favorite things #4

Yesterday when I was talking about a "sea of yellow" I was referring to ths sunflowers.  In the states when you see that much yellow in a grassy area that means dandelions, which are weeds and most people don't like them in their yards.  Also if you have that many dandelions somewhere that means their seeds are spreading/have spread and will soon appear in yards if not already.  The "sea" part comes in because that's all I can see; I look out the window, like being in a boat in the middle of the ocean, and all I can see is yellow.  It's like when you're in the middle of the ocean and look out and all you see is water.  This is a "sea" of yellow.  Yesterday when I said the "favorite things" ideas come on the bus, they certainly did and I have enough for today's blog also!  I love the fact that I can get on a bus and ride with chickens.  Have to say that's a new experience for me and something I certainly don't mind in the least!  I love that one of the first questions I get asked is "do you like Bulgaria?"  I certainly don't mind answering and love being here and experiencing all the new and different things, but it's like when someone graduates from high school and everyone asks "so NOW what are you going to do?"  I love getting hugs from baba's because they have a child in the states or canada (this happened to me yesterday and it made me a little sad for her) and I am the closest they can get to hugging their own kids.  I love that I am given so much food!  I'll bet people have given me more fruit and vegetables this summer and last then I ate in the states in a year!  Maybe that's stretching it a bit but I didn't eat much veggies or fruit in the states.  During the summer that's pretty much the ONLY thing to eat!  I love that no matter how hot it is outside people still drink tea and coffee, and I include myself in that too!  I love the fact that someone can be in tremendous pain or things can be going very wrong and the only thing anyone says is "it's ok, relax!"  Of couse I don't love seeing anyone in pain I just happen to think it's cute that they say "calm down, it's ok!"  Along with the "sea of yellow" I mentioned yesterday, I love that I see cows wading in the water when I look out the bus window.  Not an everyday occurance in Indianapolis!   I love that one of the most famous singers in Bulgaria is both Roma and gay or bisexual or whatever he is.  Whatever he calls himself, he's a minority and I think it's great!! I love the fact that when I tried to play the game "red light, green light"  I was told by one of the teachers in the kindergarten that the kids had just started studying stoplights and to save my game.  There were other reasons we didn't play as well.  It's just different for me to think that some of these kids have never seen a stoplight and the game would mean nothing to them!  We talk about towns in the states that only have one stoplight or "if you blink you might miss it" (very small town and if you take your eyes off the road you might miss the town!).  Then there's the whole "what does the yellow light mean"  difference which I blogged about last month I think or the beginning of this month.  I love that fact that if I'm going somewhere that I have been already I don't have to worry about whether or not the people there remember me; they do.  I kinda stick out...and then I open my mouth!  I'm not knocking my Bulgarian but I have an American accent and that kind of gets in the way if someone's not used to it.  Like people around here that I speak with on a daily basis or the teachers at school, they're used to my accent and can understand me.  The last thing is probably one of the biggest.  I love the fact that (most parts) Bulgaria has internet so I can communicate with my family back in the states and can write my blog and so much more!  I read about the deaths from the heat wave in the states.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all as you try to stay cool!  I say that after it rained last night and cooled things down about 5-7* and it feels soooo much better today!  My baba gore, upstairs, is having a wedding, her granddaughter??, at the end of the month and because of that she and her daughter and doing a lot of repairs to the apartment building.  They let me paint yesterday!!  Love and hugs!!  Ellis, glad you are reading my blogs!!