One day in August 1995 I walked into my office at the university that I shared with a colleague and seated there were 3 young women from Macedonia, Czech Republic and Hungary. Over the course of the year they spent in America they became like our "daughters" -- sharing family events, staying with us over holidays and traveling with us. We visit all three of them regularly in their home countries, but through the turn of events Macedonia has become a focus for us in terms of research, teaching and traveling.

Below: The Magyar, the Makedonka and Skopje