A Day in Požega, Serbia

When I decided to accept a co-op in Serbia, one of the biggest comforts was that I had been there before, though that provided me little tangible knowledge of how to live there. My saving grace in this respect came in the form of lunch on Columbus Avenue in Boston last November; a member of Northeastern's development team who I have built a relationship with after crossing paths at several university events introduced me to a friend of hers who had family in Serbia, a connection that would prove invaluable in finding an apartment and navigating public transportation for the first few days. 

It is this same connection that also led me to perhaps the most strange/wondrous/enthralling experiences I have ever had. 

This past Friday I, and the other two co-ops, traveled to the city of Požega in western Serbia to visit my Northeastern connection's nephew who has become our friend over various dinners and tour guide sessions. 

To preface: our friend is a theology student and was spending the weekend at home to attend services with his hometown priest, whom would be joining us along with a friend of his from university. 

We arrived without issue and were herded to a traditional Serbian breakfast where we all got acquainted. While I and the other co-ops were served a traditional plate of meet, cheese, and bread, the Serbs were given gargantuan salads topped with fillets of fish; Orthodox easter is approaching and Serbs fast (refuse to eat meat) for the duration of lent. 

As we ate, we learned that over the course of the day we would be visiting churches, seeing monasteries, eating lots of Serbian specialities, and even attending a baptism (with the family's permission, of course). 



After scrambling around town in something of a clown car, popping in to various historical monuments in the city, we eventually found ourselves at Temple Sveta Tri Jerarha, the city's largest church. The church's pristine exterior was immaculate in the warm weather, but failed to inform that the church is still under construction- and likely will be for decades to come. 

A few hours later we found ourselves at a mountainside monastery where we would be attending a baptism inside a church that was centuries old. I refrained from taking photos in deference to the ceremony, but the church itself was in exceptional condition. While small and seemingly run down from the outside, its interior still boasts the original vibrant colors of its iconostasis, which is placed behind the altar and contains paintings of various region-specific saints.

Upon conclusion of the ceremony we were introduced to a woman who was born in Serbia but now lives in Dallas, TX. As was her family, she was ecstatic to see us experiencing Serbia- each time I get asked if I like it here my answer of "yes, I love it!" seems to be a complete surprise. 

After a few more adventures including a minuscule, wooden, nail-free church that was moved several times to keep it hidden from the Ottomans and a visit to the highest cave opening in the region, we ended our visit with a traditional meal in Požega: grilled trout. 

Another co-op, who stands at 5'4

Now, as someone who actively avoids seafood I was skeptical, but found it quite enjoyable. The dish itself was very simple- a fish, cleaned, seasoned, and then grilled, served with roasted potatoes and a fresh Serbian salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, and loads of shredded cheese). The restaurant, one of three that sit below the opening to the cave, has several in-floor windows where you can view the fish swimming through the river than runs beneath the building. It was surreal. 

What really made the trip, though, was our company. The priest who so kindly volunteered his time to welcome us to the city is perhaps the most eclectic man I have ever met. And I was delighted to see that the distinctly Serbian character traits I have observed in Belgrade were echoed consistently in those we met in Požega. 

With Serbian Orthodox easter approaching quickly I am excited to see what else I can learn about their traditions.