So, i had an absolute fantastic weekend, and I hope everything will go smoothly this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend. I had originally planned to go back to visit my small village that I lived in during training (since all my winter stuff is still there)..but my friends convinced me to stay in town, and it was completely worthwhile. Katia helped me teach English Saturday morning, and then her mom picked us up and took us to their village, and made a most delicious meal. Everything was spiced just right. Then her mom brings in blankets and pillows (because most rooms in Bulgarian houses have small beds in them) and we took a nice long nap after chit chatting and watching American television; and this was followed by coffee and dessert. It was just such a relaxing day. And the next day a group of us went to Nicopolos ad Istrum.

Greece and Spain

I have to say..and I’m sure I’ve said it before, I could never get through the Peace Corps without my really good friends; Both in the USA and in Bulgaria. Often, I get messages from you all, and when I do, it really makes my day!
So, the past couple months have absolutely flown by and I’m sure the next two will also. So, you ask..what have I been up to lately? Oh..too many things to write, but here is a quick, okay maybe not so quick, synopsis:
Halloween party for the kiddies, turned into a real disaster, but I survived to leave that evening for Greece, with the teachers of one of the schools here, and from there I went to the coast of Spain to visit my brother and his girlfriend.

I hate this..i think the mouse in the kitchen is trying (successfully) to terrorize me. I was being brave and going into the kitchen to finish dishes..and I feel this tap, tap, tap on my slippers..thinking, I'm spilling water while doing dishes I casually look down..and there's this mouse, it keeps running and throwing itself at my foot, of course I can't stop screaming. So, I fix the mousetrap that I bought, wondering if it can really work. I decide that I have to eat, so I'll rush in finish the one dish left to wash grab food and rush out; only when I go to turn on the water, this friggin mouse jumps out at me from the counter where the sink is. I'm scared..really scared now, almost to the point of accepting one of my friends cats.

Mouse

Ok..so, since I moved in I've heard these gnawing sounds in my living room and bedroom. I looked everywhere, under my bed, under the bureau with a flashlight, i lifted the carpets and thought I narrowed it down to just being bugs in the wooden floors, because everytime that's where I tracked the noise back to. So..I sprayed the wood with the bug spray we got from the Peace Corps; it didn't work. But, when I go to sleep and I hear it, if I bang hard on the floor or near it, the gnawing sound stopped. So..just this morning I read Val's blog, another PCV and she mentioned she saw a mouse in her place..oh yucky, i don't like 'em. And sure enough, I walk out of my bedroom, into the living room on the way to the kitchen and there is this really fast, black blur that headed right into my kitchen. I did the only thing I could do..scream, and then I shut all the doors around the kitchen, hoping it doesn't get out. I asked the 'maestro' that is putting the big lock on my door today and finally putting in my heater to what to buy to get rid of the mouse. But..now I'm really scared; is there more than one mouse?

it's already October?!

Just a quick entry here..to say Happy Birthday to my dad!!! Love you dad.

Oh..and I will be in a relay race, on Monday, running for our Municipality..for a holiday celebration! Also I’ve been having fun teaching the adults English class..soon to start are the kids classes of English as well.

..and for those volunteers coming this way for the Halloween celebration, feel free to come on Friday and help out with our school celebration of Halloween the day before! The kids would be very excited to meet other volunteers.