weight

most of the people i run into are of average weight.  i haven't quite figured out how they maintain a healthy weight yet b/c exercise doesn't seem to be too popular.  i have figured out that futbal takes a lot out of a person!  that's one thing i learned while away for the past 2 wks; to embrace my age! i'm 39 darn it and  if i get winded during a game of keep away w/ the soccer ball i'm going to pass the torch onto a younger person and go and sit down!  i think one of the privledges that comes with age is being able to blame getting winded on age!  anyway, there's dancing too which is exercise enough!  but i really don't know how they do it!  the portions for meals they serve are so big i know i could get 2 meals out of them and maybe even 3!  just about everyone over here, ok maybe that's not fair, is obsessed with weight though.  every house has a scale and it's not considered rude, like it is in the states, for someone to ask how much you weigh or even to ask you to get on their scale.  one of the times i went "ha ghosti" after i had only been in G. a couple wks. the first thing i had to do when i got in their house was step on the scale.  then when you tell people you can't eat anymore and leave half, i do have to say this isn't true for every cook, they think you don't like it! b/c of how the school works here bfast-dinner is served in the hostel kitchen.  i did manage to tell our cooks, nadje and zolfea-i know i misspelled their names badly but only "cooks" seemed wrong, w/o hurting any feelings, i hope, to always give me a half portion b/c that's all i'll eat.  and even after that i had to explain that yes i did like the food, i really did, i just can't eat any more!  ater i explained all that she asked me if i knew what happens to the leftover food as i watched her dump it in the garbage.  i told her i knew and again she thought i didn't like it.  but today when i went to have lunch, which really was awesome, she made a special point to tell me she only gave me a half portion.  YEA.  it's ironic though, other bulgarian women (my host mother in PST for one) can get away with saying "i can't eat any more b/c i'll gain weight"  or" my stomach will grow", while patting their bellies and it's fine for them, no one questions them of forces them to eat more.  but when i do the very same thing it doesn't work,  i can't get away with it.  if they want to see me gain weight to "prove" how good the food is i don't think they'll have a problem.  one of the other english teachers at the school where i work sometimes came to my house the other day and the first thing she did was get on my scale.  yes, i do have a scale but that's for me and i don't intent on calling anyone out on their weight and certainly not have anyone step on the scale as part of being in my house.  so, shen you come to visit me just be ready to step on the scale and have people look!!  it's a bulgarian thing!  f i forget to blog about it wed is the bulgarian independence day and a holiday, but the students will be here so my principal wants me to do something about this day.  not only will i learn more about B's indep. i will have to brush up on my own knowledge on my home countries indep!  leka nosht