meals

I think by now everyone realizes that everyone over feeds me here.  Try as I might, sometimes it's easier than other times, sometimes it's just easier to give in than to argue.  However I don't think I've blogged on this aspect yet.  For lunch there's always soup...FOLLOWED BY  the main dish.  Now for me, soup would be enough.  The soup I'm talking about is what I think of as  broth with veggies or meat.  We have soup with spinach in it, soup with mushrooms in it, soup with peas in it, soup with other kinda of veggies in it, and then there's soup with meat in it like chicken.  Since I have my meals in the Stol, sometimes there's leftover soup for dinner and sometimes not.  But when I say there's always soup, I mean ALWAYS.  And I think I said before how there are a lot of beans eaten here.  Something else a tad different I just thought of now is that, between bites or whenever you put your utensil down it gets turned over with the utensil part on the "lip" of your plate or bowl and the handle on the table.  And I've noticed when given a napkin, which is rare, no one else but me puts it on their lap.  When given a napkin usually your bread goes on it.  Also kinda rare is having something to drink with your meals.  I do because I carry my water bottle wherever I go but to be given something to drink doesn't happen that often.  Drinking period, other than rakea and alcohol, doesn't seem to be too usual and water especially.  I walk around with my water bottle and get asked all the time what's inside.  I even told my counterpart that part of the reason she gets sick all the time is because she doesn't drink enough water and she told me the Doctor told her that too.  But you know who can blame them?  I wouldn't want to have to go to the bathroom all the time either if my bathroom were outside!!  It's cold out there!  Anyway here are a few things I had in the back of my mind to blog about.  3 days till I leave for ITALY!!!!!  I can't wait!  Tomorrow I have to go back to Pyce to the eye Dr to see if she thinks my eyes are any better.  I also have to get a new phone and go to the bank.  Love and hugs!!

grading

I may have mentioned this before but am not sure, and it's something different from how we do it in the States, so choose to blog about it.  Whereas in the States we use a letter grading scale, I don't even know what it is anymore it's changed lots since I've been out of school,  as our grading system, here they use numbers.  Each student has a little book and they can keep track of their own grades.  I guess you can too in the States but we don't have a little book given to us.  At least when I was in school we didn't.  Here a 6 (excellent)  is the "top grade" a student can get and a 2 (poor) is a "failing grade."  A 5 is "very good," a 4 is "good," and a 3 is "fair."  The students stay in the same room all day and the teachers move which is also different from the States.  Testing is not only written it is also oral and is done regularly.  I wonder if that's what I saw this morning.  I went to the 8th class (grade) Bulgarian class.  I figure the 8th class is the closest to where I am right now.  There's much I don't understand but I figure being lost in the B language is still being surrounded by the language and that is what I need.  I've seen the teacher, my tutor, call 2 students up front and she has them write on the blackboard certain words and then she goes over them with the class.  When she tells them to sit down I see them hand her their little grade books andshe writes in them so I'm thinking these are oral tests.  I'll have to ask her more about this.   Of course the teachers have a master grade book and they keep track too.  With it getting colder out and since there's no central heating every room has a wood burning stove and a daily supply of wood.   I think having a warm school is something we take for granted too, I know I did!  It snowed again last night, just a dusting.  My thoughts and warm feelings go to friends and family in the States who are being/have been hit by snow storms.  My friend told me South Bend was expecting 15+ ins. of snow!!  And the Metrodome???!!!  Now THAT'S some snow and I hope everyone is ok and takes the proper precautions!  Love and hugs!!

names #2

Ok, here we go.  sorry this is late but I just had to blog about the snow!!  I think most of you know that I worked with kids in the States.  More specifically ages 6wks-kindergarten, however I didn't get a lot of time with the newborns.  I worked as a floater which meant I was in all the rooms and not just one.  I had stints when I was in a certain room for a length of time but overall I went anywhere needed.  Because of that I had to know names, EVERYONE'S name.  I kinda took pride in the fact that I knew every child's name at my previous employment.  Here I work in a kindergarten 2 days a week for an hour a day.  I can tell you I will not know all the kids names even though, between both my jobs here there are probably about the same # of kids as I had in the States!   Over here they have beautiful names just like in the States.  However I have been saying names from the States since I started talking.  Names like Connor, John, Charlie, Laura, Emma, Sarah, and other names are easy for me to remember.  Over here the name Nadjaea is common, I can think of 3 off the top of my head.  I know a Nurye, Fatma, Cevelie, Nedjme to name a few.  Gunai is also common, I know 2.  Some other examples of names in Bulgaria include:  Emer, Ersan, Berkan, and Serkan.  These are beautiful names and it's not like I don't want to learn them, it's just when you're grown up around John, Matthew, Claire, and Jessica's it's hard to train your tongue and brain to learn different names.  Each child and young person here is unique and has a unique name that is part of who they are.  I'm trying to learn them but have to say if I have them all down bu the time I come home it'll be good!  I'm willing to write these names in Bulgarian but don't think that will help you all any!  Love and hugs!

little things!

Ok I apologize again but "names" is going to have to wait until next week.  I woke up this morning to snow!  .  Now I kinda have been a little nervous since the nice weather has lasted a long time.  yeah, we've had weeks of cold where I have had to use my hat (thanks mom and ron) but over all I have to say it's been nice.  Just yesterday I'll bet it got to about 70* F in the afternoon.  Of course everyone said snow was coming and lots of it.  So generally I haven't been looking forward to the snow.  HOWEVER...when I walked outside this morning, I had a letter at the post office from Aunt Sue:):):) and saw the snow falling a big smile crossed my face!  So my idea for this blog came from that and how we never know what will transpire and make us think of home.  Now I'm not homesick, of course I miss my family and look forward to talking to them on weekends and am missing my nieces grow up, but I want to be here and this is the life I want right now and am loving it.  BUT, sometimes when I get home late, or just when it's dark, and can see the stars sooo clearly I think this is the same sky my family and friends in the states are under.  I had a great time at our Tgiving celebration, it was better after all the food was served and people were actually eating it and not getting sick, but it wasn't Thanksgiving for me until I took that first bite of turkey!  THAT made it Thanksgiving.  Things like hearing my nieces song that she sings on my ipod before going to sleep, i accidenly deleated it and it really makes me mad, help take my thoughts "home."  The Colts blanket my Aunts sent me and the Pacer headband that my working group from church sent.  The snow.  Yes, even the snow.  THe picture I got the other day of "my kids" from my previous job in the states holding a mini chalkboard that said "Hi Ms. Lisa" and sitting at a table with "Lisa" and a heart made out of the plastic bugs they play with and I remember having to pick up several times and not liking it!  THe wishbone I found at Tgiving.  I have no idea why that was a special moment for me because I have never found one before and certainly can't associate that with family!  So I guess today what I'm writing about is being aware of the little things like snow or a song or just anything little.  THose things may not seem important but when you go without for awhile and then suddenly there it is, that memory is priceless and can really be something sustainable.  THe Corps is all about sustainability and doing things that will last after we're gone and and no one is around or wants to carry on with a certain project we started.  I understand that and realize that is very important!  However I just now thought about the fact that memories can be just as sustainable and I'd never really thought about that before.  So appreciate the little things and, as the cliche goes, take time to smell the roses.  Appreciate what you have and celebrate that because, as I had to be reminded last night, it's the memories that will last, the appreciation of the little things- like the stars being the same here and in the states-not how well we taught English or how well I spoke Bulgarian.  And don't forget to hug...especially children!  Love and hugs from snowy Bulgaria! (after I reread this I realize it might be kinda sad and depressing.  Sorry and it's really not supposed to be!!  It started about how the snow made me smile and just evolved from there.  It's really not supposed to have a gloomy or sad tone AT ALL!!! Oh, I know how to make it better!  I'm leaving for Italy in less than 2 wks for xmas!  A volunteer  friend of mine invited me to go along with her to visit her sister and I jumped at the chance!  Ok, my mom and sister know better but there really wasn't much hesitation on my part.  Did that help the tone of this blog any???  lisa

names

look for this next week because I just lost it all and it's time to do other things, like take a shower!  love and hugs to all!

gosti

 the words "otevam na gosti" literally mean "to pay a visit."  Now I'm sure I've blogged about this before but I think I neglected to talk about one aspect that is kinda interesting to me and that is the leaving part.  The longer I'm here the more I think there is skill involved in knowing when to leave.  I don't have it and it doesn't bother me because I'm still integrating and getting to know people and it gives me a chance to use my B.  However I will say that when someone leaves it is usually what I would call suddenly.  Ok granted my B isn't the best, and usually unless I tell someone to repeat what they said I don't follow anyway because they speak so fast I get lost, and lots of people here also speak Turkish, and I don't, so it's quite understandable why it might come as a total surprise to me when someone gets up to leave.  But usually there are signs that can be recognized in any language.  I can't even tell you what they are but usually it's kinda obvious when someone is about ready to leave in the states.  I had gosti's over the weekend(yea me!) and was totally absorbed in the conversation, you can be absorbed in the conversation even when you have no idea what they're saying, and then everyone got up to leave.  Now there are words that talk about leaving or going that I can recognize but I don't hear them being said.  Like I said before it's quite possible that because of the language barrier there's a lot I'm missing but it still seems like I could see some of the signs and think "oh this person is getting ready to leave" or whatever but I have yet to!  when you're a gosti there's always something to drink and several different things to eat.  Chocolates are big over here and little cake type things, kinda like little debbie cakes.  sometimes you have banitsa but I think that's not usual for "just a regular" gosti.  then again I'm not from here and I don't cook so I can't really say.  Maybe it is more usual I just tell myself that so I won't feel bad when I don't make it for my gosti's!    love and hugs!

to my readers

So I was talking to my mom the other night and she was telling me about a party she and my step-dad had.  She was telling me how she had just read my blog and was talking about it to their friends when one of their friends said something about my blog!  She had no idea her friend even knew about my blog and here she reads it!  I'm sure I have more readers I don't know than those I do know, ok maybe.  To those of you I don't know, a big thank you from me.  To me this blog is an important part of my experience and why I'm here.  The third goal of the Peace Corps states "Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans."   I believe.we all need to learn from each other and can only better ourselves and our world if we do so.  My blog is my little way of letting each one of you, back in the States or wherever you are reading this blog,  experience Bulgaria with me without actually being here.  Of course there's nothing better than experiencing it first hand but unless you want to come over and visit me, which anyone can do-I welcome gosti's, you'll have to settle for this!  And all the people who leave comments on my blog?  THANK YOU!  I love going in everyday and seeing if there are comments! And please ask questions if there's something that you don't quite understand because I've been here now just about 7 months, wow times flies!, and things that are unique and starting to become routine to me and I forget they're different that in the states.  On that note I'm going to close and try to think of something for the xmas program here among other things I have on my list of things to do.  I promise I'll start writing about other things and not just about the day, ets soon!  I have a list of subjects for my blogs I just haven't gotten to them yet.  Sorry!  Love and hugs to all!

tgiving pics

ok, this is me being the narrator and
wrapping up the skit. The guy in the
white shirt was our "Governor
Bradford" and called for a Day
or Thanksgiving.  All the students
memorized their lines and did a
very nice job!!  I gave them each a flower
as my thanks to them for a job well done.
Just 1 flower, or another odd number, b/c
an even number is bad luck and usually
reserved for funerals. 

this is in the stol, the kitchen for the
hostel where the whole process took
place!

and again with the stuffing!!  I have a feeling
this picture could come back to
haunt me!

stuffing the turkey was soooo much
fun!  we used onions, garlic, and 1/2
an apple

before our skit in English, a student
read abou the history in Bulgarian
that way EVERYONE understood! 

this is the part of the skit when Squanto and
Samoset enter...I think 

there was a group that did a dance.
I tell you, these women can shake
their hips like nothing I've seen before.

all in all Tgiving was very nice!  my first turkeys turned out pretty good and I found myself, after I took the first bite of my serving of turkey at probably around 8pm, declaring, to myself, that "now it's really Thanksgiving!"  I can't begin to tell everyone how much it helps me being away from my American family for the holidays that my new family here wants to celebrate American holidays!  they probably have no idea how much they are helping even tho I try to tell them.  whereas I'm not really homesick, it isn't the easiest thing to be away from your loved ones during special times.   they really do help me and for this i thank them!  the students did an awesome job doing their performances!!  AND i forgot probably the best part!  i found 2 of the 4 wishbones!!  i didn't get to make a wish tho but the fact that i found them excited me!  i would really try to  move the pictures so they make sense but i trust you all can figure them out!  love to all!

tgiving recap

I must say everything went suprisingly well on the 25th!  All the prayers were answered!  The turkeys may have been a tad overdone but I'd rather that than the alternative!!  I do have to say when I found out there is no way to know how hot, or at least there is no dial telling the temperature, the oven was my blood pressure increased a bit and I was sure I was going to put someone in the hospital!!  But that didn't happen and while carving, which is a whole other task itself, I even found a wishbone...a couple actually but did not get to make a wish.  Next year maybe!!My students did a wonderful job with the skit and the dances were very nice.  I even got a special certificate from my Principal!!  Total there were probably between 65 and 70 people there.  Then the next day I traveled to have another tgiving with some volunteer friends and that was nice as well!!!  I was surprised how the mushroom mixture we  made looked exactly like mushroom soup for the green bean casserole!!  WplaysnI kindaisre had stuffing, rolls, pumpsin pie, leftover turkey and cranberry salad I snagged before I left, mashed potatoes, and xmas music!!  Now it's back to work planning something for xmas!  I haven't figured that one out yet.  I just wanted everyone to know that both tgivings turned out beautifully and a nice time was had by all!  I'll get some pictures up soon but right now it's dinner time!  Love to all!