PICS

Ok..so the link for some of my photos is down below, listed under Tricia's links. Click on the link Tricia's pics, and it should take you to some of my pics.

Post PST PC

OK…so I made it through the difficult time, PST (Pre-service training). For those of you lucky enough not to have heard the many complaints I had during PST, here is a quick synopsis:
- Outhouses, and worse yet squat toilets in the outhouses
- Animals that lived right outside my window (roosters, chickens, my puppy, goats) and of course the rooster crows day and night..really makes for a sound sleep
- One day I forgot I had a long skirt on bent over to pick up my puppy “Rocco” and my skirt fell in a pile of crap..didn’t even realize it until I stood up and it spread onto my legs. My host dad is standing there just laughing so hard..my host mom insists I take my skirt off almost in the front yard..when I say absolutely not, she really does not want me to go into the house with the animal crap on my clothes..
- Or there’s also the time Spas (my host father) gave me a kitten to play with for a bit in my room..however, it jumped off the bed and behind the wardrobe (which does not move)..Spas and I use flashlights and sticks and everything to try get that kitten out...but it is determined to stay in there, and basically keeps me up the entire night meowing, and it wouldn’t come out..i was not a happy camper the next day.
- And of course there is the first night we all get to site with our host families, and we all decide to go running that evening. The problem is that none of our host families will let us out. I literally had to run around my host dad who had planted himself directly in my path, and grab my cellphone and call our language trainer, Mitko. Mitko finally got me released from my family, and then had to go and talk to each of the other volunteers families..so in the meantime I waited with Ursula at her families house..We waited..and waited, and waited some more..when all of a sudden I see a guy walking in our direction..I’m so relieved because now that the other volunteers are headed our way, we can start our run..so I jump up and shout Hi, thinking it was one of the volunteers, Ken. Yep, you guessed it, it was not Ken..but the fellow insisted on coming in the gate, kissing my hand and chatting with me and Ursula. Ursula just cracks up laughing J

OK..so there’s many of these silly stories that have happened, but the point is, I made it through PST! I’m at my permanent site now, and have my own apartment. Maybe not quite like my apartments in the US..but still, all is well. Despite these silly stories, I will dearly miss my host family and my village..they were awesome, and I plan to go back and visit often over the next two years.

Here in Bulgaria

Ok all..i am here in Bulgaria, in a small village outside Vratsa. And yes, we use squat toilets. A first for me. It has been odd living in a house and community where only me and 4 other people really speak English. We tend to say 'good morning, evening, afternoong' and 'hello' often. It's still all a novelty to me, and I am really enjoying it. We were playing soccer with the local kids, while there were donkeys, horses, and dogs in the background. There are also some pretty neat moutains we are hoping to hike, and some caves that we are hoping to visit this weekend.

WELCOME

The countdown begins as my days in the USA now number less than 30! Please join me on my journey as my intentions are to post to this blog weekly?! If you click the 'Follow' button at the end of this page, you will be notified when I post additional entries.

Thanks to all of you who are able to make it to my farewell dinner. It will be great seeing friendly faces after spending the week packing, moving box after box into storage, cleaning, closing accounts, and shopping. It's amazing how difficult it is to close down one's life in one country. Kind of scary..So, the big moto trip starts Tuesday..keep your fingers crossed for good weather for my ride!

Hmm..me stressed or concerned? Why, oh why would I be feeling these things. I guess because I only have 5 days of work left, and I have yet to pack for the big moto trip home, pack for Bulgaria, buy a laptop and external hard drive, put my whole life in storage, and say good-bye to all my friends out here in just a little over two weeks, and continue learning as much about the history, culture, and language of Bulgaria as possible. And scarier yet..In one week, one day I will be in Bulgaria! I'm so excited just to get there already!