favorite things #6

I believe it's about time for another "things I love about Bulgaria" blog.  This blog was inspired by the weather.  This passed weekend lots of the snow melted and on Sunday it got in the 40s, or upper 30s.  It's the end of Feb and everyone is looking forward to making martinitzas, a symbol of spring.  The snow was melting and the weather was getting warmer, little by little. Then I wake up this morning and look outside and see...NEWLY FALLEN SNOW.  I  love how I can be 1/2 a world away from my home in the states and be reminded every day of Indiana (you all can read about other reminders of Indiana in other favorite things blogs).  I love that one of the babas I live with is so concerned about me that the broom that I bought to be used by everybody in our building and I keep downstairs, so everyone can use it, keeps ending up by my door because "someone might steal it!"   I love how, when I stop and really think about things I realize #1) people that had no idea what I was saying when I first got here understand me (this will never fail to impress me) and we can carry on a conversation about something as important as cooking (yes mom you read right) and #2)  people wave at me, say hi, and honk their horns at me when I'm walking down the street.  That didn't happen when I first got here in July 2010.  I love when I make people laugh here; across the language barrier!  Now of course it's probably because I said something VERY wrong and didn't know it or maybe they are laughing AT me and not WITH me, but what I don't know can't hurt me!  Like the other day I was having tutoring and was telling about the time when I missed my plane to the states after traveling with my sister and had to spend the night at Charles De Gauhl(?) airport in Paris.  It was New Years and I was watching all the celebrations around the world, alone in my bed in an airport away from any kind of family and not even in my country.  Then when I finally did catch the plane the next day it landed in Chicago 10 minutes after the last flight to Indianapolis, home,  took off!  After that everything closed because of a huge snow storm and I was stuck in Chicago for the weekend!  3-4, give or take, hours from home and I couldn't get there; my dad couldn't even come and get me because THE ROADS WERE CLOSED!!  Then there was a night I was in a shop here and made the lady behind the counter laugh hysterically.  She was weighing potatoes and had to get exactly 2 kilograms.  I went behind the counter and was providing commentary ("very close or “exactly 2 kgs”) and she was cracking up.  Now again, possibly some people are laughing at me but I don’t really care; I just like that I can make them laugh!  Of course the missing the flight wasn’t funny then but now I can laugh right along with people...well, kind of.  I think this is getting a little long and so I will close for now!  I just helped teach 3 high school boys how to schuffle; it was pretty aweesome!!  Love and hugs from me!!

tok dilemma

The idea for this blog came from my mom; thanks mom! By now I think most of you know that most people here heat their homes with wood stoves.  I on the other hand have a radiator that I plug in and uses tok (I was going to write it in B. but then I realized it is exactly the same), electricity.  I don't quite understand the whole workings of the fuse boxes here and the whole electrical workings but have been told to only have 3 things plugged in at one time or 2 things plugged in and my boiler on.  I've blown fuses before (at least that's what I think I did) and watched when Bi Sali fixed things in my fuse box.  My fridge stays plugged in all the time (#1-actually there was a time about 3 weeks ago where I unplugged it.  I didn't really need it; it was colder in my kitchen than it was in the fridge; and I could find other things to plug in that were more important! It's back to being plugged in now) and my radiator stays plugged in most of the time when I'm at home (#2-it was/is more energy efficient to keep it on all the time.  Now that it's not in the single digits and below during the day it's not as important to keep it on at all times.  And yes mom I did ask!).  Which means that I have to choose between working on my computer (pretty much all my work is done on the computer), cooking something on my hotplate, chilling out and watching tv, having hot water, or using the washing machine.  Now it's really not that much of a dilemma now that it is warming up.  Usually I use my fridge, radiator, and computer.  I turn my boiler on early in the morning and leave it on for a couple hours ( I do that while I'm sleeping since tok is cheaper after 10 at night and it eliminates the boiler from the possible choices) and usually have hot water most of the day.  I have to be careful, especially on the really cold days, that my water doesn't get cold before I use it (I think everybody knows cold showers are no fun, at least on colder days )!   If I'm needing more hot water, or have been gone for a couple days, I leave it on for 3 or 4 hours.  I have an older boiler and it doesn't heat as fast.  Usually what I do is wake up at 4 and turn on my boiler, go back to bed, get up at 6 and turn off the boiler, and then lay in bed for about 30 minutes before getting my rear in gear and take a shower.  That's on days I take a shower.  I admit during this seriously cold spell there were days where I laid in bed debating whether or not to take a shower since I had showered 3 days ago (when your bathroom and everywhere around you is freezing-no vents in there to warm up the place- smelling good and being fresh kinda go out the window!  And WHEN it's that cold you don't even want to go anywhere to be around people!  And I'm lucky, Nargis' shower is  below her house and to get to it she has to go outside.  I'm not sure if that's very common here or not, to have the shower be outside.  I know most toilets are outside and again I'm lucky  but I live in an apartment and not a house.  Some people have done repair work on their houses and their toilets/bathrooms are inside).  The tv isn't that much of a dilemma except on the weekends ( I've gotten hooked on Gilmore Girls in English and like to watch tv while I eat meals; there are some pretty cheesy but good movies on the "tube." I have gotten away from this a bit but the weekends are when I allow myself to watch in English) or when I want/need to watch the news.  Since I eat in he stol during the week (hostel cafeteria) I don't use my hotplate during the week and sparingly on the weekends (not much air flow in my kitchen and when I use the hotplate the moisture in the air creates mold.  It took me awhile but I learned to open the kitchen door a little to solve that.  However, when it's cold outside having the kitchen door open even a little is kinda chilly!  And keep in mind I only heat my bedroom).  You know, now as I'm writing this I'm finding it interesting just how much I've learned, figured out, and found ways around things  that I never would have thought of in the states or just didn't concern myself with because it wasn't an issue.  I was talking to Jez during our seriously cold spell and she was telling me how she learned how to work her apartment so she didn't get so cold at timesas well as for other things.  The more I think about it, she's right!  Even the subtle things I find myself exlaining to you all.  I catch myself and I think "yeah, I guess I did have to learn that!"  Ok, this blog is seriously long and I think I'm done.  Love and hugs from a sunny (yea) here!!

Baba N.

Last night was interesting!  I came back from the store and saw Baba N. tearing up cardboard (cb) for her stove.  I offered to help her and and, to my surprise, she said "if you want."  So I went over and started to help and she said that there was more c.b. inside her apartment and I should tear that.  I went inside and grabbed the c.b. and asked her if that was the c.b. she meant.  She looked at me and said "take a break for a little.  We'll do that later."  Of course I was thinking about the fact that I had really not done anything strenuous to need a break, but went with it.  So we go in her apartment and she told me to sit down and she turned the television on and started to channel surf.  I was a little confused by this time when she turned to me and said "this is a very good Turkish program.  I love it!  I like the Turkish programs better than the Bulgarian programs.  You will stay and watch right???"  Thinking to myself how I understand about 5 or 6 words in Turkish and would not understand a thing going on but how could I refuse, I said "yes."  We sat in the dark room watching this Turkish serial, program, and then, during one of the few commercials, she went to get me some coffee.  (It's now that I realize why I didn't fall right to sleep last night; I had coffee at about 6:20-30!)  After an hour, the program we were watching was over...I think, I thanked her for the coffee and candy and told her I had work to do.  Of course I also spilled the little remaining coffee in my cup on her tablecover when I went to take our cups into the kitchen.  OOPS!  I felt so bad!  After she cleaned up my mess, I tried to help I did but it wasn't happening, I excused myself, again thanking her and apologising for spilling my coffee.  She looked at me and said "but the best program is coming on!"  So that was part of my night!  The English school is open and the students are back; they missed their friends!  My adult English classes are back on, for now at least!  Speaking of which I should get some planning for tonight done.  The snow is melting and slush, and ice in the mornings, is everywhere!  Love and hugs from here!!

we have to believe!

This is a blog about believing.  I think I have already blogged about this before but feel I need to again.   Along with believing comes optimism, the 2 go hand and hand.  Nothing can ever change, become different, if people don't first BELIEVE it is possible.  Take Bulgaria for example.  I have been here since May 12, 2010.  I have lived here, worked here, traveled here, experienced good and bad times here, and generally have been a Bulgarka since then.  Ok, maybe not since then but I have been part of this culture.  Bulgaria is a beautiful country and is trying to find her way after Communism...AND WILL GET THERE!  I firmly believe that.  Now it's true that I didn't grow up here and have only been here a short time, relatively speaking, so there are things I don't know and can't really have that valid of an opinion about.  Like someone who has never been pregnant telling a pregnant lady about the experience of childbirth; that's just not right!  So I realize I'm a little like that (please no one go there) and don't really KNOW, I get that.  HOWEVER, since May 12, 2010 Bulgaria has been my country too.  There is so much good in this country; the pochievka (taking a break) mentality, the drop everything and sit down and have tea when someone comes to visit mentality, the nature with the mountain ranges and the sunflower fields, the Danue and the Black Sea, the strong history (both good and bad- every country has that) that can be traced back to the first peoples (I think), the generational meantality; babas rule and the whole family lives together, from grandchilren to grandparents.  I can go on...  I just thought of something!  I believe in B so much that, yes it's true-really, I got it inked on my body (1/2 B flag, 1/2 Am flag with the words In B "world peace and friendship" It looks pretty cool!)!  B is a great country and will get greater!  You (everyone, not just B's) have to believe that it is possible!  This is where people have to believe IN THEIR HEARTS and not just say the words.  I believe the first step for change is believing something can change;  believing things can be different.  Then of course you have to do something about that belief...that's for another day.  Love and hugs from here!

Krakow the 28th in pictures

the main building/museum at
the Birkenau camp.

Rachel, Jez, and myself enjoying
pierogies and some adult beverages.

isn't this church pretty with the
lights and all?

this is a picture looking
down one of he side streets.
the lights were so pretty!

this was such a pretty
lit up tree.  sorry I guess
I should tell you, this
is in the center or K. not
far from our hostel.

more of the lights.  It was just beautiful!

the center was so beautiful
walking around at night! The girls
had to humor me while I "captured"
(or at least tried to) the atmosphere!

what a beautiful tree all
decorated!  This was a good night!!
(they all were but with the lights,
wine, cupcakes, and awesome
company it was just like a
"am I really here?" moment.

the sign entering the Auschwitz
camp.  I know it's not a very good
picture; that's ok, it wasn't a
very good place for most people
at that time.

 

thoughts are with a friend in the states!  Love and hugs from a sunny here!!

Krakow the 28th

My power keeps going on and off so I figure I'll start this on paper and see how long my tok, power, stays on and then transfer this to my computer (in hindsight the tok came and went all day so it's a good thing I wrote it out!).  The plan for the 28th were the concentraton camps.  I thought we were only going to Auschwitz but it turns out the prisoners of Auschwitz had to build another camp, Birkenau, closeby; the Nazi's were running out of room to torture, starve, and work to death Jewish people, other minority groups, and in general people they didn't like.  We took an hour long train ride from K to Oswiecim (accent mark over the s) and waited for the English tour to start.  I have to say I'm glad Jez and Rachel had the camps on their "place to to see" list before the trip (not that I didnt't want to go but that wasn't my motivation).   The camps and that time period are parts of our history (a sobering, black stain on history, but history) that I think everyone should see, study, and learn about.  "The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again."  That is a quote I got from somewhere in the camp and took a picture;  said by George Santayana.  I'm not going into details and not posting pictures (only 2) on my blog, but please feel free to comment me if you want more and I'll be happy to share!  We wanted to try to see the salt mines (stuff underground caved into salt rock and various things made of salt- that is a VERY ROUGH description but I just closed to description I had of it and don't want to look it up again) but were too late.  We walked to the train station and caught a bus back to K,  we walked the Christmas markets some more, got goodies to take back to our schools and stuff for the train/plane the next day, then went back to the hostel for a recommendation for dinner.  Turns out not far from our hostel there was a typical Polish place so we headed there for dinner.  We had pierogies and beer, followed by cupcakes,  of course; the store was right next to the hostel!  It kept calling our names and we didn't want to be rude!   We headed to the hostel after dinner to pack and get reaDY FOR A DAY OF TRAVELING THE NEXT DAY, THE 29TH, from K train station to the K airport to Frankfurt-Hahn to Sofia.  Literally it was a day of traveling; we left early am and arrived in Sofia a little after midnight the morning of the 30th.  It was a good trip and I'm glad I went!  I never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd take a trip like this!  I consider myself very fortunate!  The last of the Christmas pictures coming on Tuesday.  Love and hugs from my tok filled apartment!  (not quite sure what that means but it sounded good!).  Thoughts and prayers are with my family.  

the weather

Ok this time I have a valid excuse for not doing yesterday's blog; actually I wrote it I just couldn't post because I had no tok, that's power in B speak.  But that blog is going to have to wait until tomorrow.  Several of you have inquired about how I'm holding up with the weather so I thought I'd talk about that a little.   Last winter was a very unusual and warm for B.  I was nervous when I heard from a B24, I'm B26- the 26th group of volunteers in B) Sept 2010 that the only time she was ever really warm was when she was in the shower under the hot water.  I was sooooooo not looking forward to winter.  Then it came and wasn't really that bad.  Yeah there was snow and it had cold days but on the whole (and of course my apartment had something to do with me being warmer too) wasn’t bad.  Then the end of January and February hit!!  Wow!  I was not conditioned last winter for this winter!  Temperatures have been in the single digits, yes even in *F, and I'm sure have been below 0*F, although that I'm really not sure about.  Schools have been closed and classes shortened because of the cold.  Now...to top it all off...if you add in the lack of central heating and the fact that, I'll speak for myself, my heating sources depend on tok that sometimes comes and goes, like yesterday, it can get rough.  Not to worry though (mom, dad, ron, and ronni) I have plenty of places to go where heating does not depend on tok (99.9%  of homes here have wood burning stoves).  If that isn’t enough to ease anyone's mind-my “employer”(I make no salary I just said that) would not let me go without heat and have been all over this winter situation!  Two regions in the Southeastern part of B are getting hit hard with thunderstorms and snow and have dealt with flooding.  In fact, a dam broke on Monday and left a whole village underwater.  I have volunteer friends who were with me for pst down in that area and they are fine.  What I don’t quite know or understand is how they can recover from something like that; I need to ask more questions and learn about the situation.  Up in the Northeastern part, where I am, the roads are bad and many are closed.  Pretty much all of B is expriencing very strong winds.  That put together with the snow, I’m guessing there’s about 4-5 INCHES OF THE GROUND RIGHT NOW...oops...and as of 2 this afternoon had stopped snowing.  So I’m doing well.  I’m sitting here with 3 upper layers and 2 bottom layers on (plus a very warm robe), 2 pair of wool socks, warm boots/slippers, a hat, and the hood of my sweatshirt on with my feet propped up on a chair (helps with foot warmth) covered with a blanket.  So I guess you could say it’s a challlenge and is something very different than I have to deal with in the states!  I’m not very good with facebook but do go on occasionally and the other day I read something another volunteer wrote and had to laugh; he was dead right!  He was talking about how he forgot to put his milk back in the fridge before he went to work an when he got home it was frozen. He said, and I think I have the quote right, “forgot to put my milk away this morning and it was frozen when I got home from work.  I’ll put it in the fridge and let it thaw out!!”  All this about weather being said, no tok and the wind and stuff, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  This is what JFK was talking about when he talked about assuming the hardships of the local people.  This is a cornerstone of the Corps and hasn’t changed in he 50+ years of the Corps.  How can I really understand B people if I don’t live like them and have some of the same experiences??  If I have to endure hardships, bring them on because that’s what I signed up for!  So, there’s NO feeling sorry for me or thinking what I’m going through is awful!  Besides, I have it good!   I was going to say that I feel sorry for the older people here; I guess I should listen to my own words!  Thank you all for asking how I’m doing!  I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now other than here doing what I’m doing.  Thoughts are with my family!  Love and hugs from here!  The last day in Krakow coming tomorrow depending on...........

special post

Today is a very happy day for many reasons but the number one reason in my book is...drum roll please...IT'S FREEZING!!  I know that doesn't sound like good news but what I mean is it is actually freezing (32*F) and lots of the snow is melting and things don't feel as cold.  Believe me, it really is a YEA! moment.  Good luck Giants; I'm waiting for an upset!!

krakow the 27th #2

I forget exactly what this story was
but when the Nazi's were looking
for Jewish people during WW2 this
was a hideout.  I do remember Thomak
saying someone hid behind the
plant/tree you see here. 

I'm a sucker for "cute" pictures!

Isn't this bridge cool?

Not going to explain.  Think WW2 and
Jewish people.  Need more, email me
personally  or comment on my
blog with your email and I'll be
glad to explain!

I had no idea!!  Max Factor started
in Europe, more specifically Krakow
Poland!  This was where it started;
I believe Thomak said the creator
was the first millionaire in Europe...
or something along those lines.

This is the section of Krakow where
the furniture...well, it's in my last
blog and I'll let you read about it!

Our tour went by the Schindler Museum.
You don't know who Oscar Schindler
was???LOOK HIM UP!!!   I learned that
he himself actually wasn't the idea
originator of  "the list", he had help!
Either way, it's always encouraging
to read about people who stand
up/find a way around injustice!

Again at the Schindler Museum.
Sorry you all have to strain your
necks!

I know The Giants are not predicted  to
beat the Patriots but there have been bigger
upsets before and I would like an
upset.  GO GIANTS!!  Thoughts and prayers are
in Indy this weekend praying for a clean
game with no major injuries.  Also that
my family and friends in Indy can get around
without too many problems!!  Love and hugs
from here!!   I read somewhere where someone
said they were happy because it isn't too
cold.  I'm jealous. We're having the winter we
should have had last winter.