the day i grew up
THE DAY I GREW UP
The bright sun light woke me up. I looked through the airplane window. The orange sky was quickly turning into blue. It looked so peaceful and warm outside but I knew that at a height of 10.000m it certainly is freezing out there. Seven more hours and we’ll be there. I am finally going to be able to be surrounded with members o f my extended family, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins… I couldn’t sit still any more. Blood was rushing through my veins and my heart started pounding at the very thought of the first sight of all of those familiar and so dear faces to me. Finally, moving to Macedonia, to a new life, new beginning. Little did I know then that living between two countries brings excitement but also great sorrow.
When we approached Skopje airport it didn’t look like it was the middle of winter. There was no snow and the almost perfect rectangle farming fields seemed so full of life and colour as if they wanted to herald spring coming instead of winter. Was it so because they were announcing my coming to Macedonia? Noting from my plan to go skiing on the first weekend. Never mind. I’ll be so busy catching up with friends and relatives. I could almost hear their words echoing in my ears: ”Are you hungry? Do you want anything to drink? You must not sleep until it gets dark. Try to stay awake so that you are not jet lagged!”
Later that nigh when dark and silence crept into the house, I woke up, ready to begin with the new day. Why doesn’t it dawn now? I was tossing and turning, looking at the clock every few minutes. The clock hands were in a conspiracy against me. They didn’t seem to be moving at all in spite of my persistent, strict, warning and frequent look at them. Doesn’t this stupid clock know that I am going flying with my uncle tomorrow? Oh, God, oh, God, so many things to be done! Flying with uncle Mendo, skiing with both my uncles, my cousins and little Viktor, my nephew. Ah, and when summer comes, skiing at the Ohrid
The bright sun light woke me up. I looked through the airplane window. The orange sky was quickly turning into blue. It looked so peaceful and warm outside but I knew that at a height of 10.000m it certainly is freezing out there. Seven more hours and we’ll be there. I am finally going to be able to be surrounded with members o f my extended family, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins… I couldn’t sit still any more. Blood was rushing through my veins and my heart started pounding at the very thought of the first sight of all of those familiar and so dear faces to me. Finally, moving to Macedonia, to a new life, new beginning. Little did I know then that living between two countries brings excitement but also great sorrow.
When we approached Skopje airport it didn’t look like it was the middle of winter. There was no snow and the almost perfect rectangle farming fields seemed so full of life and colour as if they wanted to herald spring coming instead of winter. Was it so because they were announcing my coming to Macedonia? Noting from my plan to go skiing on the first weekend. Never mind. I’ll be so busy catching up with friends and relatives. I could almost hear their words echoing in my ears: ”Are you hungry? Do you want anything to drink? You must not sleep until it gets dark. Try to stay awake so that you are not jet lagged!”
Later that nigh when dark and silence crept into the house, I woke up, ready to begin with the new day. Why doesn’t it dawn now? I was tossing and turning, looking at the clock every few minutes. The clock hands were in a conspiracy against me. They didn’t seem to be moving at all in spite of my persistent, strict, warning and frequent look at them. Doesn’t this stupid clock know that I am going flying with my uncle tomorrow? Oh, God, oh, God, so many things to be done! Flying with uncle Mendo, skiing with both my uncles, my cousins and little Viktor, my nephew. Ah, and when summer comes, skiing at the Ohrid