my Bulgarian mom

I have been bad about blogging the last about week and I'm sorry; that will change!   This blog is for my mom who thought this story was interesting and I should write it up for all of you.  This happened last Wednesday.  I had scheduled a time after work to have coffee with a guy here who had asked before and it was just never a good time.  So when I saw him on Tuesday and he asked me I told him the next day was better and we set a time and place to meet.  The Bulgarian and American concepts of time differ a little and being (what Americans would call)late is pretty commonplace and expected.  I took this into consideration but wasn't sure how long to wait for him when he didn't show up.  At 3:30/40 I went inside the post office to ask my friend in there.  She's got a daughter finishing college and I've talked to her plenty.  Whenever I have a letter or package at the post office she lets me know to stop by and pick it up.  When I first got here I stopped by the post office nearly everyday just to talk.  So I know her quite well.  I explained the situation and asked her how long to wait on him.  She played 20 questions with me.  "Who is it?  Is he Turkish or Bulgarian?  What's his name?  What does he look like?"  and others.  She then preceeded to tell me that I need to check with her before going to coffee with anyone because "I'm your mom while you're here!"  Now I wasn't looking at this as a date or anything like that.  I had seen him around and kept putting off coffee and figured I needed to make a plan; besides that's kinda why I'm here and he's someone I don't know that well so it was time.  Now I wasn't going to go anywhere with him and felt safe because all the places to have coffee here and full of my students and they would take care of me.  He never showed and finally I went home, after waiting awhile in the post office to "see if he shows up" with the encouragement from "my mom."  Later that same night my counterpart pulled me aside and said "don't get me in trouble with the Corps.  Don't go ANYWHERE with anyone you don't know!"  Of course I knew right away what she was talking about but was astonished that she knew; she was busy earlier and I couldn't ask her advice.   I finally got it out of her that my "mom" in the post office had told her.  I wasn't worried and am safe...but I must admit it's kinda nice to know that people watch out for me!!  Love and hugs!!  I've heard of stork sightings but I still have my martinitzas!   YEA BUTLER BULLDOGS!!!!!