Study article: reportage
Feeling at home without being at home
How Eastern European shop connects people with their own countries
Two men in black Adidas sport suits are standing nearby the sign “Eurodeli”, smoking, and talking in Russian. The phrases spoken in my native language soften my heart. The Slavic vibe of depression, constant smoking, and obscene words that compose the main active vocabulary meets you without even entering the Slavic shop. I missed this vibe!
“Eurodeli” is a grocery shop in Tilst that sells products from Slavic countries, for example, Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Croatia, Poland. Nearby there is another ethnic shop “Mari Marked” with Asian products, so this district of Aarhus can be called a travelling agency. Getting here by bus takes so much time that it feels like you’re indeed going to Eastern Europe.
As the doors open, I’m pretty sure that I was here before. Walking around the shelves with buckwheat, pottery for cooking, and the endless number of jars with pickles and tomatoes, I am transferring to the ordinary Russian store.
As the doors open, I’m pretty sure that I was here before. Walking around the shelves with buckwheat, pottery for cooking, and the endless number of jars with pickles and tomatoes, I am transferring to the ordinary Russian store.
“Sweetie, what do you want? Chocolate or bubble gum?”, granny asks 6-year-old me in a very small shop in the countryside. A lot of shelves are empty, only the one with vodka is always full, as it is the most demanded product. I can hear this question right now, standing near the empty fridge where fish was supposed to be stored, and the full shelf with vodka in “Eurodeli”.
“The shop is like a connection for Slavic people with their home countries. We give this opportunity for people to have a party with cultural dishes, to follow traditions on celebrations and to cook special meals for this holiday. I also feel this connection, every day.”, Yavor, the manager of the “Eurodeli”, tells me.
Yavor is from Bulgaria, wearing total black and looks like a very strict and serious man. Strange thing here in Denmark, where all people are so friendly and smiling, but regular for me as a Russian girl – I got used to see people with no expression of emotions on their face. Today in “Eurodeli” is a very busy day: Yavor is going across the fridges and shelves, examining whether everything in the right places. Later today I’ll find out that they were accepting vegetables from Poland, as “Eurodeli” Facebook page says.
“The shop is like a connection for Slavic people with their home countries. We give this opportunity for people to have a party with cultural dishes, to follow traditions on celebrations and to cook special meals for this holiday. I also feel this connection, every day.”, Yavor, the manager of the “Eurodeli”, tells me.
Yavor is from Bulgaria, wearing total black and looks like a very strict and serious man. Strange thing here in Denmark, where all people are so friendly and smiling, but regular for me as a Russian girl – I got used to see people with no expression of emotions on their face. Today in “Eurodeli” is a very busy day: Yavor is going across the fridges and shelves, examining whether everything in the right places. Later today I’ll find out that they were accepting vegetables from Poland, as “Eurodeli” Facebook page says.
Yavor’s workers constantly following him, carrying out a lot of different boxes with vegetables. He definitely makes an impression of the most important person in the area.
“What are the most popular products in your shop?”, I ask.
“On of the most popular is kvass. It’s a kind of… You know, what does it mean”, he starts to laugh, understanding that kvass is a Russian drink and for sure, I know that it is a beverage made from rye bread. I also laugh, and at this moment he stops being that strict and serious. A common phenomenon for Slavic people: we are friendly only to those people who we trust after a while.
Most of the space is occupied with the fridges of different size. When you open the fridge, you see products from every corner of Eastern Europe: pelmeni, ćevapi, banitsa, bureks and other delicious meals with meat (I swear, there are no vegans in Slavic countries). Yavor argues that these products are also the most popular here.
“Eurodeli” atmosphere is in the images of Slavic women on the products, different kinds of vodka for every occasion, and endless jars with ljutenica – Bulgarian chutney puree. “You’re welcome here at every time” – Yavor says to me and I’m sure I will be.
“What are the most popular products in your shop?”, I ask.
“On of the most popular is kvass. It’s a kind of… You know, what does it mean”, he starts to laugh, understanding that kvass is a Russian drink and for sure, I know that it is a beverage made from rye bread. I also laugh, and at this moment he stops being that strict and serious. A common phenomenon for Slavic people: we are friendly only to those people who we trust after a while.
Most of the space is occupied with the fridges of different size. When you open the fridge, you see products from every corner of Eastern Europe: pelmeni, ćevapi, banitsa, bureks and other delicious meals with meat (I swear, there are no vegans in Slavic countries). Yavor argues that these products are also the most popular here.
“Eurodeli” atmosphere is in the images of Slavic women on the products, different kinds of vodka for every occasion, and endless jars with ljutenica – Bulgarian chutney puree. “You’re welcome here at every time” – Yavor says to me and I’m sure I will be.
