честита баба марта

I am so mad at myself right now!  I'd say you all are too except you have no idea why; it's not like you can come over here (well-you can) and scold me!  Anyway like I said yesterday today is a very important day in Bulgaria.  Today is March 1st and today the school had an all-school activity this afternoon to show me why this day is important and what happens on this day.  I took one picture and my battery died.  I had to decide if I wanted to go to my apt and get more batteries so I could show you what we did and risk missing the fun or and watch and describe what happened and take pictures next year.  I decided to forego the camera and soak it all in.  My apologies!  On this day everyone wears red and white bracelets that they either make or buy.  I guess kinda like friendship bracelets (remember those?).  There's a story behind the colors which I will tell you later.  The bracelets are called martinitzas.  Then you wait for the stork.  Storks not only bring babies but here in B they are the symbol of Spring.  Then when you see the stork you take off your martinitza and hang them on a tree.  I have to admit if I've ever seen a stork it has been in a zoo; even then I'm not sure I've seen one.  Blue and White Herons I've seen but a stork I'm not so sure.  I've seen plenty of pictures!  We here in my town have our very own stork nest.  I asked about it last week and some students and people at the Kindergarten told me where it is.  Past the church and down a couple streets; you can't miss it.  This is the part where I get to say "yes I will" if I'm not sure EXACTLY WHERE it is.  So I asked again and made sure I knew exactly how many streets down from the church and on which side of the road to look.  I had a couple extra minutes before I was due in the Kindergarten one Thurs so I went searching.  They were right when they said I couldn't miss it!  As soon as I got to the church and looked up I saw it.  IT'S HUGE!!!  It's on top of a light/electrical pole.  That I will take a picture of but that will wait till tom.  The tradition is a red and white bracelet but things have evolved a little.  Now there's a man and a woman martinitza made out of yarn of course.  So this afternoon we all met in 2 rooms and made martinitzas!  There's a traditional way to make them and then of course things are open to your own creative whim.  The traditional way is to tie a red and white string together end to end with someone on either end.  Each person twists their end the opposite direction of the other person.  When you've twisted for awhile you put the ends together and tie them.  If it's long enough you find a bead to put on to make a noose so you can take it on and off your wrist without tieing it every time.   Since lots of people here know how to sew and all that yarn people are made and hats are knitted for them.  I promise I will take some pictures of them for you all and sorry I did not get any action shots but there's always next year!  Spring coming means a new beginning and the martinitzas are for strength and health and fertility.   And I forgot to say that it's tradition to make some and give to your closest friends and collegues.  My PST family sent me a set (for your wrist and a smaller one for your lapel) and I also got some during the day from other teachers and students.  Of course the plan is to make some of my own to give out next year but that could fall through depending on a number of things.  Walking home I was telling my counterpart that I know the tradition is to put them on a tree when you see a stork but I told her I kinda don't want to.  But tradition is tradition and I can't go against that!  I'm sure some will go in my luggage to bring to the states with me when service is over though.  Don't tell!  Chestita baba marta!  I can't really translate this to English because there really is no translation.  That just means happy first day of March; the day to make martinitzas.  Love and hugs!