going home...pst home#2

So I left Varshets Monday morning and traveled home with a friend of my host sister.  We arrived about 30 minutes late for my bus back home, still about 1 hour away, and the next bus wasn't for another 3 hours.  After awhile of "do you know where your bus station is?" and "what are you going to do for 3 hrs?" I decided I should probably stop with the "if you have things to do I will be fine by myself" and "I'll bet your mother really is anious to see you" and said "yes, I would really like it if you hung out with me for awhile."  I kinda figured that's where they were going anyway.  It is a good thing I hung with them b/c now I know from where my bus originates.  I had always caught it from a bus stop but I found out where the other bus station is located.  So instead of being a latecomer on the bus on a Monday evening after the workday and having to stand, I was the first person on the bus and had a nice chat with the driver!  After we got that taken care of, thanks Veli and father, they took me to Nikolovo.  It's like a woody area with a zoo, or the reminants of one.  There is a nice big pond/small lake where a guy was fishing.  He had 6 poles in the water and hadn't caught a thing, nothing was biting.  As a fishing lover, I know how that goes!  Anyway, we had some drinks in a cafe with water misters around the roof line and that felt super nice!!  After taking in the nice scenery sitting for awhile we went into the woody area.  There was a small pond with lily pads and the flowers that go with them.  There were cement blocks to the other side of the pond and we crossed.  We saw frogs,more lily pads, and even some fish.  Then we walked further to the zoo area and saw a brother and sister bear and goats.  I found out that years ago there used to be more animals but the lack of money and food contributed to why there are only 2 bears and a couple goats now.  It was a fun couple hours and now I have someplace else I can highlight on my wall map saying I have been there and not just at the bus stop!  Love and hugs from here!

going home...pst home

So I got back last night from visiting my (host) family in Varshets.  It brought back many memories of my time there, being with my training group, how hard we worked, and our teacher Toni.  She was away from her family for 10 wks so that we could get a good start (the more that people tell me that my B is good for only being here 1 year the more I think I owe lots  of the credit to her) on the language and to begin to feel comfortable in this (not so) foreign culture.  I thought I was going back for their town holiday, the day Varshets became a town.  I was wrong.  This whole last week was the festival of the water and the Balkans, or the Stara Planina mountain range.  I'm not exactly sure what all that means but they partied!  There were political people from the municipality there, sports stars, and tv stars.  I have to say my favorite night was Saturday night!  That was the night of the traditional dances (more on that later!) and I'm really beginning to love this part of being here!  Of course some of my volunteer friends go to competitions with their town dance group or have special classes on traditional dances.   I don't and that's fine by me; I've got plenty of teachers!  I would not do this blog justice if I did not mention my friend Jez who taught me one of the dances, it's Greek-but still, in the airport in Rome while waiting for our flight to go see her sister this past Christmas.  I'm sure we got quite a few stares!  Now, we were all in the sea of people dancing in the street, basically, but on the stage there were dance groups who know more what they're doing and, I'll speak for myself here, dance much better then I could ever dream of dancing!  Everyone in our little group was tired from dancing after several dances (this is where I can tell that I've been working out.  Not much by any means but I have to say when they were clutching thier chests breathing heavy and saying "I have to stop"  I was eager to begin another dance!)  and we left...WITHOUT having danced the Bella Rosa, much to my disappointment.  The next night was singing.  The whole week, I only experienced Fri, Sat, and Sunday, was full of different events and people selling things from t-shirts to candy and everything in between were all over the center (the center is basically just that, the center of the town with shops and a walking area where there are no cars).   2 of my pst sitemates were there also and I got to spend some time with them which was nice.  We went and had drinks at the very place Naoma, another sitemate, and I ordered our first meal to practice ordering.  New magazines, shops, have opened up which is good to see!  I had an awesome time the short time I got to spend there with them and have to thank them for everything once again!  I almost forgot!  One night I was in the car with Dani, host mom, and wondered aloud what time it was...IN BULGARIAN!  Dani reminded me that I just thought in B and I have to say I didn't believe her at first and had to ask her several times if I really said "what time is it" outloud to myself in B.  I was so excited I called my tutor a few minutes after that to tell her that I thought it B, something she told me I had to do several months ago.  That's all for today I think!  Love and hugs from here!  Everyone go out and have a nice glass of wine or beer or mixed drink for me, except if you're underage!  Better yet, a nice and big piece of cake or pie!

I'm hungry!

So, you're sitting at home, in the states, and want to snack on something.  Maybe chips, crackers, nuts, or raisins.  When my sister and I were younger after school for our snack sometimes we ate pickles (my sister had some other interesting snack options!).  Maybe an apple or some carrots.  Over here I've learned that the first snacky food item people turn to are sunflower seeds, and over here they have the shell and all.  Nargis, my counterpart, and I like to go for walks, when her daughter lets her out of the house unaccompanied and I don't have anything else that demands my time right at that time.  Not long after we have started walking does she pull out a bag of sunflower seeds, open it, and offer some to me.  When it comes to eating them I don't quite have the knack yet!  Most people can put the whole seed in their mouth, after they crack the shell with their front teeth, and then spit the shell out while keeping the inside part to eat.  I do not have a Bulgarian sunflower eating tongue.  I have found one brand, they are thicker, that I can crack with my front teeth but then I have to open the seeds with my fingers.  When you go gosti there are usually sunflower seeds, in addition to cookies and other things to eat and drink.  Back in May when we went to the Bulgarian version of the Indy 500, kind of, we all sat down and out came the sunflower seeds.  They are one of those items that could definitely be sold in bulk because everyone goes through them so fast!  I haven't quite gotten into the sunflower craze yet but usually have some around.  A couple months ago I went to hang out with my good friend Jez and a friend of hers from her school.  We went on a hike and then, towards the end, got tea and coffee at a little cafe.  We sat down and before I knew it Jez had pulled out sunflower seeds!  They are everywhere and a very popular snack!  Sometimes people don't worry about the bag and just stuff a handfull in their pockets!  I'm learning!  I'll talk to you all next Tuesday, that's the plan, after my visit with my host family.  Love and hugs from me to you!

May 6th

Another day that is important here in B is May 6th.  This day is called "Gergovden" and it is a combination of the male name "Georgi" and "den” which means day.  This is an old B holiday.  According to Orthodox Christionity saint Georgi Pobedonosetz is the protector of the army.  In old times people celebrated by decorating the town/village/city with green flowers and wreathes, played games, and make swings for young women.  The most important thing was to roast a lamb.  The soldiers and officers also organized a parade and sanctified the soldiers’ flag.  Today, anyone with the names “Georgi” or “Gergana” celebrates because they have a name day on this day.  If you have a friend with one of these names you have to wish them “happy name day."  This is also a day you can go "gosti", visit them, and give a little gift if you want.   If you have a colleague with one of these names you have to collect some money and buy a little gift for them and they will treat everyone to chocolates and drinks.  The B army organizes a parade and the B patriarch will sanctify the flag.  As far as I can remember the only person I know named Georgi is one of my PST site-mates' host father and I didn't even know him all that well.  Speaking of my PST site, I'm going back there this Thursday until next Monday.  The town has their town holiday and I wasn't able to attend last year because I wasn't able to travel.  This summer I can and look forward to seeing my host family again!  It's funny to think that when it came to meeting them I was pretty unsure, not nervous that much but unsure, and now they are family!  So if I forget to tell you all I'm going to have to take another "blog break" after tomorrow until next Tuesday.  This is my actual summer vacation!!!  h, and again thanks goes out to Ivan Hristov, Dani Adamova, and Brian Fassett for this information out of the book Bulgarian Language and Traditions- part 1.  I almost forgot, Love and hugs from here!!

the future

It has been awhile and again sorry about that!  My blog today is going to talk about what I experienced this past week at the Life Skills conference.  For those of you in America reading this think of a time when you had a chance to be around young leaders and how impressed you were.  I'm having trouble thinking of how to express myself (that happens) right now.  But basically what I want to say is that I got a glimpse of the future of Bulgaria this past week and was very impressed!  This was a conference on sexual issues; how to take precautions and basic information.  More of a taboo subject here depending on where you are in the country and definitely not easy to talk about.  The high school students that attended this conference (Maybe about 20 ranging from 15-18)were so eager to learn, ask questions, and acted in a very mature manner!  No giggles were heard from the back of the room.   They spoke up and took charge!  B is in a transition state right now and times are hard.  I have to say based on what I experienced this past week, the future looks very bright!!   The young lady I took with me read a book given to her on the subject the whole trip home!   It's so refreshing to see young people who are ready, and excited, to be leaders no matter what country you are in, but it was especially refreshing for me to see this in B!  Love and hugs from me to you all!