Lesson+13

Cultures around the world media type="custom" key="27680309" Macedonia is traditionally an Orthodox country with 65% of its citizens being Orthodox Christian, 29% Muslim, 4% Catholic, 1% Protestant and 1% other religions.

Macedonia is often referred to as the “magical country of archaeology” because of its mixture of monuments and ancient treasures found throughout the country. Macedonia is a landlocked mountainous country. Macedonia is a country of rich cultural and historical heritage, reflected in its folklore. Historical Macedonia (from whence Alexander the Great set out to conquer the ancient world in the 4th century B.C.E.) is today contained mostly in present-day Greece, a point Greeks are always quick to make. Macedonia borders Serbia to the north; Bulgaria to the east; Greece to the south; and Albania to the west. Macedonia is on a fault line and the country averages four earthquakes a year (most go unnoticed) with a median reading of 6 on the Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik International Seismological Scale. Mostly a country of hills and mountains, Macedonia has a continental Mediterranean climate characterized by long, dry, rather hot summers and short, cold winters. The largest three lakes are: Ohrid, the largest in the Balkans, situated in the southwestern corner of Macedonia and shared with Albania; Prespa, in the same area; and Dojran in southeastern Macedonia.

Folklore is nurtured by both professional and amateur groups in Macedonia, which have folklore shows including groups of Macedonians, Albanians, Turks and Roma.

Skopje also has “The Theater of Nationalities,” dedicated to productions put on by the ethnic minorities of Macedonia. Macedonia has two universities: the Saints Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, and the University of Bitola, with a total enrollment of 25,000 to 30,000 students each academic year.

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British Culture Article

[|Buying Guide: Host Family Gifts] = = =[|Another Host Family Gift question (Spain)] = [|Etiquette for living with a host family] [|12 Dos and Don'ts for home-stay programs]

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 * 1) So what can you do to not only survive your homestay abroad, but squeeze every bit of potential joy from the experience? Let's explore the do's and don'ts of homestay programs, supported by my own personal experience living with a host family in Cartagena, Colombia and plenty of anecdotes (good, bad, and ugly) from fellow travelers.
 * 2) Find out how your host family feels about you serving yourself food from their kitchen, or preparing your own meals, or keeping alcohol in the house.
 * 3) Find out whether you have a curfew, what time meals are served, and your host family's preferences for knowing your whereabouts (e.g. try not to disappear for a weekend away without alerting them in advance).
 * 4) Doing a homestay program abroad is a fabulous idea in theory: learn a foreign language, immerse yourself in a different culture, enjoy home-made local cuisine, and even save some money.
 * 5) Are you deathly afraid of dogs? Are you a vegetarian? Are you allergic to curfews? The more you communicate with the organization, the better equipped they will be to match you up to a suitable host family.
 * 6) Bringing a gift, preferably representative of your home culture, is a great way to break the ice with your host family and set a foundation for a warm friendship.
 * 7) I recommend joining your family for at least one meal each day, both to enjoy home-made local cuisine and to enjoy the conversations that meals inspire.
 * 8) Give some serious thought to your application forms with the organization (whether it be a language school or a volunteer program) that will be linking you up with a family.
 * 9) However, if you are able to cooperate and listen you your host family while you are a guest, all should go smoothly.
 * 10) Most host programs will give you the option to include meals in your homestay.
 * 11) Add to that a mix of foreign language mishaps, unfamiliar customs, strange climates, differing personalities, and exotic food, and you've got a potential cross-cultural disaster on your hands.
 * 12) If you are given some information about the family before your visit, try to tailor the gift to the ages and genders of family members.
 * 13) Tips for What to Do in a Homestay Program Because you are living in someone else's house, in a different country, chance are that things will be done differently than your house.
 * 14) If you have decided that the pros outweigh the cons in your case and are planning to take the plunge, then it's time to start preparing yourself for exciting journey ahead.
 * 15) Assumptions are the basis of so many misunderstandings and conflicts, so rather than guessing, talk! Do bring a thoughtful gift.
 * 16) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Communicate, communicate, communicate! Make sure that all parties understand the expectations of living together.
 * 17) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Like anything else in life, homestays have their pros and cons.
 * 18) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But as those of us who have had college roommates know, cohabitation can be a beast, even with the nicest of people.
 * 19) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Do join them for meals.
 * 20) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Do talk about the "rules" within the first few days.