Christmas 2010

Well, back to "work!"  First of all I'm going to explain about my Christmas trip to Italy and then will get back to my regular blogging about new things and all some pictures.  Needless to say my trip was pretty eventful and may not have happened had I not run into someone who spoke English.  The bus I was supposed to take to Sofia to get on the airplane to Naples was broken and I had to go 1 hr kinda out of my way to get a bus to Sofia.  That bus didn't leave from Pyce, where I had to travel to get the bus, until 12:45 pm.  Keep in mind I have a ticket, or my friend I went with had my ticket, for a 6:45 flight out of Sofia and it's a good 51/2 hr. trip.   At this point I'm pretty sure I'm not going to Italy for Christmas.   I even inquired how much it would be to take a taxi from Pyce to Sofia would be.  Quickly that became a non-option.  Meanwhile my friend was already in Sofia waiting for me and running some errands.  I, along with my new best friend Leo, asked the bus driver if I could get off the bus early in Sofia instead of traveling to the other side of town and could they call me a a taxi because I had to be to the airport by 6.  As I'm typing this it all sounds just like clockwork but let me tell you when it was happening, it CERTAINLY wasn't.  I ended up being able to get off the bus early and had a taxi which took me to the airport in no time at all.  My friend, who was to arrive at the airport at 4,  still wasn't there at 5.  Fog plagued the city and everything was in gridlock!  While I was having trouble getting to Sofia she was having trouble getting across Sofia.  I got to the airport about 6 for a 6:45 pm flight that I was assured but someone at the airport, I called from the bus,  was on time.  My friend arrived about 15 minutes ahead of me and had everyone in the check-in line ahead of her wondering if I was ever going to show up!  They let out a big cheer when she said I was there.   She had a bag to check, and had my ticket, so kinda needed to wait on me.  Come to find out our flight was delayed until 7:30 so we actually had time to sit and relax and digest what had happened.  We were safely on the airplane and taxiing when the pilot came on the intercom and said they had just closed the Sofia airport but we could take off since we were on the runway; just wait a minute until things clear up.  I told my friend I was soooo glad we made it on the plane but the fact that we had to wait for conditions to clear up didn't give me the most confidence about our flight!  We got to Rome late and were sure we missed our connecting flight into Naples.  What we didn't remember was we had gained an hour.  We also didn't know our airplane to Naples had not come in yet because it had been delayed.  We didn't miss it!  We ended up getting to Naples at 2 am Christams eve instead of 10 pm the 23rd.  Overlooking the little "glitch" we had getting to Naples I had a wonderful time and even was visited by Santa!  I gorged myself on cheese, had some ice cream, and Dt. Dr. Pepper.  For those who know me better those are my loves!  We went to Pompeii, had full body massages complete with a Turkish bath (I still think it's ironic I had to go to Italy to have a Turkish bath when I'm all around things Turkish!), watched movies and tv shows, drank some Italian wine, had Christmas complete with fireworks and a tree, and had A TON OF FUN!!!  I have to say that was exactly what I needed when I needed it!  THe whole trip was an adventure but I have to say getting there was the biggest hurdle.  At the moment it was happening I was stressed and tense and looking at spending Christmas by myself, which would've been ok too, and certainly nothing to laugh at!  Looking back on it though I have such good memories that I will never forget and would not have happened if I would have been elsewhere!  Ok maybe they could have happened but chances are slim.  It's amazing how something so bad can turn out to make a great memory!  Like Christmas in the train station I will never forget this Christmas!  And the bad things that happened to me only add to the story and make the memories more special!  Pictures will come later, promise!  Love and hugs and I hope everyone has an awesom 2011 wherever you are!

meals

I think by now everyone realizes that everyone over feeds me here.  Try as I might, sometimes it's easier than other times, sometimes it's just easier to give in than to argue.  However I don't think I've blogged on this aspect yet.  For lunch there's always soup...FOLLOWED BY  the main dish.  Now for me, soup would be enough.  The soup I'm talking about is what I think of as  broth with veggies or meat.  We have soup with spinach in it, soup with mushrooms in it, soup with peas in it, soup with other kinda of veggies in it, and then there's soup with meat in it like chicken.  Since I have my meals in the Stol, sometimes there's leftover soup for dinner and sometimes not.  But when I say there's always soup, I mean ALWAYS.  And I think I said before how there are a lot of beans eaten here.  Something else a tad different I just thought of now is that, between bites or whenever you put your utensil down it gets turned over with the utensil part on the "lip" of your plate or bowl and the handle on the table.  And I've noticed when given a napkin, which is rare, no one else but me puts it on their lap.  When given a napkin usually your bread goes on it.  Also kinda rare is having something to drink with your meals.  I do because I carry my water bottle wherever I go but to be given something to drink doesn't happen that often.  Drinking period, other than rakea and alcohol, doesn't seem to be too usual and water especially.  I walk around with my water bottle and get asked all the time what's inside.  I even told my counterpart that part of the reason she gets sick all the time is because she doesn't drink enough water and she told me the Doctor told her that too.  But you know who can blame them?  I wouldn't want to have to go to the bathroom all the time either if my bathroom were outside!!  It's cold out there!  Anyway here are a few things I had in the back of my mind to blog about.  3 days till I leave for ITALY!!!!!  I can't wait!  Tomorrow I have to go back to Pyce to the eye Dr to see if she thinks my eyes are any better.  I also have to get a new phone and go to the bank.  Love and hugs!!

grading

I may have mentioned this before but am not sure, and it's something different from how we do it in the States, so choose to blog about it.  Whereas in the States we use a letter grading scale, I don't even know what it is anymore it's changed lots since I've been out of school,  as our grading system, here they use numbers.  Each student has a little book and they can keep track of their own grades.  I guess you can too in the States but we don't have a little book given to us.  At least when I was in school we didn't.  Here a 6 (excellent)  is the "top grade" a student can get and a 2 (poor) is a "failing grade."  A 5 is "very good," a 4 is "good," and a 3 is "fair."  The students stay in the same room all day and the teachers move which is also different from the States.  Testing is not only written it is also oral and is done regularly.  I wonder if that's what I saw this morning.  I went to the 8th class (grade) Bulgarian class.  I figure the 8th class is the closest to where I am right now.  There's much I don't understand but I figure being lost in the B language is still being surrounded by the language and that is what I need.  I've seen the teacher, my tutor, call 2 students up front and she has them write on the blackboard certain words and then she goes over them with the class.  When she tells them to sit down I see them hand her their little grade books andshe writes in them so I'm thinking these are oral tests.  I'll have to ask her more about this.   Of course the teachers have a master grade book and they keep track too.  With it getting colder out and since there's no central heating every room has a wood burning stove and a daily supply of wood.   I think having a warm school is something we take for granted too, I know I did!  It snowed again last night, just a dusting.  My thoughts and warm feelings go to friends and family in the States who are being/have been hit by snow storms.  My friend told me South Bend was expecting 15+ ins. of snow!!  And the Metrodome???!!!  Now THAT'S some snow and I hope everyone is ok and takes the proper precautions!  Love and hugs!!

names #2

Ok, here we go.  sorry this is late but I just had to blog about the snow!!  I think most of you know that I worked with kids in the States.  More specifically ages 6wks-kindergarten, however I didn't get a lot of time with the newborns.  I worked as a floater which meant I was in all the rooms and not just one.  I had stints when I was in a certain room for a length of time but overall I went anywhere needed.  Because of that I had to know names, EVERYONE'S name.  I kinda took pride in the fact that I knew every child's name at my previous employment.  Here I work in a kindergarten 2 days a week for an hour a day.  I can tell you I will not know all the kids names even though, between both my jobs here there are probably about the same # of kids as I had in the States!   Over here they have beautiful names just like in the States.  However I have been saying names from the States since I started talking.  Names like Connor, John, Charlie, Laura, Emma, Sarah, and other names are easy for me to remember.  Over here the name Nadjaea is common, I can think of 3 off the top of my head.  I know a Nurye, Fatma, Cevelie, Nedjme to name a few.  Gunai is also common, I know 2.  Some other examples of names in Bulgaria include:  Emer, Ersan, Berkan, and Serkan.  These are beautiful names and it's not like I don't want to learn them, it's just when you're grown up around John, Matthew, Claire, and Jessica's it's hard to train your tongue and brain to learn different names.  Each child and young person here is unique and has a unique name that is part of who they are.  I'm trying to learn them but have to say if I have them all down bu the time I come home it'll be good!  I'm willing to write these names in Bulgarian but don't think that will help you all any!  Love and hugs!

little things!

Ok I apologize again but "names" is going to have to wait until next week.  I woke up this morning to snow!  .  Now I kinda have been a little nervous since the nice weather has lasted a long time.  yeah, we've had weeks of cold where I have had to use my hat (thanks mom and ron) but over all I have to say it's been nice.  Just yesterday I'll bet it got to about 70* F in the afternoon.  Of course everyone said snow was coming and lots of it.  So generally I haven't been looking forward to the snow.  HOWEVER...when I walked outside this morning, I had a letter at the post office from Aunt Sue:):):) and saw the snow falling a big smile crossed my face!  So my idea for this blog came from that and how we never know what will transpire and make us think of home.  Now I'm not homesick, of course I miss my family and look forward to talking to them on weekends and am missing my nieces grow up, but I want to be here and this is the life I want right now and am loving it.  BUT, sometimes when I get home late, or just when it's dark, and can see the stars sooo clearly I think this is the same sky my family and friends in the states are under.  I had a great time at our Tgiving celebration, it was better after all the food was served and people were actually eating it and not getting sick, but it wasn't Thanksgiving for me until I took that first bite of turkey!  THAT made it Thanksgiving.  Things like hearing my nieces song that she sings on my ipod before going to sleep, i accidenly deleated it and it really makes me mad, help take my thoughts "home."  The Colts blanket my Aunts sent me and the Pacer headband that my working group from church sent.  The snow.  Yes, even the snow.  THe picture I got the other day of "my kids" from my previous job in the states holding a mini chalkboard that said "Hi Ms. Lisa" and sitting at a table with "Lisa" and a heart made out of the plastic bugs they play with and I remember having to pick up several times and not liking it!  THe wishbone I found at Tgiving.  I have no idea why that was a special moment for me because I have never found one before and certainly can't associate that with family!  So I guess today what I'm writing about is being aware of the little things like snow or a song or just anything little.  THose things may not seem important but when you go without for awhile and then suddenly there it is, that memory is priceless and can really be something sustainable.  THe Corps is all about sustainability and doing things that will last after we're gone and and no one is around or wants to carry on with a certain project we started.  I understand that and realize that is very important!  However I just now thought about the fact that memories can be just as sustainable and I'd never really thought about that before.  So appreciate the little things and, as the cliche goes, take time to smell the roses.  Appreciate what you have and celebrate that because, as I had to be reminded last night, it's the memories that will last, the appreciation of the little things- like the stars being the same here and in the states-not how well we taught English or how well I spoke Bulgarian.  And don't forget to hug...especially children!  Love and hugs from snowy Bulgaria! (after I reread this I realize it might be kinda sad and depressing.  Sorry and it's really not supposed to be!!  It started about how the snow made me smile and just evolved from there.  It's really not supposed to have a gloomy or sad tone AT ALL!!! Oh, I know how to make it better!  I'm leaving for Italy in less than 2 wks for xmas!  A volunteer  friend of mine invited me to go along with her to visit her sister and I jumped at the chance!  Ok, my mom and sister know better but there really wasn't much hesitation on my part.  Did that help the tone of this blog any???  lisa