My Pancakes Are Better Than Your Pancakes

      A couple of weeks ago I posted that my host mother, Chezena, and I enjoyed a Sunday breakfast with Macedonian pancakes.  They're called Palachinka  are basically crepes and they're delicious.  Last Wednesday after dinner she brought out some plachinta to enjoy as a dessert.  I saw them and got excited because they were a sweet surprise.  

        However, the following conversation happened after that.  Chezena starts it by saying, "These are palachinka  we've eaten them before."  "Yes." I replied "They're delicious."  

      I thought that'd be the end of it.  Well it wasn't.  Since my Host Father, Vlago, and his best friend were hanging out in the living room too, she was adamant everyone knew that I was wrong about pancakes being for breakfast.  She tried once again to say,  "That pancakes/palachinka are for dessert and it's the proper Macedonian way."   She took a deep breath to continue her point but I adopted the Macedonian conversation style and used my "Teacher voice" to cut her off with authority.  

        Saying, "No, Chezena you listen now."  I then calmly described, in basic Macedonian sentences, that every culture has it's own unique food culture and in my culture I have pancakes on Sunday morning.  I followed that in Asia, China & Korea, (remember I'm still speaking Macedonian) tea is used anytime.  I could see she was blown away that I knew so much geography but Vlago and I have watched NatGeo together whenever she's working the night shift and it's the ONE thing I've quickly picked up since coming here.  I finished with, "It's not wrong I eat pancakes on Sunday morning and you don't it's just our different cultures."  (Again, this was simplified in Macedonian).

        Chezena took a deep breath to argue but was immediately cut off by Vlago's friend who said, "He's right the British have tea everyday at 4pm and it's similar in India!!!!"  I was pumped!! 

      She turned with a fire in her eyes and they had a SUPERRAPIDFIREHOLYS$!^BATMANTHEY'RETALKINGDAMNFASTANDFURIOUS two minute argument about different cultural habits.  I just sat there eating the delicious palachinka when suddenly they both stopped, looked at me and he asked, "Right Logan?"  I had no idea what they had said so I did the only thing I could think of.  I said, in Macedonian that, "I don't know because I don't speak Macedonian."  We all laughed, he high-fived me and laughed some more.  Later on Chezena, Vlago and I talked about the weather in Macedonia and what it's like in different cities throughout the country.  

      The next morning I woke up, went to eat breakfast and noticed an extra plate.  I pulled the top off and was greeted by the delicious smell of palachinka.  I laughed for at least five minutes.

The palachinka are the top left dish.  I took them to my language class and everyone agreed on how delicious they were.