeverybodysaysit sbettertolivethere amonth morethanthreetimeshiscurrentsalaryas swersthemayor Hewillgivehimselffiveyearstosuc mayor Pendevplanstosupporthisfamilybymak ceedandifhehasn tmadeitbythen llreturnto ingfurniture It sagreatrisktomovewithmyfam Bulgaria InAmerica I llhaveachancetofurnishmy Furnituremakingisveryprofitablearoundhere homeandbuyacar Pendevsays brightening My butIcan tbesureabouttheU S ButIhavetotry frienddidit Aegean Macedonia AIDS Albania Alexandrov Todor Ali Bey Koy Ali Bey Koy Baraj reservoir American Biographic Institute Ataturk Bridge Ataturk Kemal Ataturk Mustafa Kemal B Balikompitar Bebek birth control Bitola Bitola district BlackLambandGreyFalcon Boat Race Bogazici University Bogomils Bosphorus Bozkurt GrayWolves Bulgaria Bulgarian adoption Bulgarian Orthodox Church burek meatorcheese filledpastry Cambridge CIA Congress Berlin conscription constitution Macedonia Delchev Gotse Democratic Albanian Party DPA Democratic Alternative party Democratic Party Albanians Demokratsia depiliation DevGenc RevolutionaryYouth Diocletian Djakovo Dogan Ahmet Dole Bob Donatists driving Dushan Stefan Education education university Efes Enzensberger Hans Magnus ethics F family values Father Boyan Seriev FatherVanyaSeriev feminism Fenerbahce Feral Tribune Focus Former Yugoslav Republic Yugoslavia Ft Wayne Indiana Galata Saray Georgievski Ljubco Georgievski Ljubisha Gligorov Kiro Golden Horn Gorno Dryanovo Gostivar green lottery H Hassa Jemo Hatay Province Head Charles Race Health Option Skopje HOS Hilander Monastery Hussein Fikret Ideological Political Differentiation Program IMRO Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organiza IMRO Janka Pasta Jelavich Barbara JNA Yugoslav National Army Justinian K Karageorgevitch Alexander Kichevo Kirkovo Kirkpatrick Jeanne Komsomol Kosovo Kozyatrok Goat Horn Krushevo Republic Kurds Kurdzhali Kuzmov Giorgi GI Lamb Black Grey Falcon Leshten styles Macedonia Macedonian Patriotic Organization MPO Macedonian Press Center machismo Malcolm Noel mastika McDonalds M ehmet MHP Nationalist Action Party Mikhailov Ivan Orvancho Ministry Youth Sports MIT state security agency MotherTheresa Movement Defense Rights Freedoms Mt Athos N nationalism NATO News Sofia NKVD O Ochrid Ottoman Bulgaria Oxford Oxford Cambridge Race Ozal Turgut P Pearl Harbor Pendev Shukri Perev V Pirin Pirin Mountains Plovdiv mafia Pomaks Bulgarian speaking muslims population Poulton Hugh Prelim Prince Marco Pristina R rakia Recep Tayyip Erdogan Ressen Rhodope Mountains Robert College rowing rowing history Rusinow Dennison S Salonika San Stefano Shqip Sigumost secret police Skopje social conditions trends Social Democratic Union Sofia Sofian News Sredna Gora range Stojanov Dimitur Sulejmani Dr Fadil Sultan Abdulhamit II Surkov Nicholai Sveti Naum Monastery Sveti Sofia Church Sveti Yovan Church T Taiwan Zhivkov Tchernozensky Vlado Tenth Party Congress Bulgaria Tetovo Tetovo mountains Tetovo University Thessaloniki tobacco Treaty San Stefano Tudjman Franjo Turkish For Foreigners Turkish language Bulgaria TV5 U Ustashe Vardar Macedonia Vardar River Virtue Party Fazi Partisl Vranchev Nikolai Vremya Razdyelno Time Separate Vukovar W water pollution West Rebecca Westendorp Carlos women Y Yazov Ivan Yucel Seckiner Z Zhebel Basma tobacco Zhivkov Todor Institute Current World Affairs INSTITUTEFELLOWSANDTHEIRACTIVITIES AdamSmithAlbion Aformerresearchassociateatthe InstituteforEastWestStudiesatPrague intheCzechRepublic Adam isstudyingandwritingabouttherepublicsofCentralAsia andtheir importance actors within without former Soviet A Harvard graduate His Adam completed first M Litt Degree Russian East European history languages Oxford University EUROPE RUSSIA Shelly Renae Browning A surgeon specializing hearing Dr Browning studying theapproaches oftraditional healersamongtheAborigines ofAustraliaandthe indigenous peoples ofVanuatutohearinglossandearproblems ShewonherB S inChemistryattheUniversityof theSouth studiedphysician patient relationships inChinaandAustraliaonaThomas J Watson FellowshipandwonherM D atEmoryUniversityinAtlanta BeforeherICWAfellowship shewas Fellow Skull Base Surgery Montreal McGill University Department Otolaryngology SOUTH ASIA ChenoaEgawa AnenrolledmemberoftheLummi Indian Nation Chenoa isspendi ngtwoyears living among mesoAmerican Indians studying successful successful cooperative ganizations designed Indians market their manufactures agricultural products crafts without relying middlemen Aformer trade specialist American Indian Trade Development Council Pacific Northwest Chenoa B A International Business SpanishfromtheUniversityofWashingtoninSeattle THEAMERICAS Paige Evans A playwright former Literary Manager Manhattan Theatre Club New YorkCity Paige islookingatCubathroughthelensof itsperformingarts WithaHistory Literature B A Harvard served counselor Buckhorn Children Center Buckhorn Kentucky asArtsEditoroftheInternationalCourierinRome Italy andasan adjunctprofessorteachingacourse inContemporaryAmerican Playwrights atNewYorkUniver ShejoinedtheManhattanTheatreClubin1990 THEAMERICAS Whitney Mason Afreelance print television journalist Whi began career founding newspaper called The Siberian Review Novosibirsk worked editor VladivostokNewsandwroteforAsiaweekmagazineinHongKong In1995heswitchedtoradio video journalism working Bosnia Korea CBS As ICWA Fellow studying writing about Turkey nexus between East West between traditional secular Islam EUROPE RUSSIA Marc Michaelson A program manager Save Children The Gambia Marc moved across Africa Horn there assess nation building Eritrea Ethiopia conditions permitting availing unavailing humanitarian efforts northern Somalia southern Sudan With B A political science Tufts degree study London School Economics Master International Peace Studies Notre Dame describes postgraduate years seven years experience international development programming peace research SAHARA Jean Benott Nadeau A French Canadian journalist playwright Jean Benot studied drama attheNationalTheaterSchool inMontreal thenreceivedaB A fromMcGill University Political Scienceand History The holderofseveralCanadianmagazineand investigative journalism awards spending ICWA fellowship years France studying resistance French trend economic cultural globalization EUROPE RUSSIA Susan Sterner A staff photographer Associated Press Los Angeles Susan received B A International Studies Cultural Anthropology Emory University Master LatinAmericanStudiesatVanderbilt APgaveherawide rangingbeat withassignments Haiti Mexico along U S Mexican border Her fellowship topic lives status Brazilian women THE AMERICAS Tyrone Turner A photojournalist Black Star whose appeared U S newspa magazines Tyrone holds Master degree Government Latin American politics Georgetown University produced international photo essays topics Rwandan genocide mining Indonesia latter nominated Pulitzer As ICWA Fellow writing photographing Brazilian youth their lives rural urban settings THEAMERICAS Daniel B Wright A sinologist Master Degree International Relations Nitze School Advanced International Studies Johns Hopkins University Dan fellowship merses southwest China Guizhou Province where journalist Shou Guowei andtheirtwochildren MargaretandJon willbasethemselvesfortwoyears inthecityofDuyun PreviouslyaspecialistonAsianandChinese affairs fortheWashington consulting ofAndreae Vick Associates DanalsostudiedChineseliteratureatBeijing UniversityandholdsaMasterof Divinity degree Fuller Theological Seminary Pasadena California EAST ASIA Institute CurrentWorldAffairs FourWestWheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire