First Saturday Market

Saturday (yesterday) I walked around town for about four hours. It was again a rainy and gray day, but at least in that morning the rain was only a light sprinkle, so walking around was pleasant enough. I think it was also a little less cold than it has been (maybe 50 degrees). I found an underground passage I’d heard about the other day that I think makes the walk in to town a few minutes faster, cuts out most of a big hill, and takes me by more businesses (stores, a post office, etc.), which are useful. The passage seems likely to be a creepy place, and in fact I’ve seen people there who look homeless (well, one man), and kids skateboarding, and teenagers making out and smoking (all in just the four times I’ve been through it so far). Plus there’s a “Club XXL” down there, which looks like abar/pool hall. I don’t think the “XX” part of the title means the same thing here, since it didn’t look like a strip club. And overall I think the “tunnel” / passageway is in fact perfectly safe. I think things are generally quite safe here. Matko told me so my first evening here. He said, “Based on what we see on T.V., you have to always be afraid to walk alone at night in the U.S., but not here.” And I’ve read in several guide books that the crime rate in Croatia is quite low and there’s really very little need to worry about anything beyond pick-pocketing, and then only if you don’t take care to hide your wallet.

And I think this must be true. In all my walking around town so far, no one has followed me, looked at me speculatively (as an easy mark), or in any way made me feel uncomfortable. And based on my experience elsewhere in Europe, I know these things are quite often the case. Of course, it might help that having lived in Europe before I know more or less how to walk down the street, not making eye contact, looking like I know where I’m going, etc. But then again, I have been doing a fair amount of gawking. At the market the other day I was obviously only looking and had a silly smile on my face most of the time, because I love open air markets and miss them in the states. Plus it was just such a lively and interesting scene. So I suppose anyone there could have easily picked me out as a foreigner or tourist.

Everyone I’ve spoken to here has been very kind and helpful. A couple of times when I’ve asked people for directions, they’ve stopped what they were doing, sometimes walking in the opposite direction with me, to help me find what I’m looking for. When I first went into the faculty of philosophy (the department in which I work), I asked what looked to be a student coming down the stairs if she knew where the English department was, and she took me right to the door, two flights back up the way she has just descended. I told her she could just tell me, but she insisted, because she said, “There is only one little door, and it is not well marked.” She also asked me if I would be teaching there, when I said yes, she responded, “Cool!”

In terms of teaching, I have yet to learn my schedule or classes. I think I will start my research methods class this week, though when exactly I will learn tomorrow. And then if I get another class, it will not be for two weeks. This is fine, though I would like to feel that I’m a little more involved in a community here.

During my hours of walking around yesterday I went to the T-com building and signed up for internet access at home, which is dial-up (the only thing available -- at least in my neighborhood). Then I walked along the Korzo and wandered into the open air market that is near the center. There were all kinds of things for sale (clothes, household goods) but mostly food, lovely fresh vegetables and fruits. The one thing I was looking for especially was basil, because I hadn’t found any in the grocery store the other day and I wanted to make pasta sauce today. But I did not see basil anywhere. I did see parsley, cilantro, all kinds of herbal teas (chamomile is happily quite popular here), and a few unidentifiable others, but no basil. Maybe it’s not the season yet. There were oranges, bananas, tomatoes, potatoes and other root veggies (beets, carrots, radishes, etc.), peppers, many kinds of greens, garlic, and lots of other fresh produce. Plus there were dried beans, nuts, and other dried foods (herbs, fruits, and mushrooms maybe?), along with eggs, bread, pastries, meat, and probably lots of other stuff I’m not remembering. I saw several stands selling “bourek,” which I know a version of from Turkish food, and it looked like it might be the same thing. But since I’m vegetarian and don’t know yet how to ask whether or not there’s meat in it, I did not want to chance it. And I wasn’t hungry. But I do want to try it if it is the bourek I know (potatoes, cheese, and yoghurt between pastry dough).

There was also a grocery store set amidst all this, along with lots of little shops, and hawkers on the street selling watches, perfume, and other things. I also saw one very old woman (in a babushka) with what looked like hand embroidered cloths. I almost went to investigate, but I knew if I even looked closely, I’d feel compelled to buy, and so I figured I’d wait until I could ask someone what are typical handicrafts here, typical prices, and where is the best place to buy them. Plus I figured she’ll be there (or someone else will) next week or pretty regularly.

When I was a kid, I used to spend a lot of time at my grandmother’s house in downtown Detroit. She’s the one whom I mentioned before was Croatian (maiden name Kosmuch). She lived in a neighborhood of Detroit with primarily Eastern and Central European immigrants, including many other Croatians. I used to go with her on walks every morning, to the butcher, grocer, baker, and so on. Anyway, I remember her often speaking this language I couldn’t understand, which was Croatian. Many of the women we’d encounter on these walks wore babushkas. I have only seen a few women here wearing them, but between that and the language (which I guess maybe I have some slight memory of – at least of the sound – from back then), and the look of people’s faces (which are reminiscent of my family and all those faces in that Detroit neighborhood from my youth), there is a certain level of familiarity in what I see and experience here. Or maybe I’m just imagining it. But it’s interesting either way. Mostly everything still feels foreign, as it is. But there are these tinges of familiarity, or seem to be, from time to time.

Once I left the market (where I purchased only bananas), I set off looking for the big health food store I’d heard about near the steps to Trsat (the castle). I have not yet found it, though I found a few more little ones. But I did come across another store in the chain of big supermarkets, Plodine. It’s good to know there’s one in walking distance (though it’s a good 15 minutes at least). I bought a ten pack of toilet paper and a little box of 100 Kleenex (for about $1.20 and $2.50 respectively – just the opposite of what they’d cost back home). I’ve already learned to carry a sturdy plastic sack with me whenever I go out, so that I can carry groceries home. Like in most parts of the world, you don’t automatically get sacks to carry your groceries home in here. You either buy them (for maybe 20 cents apiece) or bring your own – a much more ecological system.

Then I walked back home, at which point I was exhausted. On the way home I actually met an American who is working here as an architect – Nathan from Nebraska. We barely exchanged names and told each other where we work – he pointed out his office – before we parted ways. Later I wished I had asked him more about himself, how long he’s been here, how he likes it, etc. Perhaps I will look him up or run into him again. I wonder if there are many Americans here. I also met a French man who lives here (married to a woman from Rijeka) the other day at the tourist information office. I helped translate for him with Dominique (the man who works in that office, and whom I’ve already popped in to ask questions of multiple times). The French man was very thankful since he needed help with a business matter. But I did not think to ask for his information either, though he kind of tried to talk to me afterwards briefly. The problem I have is a certain level of shyness when meeting new people. For instance, I also know my neighbors in this building are all nice people, but I feel funny about just knocking on their doors and asking to talk to them, even though I’ve been told I could.

Once I got home I was quite tired and sore. Perhaps I should at this point disclose that I had major abdominal surgery just two months ago. It went well, I shouldn’t have any lingering problems, and the doctor cleared me for this travel, but still, I realize I shouldn’t overdo it. And between preparing for travel, the actual work of traveling, and then getting settled here, I have been doing a lot of lifting, walking, and general heavy work. So my abdomen finally felt pretty sore yesterday after my four hour walk. So I have done literally nothing today, which was again miserable in terms of the weather, cold, dreary, rainy (at times snowy), and windy. The few things I’ve done have been a little laundry and cleaning, and then to make dinner (pasta sauce as planned, which even without the basil turned out well).

I do feel better today, ready for the week ahead, which I honestly don’t know how I’ll fill, but exploring more and beginning teaching are likely. I hope the weather finally clears up soon. It’s been rainy and cold every single day since I arrived (five days now).