mealtime

Sorry I missed last Thurs and Fri's blog's!  Thurs I was preparing for the Kindergarten and then went to help a student with some English.  We were at his house and (little did I know-you would think I would have learned by now) I ended up staying for dinner.  Then on Fri I went to visit another school here and by the time I got home it was time for other things.  For today's blog I want to talk a little about my gosti exprience on Thurs.  This has been something I've noticed but never felt the need to blog about it until now.  Now I've gotten used to the whole gosti thing of being offered a small plate of goodies and tea/coffee.  Usually when I go the host will sit down with me and have some coffee or tea.  Sometimes that's not the case.  Sometimes I end up drinking my tea and eating a little something in front of the host.  I've been  raised  not to eat in front of others if they're not eating but this didn't bother me so much because it's just little snacky stuff.  However on Thurs I was presented with a tray of food for dinner; soup and the whole works.  When I asked the lady where hers was she said "oh I eat later with grandpa."  I then asked my student who I had an English"lesson" with if he was going to help me with any of the abundant food that I had before me.  He also said he ate later.  So here I was eating soup tarator (yogurt and water mix with cuccumbers-a traditional favorite), a bowl of a rice and meatball dish, fruit, dessert cakes (like a coffee cake) and bread in front of my student and his mother!  Of course I didn't eat it all; don't forget I had already been served the traditional coffee, soda, and little snack cakes.  I have to say I felt a little uncomfortable because I wasn't raised to eat in front of people.  Something else to get used to.  Another thing I have noticed about mealtime is that generally speaking there's not a lot of conversation.  When I have lunch with the teachers in the stola sometimes there is small talk between the teachers but silence isn't uncommon.  Coming from a family who disscussed magazine articles over meals and always talked about our days this is a little different for me.  Of course I think dinner is a little different with the students.  Tomorrow is a big day here in B!  Stay tuned!  Love and hugs!  Thoughts are of Libia right now and the unrest there.

senioritis

There's a word we use in the states for high school students in the last year of h.s. who think they are done working.  They're the top in the school and set to graduate within the year, they're done working. RIGHT?????  WRONG!!!!!  We in the states say these seniors have senioritis.  It's a "sickness" that happens in the last year of h.s.  The brain shuts down and work isn't really possible.  It occurs because the hardest of the work is over and graduation can't come fast enough.  That's the common thought among Seniors and it affects, dare I say, ALL Seniors; some people just handle it better.  I had it my senior year at North Central.  The 12th class here has it!  Anyway just like our seniors in the states have to take the SAT to graduate (I've forgotten when.  I want to say the Junior year but it's been awhile) the seniors here also have to take a test to graduate and theirs is called the Matura.  I've only seen partial copies of tests that have been used in previous years and I'm not really sure how it compares to the SAT.   I do know that there are 2 parts as well.  The first part is about Bulgaria.  I'm not quite sure if that includes things like History or what.  The second part there are 3 test  options: Math, Geography, or English.  2 of our 4 Seniors have opted for Geography, 1 for English, and I'm not sure about the other one-he wasn't at school today when I asked.  I have been helping one of the students prepare a little for his English portion and I must say I've been stumped a couple times.  THe grammar part is my favorite!  Right mom??!!????!!!  NOT IN THE LEAST!  I have to thank a TEFL volunteer friend of mine; I've called her several times for explaination and right answers.   There's a part for listening comprehension, reading comprehension, sentence completion, fill in the blank, and an essay I think.  THe test is in May and I wish all the seniors luck!    Now the daily run down.  Went to a couple English classes today.  Tomorrow  is the Kindergarten which means I have to figure out tonight what I am going to do.  When I woke up this morning an looked outside the ground was covered with snow.  It snowed yesterday but not much and it was warm enough it melted.  Last night it must've snowed more and continued on and off during the day today.  I'm guessing we have maybe about an inch to inch and a half.  Today for lunch we had fish, beans, and cabbage.  Of course our lentil soup started it off and lunch finished with an apple.  Kinda expecting leftovers tonight but we'll see!

family

So sometime today while sitting at school it occured to me that I should also be writing about similarities in addition to differences.   Starting with families.  Families are just as important here as in the states, sometimes I even think more so.  Babas and Djados, grandmas and grandpas, play a more inportant role here...and...THE BABAS RULE!!  The older generation is more valued here, generally speaking.  The family is so important sometimes it forces families to live apart.  You want to do what's best for your family, want them to have the best possible andsometimes that means finding a job away from the family.  I have a neighbor (a baba) whose daughter is in Germany making money to send her daughter to university.  I have coworkers whose parent or spouse are in other countries making money for the family.  It's sad that it has to be that way but you go where the jobs are to keep food on the table.  Just like families is the states will do whatever to help their family (case in point me for example.  My family does so much for me over here!) it's just the same here.  A very short blog today.  for some reason my caps lock won't go off so you'll just have to deal with all capitals.  for the second time since i've been here i came home after school today and took a nap.  i thought of an idea for my pen pal project, now i just have to put it into action!  it snowed today again and this time it stuck around.  maybe an inch.  that's all from here!  steph, don't worry about the chat.  i'm just glad everyone is on the mend; i hope you are too! oh yeah!  I got my hair cut  (not very short) last night because it was getting too long for me.  I will say it is easier to have short hair when you have central heat!  I left the WARM teachers room today to go to the COLD bathroom and was quickly made aware that I had less hair!  love and hugs!

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!!

the difference 9 months make!

So I'm traveling back to my house after getting my package (thanks mom and ron!) when once again it occurs to me I'm doing something that even 6 months ago I didn't think I'd ever be able to do.  It was another one of those "pinch me" moments.  I left this morning thinking my package was at the bus station.  I've been to the bus station plenty and am comfortable there.  Then I remember our post office lady said "gara" not "autogara" which meant the train station NOT the bus station.  No problem, the gara is right beside the autogara and I've been there, once with Leo on my crazy xmas trip to Italy.  Oh yeah, before that I went shopping a little and had lunch.  I ordered lunch!  During pst I was so not looking forward to that and was sure I'd do it wrong.  So anyway I'm on my way to the train station but once there have to find out where to go.  So I had to ask, and understood the important stuff.  Then I had to talk with the ladies in the post office, get my package and make my way back to my bus stop.  There was a lady getting a package at the same time as me, her son is in Chicago, and would you believe she was on my bus home?  I think about how afraid I was to make my first solo trip traveling anywhere and other things I thought I'd never do, was afraid to do and think now "why was I ever so hesitant?"  We've go a new bunch of trainees, B27s, coming on March 20th (I think) and I remember how freaked out I was when I got to B and even when I left pst (pre-service training).   I remember that last interview I had with my program manager, telling her how I thought the head shake yes and no would never come to me (basically yes is our no and no is our yes).  Now I struggle to do it the way I was raised, the American way!   Just goes to show  what we're capable of if we really want it!!  Have a great weekend!  Love and hugs!

daily summary

It's amazing how one weekend can mess up the next week!  I went to another village last weekend with some other volunteers and am glad I went!  HOWEVER I've been walking around in a fog this week.  It's like I'm off and it started on Sunday!  It's like I'm trying to catch up and the more I do the more off I become!  Anyway...It was snowing a little when I left the apartment this (late) morning but it didn't stick.  It has actually warmed up a little (not as much as the 67* in Kentucky today though) but not by much.  Tomorrow I'm headed to another city to pick up a package that apparantly couldn't be delivered here.  Why?  I have no idea and I guess I'll find out tomorrow!  But packages and letters always excite me!!!  Thanks to a former coworker of mine in the States (kudos Sophie!) I'm trying to start a pen pal exchange between her son's teacher's 8th grade class and the 8th and 9th grade classes here.    I think it will work but there are still some kinks we need to work out.  Of course the boys want to be paired with the "beautiful" girls.  We'll see!  I think the students are looking forward to it but it will be lots of work for them (and me but that's ok!).  Otherwise things are goingf ine.  I've got a couple projects I'm thinking about and are in the pre-planning stages.  I just came from the kindergarten and they are stir crazy waiting for warmer weather!  I really don't blame them!  I've got to force myself to go gosti more.  When you think about it why should I have to force myself?  I always get food and drinks, so what's the problem?!  Well it's almost dinner time so I will close.  Enjoy the warm-up, you all deserve it after the rough times you've had this winter!  Love and hugs to all!

bills!

This one is going to have to be shorter because I have gosti's coming in about 30 minutes.  The way the States works is that when you owe money for your telephone or gas or whathaveyou the company sends you a bill and you send in a check, or money order;  whatever works for you.  Or now-a-days people pay online which is what I started doing after the post office started having problems with my name and my gas almost got shut off and I had no idea.  It's different here (speaking of bills I just remembered I was going to pay my water bill this afternoon but started my blog instead!  Oopa!)  You get your bill WHEN you pay.  YOu keep track of the dates when you need to pay, I have them writen down in my calandar, and go pay and they give you a bill, kinda like getting a receipt.  The water guys herer read everyone's water meter and that's how your house gets charged.  Around the 16th or 20th of every month they put a notice up on the apartment door telling us when they will come.  They come between 6-6:30 pm which is right at my dinner time and sometimes I miss diner in the stol.  I already mentioned the power is paid in the post office.  I pay for internet usage and cable at the end of the month for the next month.  Once the end of the month fell on a weekend and before it was a holiday, I think it was Christmas time or around then, and I didn't think they were open for me to pay.  I remember now!  I hadn't seen my family on Skype for like 2 wks and was really looking forward to our Sun night chat!!  How surprised (and mad) was I when I couldn't log on!!  I'm not quite sure what is going on with my telephone bill.  It's very irregular!  Sometimes I go months without them saying "you owe us this much money."  I think that's pretty common though.  I'll briefly recap my day.  Not too bad.  I just got an email from a friend in Ky who said tommorrow it will be 67*!  It's not that warm here and in fact it's downright cold!!  I had a visit from one of the people from the medical office from the corps, just a routine visit, and she asked me if I was having problems, if the language was a barrier, etc.  Lastly she asked me on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being content and 1 being disstisfies where I fall.  I really feel like a 10 here but wonder if there is something I am missing.   I have to get ready for my gosti's so will close for today!  Love and hugs!

I have a letter!

Sorry about not blogging this past Fri or yesterday!  I left right after lunch on Fri for a get-together with other volunteers and was very tired yesterday and had to take a nap so I didn't get around to it.  For the first time I actually rested during my “pochievka!”  I thought I’d tell you a little about the post office since I just came from there; thank you Masts and Aunt Sue!  As you can imagine I’m sure the post office here is a little different than the post office in Indianapolis.  First of all the one here is a whole lot smaller.  There are 2 “full time” ladies and a “part time” lady who work there.  In addition to getting mail, the post office is also a place to pay for your power/electricity or tok (ток).  However I pay my principal who pays my landlord but I think everyone else pays at the post office.  Then from the 7th until the 20th (I think these dates are correct) the retired people get their pensions from the post office.  You can tell when it’s time because the line is super long and you can hardly walk through the post office hallway!  When I first got here and was unsure about my bill for power I went to the post office to see if I had a bill.  I stood in line (it just happened to be between those dates) for awhile.  Then I realized most everyone around me in line was an older person and maybe this was the wrong line.  I asked a couple people in line and, because of my American accent and the fact that they spoke primarily Turkish, no one understood me.  Finally after trying the same question several different ways (and having no luck) I remembered the word for retired people and said that.  I got a chorus of shaking heads saying (remember B is different.  Their head movement up and down is no and a head shake left and right is yes.  I actually had to think about that for awhile; another thi ng I never thought I’d get used to!) yes.   So I got out of line and walked right into the post office.  Kinda funny.  In addition to letters and packages, newspapers also go to the post office.  Even since I first got here the ladies in the post office and I have an understanding.  When I have something at the p.o., which is quite frequently thanks to all of you, the ladies “click” me, meaning they call my phone and hang up.  Since phone calls are very expensive (you only get changed if someone answers) and I know what they want when they call, I don’t answer.   I click them back, so they know I got the message, and head to the p.o.   I usually end up chatting for awhile which is good for me.  If I get a package they are the first recipients of my treats.  I like going there.  In addition to getting my mail when I go there they help me with new words and speaking.  Now onto my day.  I’m waiting for the census to come any day now.  I‘m down to 1 day a week in the kindergarten now which I must say is bad for my Bulgarian.  However, I’m not here so I can learn perfect B, I’m here to do what they need and work with them.  This just means I have to find other outlets to speak!  I had my B lesson today and my tutor said I have to learn more words and speak more.  Guess I’m not doing too great with the flash cards!  Oh well!  I’ve got at least another 1.5 or so years!  Love and hugs and thanks for keeping the p.o. ladies busy!

money, money, money, money,MONEY!

I guess today is as good a day to talk about money as any!  The currency in B is called the Lev, 1 Lev, and Leva, 2+ Leva.   The paper money that is.  The coins are called stootinke.  The leva get progressively bigger as the denominations get bigger.  The denominations are 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and if there are bigger amounts, and I'm sure there are, I haven't seen them yet.  I'm not holding my breath!  Volunteers don't "rake in the dough" or any dough for that matter!  Anyway the 2 lv(лв) is 11.5 cm's long, or a little longer than 4 in's, and 6.3 cm's wide, or about 2.5 in's.  The  stootinke come in denominations of 1,2,5,10,20,50, and 1 lev.  The coins are also different sizes with the 5 and 10 stookinke being about the same size as out nickle and dime. The 1,2, and 5 are made of bronze, at least they are dark brown, and the rest are silver like our cents. The 1 and 2 stookinke are about 3/4th the size of the penny, the 20 and 50 stookinke between the size of our nickle and quarter, and he 1 lev is a tad bigger than our quarter.  At least that's how I remember them.  I usually give my stookinke to the post office because they hand out the "retirement income" to the retired people and I don't have any right now.  B. has different people from history on the Lev.  Yesterday I talked about a children's book author on the lev.  There is also a prime minister and good politician and people from history that I know of.  To tell you the truth I keep forgetting the exchange rate between dollars and leva so I can't really tell you if things are that much more expensive or not.  When I was in Italy over Christmas in the airport there was a donation case and there were some American dollars inside and they looked SO FUNNY!  It's really interesting what we get used to.  Today continued the warmup although not as warm as Tuesday.  That's it from here!  Love and hugs from me to all of you!

books

Once a month I write a letter to 1 of my previous places of employment for the World Wise Schools program.  Their theme this month revolves around books and I thought I'd share with you all.  There are Fairy Tale characters over here too; their pictures decorate the Kindergarden rooms.  Some are the same characters as we have in the states and some are different.  A few months after I got here I was talking to the 11th graders and they were asking questions about language.  I told them that I speak English with the students from the E.S. but Bulgarian with everyone else, well except for the English teachers who want me to speak with them in E and anyone else I run across who wants to use their English.  ne of the students said she was going to bring me some books to practice my B.  I was surprised when I opened the bag she gave me!  There inside were the Fairy Tale books Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Ugly Duckling, Puss in Boots (i'll have to refresh my memory on that one), Hansel and Gretel, The Gingerbread Man, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and The Three Little Pigs.   I finished Goldilocks over the weekend and now am reading The Three Little Pigs.   Of course the titles are in B and that is kind of funny for me to see.  A character that they have here suprisingly is named after me!  Either that or I am named after her, or the best guess is that our names have nothing to do with each other; I just like to pretend!  Kuma Lisa (if that is even how it's name is spelled) is a fox, kinda like swiper for all my readers who have little children, but a good fox who doesn't try to "swipe" things from others (hense the name "swiper").  I guess Kuma Lisa (I'll keep that spelling-makes me feel important!) is like an Aunt or God-mother figure; isn't THAT ironic (I became an Aunt for the 3rd time this past Jan. 27th for all those of you saying "why is that ironic?)!   You know how the dollar bill has pictures of the presidents?  In B ( didn't ask about presidents) on the lev (leva for plural) there is the picture of a man who wrote children's books.  (stay tuned for a blog about the money; can't promise when though!)  Like in the states there are well-known authors, one of the better known authors here is Ivan Vazov, or иван ваэов.  I bought a book of his over the weekend however think it will be some time before I start reading it; I'll stick to my Fairy Tales right now!  It is harder for me to read in B than it is to speak or write, but I'm working (SLOWLY) on it.  This week the weather is suprisingly like Spring!  I wish I could send some to you all but Mother Nature doesn't work that way.  That's it from here!  Have a happy day!  Love and hugs!

shoes

Today is going to have to be kinda short; back to "work" I am!  I have to clarify something first.  The writing I do about differences I notice here in B may not be the same all over B.  I'm writing from my perspective and really can't generalize.  Just like in the states a person can't say something about Southern Indiana and have it be true for California, or even Northern Indiana.  I'm writing about what I see in my town, where I'm living now.  So what I see as a difference in my town may not be the same in, say, Sofia, the capital.  Onto today's blog.  today's blog is about shoes.  Shoes are not worn in the house, slippers are.  So when I go gosti to someone's house I take my shoes off before going inside and am given a pair of slippers.  I'm guessing this is because shoes track things like dirt in the house and FLEAS in the summer.  They need to stay outside where they belong!  Some people are ok wearing socks inside instead of slippers.  I now, thanks to "Santa" at Christmas time and my Aunts, have a pair or 3 of extra slippers on hand for gosti's.  I've kind of gotten used to this and now it's second nature to take my shoes off before going into someone's home.  I've gotten used to them around my apartment too, so much that it kinda feels weird without them.  So for all of you who plan of being my gosti's I have a pair of slippers waiting for you!!  Today started my schedule again.  The kindergarten opened, although many of the children have the chicken pox, and school is back after the week long flu vacation.  Just like that things get busy.  Love and hugs!!

(baby) I'm the lucky one!

Once again you'll have to excuse me from teaching about B today.  I wrote this over the weekend and just had to share.  So I'm sitting (again this was Friday) on a bus that will take me to a place where I will be a gosti (a guest) for the weekend and it occured to me how lucky I am.  I'm traveling on a bus from place to place IN A FORIEGN COUNTRY.  To do that is a dream for most people!  I get to do it...and not on my dime (directly anyway)!  I'm in a country where, after a couple hours outside in the (not so) cold the 1st thing that is said to me is "come in and have a cup of tea and be in the warmth" (more or less and of course in B).  I'm a Hoosier and Indiana is known for our "hoosier hospitality" but I am humbled quite often by the "Bulgarian hospitality."  I am surrounded by people, in the states too but it's just different, who drop everything when I, or anyone for that matter, goes to visit.  And that's another thing!  I go gosti, I get food, I get served tea, and I get gifts; they put out all that but yet that's all I have to do to make someone's day.  Go visit them.  I'm in a place where the lengths people will go to help someone amazes me!    And I consider myself a helpful person!  For example:  I was asking someone on the street the other day directions and he didn't understand me (go figure!  As hard as I try my American accent is still with me!).  So the 1st guy I asked stopped another guy for me to ask, they talked and then the 1st guy walked me to where I was going.  And how many people can say they love their job??!!??  Of course a volunteering job never works unless a person has an unlimited supply of money or is funded like me.  I have a "job" to do here and I take that very seriously!!!  But part of that job involves going gosti, having people laugh at me (that never happens in the states :) ) while I'm trying to sew,  playing UNO, and traveling!  I have coworkers who would, it seems like anyway, bend over backwards to help me.  I love my job and am SO extremely blessed and lucky to have been given this once in a lifetime opportunity!!  I have to wonder why I was given this amazing chance!  I have said before and know people are getting sick of hearing this from me but it's true.  Living in B for 27 months is no sacrifice for me!!  Maybe that would be a little different in other countries, I don't know.  “Not having access to family and friends in the states?”  Technology is amazing!  I "see" my sister's family in Seattle more now than I did when I lived in the states!  "Different foods than I'm used to?"  Not really; if someone is hungry enough they will eat and I have an awesome family who makes sure I don't forget what Am. food tastes like!  "Needing to learn a different language, not being understood, and being in a new situation with new people?"  I like learning about other cultures and people are people anywhere you go!  As long as I am willing to try, so are they!  Let's not forget learning new skills are good for the brain too.  Believe me!  Being here is no sacrifice.  I miss my family but I miss them anyway; it doesn't matter where I am.    I have a wonderful support system (and a webcam) of family and friends, both here and in the states.  I'm the lucky one!  Love and hugs!

home sweet home!

this is the one restaurant we have. the rest
are kafe's. see the icycycles? 

i think the trees are so beautiful
with ice on them!

this is so pretty but the more I look at it
when the ice melts we could have '
a awesome light show on our hards!

aren't they so cute???

this is our hostel decorated with iccycles

Sorry I have not been meaning to ignore blogging just have been thinking of ideas and busy with gosti's actually!  I'm going to put some pictures of winter here in this post so you can get some idea what I'm talking about.  After racking my brain for ideas I think I have some topics for some new blogs.  I don't think I've ever told you about the houses here...so why don't I do that.  The houses here are very old, unless a family has the money to renovate, and made of concrete.  That's why the fire thing isn't such a big issue, it IS for safety reasons but ...ok, new sentence.  Concrete doesn't burn so, after several emails back and forth with the safety and security director about my apt not having any place for me to go if there should be a fire, it was brought to my attention (DUH!) that these concrete communist era block style buildings may be old but they don't burn!  My apt is painted using 2 colors on the walls.  Sorry!the classrooms have 2 colors and I only have one and that would be white.  I've put some things on the walls so it doesn't look so...well, white to give my walls some variety.  I have a big map ofBulg on one wall.  I highlight the places in B I've been and also put the locations of other volunteers.  It's not too monotonous!  Artwork from kids helps too!  Most people have a refridgerator, washing machine, and a wood burning stove.  In the winter usually one room out of the house is kept warm and the others are shut off.  Kinda like I shut the doors to my rooms that are not in use in my house in the states, same here basically.  And did you think I forgot to mention the dryer?  I didn't forget, there are none.  The dryer is outside on the line where hopefully the sun is shining and your clothes will dry faster.  Most families, I think, have a drying rack for clothes too in addition to the line, at least I do.  This I haven't quite figured out.  Usually if a family has a house they don't have just 1.  Usually right behind, beside, or a very short distance from the "main" house is another smaller kinda like a guest house.  I do know that usually the first son who gets married (this is kinda iffy and depends on a number of things) lives with his parents and my guess is that this is their house or at least room.  Both over new years and last night when I was gosti when it came time to sleep, or nap for new years, I left with the female host and we went to the "other" house which is just as nice.  However the kitchen is (usually)in the main house.  Of course there's a wood burning stove in the other house/room too.  I guess the more I think about it the more it is like a guest house.  Now of course this is just my experience and may be totall different in other places.  Glad to hear so-far-so-good about the storm, at least from my Indy friends and family!!  Love and hugs and enjoy the pictures!  

another friend!

Well the good news is that as of yet, I am knocking on wood as we speak, I haven't been hit with the flu.  However I guess enough people in my region have been hit and the schools are on a week long "flu pochievka" or flu break.  The kindergarten is closed too so I have been holed up in my apt, and YES I'm surviving without the hostel food prepared for me, reading fairy tales in B, planning additional lessons for the little ones and big ones, going gosti, and much more!  Seems I have made friends with the dogs that live around my building because each and every time I set foot outside they greet me AND accompany me on my journey.  Even if I don't have food!  I met a new baba, grandma, today while running errands.  She was walking her trash to the dumpster that was close and walking with a cane/walking stick.   I was closeby and went to grab her trash and walk the rest of the way so she didn't have to.  I'm kinda surprised she let me help her although it was just trash she had and who in their right mind would run off with that?  Ok, maybe the dogs.  SHe let me and instead of thanking me and going back inside and sitting down, my idea for her in the first place, she stayed and talked to me for a little and then asked me to follow her to a magazine nearby to get warm.  We chatted awhile and I bought some tea from the magazine, I just kinda thought I should, and then was on my way.  I got to tell her I was a volunteer with the PC and will be here till July 2012.  I got the question that every volunteer is waiting for which is "there's a lot of money there(states) and not much here so why are you here?"   If I was thinking clearly I should have said something clever like "yeah but there's no shopska calata in the states!"  Of course I didn't but did get out that I was a volunteer.  Another ha gosti for another day!  Hope all is well and brace yourselves for the storm!  Feel free to send some snow this way!  Love and hugs and BE SAFE!!!