No. I have no idea what it actually says on the box or how to pronounce it.
I’m going to guess (based on my knowledge of the contents) it says tea glasses. And that there are twelve of them. (um… that one was a no-brainer.)
When I talk about homeschooling, I always like to point out that it is more of a lifestyle than anything. Here’s a perfect example.
We had friends over for dinner the other night who live in Macedonia.
You are probably asking, "where in the world is Macedonia?" (or maybe you weren’t, because you know stuff, especially about geography, in which case, you would get extra credit. =D)
Well, it’s just north of Greece, on the Balkan Peninsula and bordered by Albania and Serbia. Formerly known as the Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It’s easier to picture when you pull out the atlas and see that it is just to the east (right) of the boot of Italy, across the Adriatic Sea next to Albania. (ooh, look how she knows stuff! Well, I didn’t until we…. pulled out the atlas ourselves.)
We had a wonderful evening with our friends (who shall remain nameless for safety reasons, but whom Eric has known since college – by way of explanation). They regaled us with tales of life in Macedonia. They live and work and are completely immersed in life there among the Muslims (our friends are American Christians). I made homemade pizzas for dinner figuring (correctly) that it is something they don’t get to have much of in the Balkans.
At the end of our meal, they treated us to fresh tea from Sri Lanka, (atlas time again!) to which an entire ritual is attached.
They explained (as they demonstrated) how the women will disappear into the kitchen to brew the tea in a special double boiler type of device. And that sugar takes up most of the room in the little tea glasses and that you must drink it hot while you hold the spoon out of the way with one hand.
They fill up on the sugary tea because they often skip meals since the economy hasn’t yet recovered from communism.
They left us with a set of the little tea glasses so that we can re-create the ritual.
Once you’ve had your fill, you place your tea spoon upside down over your glass to signal the hostess that you’ve had enough.
Subjects we covered?
Geography, History, Social Studies, Language. (if you click on any of my links and are so inclined, you can learn so much more.)
None of us will forget this particular lesson in Macedonian life.
Because learning, we have found, happens in the context of real life.
Have you had enough? 😉
How cool! I have friends from Macedonia too–a bunch, er because I taught in the Balkans….! One is the head of the affiliate of InterVarsity in Macedonia and is here at Oxford doing his doctorate. He’s a great guy and your friends probably know him as it’s a small country and I think he knows most of the Christians and missionaries working there. One of my former students who is Albanian and married to a Croatian is also working among the Kosovar/Albanian (i.e. mostly Muslim) immigrant population there in Macedonian.The box is in Turkish. The only word I recognize is the one that looks like Cay–it’s Chai (tea)–you were right! Surprise surprise! 🙂 My guess is it says something like 12 piece tea set, but I’d have to ask my friends in Turkey…. Macedonia and Serbia and Bosnia were part of the Ottoman (i.e. Turkish…sort of) Empire, so there is a lot of Turkish influence–the tea, the coffee, the Turkish delight (aka Lokum). There is a whole ritual to cooking coffee as well…but that’s another story. Ah memories! Enjoy your chai!
er, I meant ‘there in Macedonia….’ oops!
My next door neighbor is Macedonian. We drink Turkish Coffee , which is so thick you kind of eat it. But he doesn’t know Kevin Bacon.
fascinating. you are such an excellent story teller.