thank you's!

I've written blogs about the word "thank you" and how it just doesn't say enough in my opinion.  Someone gives you something from their heart and you say "thank you?"  Just doesn't cut it in my book!  However that's the fact (jack) and something I'm learning  I have to accept.  However one thing that is different here than in the states (all the credit goes to my parents) is the writing of thank you notes.   I was raised that when someone gives you something in addition to saying "thank you" it's appropriate to write a note thanking them for whatever.  I've done that here several dozen times already and have been told that thank you notes are not traditionally written here.   This is something that I will do, to the very best of my ability, here and NOT give up because it's not the tradition.  I have to say most things I'm into adopting, or forgetting;whichever is the case, because it's the Bulgarian way/tradition but this is not one of them.  Someone gives me something, they  will (eventually) get a thank you note from me.   Now of course there may be a delay of a couple weeks but that's because I want to be gramatically correct and for that to happen right now I need the help of other people who are naive B speakers (thank you Nargis and Tadsjeneur).  In addition to thank you notes not being written in B, or at least that's not the tradition, neither are sympathy notes.  My host father's father passed away in January and both myself (pretty delayed) and my mom, she had met him in October, sent "sympathy/I'm sorry for your loss" notes."  Something I learned in the process of having my note proofread is that the phrase "sorry for your loss" isn't used after someone dies but they use another phrase altogether.  Right now I can't remember it and even if I did it's in B and I don't have the translation in E or even know if it translates to E.  So there it is.  Something else that I'm learning is different bewteen the states and here.  However I'm not too sure how long it will be done in the states; it may be dieing off.  As far as my day?  I got my hair cut and it was actually pretty exciting; it was getting pretty long...for me.  I had a nice talk with my mom, her cousin, and my siser and her fam last night and that was very nice.  It's cold but not chilling cold.  I'm going to go gosti in the hostel tonight with the girls "keeper" or "mom during the week" or the female teacher who stays in the hostel during the week with the girls.  That will be my gosti for today.  Love and hugs!!