Full Transcript: George Cvetanobski on Immigrating from Macedonia
George: That’s the largest city in— second city in Macedonia by the name Bitola. B-i-t-o-l-a. And I was born there, till I was 29 years old and after that, I left the country, you know. If you ask me the reason why I left, that goes a little bit complicated. The regime was little bit different. That time was social communist regime, something like that. They didn't let us to put somebody else to work for you, you have to work yourself. Otherwise you have to go in a, in a place where everybody working. Not because I didn't like it but they didn't pick me that you know and I decide to leave the country, you know.
Well, that’s— it’s not easy to leave the place where you was born, you know? It’s— you got friends, you got family, you know, all that stuff, you know, but sometimes you deciding you go.
I go out when I want, you know, I have good freedom, you know, from my relatives, and I decide to leave.
That time, there wasn’t any place to go, you know. I try to go in Germany you know but I couldn’t have any connection and I get some connection to go in Australia and I went over there. That’s legal, you know, [?] legally, by passport. Took me years, you know, to get everything straight, you know, but I left.
George: I kind of I like it, you know? When I came here, and my brothers, we get in a car, everybody, he says, “George, did you get your passport?” I says, “For what?” “We’re going to Polish town, you need the passport.” I says, “You know what, guys? I think I am out before you guys. You don’t need a passport in the same country. What are you trying to play game with me, you know?” [Laughs] And I, and I see city like that, you know nice, clean, everything, every house cut grass, you know, everything, you know, and some kind of— I like it and some of my brothers they used to live here and I used to live to one brother, to the other brother, you know, till I settle down, you know, for six months. And I like the city and I’m here. I built a house 1986, you know, and I am still here. That’s the place to start something, you know, that’s good.
Interviewer: Were there a lot of other Macedonian people here?
George: Oh my gosh. If I name the number, I don’t know. It’s a big number. Anyplace you go, anyplace you can hear they speak Macedonian language. But now there’s not so many, maybe 10 people. Everybody, you know, they left.
Interviewer: So your wife stayed in Macedonia when you moved here?
George: Yeah that was— didn’t want to come here, you know, and we get divorce. Yeah, didn’t want to come here. That was the papers ready to come, they refuse. And that was some kind of reason, I don't know what, and thats why I stay 11 months over there, you know, we couldn’t get along and I didn't wanted to stay there. I wanted to be here. She want me to stay there but I didn't wanted to stay. I left the country. I have a reason why I left and now I don't want to go back. And somebody’s going to make mistake. Maybe I make first, maybe she make second, you know? And that’s it.
George: Well that’s a— that was a different kind of life over there. I go every bar, dancing, in a sport, watch movie, you know? Yes, all that. I like dancing and I used to go three times in a week, you know, dancing. But soon as I come here, you know, I change that, you know. I never go in a dancing, maybe few times, but not many times.
Interviewer: Did you go on a lot of dates when you were younger?
George: Hah! Yes. [Laughs] She’s laughing, she’s my friend, you know? You know, when you are with the people, you have to date someone, you know?
Interviewer: And what would you do? Where would you go on dates?
George: Like I says, dancing, you know, bars, you know. You go in a, you go in a theater. I never been in a opera here in United States. I been in Australia, you know? I been in my country too, you know? Actually I have a friend who was playing clarinet in a opera in a different city and we go group over there, somebody with a girlfriend, somebody alone, you know, we go group, you know? We used to go in a mountain— Saturday, Sunday we go in a mountain, sleep over there overnight, next day we come down. Walking, you know? No cars, nothing. From the city right in a mountain, right in a top of the mountain. Good life. I am happy with my life. I been active all my life and now I wanted to be active but I fall down and I break my hip and now I will be quiet.
George: These people over there, they have a different kind of life, here it’s a little bit close you know but over there it’s open, everything open. Different, different life. I was two years ago over there to see whats going on. But many things is different now, life is different. In my time we didn’t have a cars, you have to go in a circle places. Now people they got cars, they go out, you know, they open different places, you know, small places, like cottages, small places, restaurants, you know and they, they go out. Before everybody— we stay in one place because I am not from the big city, you know. I don't know what is the population now, I don’t know, but I’m talking for my place where I was born.
Interviewer: Have you been back to Macedonia since you immigrated?
George: I was two years ago. Before that, I went back after 32 years. [Laughs] That’s strange. That’s— I haven’t been so many times, 4 times. You know that’s— you feel different you know because a lot of people you don't see around, like my friends, especially now two years ago, I don't see many people, many friends of my generation, you know? You know that somebody move out of the city, somebody don't feel good they stay home, you know, somebody, you know, they pass away, you know. That’s big change, big change.
We are all new Americans. I was in a doctor’s office and the doctor, new doctor come he says “What nationality you are?” I said— because, for last name— “Are you Polish?” I says, “No.” “Are you Russian?” I says, “No.” I says, “I am Macedonian.” He says, “Oh, that’s good.” He says, “Don’t worry, no one of us is American.” [Laughs] That’s mean you come before me, your parents they come before you, you know? Doesn’t bother me, that because I know the answer. In Australia, I know the history how it become Australia. And I went over there and somebody tell me, I don’t want to say here now, I know the answer to give him the answer. Don't tell me because I just come now, you treat me a different way. No, that’s not good, no. And I give him exactly answer. It’s very important to know the history of the country, you know? Your country and the country where you live, you know?
Well, that’s— it’s not easy to leave the place where you was born, you know? It’s— you got friends, you got family, you know, all that stuff, you know, but sometimes you deciding you go.
I go out when I want, you know, I have good freedom, you know, from my relatives, and I decide to leave.
That time, there wasn’t any place to go, you know. I try to go in Germany you know but I couldn’t have any connection and I get some connection to go in Australia and I went over there. That’s legal, you know, [?] legally, by passport. Took me years, you know, to get everything straight, you know, but I left.
George: I kind of I like it, you know? When I came here, and my brothers, we get in a car, everybody, he says, “George, did you get your passport?” I says, “For what?” “We’re going to Polish town, you need the passport.” I says, “You know what, guys? I think I am out before you guys. You don’t need a passport in the same country. What are you trying to play game with me, you know?” [Laughs] And I, and I see city like that, you know nice, clean, everything, every house cut grass, you know, everything, you know, and some kind of— I like it and some of my brothers they used to live here and I used to live to one brother, to the other brother, you know, till I settle down, you know, for six months. And I like the city and I’m here. I built a house 1986, you know, and I am still here. That’s the place to start something, you know, that’s good.
Interviewer: Were there a lot of other Macedonian people here?
George: Oh my gosh. If I name the number, I don’t know. It’s a big number. Anyplace you go, anyplace you can hear they speak Macedonian language. But now there’s not so many, maybe 10 people. Everybody, you know, they left.
Interviewer: So your wife stayed in Macedonia when you moved here?
George: Yeah that was— didn’t want to come here, you know, and we get divorce. Yeah, didn’t want to come here. That was the papers ready to come, they refuse. And that was some kind of reason, I don't know what, and thats why I stay 11 months over there, you know, we couldn’t get along and I didn't wanted to stay there. I wanted to be here. She want me to stay there but I didn't wanted to stay. I left the country. I have a reason why I left and now I don't want to go back. And somebody’s going to make mistake. Maybe I make first, maybe she make second, you know? And that’s it.
George: Well that’s a— that was a different kind of life over there. I go every bar, dancing, in a sport, watch movie, you know? Yes, all that. I like dancing and I used to go three times in a week, you know, dancing. But soon as I come here, you know, I change that, you know. I never go in a dancing, maybe few times, but not many times.
Interviewer: Did you go on a lot of dates when you were younger?
George: Hah! Yes. [Laughs] She’s laughing, she’s my friend, you know? You know, when you are with the people, you have to date someone, you know?
Interviewer: And what would you do? Where would you go on dates?
George: Like I says, dancing, you know, bars, you know. You go in a, you go in a theater. I never been in a opera here in United States. I been in Australia, you know? I been in my country too, you know? Actually I have a friend who was playing clarinet in a opera in a different city and we go group over there, somebody with a girlfriend, somebody alone, you know, we go group, you know? We used to go in a mountain— Saturday, Sunday we go in a mountain, sleep over there overnight, next day we come down. Walking, you know? No cars, nothing. From the city right in a mountain, right in a top of the mountain. Good life. I am happy with my life. I been active all my life and now I wanted to be active but I fall down and I break my hip and now I will be quiet.
George: These people over there, they have a different kind of life, here it’s a little bit close you know but over there it’s open, everything open. Different, different life. I was two years ago over there to see whats going on. But many things is different now, life is different. In my time we didn’t have a cars, you have to go in a circle places. Now people they got cars, they go out, you know, they open different places, you know, small places, like cottages, small places, restaurants, you know and they, they go out. Before everybody— we stay in one place because I am not from the big city, you know. I don't know what is the population now, I don’t know, but I’m talking for my place where I was born.
Interviewer: Have you been back to Macedonia since you immigrated?
George: I was two years ago. Before that, I went back after 32 years. [Laughs] That’s strange. That’s— I haven’t been so many times, 4 times. You know that’s— you feel different you know because a lot of people you don't see around, like my friends, especially now two years ago, I don't see many people, many friends of my generation, you know? You know that somebody move out of the city, somebody don't feel good they stay home, you know, somebody, you know, they pass away, you know. That’s big change, big change.
We are all new Americans. I was in a doctor’s office and the doctor, new doctor come he says “What nationality you are?” I said— because, for last name— “Are you Polish?” I says, “No.” “Are you Russian?” I says, “No.” I says, “I am Macedonian.” He says, “Oh, that’s good.” He says, “Don’t worry, no one of us is American.” [Laughs] That’s mean you come before me, your parents they come before you, you know? Doesn’t bother me, that because I know the answer. In Australia, I know the history how it become Australia. And I went over there and somebody tell me, I don’t want to say here now, I know the answer to give him the answer. Don't tell me because I just come now, you treat me a different way. No, that’s not good, no. And I give him exactly answer. It’s very important to know the history of the country, you know? Your country and the country where you live, you know?