Remember those teachers you had in high school and middle school (and maybe even elementary school) who shaped you as a person. The ones whose names you can still remember and sometimes you feel yourself transported back to their classroom when someone says "What was that conversion factor?" or "How do you spell that word?" Perhaps I'm stretching the nostalgia a bit too far, but there are teachers that helped you become who you are today. Maybe they nudged you into working a little bit harder so that they could show you just how good you could be. Maybe they encouraged the pants off of you and acted like you were a super-star in the classroom, even though you felt like a loser outside of it. Maybe they just did their job and it was really your desire, passion, and skill that made them so influential. You still remember them though.
Then there were the teachers who made you feel quite insufficient. You just couldn't do good enough. You talked to much, or too little. Maybe they never noticed you, or only noticed you to hand out a punishment or critique. Maybe instead of encouraging you to work harder they told you that "You'd never get any better, so why try?" Maybe they didn't do anything particular and you just sucked at that subject, and they knew it and you knew it. Maybe they were just a bad teacher who couldn't explain anything sufficiently. Their names are forgotten, but their tactics remain.
There are all kinds in every school, all kinds in every child's education. For me the first group, the great teachers, were mostly made up of my Math and Science teachers. After 7th grade I think I could tell you all my Math teachers' names and many of my Science teachers', but I won't bore you with that. Not all of them were extraordinary, but many were. Most of my favorites were non-traditionalists. Mrs. Williams (the only English teacher in the bunch) let us have paper ball fights if we were good; she'd even join in. Mr. Paar would use fishing analogies to teach Algebra. Miss Genie would get so excited about Math she would start jumping up and down, one time she even climbed on top of a desk. Now that I think about it they were all pretty nuts. At the time, sitting in their classrooms, we (the students) would just look around at each other and say "Wow! They're soooo weird." But we loved it. They were passionate about their jobs and they were passionate about helping us learn. We'd have never admitted it back then, but those were our favorite classes. Those are the teachers I want to emulate, not just their crazy behavior but their zeal.
The second group of teachers included most of my English teachers, thus the incessant use of spell check and dictionary.com now-a-days. To ALL my English teachers (and it was pretty much all of them) who said, "You need to work on your writing. It's not very good. Your spelling is atrocious, and there are comma splices every where. Now look at Katie's paper, that's what you should be writing." I am teaching your subject now! How do you feel about that? *Also I would like to take this time to note: my mom thinks I write very well, and has complimented my blog writing skills numerous times. I assure you she is a very unbiased source.* Now I know most of you are thinking (or should be thinking), "What in the world are you doing teaching English if your least favorite subject was English and you still use spell check without default?" And also the question begs to be asked, "Why did you get a degree in 'The English of Tech' when you were at an engineering school in the first place, obviously suck at English, and enjoy Math?" The answer is: Through many random events and strange happenings, but really God only knows. But I loved my major, I'm glad I'm teaching, and I'm ok with the fact that my students catch my spelling mistakes. I was never very good in those English classes because I felt that all they wanted you to do was copy another man's style and pass it off as your own. And for the most part that is exactly what they wanted, and exactly what I refused to do. Thus the conflict, and my inability to get an A in English. These teachers, the ones that stifle and come down hard on you, are the ones I hope I am for no student.
Now comes the idealism, if you haven't already felt it. As a teacher now, looking back on my experiences as a student is hard. The roles are reversed. I see how challenging each day is for the Teacher. I feel the propelling desire to make the biggest difference I can in each student's life. I know the difficulty of meeting challenges with patience and quick solutions, however many it takes to find the right one. I come home in the afternoon with a headache and a hounding question, "Did I make a difference?" I hope that at some point, while I am a teacher, I can answer that question with an unequivocal "Yes." But for now, all I can tell you unequivocally is that the students make a difference in my life every day, my fellow teachers make a difference in my life every day. That for me is enough right now. That for me is everything I need to know. No matter how much I give it will never be enough to return what I have received. One day though, I'll be able to answer my question with a "Yes" and on that day I'll be jumping up and down in the streets (or maybe I'll just climb on top of a desk).
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Baby It's Cold Outside
It's cold outside. I know this because 30 seconds after stepping out the door my eyes start to water. Two minutes into my fifteen minute walk home from Dani's my throat starts to itch. Four minutes later my nose is running and my eyes now itch as well, all orifices function as water spikettes. Three minutes from my front door I start to cough, with no apparent benefit. As I walk in the door I notice my chin is numb, but that is the least of my worries. I gulp down a glass of water, wipe my eyes, blow my nose, and breath in the clean air of my apartment. Winter is here. They did warn me.
Most families use a wood (among other things) burning stove to heat their houses in Bulgaria. At first I thought this was "nice" and "cute," to have a fire burning to heat you. Now I know otherwise. Every night, and sometimes day, the air fills with smoke from these household warming devices. Everything is burned in them: plastic shopping bags, diapers, food scraps, papers, wood, books (ok, so no one is really burning books...), any other trash that might need to be disposed of. It really cuts down on the garbage. My predecessors did tell me, "Just wait for winter, when the fires start burning. The air will barely be breathable." Did I believe them? Maybe. But how was I to know just what they meant by this; I had never experienced a Balkan winter. Now I know. The Bulgarians feel it too. As much as we all love the warmth we hate the smoke. But there is a trade off for all things and this one is just more visible and immediate than most.
Coming to Bulgaria there were many trade offs. Some I haven't yet experienced, some I'll be experiencing my whole time here. I left my family. I have a large family, most of whom read this on a semi-regular basis (thanks!). At least one grandmother, two parents, two brothers, one sister, two nephews, two nieces, four aunts, four uncles, nine cousins, and assorted other relatives I don't see on a yearly basis were at home celebrating Thanksgiving the other week. I missed that. But I did get my trade off: a Bulgarian-American Thanksgiving Extravaganza! Two Bulgarian Teachers, six American Fulbrights, two Bulgarian Boyfriends, seven American Peace Corps Volunteers, two turkeys, four kilos of mashed potatoes, two kilos of glazed carrots, two kinds of stuffing, numerous amounts of other food, and a guitar all fit into the confines of Roz's two-bedroom Vratza apartment. It was wonderful! There is no day designated for giving thanks in Bulgaria, but the concept is not foreign here. We cooked and talked, ate and drank, and then we sang. We sang, or rather, I should say one of the Fulbrights studying traditional Bulgarian music sang a few traditional Bulgarian songs for us. Roz sang a couple songs in Hebrew from Isreal for us. Then we all joined in for traditional American folk songs and Christmas carols. It's funny just how few people actually know the words to the carols. After hearing the same songs for years and years you'd think we'd be better. Second verses were the most challenging and "Do songs even have third verses?" was the response after a few mind boggling rounds of the same verse of Silent Night and Joy to the World. But we all stumbled through together and had more fun for it.
I guess this is the easiest trade off to tell you about, especially since it's so recent and confined to one day. But there are so many others that may be more complex, but are all the more beautiful. Too bad words don't go far enough.
Most families use a wood (among other things) burning stove to heat their houses in Bulgaria. At first I thought this was "nice" and "cute," to have a fire burning to heat you. Now I know otherwise. Every night, and sometimes day, the air fills with smoke from these household warming devices. Everything is burned in them: plastic shopping bags, diapers, food scraps, papers, wood, books (ok, so no one is really burning books...), any other trash that might need to be disposed of. It really cuts down on the garbage. My predecessors did tell me, "Just wait for winter, when the fires start burning. The air will barely be breathable." Did I believe them? Maybe. But how was I to know just what they meant by this; I had never experienced a Balkan winter. Now I know. The Bulgarians feel it too. As much as we all love the warmth we hate the smoke. But there is a trade off for all things and this one is just more visible and immediate than most.
Coming to Bulgaria there were many trade offs. Some I haven't yet experienced, some I'll be experiencing my whole time here. I left my family. I have a large family, most of whom read this on a semi-regular basis (thanks!). At least one grandmother, two parents, two brothers, one sister, two nephews, two nieces, four aunts, four uncles, nine cousins, and assorted other relatives I don't see on a yearly basis were at home celebrating Thanksgiving the other week. I missed that. But I did get my trade off: a Bulgarian-American Thanksgiving Extravaganza! Two Bulgarian Teachers, six American Fulbrights, two Bulgarian Boyfriends, seven American Peace Corps Volunteers, two turkeys, four kilos of mashed potatoes, two kilos of glazed carrots, two kinds of stuffing, numerous amounts of other food, and a guitar all fit into the confines of Roz's two-bedroom Vratza apartment. It was wonderful! There is no day designated for giving thanks in Bulgaria, but the concept is not foreign here. We cooked and talked, ate and drank, and then we sang. We sang, or rather, I should say one of the Fulbrights studying traditional Bulgarian music sang a few traditional Bulgarian songs for us. Roz sang a couple songs in Hebrew from Isreal for us. Then we all joined in for traditional American folk songs and Christmas carols. It's funny just how few people actually know the words to the carols. After hearing the same songs for years and years you'd think we'd be better. Second verses were the most challenging and "Do songs even have third verses?" was the response after a few mind boggling rounds of the same verse of Silent Night and Joy to the World. But we all stumbled through together and had more fun for it.
I guess this is the easiest trade off to tell you about, especially since it's so recent and confined to one day. But there are so many others that may be more complex, but are all the more beautiful. Too bad words don't go far enough.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
The Table
Thanksgiving is fast approaching, of course I'll have to celebrate it on a different day because we don't get the holiday off, but thanks will be given only a couple days later than traditional. I'm actually quite impressed at what we are able to rustle up for Thanksgiving dinner here. I think many packages were sent with fillings for pies and makings for casseroles, and because of this the all important Stove Top stuffing will make its appearance and be scarfed down, I'm sure. Thanksgiving is a really fabulous holiday though. Usually, as a family, we sit around the table and say what we are thankful for that year. It's pretty much like a movie... almost nauseatingly so. I think, since this is my first blogging Thanksgiving, I will give my thanks online this year at the chimerical internet table. We can all sit 'around' our computer screens and give thanks at our cyber table.
I'll go ahead and start. I am thankful for:
my family and the fact that I get to see them in about a month!
7 continents and new experiences on each one.
cabbage. There is so much you can do with it... and I'm finding out just how much.
my kitty Mila (sweetheart in Bulgarian), who is also finding out just how useful cabbage can be. (That is Mila sniffing the 3.5 kilo-> cabbage I bought at the market. The cabbage weighs about three times as much as she does.)
wonderful colleagues who make me banitsa and also make me laugh.
the internet.
copy machines.
nice sheets.
and last but not least... Peanut Butter.
So thank you for joining me at the table. Please share what you are thankful for too, if you feel so inclined. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Dog Show, and Georgia-Georgia Tech football game for me. GO TECH!
I'll go ahead and start. I am thankful for:
20 cm of snow that I saw falling and made a snowcaptain, snow angels, and much more snow mischief in last weekend.
the amazing, loving friends that I have: in Bulgaria, in the States, in Mexico, and all over the world.
the amazing, loving friends that I have: in Bulgaria, in the States, in Mexico, and all over the world.my family and the fact that I get to see them in about a month!
7 continents and new experiences on each one.
cabbage. There is so much you can do with it... and I'm finding out just how much.
my kitty Mila (sweetheart in Bulgarian), who is also finding out just how useful cabbage can be. (That is Mila sniffing the 3.5 kilo-> cabbage I bought at the market. The cabbage weighs about three times as much as she does.)
wonderful colleagues who make me banitsa and also make me laugh.
the internet.
copy machines.
nice sheets.
and last but not least... Peanut Butter.
So thank you for joining me at the table. Please share what you are thankful for too, if you feel so inclined. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! Enjoy the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Dog Show, and Georgia-Georgia Tech football game for me. GO TECH!
Friday, November 9, 2007
Getting to know you.
Here is a link to an article in a Bulgarian magazine for ex-pats (people that have moved from different countries and now live here) it's in English, of course. The article is about Peace Corps Bulgaria and it might help make what I'm doing here a little more understandable.
Check it out:
http://www.vagabond-bg.com/index.php?page=live&sub=19&open_news=659
Also, if you'd like to help feed the hungry and practice vocab go here:
http://www.freerice.com/index.php
It's very useful if you like to sound smart or are studying for the GRE, SAT, and other standardized tests or if you have lots of free time and find suduko can only be entertaining for a short time.
Check it out:
http://www.vagabond-bg.com/index.php?page=live&sub=19&open_news=659
Also, if you'd like to help feed the hungry and practice vocab go here:
http://www.freerice.com/index.php
It's very useful if you like to sound smart or are studying for the GRE, SAT, and other standardized tests or if you have lots of free time and find suduko can only be entertaining for a short time.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Teaching Again, but not The End
My school is teaching again! Yay! I now have something to occupy most of my days and a purpose for being in Bulgaria! But the strike is not over, unfortunately. I'm not sure when it will be, if ever. They keep getting so close to deals and then the day they are supposed to sign the teachers always back out. I really want them to reach a conclusion soon, but I don't know how realistic that is.
We started teaching just in time for Halloween which was brilliant, and I'm sure that they planned it that way just for me (since they don't celebrate Halloween here). So my first week back to school (which is this week) I get to tell ghost stories and talk about little kids in costumes. Very easy lesson planning! So for homework I asked them all to write a ghost story based on parameters we set up in class. My large, smart, and unruly class chose to set their ghost story in a castle in New Jersey in 1861 with Frankenstein, his wife and son, as the antagonists, and our class as the 'normal' people. Then my smaller, eager, off-to-college class went a bit more traditional and set their story in a small town in the 18th century with vampires and once again I asked that our class be in the story too. The twist in the latter class was that one of their elements to a good ghost story was that good people had to die. So we'll see who they kill off from the class. Ha ha! These kids have been in the same class with the same students for 5 years. It's remarkable how well they know each other. In some schools kids will be in the same class, with the same class teacher and the same classmates, for all 12 years of schooling. I can't even imagine.
We started teaching just in time for Halloween which was brilliant, and I'm sure that they planned it that way just for me (since they don't celebrate Halloween here). So my first week back to school (which is this week) I get to tell ghost stories and talk about little kids in costumes. Very easy lesson planning! So for homework I asked them all to write a ghost story based on parameters we set up in class. My large, smart, and unruly class chose to set their ghost story in a castle in New Jersey in 1861 with Frankenstein, his wife and son, as the antagonists, and our class as the 'normal' people. Then my smaller, eager, off-to-college class went a bit more traditional and set their story in a small town in the 18th century with vampires and once again I asked that our class be in the story too. The twist in the latter class was that one of their elements to a good ghost story was that good people had to die. So we'll see who they kill off from the class. Ha ha! These kids have been in the same class with the same students for 5 years. It's remarkable how well they know each other. In some schools kids will be in the same class, with the same class teacher and the same classmates, for all 12 years of schooling. I can't even imagine.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
My kitty 'n me
I just got a new kitty. She's little and docile, for the most part. The last cat went kinda crazy and attacked me while I was sleeping. So I'm still feeding him, but he's not allowed in my apartment. The new one'll keep me warm and give me company for the winter. Speaking of winter: It's freezing! Seriously. This weekend is the start of true winter. I was at a dental appointment in Sofia on Friday and when I came out of the office at around 3 pm it was 4 Celsius. It's cold!
Oh, and in case you're wondering, the strike is still on.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, the strike is still on.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Stachka! Stachka! Strike! (not a reference to baseball)
Well. The title says it all.
I am not allowed to strike, but that is of little matter anymore. The teachers are striking in Bulgaria. Many schools aren't actively striking, or only part of the teachers in the school are, but my school is actively on strike. This is quite interesting, seeing as I'm not allowed to strike and have to continue to offer my classes despite not having any students. My school just joined the strike Sept 27th. The teachers all show up at school every morning on time and sit in the teacher's lounge or smoking room until the school's regular hours are over. So for 8 hours teachers come to the school, sit there, work on school lessons (that they aren't teaching) during the period they would normally be teaching the lesson they are now working on, do paperwork, smoke, talk, and watch soap operas. The students don't come to school at all. I've seen perhaps 3, out of 500 students, come in and out of the school since the strike began.
This is a short article about the strike and news on how it's going: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=86057
I would like to correct one of the pieces of information in the article though: I have NEVER met a teacher whose salary is over 400 leva (200 euros) per month. Therefore the average salary of teachers is probably more like 300 leva (150 euros) per month. That's, on average, $212.14 per month for a full-time teaching position. There's a part-time teacher at our school that makes about 100 leva per month, 100 leva = $72. That is the lowest salary I've heard of though.
What does all this mean for me?
Lots of free time... once again. I'm trying to be productive, but it becomes hard when all you want to do is teach. Needless to say, this is not what I thought would happen when I came to Bulgaria with the Peace Corps. Well, at least part of it is not what I expected.
Boredom, Challenge, Free Time, The Unexpected: expected.
A Strike (stachka in Bulgarian or really it's стачка), Not Teaching during the school year, Watching Cable, Teaching Literature (or being able to if i was teaching at all), Eating Fruit strait from trees on the side of the street, Being Friends with my students, Eating Fabulous Yogurt: unexpected.
But, if you follow my logic, my expectations are all inclusive in the end. Even though it wasn't what I thought I was expecting I must have been expecting it, because I was expecting the unexpected and I have just told you what that was. Right? Sure. It all makes sense now.
I am not allowed to strike, but that is of little matter anymore. The teachers are striking in Bulgaria. Many schools aren't actively striking, or only part of the teachers in the school are, but my school is actively on strike. This is quite interesting, seeing as I'm not allowed to strike and have to continue to offer my classes despite not having any students. My school just joined the strike Sept 27th. The teachers all show up at school every morning on time and sit in the teacher's lounge or smoking room until the school's regular hours are over. So for 8 hours teachers come to the school, sit there, work on school lessons (that they aren't teaching) during the period they would normally be teaching the lesson they are now working on, do paperwork, smoke, talk, and watch soap operas. The students don't come to school at all. I've seen perhaps 3, out of 500 students, come in and out of the school since the strike began.
This is a short article about the strike and news on how it's going: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=86057
I would like to correct one of the pieces of information in the article though: I have NEVER met a teacher whose salary is over 400 leva (200 euros) per month. Therefore the average salary of teachers is probably more like 300 leva (150 euros) per month. That's, on average, $212.14 per month for a full-time teaching position. There's a part-time teacher at our school that makes about 100 leva per month, 100 leva = $72. That is the lowest salary I've heard of though.
What does all this mean for me?
Lots of free time... once again. I'm trying to be productive, but it becomes hard when all you want to do is teach. Needless to say, this is not what I thought would happen when I came to Bulgaria with the Peace Corps. Well, at least part of it is not what I expected.
Boredom, Challenge, Free Time, The Unexpected: expected.
A Strike (stachka in Bulgarian or really it's стачка), Not Teaching during the school year, Watching Cable, Teaching Literature (or being able to if i was teaching at all), Eating Fruit strait from trees on the side of the street, Being Friends with my students, Eating Fabulous Yogurt: unexpected.
But, if you follow my logic, my expectations are all inclusive in the end. Even though it wasn't what I thought I was expecting I must have been expecting it, because I was expecting the unexpected and I have just told you what that was. Right? Sure. It all makes sense now.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
The Awakening
I've been saving this title for today or a special occasion. I don't think anyone should have any trouble identifying the author now.
Saturday was the first day of school. Basically it was a ceremony and a meeting, not much actual school going on. It was interesting though. Most of the teachers were there and less than half the students showed up. We gathered outside, sang (or more listened to) the national anthem, and watched as the flag was raised. Then the director gave a speech and poured water in front of the doors of the school. Why in the world would he pour water in front of the school (you should be asking yourself)? Well it's a Bulgarian tradition, of course. At the beginning of something new everyone takes a piece of bread (pitka) and dips it in honey or a seasoning mixture and eats it. Then the welcomer pours water on the ground for everyone to walk across as a symbol of "washing off the old and stepping into the new." So the director just performed the water part of this tradition and then all the students came into school as the janitress rang the bell.
Today was the actual first day of classes. I went into school at 7:15 am, not quite sure what time classes actually started. It turns out school starts at 7:30 am, but no one had a schedule until 7:45 or 8 am. Then there was a mad scramble to get to classrooms and find out which rooms classes were in. I ended up only having two classes later in the day, and both with the same grade. I think I sufficiently scared them. We had a lovely test and I passed out the class rules and test rules. Rules being passed out and stated is a novelty here. The students poured over them, even when they were supposed to be taking their test. All in all it was a good, successful day. The beginning is here.
Saturday was the first day of school. Basically it was a ceremony and a meeting, not much actual school going on. It was interesting though. Most of the teachers were there and less than half the students showed up. We gathered outside, sang (or more listened to) the national anthem, and watched as the flag was raised. Then the director gave a speech and poured water in front of the doors of the school. Why in the world would he pour water in front of the school (you should be asking yourself)? Well it's a Bulgarian tradition, of course. At the beginning of something new everyone takes a piece of bread (pitka) and dips it in honey or a seasoning mixture and eats it. Then the welcomer pours water on the ground for everyone to walk across as a symbol of "washing off the old and stepping into the new." So the director just performed the water part of this tradition and then all the students came into school as the janitress rang the bell.
Today was the actual first day of classes. I went into school at 7:15 am, not quite sure what time classes actually started. It turns out school starts at 7:30 am, but no one had a schedule until 7:45 or 8 am. Then there was a mad scramble to get to classrooms and find out which rooms classes were in. I ended up only having two classes later in the day, and both with the same grade. I think I sufficiently scared them. We had a lovely test and I passed out the class rules and test rules. Rules being passed out and stated is a novelty here. The students poured over them, even when they were supposed to be taking their test. All in all it was a good, successful day. The beginning is here.
Friday, September 14, 2007
A Respectable Woman
My summer has been lazy. At first it was maddening but then I adjusted and it was bliss. When we started having to go into school last week I didn't know what to do! I had been waking up without an alarm clock for so long I forgot how to set it. Well not really, but it's still a shock to my system when I hear it go off in the morning. Going in to school has been nice, albeit uneventful. We had a few meetings and I found most of the teacher's hang out spots, but other than that more cigarettes were smoked than work done.
My counterpart refuses to speak to me in English, which is very good for my Bulgarian, but can prove difficult when she's trying to communicate specifics of class books and schedules. For a week and a half I thought that there were no text books for the 11th and 12th grade classes I was going to teach. I asked several people and gleaned the same answer or got a "go ask (fill in the blank) about that". Then on Wednesday I was sitting in the upstairs lounge and one of the teachers started asking me about the 12th class. I responded and she switched over to English. I had no idea she even spoke English! She continued to tell me that she had taught the 11th class last year, who would now be 12th graders, and if I needed any help to just ask her. I asked about the books and she said she had lots of material and books she pulled from would I like to see them and use them. Yes!! This was a wonderful break through! I finally got books and, as it turned out, more books and some more books and an invitation to a na gosti (visit at her house). Right now, I have three textbooks she gave me, plus a couple work books, a literature overview, and I'm on my way out the door to a na gosti where she's promised to give me more books if I want them. Talk about going from 0 to 100.
Tomorrow school starts. Yes, on a Saturday. We won't have any classes, but it's the opening ceremonies. They'll give speeches (and maybe I'll have to too) and basically just welcome everyone to a new year. I still don't know my kids' names or what room I'll be teaching in, in fact I just found out today that there is an actual English classroom. I do feel much more confident that I can do this and I have help if I need it, which is good enough for me for right now.
My counterpart refuses to speak to me in English, which is very good for my Bulgarian, but can prove difficult when she's trying to communicate specifics of class books and schedules. For a week and a half I thought that there were no text books for the 11th and 12th grade classes I was going to teach. I asked several people and gleaned the same answer or got a "go ask (fill in the blank) about that". Then on Wednesday I was sitting in the upstairs lounge and one of the teachers started asking me about the 12th class. I responded and she switched over to English. I had no idea she even spoke English! She continued to tell me that she had taught the 11th class last year, who would now be 12th graders, and if I needed any help to just ask her. I asked about the books and she said she had lots of material and books she pulled from would I like to see them and use them. Yes!! This was a wonderful break through! I finally got books and, as it turned out, more books and some more books and an invitation to a na gosti (visit at her house). Right now, I have three textbooks she gave me, plus a couple work books, a literature overview, and I'm on my way out the door to a na gosti where she's promised to give me more books if I want them. Talk about going from 0 to 100.
Tomorrow school starts. Yes, on a Saturday. We won't have any classes, but it's the opening ceremonies. They'll give speeches (and maybe I'll have to too) and basically just welcome everyone to a new year. I still don't know my kids' names or what room I'll be teaching in, in fact I just found out today that there is an actual English classroom. I do feel much more confident that I can do this and I have help if I need it, which is good enough for me for right now.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
A Reflection
This weekend turned into a week.
This weekend was long and tiring as only the most specific weekends can be. It started on Thursday. I traveled to Bobov Dol to visit my host mother, the other host mothers, and the kids that became my friends. It took all day to travel there, but it is worth it. That afternoon, early evening when I finally arrived I had coffee with my friends in town and then with the host mothers too. Coffee is always an hours-long event which may or may not included any coffee. It usually consists of much smoking, some drinking of a beverage very slowly, talking loudly and not at all, poor service, and perhaps (if it's close to a meal time) a snack. This 'coffee' happens almost everyday. This morning it was with Lauren before her meetings and my bus; tonight it was with Dani, Irena, Sarah, Sehee, Nikola, and Vladi the people I have come to call my good friends here. Two 'coffees' per day is quite normal. Sometimes a whole day is spent just having coffee at the same cafe. It's comforting, even when there is silence there is friendship that seems to build in this silence. 'Coffee' or Cafe is a crucial part of society and life for me now. I can't imagine buying a 20 oz coffee of the day and running out the door with it or drinking it with a friend in less than an hour. Here it is the 1 oz espresso or 4 oz cappuccino, which is really a latte, that will last me for at least 2 hours and a Bulgarian at least 3 if there is especially good company.
It's Irena's 250 ml bottle of cherry juice that she still hasn't finished after 4 hours of 'cafeing' that says the most about our friendship.
This weekend was long and tiring as only the most specific weekends can be. It started on Thursday. I traveled to Bobov Dol to visit my host mother, the other host mothers, and the kids that became my friends. It took all day to travel there, but it is worth it. That afternoon, early evening when I finally arrived I had coffee with my friends in town and then with the host mothers too. Coffee is always an hours-long event which may or may not included any coffee. It usually consists of much smoking, some drinking of a beverage very slowly, talking loudly and not at all, poor service, and perhaps (if it's close to a meal time) a snack. This 'coffee' happens almost everyday. This morning it was with Lauren before her meetings and my bus; tonight it was with Dani, Irena, Sarah, Sehee, Nikola, and Vladi the people I have come to call my good friends here. Two 'coffees' per day is quite normal. Sometimes a whole day is spent just having coffee at the same cafe. It's comforting, even when there is silence there is friendship that seems to build in this silence. 'Coffee' or Cafe is a crucial part of society and life for me now. I can't imagine buying a 20 oz coffee of the day and running out the door with it or drinking it with a friend in less than an hour. Here it is the 1 oz espresso or 4 oz cappuccino, which is really a latte, that will last me for at least 2 hours and a Bulgarian at least 3 if there is especially good company.
It's Irena's 250 ml bottle of cherry juice that she still hasn't finished after 4 hours of 'cafeing' that says the most about our friendship.
Monday, August 20, 2007
At Fault
Drew already guessed the previous author! It was my favorite: William Faulkner. I guess I shouldn't be so obvious to pick my favorites first. So there's a new author now...it's harder I promise.
I had to let my cat go the other day. It was sad, and he keeps coming back which is even more sad. He just kept me up at night at first, but then he started scratching me while I was asleep. He also attacked my friends or me when we tried to pet him sometimes. So... it was time for him to go. For all you Bob Barker fans, he is neutered so there aren't going to be any little Teague's running around to scratch new people. Right after letting him go I went to my first Bulgarian futbol (soccer) game. It was interesting. I found out that most of the games are bought so that the referees favor one side. This game was obviously bought by the opposing team and we lost. It was a really unique experience though. There was a band that played for the first 15 minutes of each half and guys that waved flairs while the band played. The first half was really slow but the second half got much better! We still lost, but I had fun. There really isn't too much going on other than that. I think I'm gonna get to go to a rock concert this weekend in the mountains. That should be interesting. Raspberries are in season, meaning I just bought a kilo of them and baked my heart out today. And that's it from this side of the world!
I had to let my cat go the other day. It was sad, and he keeps coming back which is even more sad. He just kept me up at night at first, but then he started scratching me while I was asleep. He also attacked my friends or me when we tried to pet him sometimes. So... it was time for him to go. For all you Bob Barker fans, he is neutered so there aren't going to be any little Teague's running around to scratch new people. Right after letting him go I went to my first Bulgarian futbol (soccer) game. It was interesting. I found out that most of the games are bought so that the referees favor one side. This game was obviously bought by the opposing team and we lost. It was a really unique experience though. There was a band that played for the first 15 minutes of each half and guys that waved flairs while the band played. The first half was really slow but the second half got much better! We still lost, but I had fun. There really isn't too much going on other than that. I think I'm gonna get to go to a rock concert this weekend in the mountains. That should be interesting. Raspberries are in season, meaning I just bought a kilo of them and baked my heart out today. And that's it from this side of the world!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Turnabout
For all you avid readers (or could I say fans?) of this blog I'm going to start a little all-in-fun competition of sorts. All the titles of my posts are going to be titles of short stories by the same author until someone guesses (by email or comment on the blog) that author. When a the author has been correctly identified I'll pick a new author and let you know who the old one was. Yes, it's quite dorky, but most of already know that I am, among many other things, a dork (or as I prefer to be called: a nerd).
The first author started with the previous post and will continue until someone guesses who it is. If no one guesses then I will probably become desperate, besides feeling that no one reads my blog, and start emailing my friends with tears in my eyes asking them to indulge me. This is really just for some literary fun! So have fun and guess away!
The first author started with the previous post and will continue until someone guesses who it is. If no one guesses then I will probably become desperate, besides feeling that no one reads my blog, and start emailing my friends with tears in my eyes asking them to indulge me. This is really just for some literary fun! So have fun and guess away!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Country Mice
It's harder to write with a cat constantly nudging you for attention, but I'll try.
Here the country is much different. The towns and villages are sparsely placed throughout the landscape of fields. The center of town is just that, the center. It's where the life takes place. On Monday mornings it fills with people sitting at the cafes, gazing through the market, catching up on gossip. It's where you go to meet before you go anywhere else. It's the only place you can buy anything but the most basic groceries. Full of cafes and "Fshicko za 1 Lev" (yes, that's right they have "Everything's a Dollar" stores here too) the tree lined street is never rushed. Just outside the center the houses are very close together. They all have gardens closely knitted with vegetables and fruit trees. But the houses and their gardens occupy no more than half an acre and those are the biggest lots I've seen. It's amazing what can fit into less than a half an acre: tomatoes, cucumbers, pears, apples, walnuts, okra, beans, peas, grapes, zucchini, peppers, plums, peaches, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, corn... and that's just what I've seen planted I'm sure there's more. When you get past the houses you run into the bloks. Some are stark, monstrous, and foreboding, others are tree shaded with plant lined balconies. They are quite a change from the full and healthy gardens and quiet, tiny houses. They are practical and stave energy in the winter. Most people that live in the bloks have a house outside the "city" (which is to say bigger village) with a garden in a village near by. They bring some extra produce when it's in season and when they've fixed cakes or goodies they'll share those too. Beyond the bloks and houses there is nothing. There are fields of sunflowers or grazing cattle in a trash strewn field. And there is a road. In every direction there is a road to the next gathering of houses and bloks, a new center of some town.
Here the country is much different. The towns and villages are sparsely placed throughout the landscape of fields. The center of town is just that, the center. It's where the life takes place. On Monday mornings it fills with people sitting at the cafes, gazing through the market, catching up on gossip. It's where you go to meet before you go anywhere else. It's the only place you can buy anything but the most basic groceries. Full of cafes and "Fshicko za 1 Lev" (yes, that's right they have "Everything's a Dollar" stores here too) the tree lined street is never rushed. Just outside the center the houses are very close together. They all have gardens closely knitted with vegetables and fruit trees. But the houses and their gardens occupy no more than half an acre and those are the biggest lots I've seen. It's amazing what can fit into less than a half an acre: tomatoes, cucumbers, pears, apples, walnuts, okra, beans, peas, grapes, zucchini, peppers, plums, peaches, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, corn... and that's just what I've seen planted I'm sure there's more. When you get past the houses you run into the bloks. Some are stark, monstrous, and foreboding, others are tree shaded with plant lined balconies. They are quite a change from the full and healthy gardens and quiet, tiny houses. They are practical and stave energy in the winter. Most people that live in the bloks have a house outside the "city" (which is to say bigger village) with a garden in a village near by. They bring some extra produce when it's in season and when they've fixed cakes or goodies they'll share those too. Beyond the bloks and houses there is nothing. There are fields of sunflowers or grazing cattle in a trash strewn field. And there is a road. In every direction there is a road to the next gathering of houses and bloks, a new center of some town.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
A Selection of Questions from Aunt L.
How’s the weather this summer?
The weather has been a lot hotter than usual. The whole month of July there was no rain and there were only 8 days where the high was less than 90 F and over a weeks worth of days where it was well over 100. But the last day of July brought rain and normal temperatures highs in the low 80s, nights in the 60s or low 70s. So the past week has been great.
How’s the scenery?
The scenery is gorgeous. Around me it’s plain country side with lots of donkey/horse carts, but 30 mins away there are cliff-sided mountains and pretty much the whole country is just breath taking. Here’s the website to some of my pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/krista.greiner
How’s your health? Enjoying the food or having to get used to a lot of different foods?
My health is good. I do a lot of walking which is great. They eat lots and lots of meat and pork, and I was a vegetarian for a long time and still don’t care for meat that much. They like to use a lot of oil and salt in their cooking too. Lots of cheese (but they only have 2 kinds) and dairy but I’m lactose intolerant. I’m really glad that they grow a LOT of veggies here and in the summer they are really plentiful and I can easily eat only vegetarian food. The food I’m able to get and cook I love… I just don’t go out to eat much.
What do you do every day?
Right now… not much. Mon-Fri I teach teachers English from 9 am to 11 or 12. But really we talk in Bulgarian and look at American magazines or translate songs or poems. My main goal is to get to know them and that’s working out quite well… but if my goal was to teach them English I’d be a miserable failure. Then I go home and clean or do laundry or cook or read. On Mondays I go to the Pazar (outdoor market) and buy my veggies for the week. Usually at least 3 times a week I go out for coffee with some of my Bulgarian friends or students. Some nights I have people over for dinner or a na gosti.
What do you eat for breakfast every or most days?
Yogurt (they make a plain kind here with no sugars or flavors) with granola or fruit in it.
What do you eat for lunch?
This changes everyday. For the first few weeks it was grilled cheese 75% of the time. Now… eggplant and cheese sandwich, soup, eggplant parm, noodles with sauce, a few days it was so hot I just ate 2 cucumbers or a tomato, a sandwich of some sort.
What do you eat for dinner?
Eggplant parm, stuffed peppers (with mushrooms, cheese, and eggs), rice and chicken, pasta, something called kebabche which is basically a cross between a sausage and a meat stick.
Who are your best friends at this point?
Sehee, my sitemate and a PCV. Day, a PCV. Yordanka (Dani, Danche), Ireana
What do you love about being there?
Free time, I’ve got lots of it. A clean, beautiful apartment. The extensive selection of fresh fruit and veggies for a very cheap price.
What do you wish you had from the USA that you can’t get there?
Mexican Food/Restaurants, my friends, Ziploc bags
Have you found anything you want to take back when you leave?
Lace and pottery and maybe my cat.
Are you glad you are there?
Yes.
What do you do when you get homesick for America?
Wait it out. It never lasts too long.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Finally!! Rain!
For the past few days it's been raining here. The temperatures are now in the 70's and 60's. It's very overcast and I feel like I've greened a little, in a good way. I've also started English Classes with the teachers at my school. Only 2 come, but we have fun and I like them a lot. It's more of a social hour where they can ask me questions about English words, but my goal changed within the first day and now it is to get to know them and become friends. With a good start on my goal for teaching, nice green plants staring at me when I get outside, cool air coming into my apartment, and a very loving cat at home I am now fully settled in. And still the to-do list hangs over my head... I need to find a tutor. That's the big one. Most of the other to-do's involve studying and working with the language, which seems to be my downfall. I also need a game plan for the first few weeks of school, but I have plenty of time for that.
As the rain started I had the opportunity to go to a concert. It was the Slavi concert. Slavi has a Jay Leno/David Letterman type night show and is also a singer. He's got an amazing band and is very popular with the Bulgarians. The concert was great! The ticket only cost 6 leva (less than $5) and it was well worth it. The first few acts were from Music Idol (yes, American Idol shows are every where, there is no escape). Then there was an amazing traditional number with loads of traditional Bulgarian bagpipe-ish instruments and dancers; that was worth the 6 leva by itself. Then Slavi came on with fireworks and Las Vegas dancers complete with ridiculous headdresses. The music was mediocre but the show was great!
Other than all that the highlight of my day today was making peach pie. I went to the market. Which is every Monday and is the highlight of my Monday because what else would be. I was the first one there at a little before 8 am... and I thought they got an early start? I still can't get over the fact that I get 5 lbs of peaches for $2.50. The produce here, in summer alone, is amazing and wonderful. I'm also going to make stuffed zucchini with the single 2 lb zucchini I bought. It's a giant! King of all zucchini!
As the rain started I had the opportunity to go to a concert. It was the Slavi concert. Slavi has a Jay Leno/David Letterman type night show and is also a singer. He's got an amazing band and is very popular with the Bulgarians. The concert was great! The ticket only cost 6 leva (less than $5) and it was well worth it. The first few acts were from Music Idol (yes, American Idol shows are every where, there is no escape). Then there was an amazing traditional number with loads of traditional Bulgarian bagpipe-ish instruments and dancers; that was worth the 6 leva by itself. Then Slavi came on with fireworks and Las Vegas dancers complete with ridiculous headdresses. The music was mediocre but the show was great!
Other than all that the highlight of my day today was making peach pie. I went to the market. Which is every Monday and is the highlight of my Monday because what else would be. I was the first one there at a little before 8 am... and I thought they got an early start? I still can't get over the fact that I get 5 lbs of peaches for $2.50. The produce here, in summer alone, is amazing and wonderful. I'm also going to make stuffed zucchini with the single 2 lb zucchini I bought. It's a giant! King of all zucchini!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Na Gosti and Gardens
na gosti- to go on a visit
baba- grandmother; a name the whole community calls any woman with grandkids
The other day I had my first na gosti at my friend Yordanka's (Dani, Danche) house. Her father was there; he's a local artist and showed us his studio, very cool. While we were walking to Dani's house I noticed this amazing house with an immaculate garden. Now I've never wanted to be friends with someone just because of their garden, but there is a first time for everything. So being cunning and thinking about how to find a way to befriend whoever lived in that house I asked Dani who lived there. "Two babas." she replied. Hum... I'm still trying to develop a strategy. All I need is to let them think I can't cook, or get them to find out I don't know how to can. Baba's are the best of the Bulgarian life. They live to take care of other people and make sure everyone is doing ok. Everyday on each street corner you can see a gathering of the the baba's where at least 4 and maybe 9 grandma's sit in the early evening sun and talk about the day, thier husbands, garden, or kids, the weather, and other assorted subjects you can only guess at. They look at each person who passes by taking the time to think about whether they have anything to say to them, or about them. If you say hi to them sometimes they just stare at you... probably because they didn't hear, maybe because they are in shock. Other times they say hi back. They might be the most stereotypical thing about Eastern Europe, and I have to say all the stereotypes are not stereotypes at all, they are fact.
Baba's, or babushka's as my mom likes to call them, are usually found wearing black or navy scarves over their hair. Many walk hunched over, others with a cane. They work long hours and are often found doing tasks that people half their age would find too strenuous and difficult to pull off. I take my hat off to all the baba's and hope that I can find a way to have the two with the nicest garden I've seen adopt me.
baba- grandmother; a name the whole community calls any woman with grandkids
The other day I had my first na gosti at my friend Yordanka's (Dani, Danche) house. Her father was there; he's a local artist and showed us his studio, very cool. While we were walking to Dani's house I noticed this amazing house with an immaculate garden. Now I've never wanted to be friends with someone just because of their garden, but there is a first time for everything. So being cunning and thinking about how to find a way to befriend whoever lived in that house I asked Dani who lived there. "Two babas." she replied. Hum... I'm still trying to develop a strategy. All I need is to let them think I can't cook, or get them to find out I don't know how to can. Baba's are the best of the Bulgarian life. They live to take care of other people and make sure everyone is doing ok. Everyday on each street corner you can see a gathering of the the baba's where at least 4 and maybe 9 grandma's sit in the early evening sun and talk about the day, thier husbands, garden, or kids, the weather, and other assorted subjects you can only guess at. They look at each person who passes by taking the time to think about whether they have anything to say to them, or about them. If you say hi to them sometimes they just stare at you... probably because they didn't hear, maybe because they are in shock. Other times they say hi back. They might be the most stereotypical thing about Eastern Europe, and I have to say all the stereotypes are not stereotypes at all, they are fact.
Baba's, or babushka's as my mom likes to call them, are usually found wearing black or navy scarves over their hair. Many walk hunched over, others with a cane. They work long hours and are often found doing tasks that people half their age would find too strenuous and difficult to pull off. I take my hat off to all the baba's and hope that I can find a way to have the two with the nicest garden I've seen adopt me.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Don't belive it? Well, it's all true.
If you haven't heard (which if you are in the USA I doubt you have) there is a heat wave sweeping through Eastern Europe. Lots of people have died already, only 2 in Bulgaria as of two days ago, but I'm sure the number has risen. Today, in a town 45 km's away the high was 107 F, and that town is in the mountains, however mine is not and I'm guessing we peaked out at about 110 F with 7% humidity. There hasn't been a drop of rain in weeks, the humidity level never rises about 20%, and there are fires everyday. It's pretty serious actually.
I came to Bulgaria specifically for COLD weather. That was one of my only requirements for placement. And what do I get? A heat-wave that's setting records and proving Global Warming isn't a joke. Well, I didn't need proof. I believed it just fine before coming to a scorching hot place that's supposed to be cool and even frigid. Instead of enjoying a warm sunny apartment I feel like I'm baking. Instead of having a good lunch and a long walk, I eat two cucumbers because I feel like anything more will make me sick and then take a cold shower or lay on my bed.
Ahhh! The heat is wilting me. Lucky for me there is a two day break in the 100+ temperatures this week. On Wednesday and Thursday it will only be in the mid-90's... Oh how lucky. And yet, I really am happy over this break. For the past 7 days the high has been over 100. In the past month there have only been 6 days where the observed high was below 90 degrees! It does cool down for about 2 hours during the night, but then before 9 am it's hot again.
Please send me cooling thoughts. :-)
I came to Bulgaria specifically for COLD weather. That was one of my only requirements for placement. And what do I get? A heat-wave that's setting records and proving Global Warming isn't a joke. Well, I didn't need proof. I believed it just fine before coming to a scorching hot place that's supposed to be cool and even frigid. Instead of enjoying a warm sunny apartment I feel like I'm baking. Instead of having a good lunch and a long walk, I eat two cucumbers because I feel like anything more will make me sick and then take a cold shower or lay on my bed.
Ahhh! The heat is wilting me. Lucky for me there is a two day break in the 100+ temperatures this week. On Wednesday and Thursday it will only be in the mid-90's... Oh how lucky. And yet, I really am happy over this break. For the past 7 days the high has been over 100. In the past month there have only been 6 days where the observed high was below 90 degrees! It does cool down for about 2 hours during the night, but then before 9 am it's hot again.
Please send me cooling thoughts. :-)
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
My Day with Mr. Bean
*For any of you who don't know who Mr. Bean is go google him now. *
One of my students asked me if I wanted to go to the pool and being completely bored out of my mind and craving any human contact I said "Of course!!!" So as she, her best friend (and another student of mine), her boyfriend, and I drove to the pool I was excited. We spent 4 hours at the pool, I didn't burn, and I got to meet about 10 people... a record so far. While we were goofing around I had a funny feeling this girl's boyfriend looked familar, but I couldn't figure out why. After 4 hours of pool time they invited me to go out to dinner after a little R&R time. I was still haunted by the boyfriend's familar looks; it was starting to bug me. Then I figured it out, after dinner when we were at the cafe. I had spent from 1:30 to 11:30 pm with this guy and it took me until 11:05 pm to realize he looked exactly like Mr. Bean.
It was a good day. And I'm happy to report Mr. Bean is really nice and isn't as weird as he seems in those sketches and movies.
One of my students asked me if I wanted to go to the pool and being completely bored out of my mind and craving any human contact I said "Of course!!!" So as she, her best friend (and another student of mine), her boyfriend, and I drove to the pool I was excited. We spent 4 hours at the pool, I didn't burn, and I got to meet about 10 people... a record so far. While we were goofing around I had a funny feeling this girl's boyfriend looked familar, but I couldn't figure out why. After 4 hours of pool time they invited me to go out to dinner after a little R&R time. I was still haunted by the boyfriend's familar looks; it was starting to bug me. Then I figured it out, after dinner when we were at the cafe. I had spent from 1:30 to 11:30 pm with this guy and it took me until 11:05 pm to realize he looked exactly like Mr. Bean.
It was a good day. And I'm happy to report Mr. Bean is really nice and isn't as weird as he seems in those sketches and movies.
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Stump-tailed Cat
I have a cat now. An orange, sad, short-broken tailed, old cat. It meows loudly to announce my arrival into a room... or to ask me for something, usually I can't figure out what (unless it's canned cat food, which it might be every time). It curls up with me on the couch as I watch Frida or Mission Impossible on TV and try to learn new words. I like the cat very much because, like me, it is a cat of paradoxes. Relaxed and quiet, then loud and rambunctious getting stuck under the couch. Aloof and solitary, but also craving bursts of attention and bent on curling up in your lap. It's a good cat... I only wish I could find a decent name for it. It's been Boomerang, Tiger (Tigs, Teague), and Kitty so far. None of them suit the cat. I think I may end up calling it Teague so it doesn't have an identity crisis, not that it hasn't so far. I'm sure that cat has years of therapy to undergo because none of it's 2-year-long ownerships have managed to keep the same name. It's a Peace Corps cat and it gets passed from old-outgoing Volunteer to new-incoming Volunteer. So for the next two years Teague will be with me and we will keep each other company.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Picnics and Parties
I have to say that Bulgarians do picnics right.
Yesterday I went on a trip to a cave with a group of new Bulgarian friends. I should have known better than to think we were just going to a cave, but I didn't. We met at 8:45 am and were off by 9:15 am: two cars, eight people, and supplies for a picnic. Now what I have discovered so far is that as an American I think of the destination more than the journey. I was all excited and ready to get to the cave, but as a dweller of Bulgaria I need to learn the mentality that the journey is the adventure, not the destination. The first stop on our trip (the caves were two hours away) was to pick up a friend of the people in the other car. The second stop was to have a visit with the parents of my friend Irena's brother's wife's parent (wow). Then we were on to what I think we all thought were going to be the caves, but turned out to be a 3 hour dead-end hike by the longest river in Bulgaria, the Iskar, and up a mountain with no shade in 90+ degree heat. It was pretty and nice, but no cave. So at this point I'm thinking maybe there is no cave and we are just going to picnic and go home...wrong. It's only 1:30 pm by the time we finish meandering through the woods and my stomach is growling. So we set up our picnic.
I went with Sehee, the other PCV at my site, and we each brought a sandwich, granola bar, crackers, grapefruit, and cookies for the picnic. This is OK picnic food right? Pretty standard and normal for an American picnic. Our friends pull out their picnic bags, start setting up and put us to shame. This is the third Bulgarian picnic I've been on and you think I would learn by now. Yordanka has 10 sandwiches grilled this morning, a container full of whole tomatoes maybe 9 in all, a bag of 15 cucumbers, a full bag of napkins, a table cloth, and a box of cookies. Irena has 7 sandwiches and 4 tomatoes. The family of four brought chicken meat pulled from a whole chicken if not 2, a loaf of bread, 15 tomatoes, a 2 liter Tupperware with bagel chips, silverware, and cutlery. I'm sure I left out something but the point is to say that we all sat there and passed around the food, cut up tomatoes and cucumbers, laughed, and ate for at least an hour if not two (I wasn't counting). Every Bulgarian picnic I've been on has been like this. I love it, it's wonderful, they feed everyone.
After the picnic we drove around for about an hour trying to figure out where we wanted to go. Well we knew where we wanted to be but not how to get there, and there was some car to car discussion which was funny. Every time the car in front would go to make a turn they'd stop mid-turn and someone from the car in back would go up and discuss the turn then run back and we would either make the turn or try to back up. After about 2 real turns and 2 false turns we found the road we were supposed to be on. We got to the cave around 3 pm. After the cave we went to sit by the river and eat more that we hadn't eaten from lunch. Then at about 5 pm we packed up to leave. When we dropped the girl that we had picked up off we went to a cafe and had a coke and talk for maybe about another hour then finally at 6:30pm we were on our way back home. We got back at 8 pm and couldn't believe how exhausted we were. I'm still recovering; I took a 3 hour nap today. Excursions here are like meandering paths you go down them only to see, only because you have time.
I had a great time and saw a whole bunch of beautiful nature so I'd say it was a good meander and a day well spent.
Yesterday I went on a trip to a cave with a group of new Bulgarian friends. I should have known better than to think we were just going to a cave, but I didn't. We met at 8:45 am and were off by 9:15 am: two cars, eight people, and supplies for a picnic. Now what I have discovered so far is that as an American I think of the destination more than the journey. I was all excited and ready to get to the cave, but as a dweller of Bulgaria I need to learn the mentality that the journey is the adventure, not the destination. The first stop on our trip (the caves were two hours away) was to pick up a friend of the people in the other car. The second stop was to have a visit with the parents of my friend Irena's brother's wife's parent (wow). Then we were on to what I think we all thought were going to be the caves, but turned out to be a 3 hour dead-end hike by the longest river in Bulgaria, the Iskar, and up a mountain with no shade in 90+ degree heat. It was pretty and nice, but no cave. So at this point I'm thinking maybe there is no cave and we are just going to picnic and go home...wrong. It's only 1:30 pm by the time we finish meandering through the woods and my stomach is growling. So we set up our picnic.
I went with Sehee, the other PCV at my site, and we each brought a sandwich, granola bar, crackers, grapefruit, and cookies for the picnic. This is OK picnic food right? Pretty standard and normal for an American picnic. Our friends pull out their picnic bags, start setting up and put us to shame. This is the third Bulgarian picnic I've been on and you think I would learn by now. Yordanka has 10 sandwiches grilled this morning, a container full of whole tomatoes maybe 9 in all, a bag of 15 cucumbers, a full bag of napkins, a table cloth, and a box of cookies. Irena has 7 sandwiches and 4 tomatoes. The family of four brought chicken meat pulled from a whole chicken if not 2, a loaf of bread, 15 tomatoes, a 2 liter Tupperware with bagel chips, silverware, and cutlery. I'm sure I left out something but the point is to say that we all sat there and passed around the food, cut up tomatoes and cucumbers, laughed, and ate for at least an hour if not two (I wasn't counting). Every Bulgarian picnic I've been on has been like this. I love it, it's wonderful, they feed everyone.
After the picnic we drove around for about an hour trying to figure out where we wanted to go. Well we knew where we wanted to be but not how to get there, and there was some car to car discussion which was funny. Every time the car in front would go to make a turn they'd stop mid-turn and someone from the car in back would go up and discuss the turn then run back and we would either make the turn or try to back up. After about 2 real turns and 2 false turns we found the road we were supposed to be on. We got to the cave around 3 pm. After the cave we went to sit by the river and eat more that we hadn't eaten from lunch. Then at about 5 pm we packed up to leave. When we dropped the girl that we had picked up off we went to a cafe and had a coke and talk for maybe about another hour then finally at 6:30pm we were on our way back home. We got back at 8 pm and couldn't believe how exhausted we were. I'm still recovering; I took a 3 hour nap today. Excursions here are like meandering paths you go down them only to see, only because you have time.
I had a great time and saw a whole bunch of beautiful nature so I'd say it was a good meander and a day well spent.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Home Sweet Home?
I'm in Byala Slaltina now and have a wonderful apartment. I've been incredibly busy and have had no time to unpack my room. It's crazy, they tell you the first few weeks if not months are boing and you have nothing to do, but here I am with barely any free time and suitcases strung everywhere. Tomorrow is the 4th of July and here that means absolutely nothing! But there are 4 volunteers here right now (including me) so we're gonna celebrate in style with watermelon, real hamburgers, salad (with real lettuce), guacamole (I know it's not traditional but it's a real treat here), and maybe even sparklers. I miss you all incredibly much and I'll write more when I get internet.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Time Just Flys By
Well this week is swearing-in (that means I become a Volunteer instead of just a trainee). This also means I get to move to my own apartment, make my own schedule, and have my own life! Horray!!! Tomorrow we have a language proficiency exam and then a good bye party for our host families. Then on Wednesday it's packing, Thursday some conferences, and Friday we're official! I can't believe I've been here for over 2 months. Time doesn't seem to exist in the same way here.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
New Address and Renewment...
I have a new mailing address for now. It is to the right ->
So now you can mail me letters again! And thank you so much to all who have already mailed me letters! I loved them, I love them, I love you, and I am so fortunate to have amazing friends who are so supportive and loving.
These past few weeks were tough. It has been one of those busy, multi-faceted times where you just feel like you don't stop, ever. And then you hike up a mountain. So I really did hike up a mountain and I'd like to say that I am not physically what I once was...it was a sweaty, sad site. But I made it and it was a beautiful mountain and there were beautiful waterfalls and it was well worth the effort. So worth it that I might do it again. 38 Volunteer, 2 tour guides, and 1 doctor went hiking in the Balkan Range on Mt. Rila. It was two and a half hours strait up with only about 50 yards of flat-ish land. It was crazy, but beautiful and of course my camera broke right before this hike. We stayed in a hostel (called a hizha) on the mountain and then hiked to a waterfall the next day before hiking back down. It was amazing. I'm going to have to buy a tent and go backpacking up there.
These past few weeks I've had so much to do that there was (and still is) no time to think, relax, or breath. I need a pochifka (break). I have a funny story about my "pochifka" that actually: So today we had the first of our 3 "sport days" with the kids from school. It was extremely hot and sweaty but successful. Afterwards we decided to go to one of the cafes on that side of town and have a coke. I had a language tutoring session in an hour, but thought it wasn't a problem I'd just catch a cab. So about 20 mins before my language session starts I call the cab. I see one drive by about 10 mins later, but no cabs stop. So then I go stand outside the cafe for about 5 more mins and try to wave down 2 cabs but they think I'm saying "hi". At this point I call the cab company again and say that there is no cab and I'd still like one. As the guy is trying to get my info my phone dies. So I have no idea if there is a cab coming. I start walking a little and I walk about 10 feet when one of my students comes out of a building to say "hi" and talk. Right as we meet each other in the center I see a cab come speeding up to where I just was, but now I've just said hi to her and it would be rude to leave without asking how she is and what she is doing today. I turn around after taking to her for just a minute just in time to see the cab drive away. *Large sigh* So I start the 30 min walk to my apartment and then back to where I have the session. I had already played volleyball with the kids for 2 hours before this and now I'm climbing about 200 stairs and then another hill just to get my notebook. By the time I get home I'm already 20 mins late for tutoring and I have to go to the bathroom. Flushing is very different here than in the states, there is a different method for each toilet. For ours you have to turn a lever and it goes directly from the pipe to the toilet (no tank, no nothing, just the pipe and toilet). I turn the lever and the pipe blows off spreading water all over the floor and onto me from the pipe (at least it wasn't from the toilet). So now I'm standing in the apartment wet from the pipe, sweaty from the walk and sports, and generally upset because I'm so late. I finally get to the language session and I'm a half an hour late and my tutor asks if I had a nice pochifka. I laugh then explain that there was no pochifka what-so-ever and tell her what happened. Then, this is the best part, we just start laughing. Now I'm sitting in the internet cafe and I'm still sweaty and sticky and the kids that were playing volleyball with me just came in and said hi to me. I think it's turned out to be an ok afternoon, but just wait the way my luck keeps changing I'll go back to the apartment and the water will be out for the rest of the night, that would mean no shower...
So now you can mail me letters again! And thank you so much to all who have already mailed me letters! I loved them, I love them, I love you, and I am so fortunate to have amazing friends who are so supportive and loving.
These past few weeks were tough. It has been one of those busy, multi-faceted times where you just feel like you don't stop, ever. And then you hike up a mountain. So I really did hike up a mountain and I'd like to say that I am not physically what I once was...it was a sweaty, sad site. But I made it and it was a beautiful mountain and there were beautiful waterfalls and it was well worth the effort. So worth it that I might do it again. 38 Volunteer, 2 tour guides, and 1 doctor went hiking in the Balkan Range on Mt. Rila. It was two and a half hours strait up with only about 50 yards of flat-ish land. It was crazy, but beautiful and of course my camera broke right before this hike. We stayed in a hostel (called a hizha) on the mountain and then hiked to a waterfall the next day before hiking back down. It was amazing. I'm going to have to buy a tent and go backpacking up there.
These past few weeks I've had so much to do that there was (and still is) no time to think, relax, or breath. I need a pochifka (break). I have a funny story about my "pochifka" that actually: So today we had the first of our 3 "sport days" with the kids from school. It was extremely hot and sweaty but successful. Afterwards we decided to go to one of the cafes on that side of town and have a coke. I had a language tutoring session in an hour, but thought it wasn't a problem I'd just catch a cab. So about 20 mins before my language session starts I call the cab. I see one drive by about 10 mins later, but no cabs stop. So then I go stand outside the cafe for about 5 more mins and try to wave down 2 cabs but they think I'm saying "hi". At this point I call the cab company again and say that there is no cab and I'd still like one. As the guy is trying to get my info my phone dies. So I have no idea if there is a cab coming. I start walking a little and I walk about 10 feet when one of my students comes out of a building to say "hi" and talk. Right as we meet each other in the center I see a cab come speeding up to where I just was, but now I've just said hi to her and it would be rude to leave without asking how she is and what she is doing today. I turn around after taking to her for just a minute just in time to see the cab drive away. *Large sigh* So I start the 30 min walk to my apartment and then back to where I have the session. I had already played volleyball with the kids for 2 hours before this and now I'm climbing about 200 stairs and then another hill just to get my notebook. By the time I get home I'm already 20 mins late for tutoring and I have to go to the bathroom. Flushing is very different here than in the states, there is a different method for each toilet. For ours you have to turn a lever and it goes directly from the pipe to the toilet (no tank, no nothing, just the pipe and toilet). I turn the lever and the pipe blows off spreading water all over the floor and onto me from the pipe (at least it wasn't from the toilet). So now I'm standing in the apartment wet from the pipe, sweaty from the walk and sports, and generally upset because I'm so late. I finally get to the language session and I'm a half an hour late and my tutor asks if I had a nice pochifka. I laugh then explain that there was no pochifka what-so-ever and tell her what happened. Then, this is the best part, we just start laughing. Now I'm sitting in the internet cafe and I'm still sweaty and sticky and the kids that were playing volleyball with me just came in and said hi to me. I think it's turned out to be an ok afternoon, but just wait the way my luck keeps changing I'll go back to the apartment and the water will be out for the rest of the night, that would mean no shower...
Friday, June 1, 2007
Alive, Exhausted, and on my way to the spa
Sometimes I wonder if I'm really in the Peace Corps. I mean I'm going to the spa tomorrow, I'm on the Internet today, and the kids in my 7th grade class finally paid attention to me this week. Maybe this is making up for the absolutely horrible week I had before.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Rainy Days
I wrote this post awhile ago but haven't had time to post it until now. So if I have time this might be a double edition. Oh, and if you don't like stream-of-conscious then i suggest you skip to the second part.
5-21
I keep my head down as I walk so that I can see the puddles. Although my shoes are soaked and squishy my jeans have started to dry. Running through the pouring rain for an Italian meal may not have been our best idea, but it certainly was one of our tastiest. Even now, two hours later back in Bobov Dol, still soaking wet and chilled to the core I think it was worth it.
jump over the river that has overtaken half the street
well at least I only got one foot wet, the other has stopped squishing finally and is now just damp
I can smell the cigarette of the man walking 15 meters in front of me. It's amazing how inescapable that smell is. Even in the open air it haunts you. As I start walking up the steps i notice two other girls that were on the bus with me. We seem to have all taken different routes to end up at the same steps.
so much like life
Our paths converge for an awkward second and we don't speak or look up. Then I am past one girl and the other passes me. The moment is over along with the awkward pause.
two blocks, turn left
up the stairs, up more stairs
turn left, one block, turn right
up the stairs, again
get the keys out...wait it's unlocked. she's home
Thank goodness today I'm not assaulted at the door. She yells from the kitchen and laughs. I respond in Bulgarian, there is no English spoken here,
"Yes, there was lots of rain today."
and think about my wet shoes and jeans. I hope she doesn't notice them. She doesn't.
"No, thank you I already ate dinner. I thought we talked about that yesterday."
"Oh, ok. No, I don't want dinner."
Any phrase that includes me not wanting food never seems to translate. After lots of pointing and motioning she gives up trying to feed me a second dinner.
My room always looks a mess. I clean it everyday and yet there is just too much stuff for one small room. More papers today, more handouts we were given, more notes, one less book lent to a friend, a pair of wet jeans, wet socks and shoes. Sort. Stack. Sort. Find space. Organize ...somehow.
Are those flees? I think I can feel them. I thought they were gone. Are there bites? No, only my imagination. Still I spray more to kill them if they are there or not.
My feet have finally dried and the chill is starting to fade from my legs. Don't itch the old flee bites, don't itch. Think about something else... don't itch. Ack! Stop itching.
Second Post: Now for Today
Today was Alphabet day. I know this makes no sense to anyone who is not Bulgarian so I'll do a little explaining. Cyril and Methodie were brothers and they invented the Cyrillic Alpahbet (notice only one of them is the namesake). Bulgarians are very proud of their alphabet because from what i understand it was one of the first in the area. So May 24th every year they celebrate these brothers that created the alphabet. Those are the basics.
Our school (and the other school in the town) put on an event with speaking and singing. So of course we all went. As the assistant mayor spoke I thought perhaps I was mistaken at what i heard. But no, oh no, I was not mistaken. then the mayor got up and I thought, perhaps everyone will maintain a quieter volume for this woman, the mayor, who is old enough to be their grandmother. But no, oh no. I have never sat through so much talking and disrespect in my whole life. Well I did stand through something worse when one of my students decided to jump out of the window of our classroom while I was teaching. Unfortunately we were only on the first floor. But I thought maybe, in a different setting where respect is commanded and expected these kids will demonstrate some amount of restrain. But no, not even a little. They were yelling to each other, getting up and down, talking incessantly at a normal level and when you combine 400 or 500 kids talking at a normal level all in one room it turns into a roar then add the speaker and sound system. Let's just say I ended up with a headache.
Tonight we'll be going to the teacher's celebration which should be much, much better.
Just as a side note:
As I type this I'm sitting next to a boy around 4 years old playing Miami Vice or whatever that video game is where you drive around in a car and run over people. He's the cutest kid. But now i can see exactly why they all acted as they did today.
5-21
I keep my head down as I walk so that I can see the puddles. Although my shoes are soaked and squishy my jeans have started to dry. Running through the pouring rain for an Italian meal may not have been our best idea, but it certainly was one of our tastiest. Even now, two hours later back in Bobov Dol, still soaking wet and chilled to the core I think it was worth it.
jump over the river that has overtaken half the street
well at least I only got one foot wet, the other has stopped squishing finally and is now just damp
I can smell the cigarette of the man walking 15 meters in front of me. It's amazing how inescapable that smell is. Even in the open air it haunts you. As I start walking up the steps i notice two other girls that were on the bus with me. We seem to have all taken different routes to end up at the same steps.
so much like life
Our paths converge for an awkward second and we don't speak or look up. Then I am past one girl and the other passes me. The moment is over along with the awkward pause.
two blocks, turn left
up the stairs, up more stairs
turn left, one block, turn right
up the stairs, again
get the keys out...wait it's unlocked. she's home
Thank goodness today I'm not assaulted at the door. She yells from the kitchen and laughs. I respond in Bulgarian, there is no English spoken here,
"Yes, there was lots of rain today."
and think about my wet shoes and jeans. I hope she doesn't notice them. She doesn't.
"No, thank you I already ate dinner. I thought we talked about that yesterday."
"Oh, ok. No, I don't want dinner."
Any phrase that includes me not wanting food never seems to translate. After lots of pointing and motioning she gives up trying to feed me a second dinner.
My room always looks a mess. I clean it everyday and yet there is just too much stuff for one small room. More papers today, more handouts we were given, more notes, one less book lent to a friend, a pair of wet jeans, wet socks and shoes. Sort. Stack. Sort. Find space. Organize ...somehow.
Are those flees? I think I can feel them. I thought they were gone. Are there bites? No, only my imagination. Still I spray more to kill them if they are there or not.
My feet have finally dried and the chill is starting to fade from my legs. Don't itch the old flee bites, don't itch. Think about something else... don't itch. Ack! Stop itching.
Second Post: Now for Today
Today was Alphabet day. I know this makes no sense to anyone who is not Bulgarian so I'll do a little explaining. Cyril and Methodie were brothers and they invented the Cyrillic Alpahbet (notice only one of them is the namesake). Bulgarians are very proud of their alphabet because from what i understand it was one of the first in the area. So May 24th every year they celebrate these brothers that created the alphabet. Those are the basics.
Our school (and the other school in the town) put on an event with speaking and singing. So of course we all went. As the assistant mayor spoke I thought perhaps I was mistaken at what i heard. But no, oh no, I was not mistaken. then the mayor got up and I thought, perhaps everyone will maintain a quieter volume for this woman, the mayor, who is old enough to be their grandmother. But no, oh no. I have never sat through so much talking and disrespect in my whole life. Well I did stand through something worse when one of my students decided to jump out of the window of our classroom while I was teaching. Unfortunately we were only on the first floor. But I thought maybe, in a different setting where respect is commanded and expected these kids will demonstrate some amount of restrain. But no, not even a little. They were yelling to each other, getting up and down, talking incessantly at a normal level and when you combine 400 or 500 kids talking at a normal level all in one room it turns into a roar then add the speaker and sound system. Let's just say I ended up with a headache.
Tonight we'll be going to the teacher's celebration which should be much, much better.
Just as a side note:
As I type this I'm sitting next to a boy around 4 years old playing Miami Vice or whatever that video game is where you drive around in a car and run over people. He's the cutest kid. But now i can see exactly why they all acted as they did today.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Bravo Bulgaria
Well I'm in Byala Slatina and I love it. I wrote a huge post on my laptop, but don't have access to wireless right now so I'll just give a little blurb for now.
At first I was skeptical. The outskirts of town are not very impressive, but the center of town is beautiful and has lots of cafes to sit outside and drink coffee at. It's just the right size, not small enough that everyone knows each other but not so big that you feel lost or like 'just another person in the mix'. The teachers at my school are simply wonderful. They've been amazing, and I don't feel like I can begin to cover how great they all have been and how at home they've made me feel. Every single one of them is kind, welcoming, eager to get to know me, friendly, helpful, and nice. The eleventh grade students took me out to coffee today and talked to me the whole time. I was amazed at how good their English was. I couldn't ask for a better school and town or have picked a more perfect fit for me if I choose it myself. As far as PC assignments go I know I lucked out. I really hope everyone else in my Training Class feels the same way though. :-) I'm so freaking excited about getting here in a month and a half. Now I feel like I have incentive to learn Bulgarian. I want to be able to learn about the people here as much as they want to learn about me. It's amazing. I'm in shock.
At first I was skeptical. The outskirts of town are not very impressive, but the center of town is beautiful and has lots of cafes to sit outside and drink coffee at. It's just the right size, not small enough that everyone knows each other but not so big that you feel lost or like 'just another person in the mix'. The teachers at my school are simply wonderful. They've been amazing, and I don't feel like I can begin to cover how great they all have been and how at home they've made me feel. Every single one of them is kind, welcoming, eager to get to know me, friendly, helpful, and nice. The eleventh grade students took me out to coffee today and talked to me the whole time. I was amazed at how good their English was. I couldn't ask for a better school and town or have picked a more perfect fit for me if I choose it myself. As far as PC assignments go I know I lucked out. I really hope everyone else in my Training Class feels the same way though. :-) I'm so freaking excited about getting here in a month and a half. Now I feel like I have incentive to learn Bulgarian. I want to be able to learn about the people here as much as they want to learn about me. It's amazing. I'm in shock.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
I found out where I’m going to be for the next 2 years the other day. It’s a medium sized town in the north center of Bulgaria
I’m loving it right now. I’ve spent the past two days with all the volunteers in sessions but also hanging out. It’s amazing how quickly you can make close friends. I feel like I’ve known these people forever. They are so supportive and we all understand what each other is going through. It’s incredible how much you can bond through common experiences. I feel like I don’t know the Volunteers at all, and yet I know them so well and can talk to any of them and hang out with any of them. It's really nice to hang out with these amazing people. We all are so different, but have the same empathetic spirit and desire to do something good. I'm so fortunate to know them.
The language is so challenging. I'm going to have to learn much, much more before I go to my site permanently.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Oh the tiredness...
Today marks the end of my 4th week in Bulgaria. I can't believe it. It seems like I've been here for at least 3 months already, although my language skills show that I haven't. I think when you're in a new culture it takes at least twice as long to process and get through anything. I've been given just enough assignments to fill each day, don't speak the language of most of the people around me, and learn (or try to) lots of new language everyday add that all together and you get one tired Krista. Today in Bulgarian language classes I actually nodded off. I couldn't believe it. We also had our first observation while teaching today which was stressful. I'm going to blame the nodding off on stress. Yup, it was the stress. I think my language trainer just laughed at me because of it. They decide on our sites tomorrow and we'll find out where we'll be for the next two years on Monday. Then we'll go visit for a week. I can't believe training is half over with. I feel like I have so much more to learn.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Well done
Today I had coffee with one of my students. She is really nice and speaks very, very, very little English. So that was challenging, but we ended up talking about what sports we like, our brothers and sisters, and I said that when my Bulgarian is better we should do it again. She's a 7th grader and she asked me to coffee. It made my day. The 7th grade is my favorite class. There are 28 of them and it's the biggest class by far. They are only supposed to have 25 in language classes, but 2 people came in mid-semester and they didn't want to have to split the class. They are completely out of control half the time (or what we would call out of control in the states) and loud and always seeking attention. But I love them because they respond; they are interactive; if you give them positive attention they respond positively everytime. They may be loud, noisy, and rowdy but they aren't disrespectful (unless they're testing your boundaries) and they give you immediate results. Teaching is going well but I have alot to learn. There is a volunteer at our school, Andy, and he is completely helpful. It's really nice to have him there and see what he's done that's worked and what hasn't. We went out of our little country town this past week for 2 days and as we were riding the bus back I was thinking how nice it would be to get back. Then I saw our town and sighed and smiled. It was a nice realization that this does feel like home in a way, and that it feels nice to come back here after being away for a few days. There are other volunteers in smaller towns and some in bigger, some with better schools, all with more behaved students.
This next week we will interview for our permanent sites...it's kinda nerve racking. We have so much to do this week and next. We are pretty much chocked full to the gills with things to do for all of training. It makes learning the language much tougher. But it's coming. I've gotta go eat until I feel like you could roll me to bed and hear from my host mom how little i ate. I think this is the only country where you can eat enough for 5 people and then have the person feeding complain that you never eat anything. Alas I am well fed.
This next week we will interview for our permanent sites...it's kinda nerve racking. We have so much to do this week and next. We are pretty much chocked full to the gills with things to do for all of training. It makes learning the language much tougher. But it's coming. I've gotta go eat until I feel like you could roll me to bed and hear from my host mom how little i ate. I think this is the only country where you can eat enough for 5 people and then have the person feeding complain that you never eat anything. Alas I am well fed.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Oh wow.
So I've been here for two weeks...well I've been gone for two weeks. I've been in my small town for one week and in Bulgaria for a week and a half. I'm starting to notice culture differences, which is good. There are a lot of things that seem the same on the surface, but aren't really the same at all once you get down to it. I started teaching yesterday and will have my first full class on Wednesday. So far I've taught 7th graders. They are loud and crave attention, but I really enjoy them. They are eagar to learn and aren't apathetic yet. I think I'm starting to come down with something though. So let's hope it's just a sore throat and that it'll be gone by Monday.
Let me give you a basic run-down of my schedule:
between 6:30 and 7 am Wake-Up
8 am Meet the other Volunteers at the cafe and drink coffee and walk to school
8:30 Get to school and prep for class
9- 11:30 We teach English
12:30- 1:30 Lunch at "home"
1:30 -4:30 Bulgarian Language Class
5:30- 7 Read and study
around 9 pm we eat dinner
i go to bed before 11 every night.
Needless to say I'm glad it's the weekend! Now, I'm going to go rest. :-)
Let me give you a basic run-down of my schedule:
between 6:30 and 7 am Wake-Up
8 am Meet the other Volunteers at the cafe and drink coffee and walk to school
8:30 Get to school and prep for class
9- 11:30 We teach English
12:30- 1:30 Lunch at "home"
1:30 -4:30 Bulgarian Language Class
5:30- 7 Read and study
around 9 pm we eat dinner
i go to bed before 11 every night.
Needless to say I'm glad it's the weekend! Now, I'm going to go rest. :-)
Monday, April 23, 2007
I'm in Bulgaria!
As Jeff stares over my shoulder I write this to tell everyone that I'm safe, I have a new apartment and a host mom to go with it, I have 40 new friends, and that I can say basic phrases in Bulgarian. I don't have long; we just got done eating at Ben's house and we have to go back for more language and training stuff. I'm in a small mining village between Sofia and Dupnitsa. It's beautiful and all the people know each other even though there are about 6 or 7,000 people here. There are 3 other volunteers in the village with me: Josh (from Columbus), Ben, and Jeff. Yes, back to the Tech ratio. I don't mind that a bit. I miss you all and I hope that you're doing well. Send me emails and mail! I'd love to hear from you. I have pretty good access to the internet, so I should be able to check and write back weekly.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
I'm leaving TODAY!
I'm so excited! Yes, our flight might be canceled. Yes, we have to sit in the first airport for 5 hours. Yes, we have to sit in the second airport for 4 hours. Yes, it's pouring outside. Yes, I have way too much and way to heavy luggage. BUT I'm still really excited!! I'll miss you all terribly though.
I really like all the people I met here. They're all so different but so similar. There's the quiet guy or two. I'm the crazy girl, I have a feeling. We have the thoughtful few and the ones who kinda go along for the ride. And I like them all; that's the best thing.
I really like all the people I met here. They're all so different but so similar. There's the quiet guy or two. I'm the crazy girl, I have a feeling. We have the thoughtful few and the ones who kinda go along for the ride. And I like them all; that's the best thing.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Two Days, Too People, To Parents
I can barely stop myself from running outside and jumping around (the cold rain is a good deterrent though). The four glasses of sweet tea may have something to do with it, but I'm sure my exuberant abundance of excitement about leaving in less than Two Days is the main cause. I can't believe it. I mean that phrase very literally; it is very hard for me to grasp and believe that in two days I will be on a plane and gone from Atlanta for over two years. In the past weeks I've come to realize how much I love ATL. I always knew that I enjoyed the city and never minded living in it, but I feel like Atlanta is home. I'll miss it while I'm away; I missed it even when I was only an hour away.
My parents are being hysterical, well hysterically funny. My mom tries to dramatize every moment. Tuesday night we're all watching TV and she blurts out "Krista! This is the LAST Tuesday night you'll be watching TV with your parents! *fake sob* *fake sob*." Then, as we leave for church, "Krista! This is the LAST time you're going to church with us!! *gasp* (as she swoons with her arm on her forehead)." It's better than crying and funnier than moping. My dad is reserved, but very intent on saying "Bye, I love you!" every time he or I leave the house.
Packing isn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. And yes, I did make an Excel spreadsheet and already pre-packed just to make sure everything would fit. But I was still debating exactly what to bring (and I kinda still am). It's been much easier to start weeding things down though. I have one bag entirely packed; it's like a heaven for vacuum bags. I had some stuff, like my amazing 5 pound buckwheat pillow that I love like a child, that I just couldn't take. Then there was some more stuff that now fit since I wasn't taking the other stuff. All in all I've just got a ton of stuff, actually only about 100 pounds of stuff but that's still alot.
My parents are being hysterical, well hysterically funny. My mom tries to dramatize every moment. Tuesday night we're all watching TV and she blurts out "Krista! This is the LAST Tuesday night you'll be watching TV with your parents! *fake sob* *fake sob*." Then, as we leave for church, "Krista! This is the LAST time you're going to church with us!! *gasp* (as she swoons with her arm on her forehead)." It's better than crying and funnier than moping. My dad is reserved, but very intent on saying "Bye, I love you!" every time he or I leave the house.
Packing isn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. And yes, I did make an Excel spreadsheet and already pre-packed just to make sure everything would fit. But I was still debating exactly what to bring (and I kinda still am). It's been much easier to start weeding things down though. I have one bag entirely packed; it's like a heaven for vacuum bags. I had some stuff, like my amazing 5 pound buckwheat pillow that I love like a child, that I just couldn't take. Then there was some more stuff that now fit since I wasn't taking the other stuff. All in all I've just got a ton of stuff, actually only about 100 pounds of stuff but that's still alot.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The Final Steps
So I've taken care of almost everything. I have my plane ticket for Philadelphia (that's where staging is going to take place) on Friday the 13th (such an ominous day). I've paid all my bills that can be paid right now. I'm starting to see all my friends and family and slowly say "See you later" (because I don't say "good-bye's" unless I know I'll never see you again). Everything is starting to fall into place and feel taken care of. As the day to leave approaches I feel much more calm and ready, which is odd 'cause I certainly thought I'd be flipping out or at least more stressed with each day instead of less.
I've gotten a lot of questions about some of the details so here's some explaining: Friday the 13th, I'll fly to Philly and start Staging. Staging is a two-day orientation to the Peace Corps in general, not the specific country, for all of the Trainees (PCT's) for Bulgaria. There will be about 40 PCT's in my group. Sunday the 15th (it's just not as fun to say as Friday the 13th), all of us will bus over to NYC for our flight to Bulgaria. It'll take a full day of flying with a lay over in Germany to get us to Sofia, Bulgaria. The first four days in Bulgaria we (the 40ish PCT's) will be at a hotel getting some primary training before moving in with our host families. The fourth day, or maybe the fifth, we will meet our host families and go with them. I'll live with a host family in a medium-sized town for the first three months. There will be 4 to 5 other PCT's in the same town as me with other families. Training is three months of intensive language learning, culture adaptation, skill training, and just time to deal with all the things that you don't expect to have to deal with. About 10ish weeks into training I'll find out what town/village/community I'll be in for the next two years. So, just to re-cap, I don't know where I'm going to be living within Bulgaria for the two years and won't for the next few months. The address I have is only for while I'm in training for the first 3 months.
I'll be teaching English as a foreign language to High Schoolers once I finish training. I really can't wait. Each day I get more and more excited and anticipatory. I'll be in Atlanta this Friday and Saturday if you would like to get together just call me. I'll be in Athens later today, that's a little bit shorter notice, but same thing goes. I'm also going to Eggs in the Easy for Easter weekend and I'm sure I'll get to catch most people there. Only two and a half weeks left!
I've gotten a lot of questions about some of the details so here's some explaining: Friday the 13th, I'll fly to Philly and start Staging. Staging is a two-day orientation to the Peace Corps in general, not the specific country, for all of the Trainees (PCT's) for Bulgaria. There will be about 40 PCT's in my group. Sunday the 15th (it's just not as fun to say as Friday the 13th), all of us will bus over to NYC for our flight to Bulgaria. It'll take a full day of flying with a lay over in Germany to get us to Sofia, Bulgaria. The first four days in Bulgaria we (the 40ish PCT's) will be at a hotel getting some primary training before moving in with our host families. The fourth day, or maybe the fifth, we will meet our host families and go with them. I'll live with a host family in a medium-sized town for the first three months. There will be 4 to 5 other PCT's in the same town as me with other families. Training is three months of intensive language learning, culture adaptation, skill training, and just time to deal with all the things that you don't expect to have to deal with. About 10ish weeks into training I'll find out what town/village/community I'll be in for the next two years. So, just to re-cap, I don't know where I'm going to be living within Bulgaria for the two years and won't for the next few months. The address I have is only for while I'm in training for the first 3 months.
I'll be teaching English as a foreign language to High Schoolers once I finish training. I really can't wait. Each day I get more and more excited and anticipatory. I'll be in Atlanta this Friday and Saturday if you would like to get together just call me. I'll be in Athens later today, that's a little bit shorter notice, but same thing goes. I'm also going to Eggs in the Easy for Easter weekend and I'm sure I'll get to catch most people there. Only two and a half weeks left!
Friday, March 16, 2007
Address!!! Only 4 weeks left!
My address for the first 10-12 weeks in Bulgaria is:
Krista Greiner , PCT
Zora Community Center
2 Nikolaevska Str., Floor 3
2600 DUPNITSA
BULGARIA
I would love letters and I'm really good at writing back! I will also have intermittent access to email.
I started the initial packing stuff last night. I made an excel spreadsheet of everything I'd like to take and which bag it will go in. I also paired all the different outfit combinations by letter and number. There are over 125 different pairings... obviously I went to Georgia Tech. Then I tried to put all the stuff in the bags... not as easy as making a spreadsheet. My backpack was completely full to overflowing with only half the stuff in it and my other bag had room to spare. My goal is to get most of the weight into the backpack and not touch it until I get settled in Bulgaria. I'm hoping that vacuum bags make a huge difference.
What am I trying to pack in these bags? Here's a list so far:
16 shirts
2 sweaters
2 dresses
3 skirts
3 pairs of pants
2 pairs of shorts
2 scarf sets
2 sets of workout clothes
2 pairs of long johns
1 sweatshirt
3 jackets
compact sleeping bag
fleece blanket
5 pairs of shoes
toiletries for 3 months
1 set of T-shirt sheets
6 books
assortment of my favorite teas
a photo album
2 chef's knives
assortment of Thai and Mexican cooking spices
That's all in 2 bags whose measurements can add up to no more that 105" and each bag can weigh no more that 50 lbs. Wish me luck! I'll let you know how it goes :-)
Krista Greiner , PCT
Zora Community Center
2 Nikolaevska Str., Floor 3
2600 DUPNITSA
BULGARIA
I would love letters and I'm really good at writing back! I will also have intermittent access to email.
I started the initial packing stuff last night. I made an excel spreadsheet of everything I'd like to take and which bag it will go in. I also paired all the different outfit combinations by letter and number. There are over 125 different pairings... obviously I went to Georgia Tech. Then I tried to put all the stuff in the bags... not as easy as making a spreadsheet. My backpack was completely full to overflowing with only half the stuff in it and my other bag had room to spare. My goal is to get most of the weight into the backpack and not touch it until I get settled in Bulgaria. I'm hoping that vacuum bags make a huge difference.
What am I trying to pack in these bags? Here's a list so far:
16 shirts
2 sweaters
2 dresses
3 skirts
3 pairs of pants
2 pairs of shorts
2 scarf sets
2 sets of workout clothes
2 pairs of long johns
1 sweatshirt
3 jackets
compact sleeping bag
fleece blanket
5 pairs of shoes
toiletries for 3 months
1 set of T-shirt sheets
6 books
assortment of my favorite teas
a photo album
2 chef's knives
assortment of Thai and Mexican cooking spices
That's all in 2 bags whose measurements can add up to no more that 105" and each bag can weigh no more that 50 lbs. Wish me luck! I'll let you know how it goes :-)
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Why do they have to have titles?
I mean really. Does it have to have a label? I'm not so big on the labeling.
I just watched a bunch of videos and filled journal entries out about labeling people. Really I think it was supposed to be about quesitons you could be asked while you're serving, but aren't those questions really just so we can label each other?
Anyway...
It's almost a month exactly before I leave. I'm getting so excited and nervous. I have no idea what to pack, how much to pack, what to pack in... I'm trying to learn the Bulgarian Alphabet (it's Cyrillic) and boy that's exciting. I'm also starting to realize I have to say bye to everyone. I don't like good-byes so I usually just make it a "see you later" and don't have to worry about it. But this is for a little bit longer than normal, so I'll just have to see how I do.
I just watched a bunch of videos and filled journal entries out about labeling people. Really I think it was supposed to be about quesitons you could be asked while you're serving, but aren't those questions really just so we can label each other?
Anyway...
It's almost a month exactly before I leave. I'm getting so excited and nervous. I have no idea what to pack, how much to pack, what to pack in... I'm trying to learn the Bulgarian Alphabet (it's Cyrillic) and boy that's exciting. I'm also starting to realize I have to say bye to everyone. I don't like good-byes so I usually just make it a "see you later" and don't have to worry about it. But this is for a little bit longer than normal, so I'll just have to see how I do.
Monday, March 5, 2007
The Six Weeks
There are six weeks left before I leave. If you'd like to stay updated on how and where I am and what I'm doing then this is the spot for you. I'm horrible about posting things, so I'm sorry if this doesn't meet your expectations for frequency of posts, but it's all I've got.
I'm feeling: loved, thankful, happy
and thinking: OMG six weeks and Amanda's already gone!!!!
I'm feeling: loved, thankful, happy
and thinking: OMG six weeks and Amanda's already gone!!!!
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