Thursday, December 2, 2010

Fighting The Good Fight

I celebrated World AIDS Day for the first time this year, and I feel like a better person for it. I organized games and activities for the youth in Tryavna, and things went off without a hitch. Originally, I wasn't too excited with the turnout, but even with a smaller group the project went well. The activities I organized integrated socialization and decision-making skills, and HIV/AIDS information in a fun and interactive way. We started with a game called "Hotel Room Key" which required the youth to imagine being at a party, and exchanging "room keys" with people they enjoyed talking to. What most of them didn't know was that HIV was written on some of the room keys, so as they exchanged keys, they were also exchanging the virus. The purpose of the game was to show the youth that if the right precautions are not taken HIV can be spread just as easily.

The second game we played involved using decision-making skills. The youth were separated into two groups and given one senario. The senario involved an armagadeon-type catastrophy in which only six out of 10 selected people could be saved. The youth had to individually and collectively, as a group, decide who would stay and who would go. The characters in the senario ranged from an elderly priest to a middle-aged prostitute to a homosexual architect. The activity was great because everyone had differing opinions, but, ultimately, they had to come to one conclusion. Each group gave their choices for who would stay and defended their reasoning, and those who disagreed with one or two choices supported the final decision. It displayed the best teamwork I've seen with the youth.

The third game we played was called "Sex Bingo". Each person was given a bingo card with questions about sexual health, and they were required to walk around the room and find people who could answer the questions. The first person to finish won a prize, but since person who won is one of the students I trained in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention he didn't get the honors of being the winner. Ultimately, the youth gained valuable information regarding sex and sexual health, so they're able to make better decisions.

Next, the youth played a game called "Condom Volleyball" which has been quite a hit in the past. The game required the students to separate into two teams, and while seated, they had to hit an air inflated condom over a net. The catch was that inside the condom was a myth or fact about HIV/AIDS, so the winning team had to pop the condom and answer the statement correctly. An example of a statement is, "You can get HIV/AIDS if a person with HIV/AIDS coughs or sneezes near you." There were twenty-two different statements ranging from easy to difficult, so the game required a lot of thinking and debating amongst team members.

The final game we played was called "HIV/AIDS Jeopardy". Again, this game required the youth to use their knowledge about HIV/AIDS to answer the questions. This game provided more specific information about HIV/AIDS so the youth learned a lot of facts about the virus. Overall, the youth had fun and learned a lot, and they didn't have to do in a classroom, lecture style setting. The games and activities were interactive, in an open environment, which allowed everyone to freely discuss the topic without fear of people criticizing them.

I have to recognize the people who helped make the event a success. My colleagues from CSRI helped organize and prepare the materials needed for the activities, which in turn took a lot of stress off of me. They made red ribbons, inflated the condoms for volleyball, and helped get out the word about the event. I also have to give credit to the youth volunteers that helped and participated in the activities. Evfcho, Koko, Neda, and Petia always come through when I need help, and without them things definitely wouldn't have gone as smoothly as they did. Finally, big thanks to everyone who made the event a success by helping and participating in the event!

In other news from the BG. Thanksgiving was a time for good food and friends. I went down to Haskovo where my friend Marisa and others prepared an amazing feast. It was also a great cultural exchange because Marisa's counterpart and landlady came with their families, so they were able to experience a traditional America holiday with other Americans. Also, on Tuesday I gave a presentation on the topic Health and Hygiene at the B26 In-Service Training in Plovdiv. That was also a great experience for me because I was able to present some activities and ideas I have done in Tryavna, hopefully to inspire some other volunteers to do similar things at their site. I was able to visit some new volunteers I haven't had the chance to meet before so that was nice too.


Well, that's about it for now. The weather has been amazing for the couple of months, with no signs of winter, but as of today I think things are about to change. It was quite chilly today, so I wouldn't be surprised to see snow and ice within the next week. I'll keep my fingers crossed that we get spared at least until after the new year!

Quotes of the Day:
"Look at what you've got and make the best of it. It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." - Proverb

"Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible...To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." - 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22 (NIV)

Beats on Repeat:
"Real As It Gets (feat. Young Jeezy)" - Jay-Z
"Christmas Time Is Here" - Diana Krall


Peace, Love, and Understanding...


Sunday, October 31, 2010

Bulgarian Halloween

This year I celebrated Halloween in my new primary organization, Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration (CSRI), and things went much better than I could've expected. On Monday and Tuesday the children, staff, and I carved pumpkins which went great, and the end product looked nice too. For the majority of children and staff it was their first time carving pumpkins, so everyone was excited to roll up their sleeves and get a little messy. On Wednesday, the children made a variety of different masks for the Halloween celebration, and they helped me create some Halloween-themed mosaic window treatments for the computer lab. For the finale on Thursday I organized a Halloween celebration for children in the community. There were games, food, and a film, and the local news media showed up to cover the event. Everything went off without a hitch and I have to accredit that to my colleagues and the volunteers that came to help, because they implemented the program, I only organized it. Overall, I think the Halloween activities for the week were fun and interactive and everyone enjoyed the experience - click on the link under My Photos to see more pictures from the Halloween celebration.

I should also mention that on Thursday we had a little snow pass through Tryavna, which left me kind of disheartened. It is only the end of October so to see snow was not a welcomed sight for me, to say the least. After my experiences from last winter I'm not too enthused about snow this year, let alone in October. All is well though because this past weekend saw sunshine and warmer temperatures, so that helped brighten my emotional state.

So Halloween is finished. I guess now it's on to the next holiday celebration - Thanksgiving or Christmas? Since Thanksgiving is a traditional American holiday I haven't decided if I'm going to push to have a Bulgarian celebration for it. I'll definitely talk about it with the children and staff, but celebrating might be a bit much. Personally, I will celebrate Thanksgiving with some other PCVs, so hopefully I'll get my hands on some turkey and dressing somewhere! I'll most likely start putting my efforts towards a Christmas celebration, because if there's one holiday that has to be celebrated it's Christmas. I'll keep everyone updated on how that goes...



Quotes of the Day:
"Choose love and peace will follow. Choose peace and love will follow." - Mary Helen Doyle

"To be rich in admiration and free from envy, to rejoice greatly in the good of others, to love with such generosity of heart that your love is still a dear possession in absence or unkindness - those are the gifts which money cannot buy." - Robert Louis Stevenson

Beat on Repeat:
"Stir It Up" - Bob Marley

Peace, Love, and Understanding...


Friday, October 22, 2010

I Would Like to Call It Beauty

Autumn has officially arrived in Bulgaria, and it has definitely made it's presence known. This morning, and also other mornings during the past month, I woke up to a nice chill in my apartment that made me want to throw the covers back over my head for another hour of sleep. Understand, during this time of year, the sun has stopped greeting me with it's warm, beautiful rays and in it's place is a delightful, brilliant streetlight. I'm not knocking the incandescent beams from the light bulb on the street, I'm just saying that it's not as welcoming as the sluntse (or sun in Bulgarian). I know dragging my comatose body out of bed at 6:30 a.m., without sunlight, to go run might not sound attractive, in actuality it is.

Autumn is my most favorite time of the year. I might sound like I'm complaining about getting out of bed early to run in frosty temperatures, but I look forward to it. I mean, it's not the kind of excitement you get as a child arising on Christmas morning, but it's above looking forward to taking the SAT or GRE that day. You see the pros drastically outweigh the cons to the point that there's no competition. Just the thought of running up the side of a mountain while basking in the hues of yellow and red from the trees is enough to make an insane man, well, sensible. Let's not mention that by the time I finally reach the summit of my run the sun usually decides to make an appearance, which results in amazing colors creating sensory overload for my lethargic brain. Usually at that moment I think to myself that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. As I write and think about this it becomes abundantly clear that this feeling of ultimate pleasure outweigh the physiological benefits of running. Don't get me wrong, I am truly happy that my heart muscle is getting a great workout and my legs are regaining their strength, but most importantly my psychological state is at peace. I guess you can say that running takes over my body and mind like a drug, and everyday I overdose.

Besides noticing the effects of autumn as I run, I can smell it in the air. Most Bulgarians by now have ignited their pechka (stove) or fireplace, so the scent of Bulgarian pine tickles my olfactory nerves as I go through the ebb and flow of my day. Honestly, I think after I have departed this country the one thing that will always bring my mind back to this place will be the smell of burning wood on a cold autumn or winter's night. Before coming to Bulgaria I didn't recognize the sensual effects of smoke, and it wasn't until a friend made note of it that I began to savor this scent, but now I welcome it each time I step out of the door (I must also add that the saw blade I've been hearing outside of my window for the past month marked the beginning of autumn too. It's just not as pleasurable to write about, even though I appreciate the work it's done in preparing the wood to burned.)


So, there you have it. The sights, sounds, and smells of Bulgaria in autumn. I'm trying my best to cherish them now while they last, because in no time the frigid temps of Old Man Winter will clot my pleasurable perception of all things lovely and blissful.

Quotes of the Day:
"The most important office in a democracy is the office of citizen." - Louis Brandeis (Registered American voters, please go out and vote on November 2nd)

"When the end comes for you let it find you conquering a new mountain not sliding down an old one." - Les Brown

Beats on Repeat:
John Legend's new album "Wake Up!"
"Jolene" - Ray LaMontagne

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

Sunday, July 25, 2010

It's My Anniversary!

Today, I've officially served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bulgaria for one-year. Looking back I can say that the challenges have been present, but so have the good times. It hasn't been painless, figuratively and literally, but the memories that have been made are priceless. I've battled the agony of rehabilitating a fractured kneecap and the frustrations of trying to learn and understand a culture that was as new to me as walking with two left shoes. But now, I'm here and the satisfaction of completing one year as a PCV brings with it a small dose of pride for which no amount of wealth or material gain can offer. I'm not dwelling on my successes or failures after one year, because I do realize that I have another one to complete, but sometimes in life it's a good thing to stop and smell the roses, as cliche as it might sound.

The longer I remain here the more I'm able to perceive the ordinary things in life that we, as human beings, often time overlook as being nugatory. For me it's the summertime scent of lavender and the sound of trees rustling in the wind as I run along the valley between my town and the next village. It's sitting on the edge of the lake and listening to the murmuring of frogs and crepitating grasshoppers while the sun is setting. It's also the friendly gesture of a wave from the waitress at the local restaurant as I enter the door, and the half-smile from the cashier at the grocery store as I hand her the correct change (FYI: she never smiles). I'm sure years after I've left this place, and I've forgotten the names of people I worked with, I will remember those aforementioned examples, and many more that have and will happen, of the time when simplicity took precedence over the chaos of life.

Quote of the Day:
"I believe that to have interfered as I have done as I always freely admitted I have done in behalf of His despised poor, was not wrong, but right. Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments, I submit; so let it be done!" - Excerpt from speech given by John Brown after his conviction

Beat on Repeat:
"Philadelphia" - Neil Young

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Rhyme for the Summertime

Sorry, I haven't been keeping everyone updated about the happenings here, so I apologize. Since the arrival of summer and vacation season, I've had my hands busy with various activities. I'm no longer working full-time in the SOS Children's Village, so my duties there have been cut in half. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I organize either sport or art activities in the morning, and in the afternoon I help with computer activities for the childern. I also teach English on the side to a couple of the younger children who are motivated enough to get a headstart for the upcoming school year. There are also the weekly letters to Justin Bieber from a few of the girls that I help translate, which keeps my Bulgarian skills up to par if nothing else!

The other part of my work now involves working in the Center for Social Rehabilitation and Integration (CSRI). I worked at CSRI last year for a short time, but now more of my time is being dedicated there, because in September it will be my full-time job. At the moment, my work involves searching for funding and writing grants to support a group of people with disabilities. The group performs theatre plays, and also does art projects in the center. Their goal is to be able to buy new costumes for their plays, so that they have to the potential to travel throughout Bulgaria, and possibly Europe, showcasing their work. If anyone is interested in helping this group achieve their goal of buying new costumes and traveling around Bulgaria showcasing their work, please let me know.

I'm also trying to intitate a HIV/AIDS program in CSRI to help educate the youth about the disease. Right now, I'm applying for a grant through Peace Corps to fund the project, so if all goes well I will have the resources I need to start. I need one Bulgarian youth to help me with the project, and it's quite difficult finding young people to help you for free during the summer. Most of the youth that I'm targeting are either working, studying for their university exams, or out of town, or all of the above! I'm not worried, because I'll start the project in one way or the other.


Last week, I spent the entire week at a Peace Corps conference in the really nice Bulgarian town of Vratsa. The conference involved discussing the successes and failures of the first year of service and ways to make the last year go smoothly. It was really good seeing the entire B25 group and being able to hangout. Actually, I don't know if hangout is the right word, because there was a party every single night, and there was no shortage of antics. I'm sure the club we frequented were happy to see the Americans leave at the end of the week, because most of us partied to exhaustion! After the conference I was able to visit my host family in Roman, which was really nice because they were extremely happy to see me. My host mom felt that I haven't been eating enough, so she sent me home with a sack full of food from cucumbers to baked chicken and banitsa. If you don't know what banitsa is, take this opportunity to Google it and learn a little about Bulgarian food!


Quotes of the Day:
"There's always an end. But the end is always the beginning of something else. The periods we write into our lives are always provisional, in one way or another." - an excerpt from Henning Mankell's book The Man from Beijing

"People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them." - Epictetus

Beats on Repeat:
"On to the Next One" - Jay-Z
"Te Amo" - Rihanna

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Be quick, but don't hurry.

From June 3rd-6th Tryavna is celebrating their hometown hero Pencho Slavaikov. As part of the celebration SOS Children's Village-Tryavna held a youth bicycle tournament for the children of Tryavna and other towns in Bulgaria. There were a total of 10 teams, with each team consisting of four participants. Each participant completed four different bicycle courses and a written road safety test. In addition to the individual tasks, each team completed two timed tasks involving puzzles and a bicycle inspection. The tournament was composed of team and individual competitions, with the winners being decided by the lowest total scores.

All of the individual tasks required the rider to maneuver around obstacles. If the rider made contact with an obstacle or placed their foot on the ground they were penalized with a point. After each course the judge tallied the amount of points and marked it on the rider's score card.

All of the bicycles and helmets were given to SOS by sponsors, in addition to the different obstacles used in the tournament.

Each of the four courses were designed to require the rider to use maximum concentration and coordination to complete successfully. A representative from Bulgaria's largest automotive union officiated and sponsored the bicycle tournament.

The written test required each rider to identify road signs, hand signals, and the appropriate actions to take in situations involving other riders and automobiles. There were four different questions and each rider was given two minutes to complete the test.

The puzzle competition was one of two team activities in the tournament. There were four different puzzles for the teams to complete, and they were given two minutes to complete them.

The bicycle inspection was the second of the two team competitions, and also the last activity of the tournament. Each team was given drawings of certain parts of the bicycle and they had to perform an inspection to decide which parts were defective. Like most of the other activities they were given two minutes to complete the inspection.

As a finale, the top five teams and individual riders were given rewards based on the lowest scores. Above, the director of SOS Tryavna is congratulating one of the children from SOS.

Overall, the bicycle tournament was a big success. No one was injured, the weather held out, and the children enjoyed themselves.

Quotes of the Day (In Memory of John Wooden):
"Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

"Failing to prepare is preparing to fail."

"Happiness begins when selfishness ends."

"Your reputation is what you're perceive to be. Your character is what you actually are."

Beat on Repeat:
"Rocketship" - Donnie

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

International Children's Day

International Children's Day is celebrated on June 1st in most former Communist countries, and it involves childrens' programs being shown on TV and no school. In SOS, we celebrated by playing games ranging from Playstation 2 to foosball.

Foosball is by far the most competitive non-contact game we play in SOS. In actuality, it turns into a contact sport, because I constantly have to play referee and break up fights that inevitably occur. The kids have an insatiable competitiveness that results in a total dislike for losing. One minute they're best-friends and enjoying the taste of success, and the next they're complete enemies ready to rip each other to pieces because one person let the other team score the final goal.

Playstation 2 is the biggest hit for the children in SOS, because there's only one in the village. The children have computers in their homes so they're able to play PC games, but Playstation 2 games draw all of the attention. I have to set a time limit for the Playstation because otherwise there would be the same two children playing the entire time. No one wants to give up the seats in front of the TV for those games - it's like trying to get a front row seat to a Lil' Wayne concert!

The computer games are usually relegated to the children who don't have the audacity to fight and claw their way for a chance to play the Playstation 2 or foosball. It's a shame because I've spent hours trying to download fun games, only to realize that no one wants to play them. The children that do play computer games want to play internet games such as Sonic the Hedgehog, or spend their time talking on Skype. It's okay, though, because it just makes me realize how disconnected I am from the gaming world. When I was the kids' ages I was just as in-the-know about Playstation and computer games as they are now, so maybe it's a sign that I need to put down the books in my free time and check out the popular internet games. I never thought I would say that, but it's for the kids at the moment.

By the way, I just finished reading two new books in the past two weeks: Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel and The Man from Beijing by Henning Mankell. If anyone's interested they are both excellence reads. Martel has to be one of the best writers out at the moment, and my new favorite author. I find it amazing how he is able to write so exquisitely about a topic such as the Holocaust, but disguises it in such as way that the reader isn't really focused on the horrors of that period, but more so, the meanings of life and death. I wouldn't rank it higher than his acclaimed book, Life of Pi, but it's worth reading if you enjoy good literary work. The Man from Beijing is crime novel that pulls the reader in from the start on a long twisty ride, and doesn't let go until the end. In the beginning, an entire village is gruesomely murdered in Sweden, except for three people, which leads investigators to speculate why. Mankell takes the reader from present day Sweden to 19th century China and America to Mozambique.

Well, that's all for now.

Quotes of the Day:
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aseop

"Faith is like being in the sun. When you're in the sun, can you avoid creating a shadow? Can you shake that area of darkness that clings to you, always shaped like you, as if constantly to remind you of yourself? You can't. This shadow is doubt. And it goes wherever you go as long as you stay in the sun. And who wouldn't want to be in the sun?" - excerpt from Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

Beat on Repeat:
"Spanish Joint" - D'Angelo

Peace, Love, Understanding...

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Coming Home

Okay, I'm not really coming home. I hope I didn't make any hearts skip a beat with that statement. I have, however, just cracked open the Black Book, those of you close to me know what I'm talking about, and it has left me full of gratitude that I'm not sure I deserve. I have officially been away from home for more than a year, and it is only upon reading the generous messages and comments that I truly feel grateful for my family and friends. There is a quote of sums up the way I feel - "In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich."

The past year hasn't been easy, but nothing worth having is ever easy, so I'll continue the work that's before me with the same drive and motivation that got me here. It's important for everyone who has ever been a part of my life, whether big or small, to know that you are with me in all that I do and everywhere I go. I echo the words of my friend Eric Artemus when I say that you and I are all participants on this mission too. Whether it be only in spirit you are with me, and for that I am truly indebted.

What else can I say, other than this is La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, and it's truly an impressive work of art. There are so many intricate details inside and out that it's difficult to fathom that this building is actually going to be functional - one day. It's also hard to believe that construction of this church has been taking place since 1882, yes, you read it correctly, and it isn't expected to be finished until 2026 - that's if the money continues to roll in! Overall, Barcelona has to be one of my top five favorite cities. There is so much to see and do, and there's a nice blend of historical relevance and modernness to the city that makes it so attractive. The city is beautiful, the people are beautiful, so what more can you ask for?! :)

I made a short trip to Veliko Turnovo for a couple of days, which was nice because the weather is now warm. The trees and flowers are in full blossom, so the place is very lush at the moment.

Finally, I made a quick trip to Istanbul, Turkey for a few days, and it was amazing. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect in Istanbul, even though I had heard good things about the place, but it exceeded my expectations. Like Barcelona, there is so much to see and do that it's difficult to decide what to do from one thing to the next. The picture above is the Hagia Sophia (pronounced Ayia Sophia) and it was once a cathedral when Istanbul was known as Constantinople, and later converted into a mosque.


If anyone's interested in visiting Barcelona hit me up! Istanbul, I highly recommend, but I don't think either place will disappoint. Both cities offer different cultures and sights that make them attractive to anyone who's interested in traveling and brooding their perspective on the world. If you're interested in seeing more photos from Barcelona or Istanbul, or Bulgaria, check out my Picasa page - click on the link in the right hand pane.

Quotes of the Day:
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand part in awe is a good as dead; his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein

"Where there is darkness crimes will be committed. The guilty one is not merely he who commits the crime, but he who caused the darkness." - Victor Hugo

Beats on Repeat:
"I Miss You (like the deserts miss the rain)" - Everything But The Girl
"Rush Over" - Marcus Miller & Meshell Ndegeocello

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Art Project

This week has been spring break for children in Bulgaria, so there has been ampul amount time to do special projects. Today I was finally able to tackle the art project that's been on hold for the past month. The project was part of a group of activities I'm implementing in commemoration of Earth Day. Me and some of the kids from SOS painted one of the trash containers in the village in an effort to beautify the area.

My colleagues didn't have enough faith that the kids could draw the pictures for the containers, so I was delegated to take on the task. As you can see I think my initial goal was accomplished, because the drawings came out looking like a child did them.

I tried to setup the activity so that each kid had something to do, instead of allowing there to be a free-for-all of painting. It was setup so that a couple of kids painted outlines of the drawings, while the other kids colored in the spaces. Everything was going like clockwork until one of my colleagues decided to schedule a mountain biking activity next to where we were painting. Most of the kids wanted to ride bikes instead of paint, so I had to recruit some younger kids to finish the job.

After about two and half hours of drawing and painting we called it a day. We didn't completely finish all of the painting so we left it for another day, but overall the trash container looked nice. I was afraid that the painting part would turn into a disaster because the kids can sometimes get rowdy, but thankfully everyone stayed calm for the most part.

Hopefully now the director will allow the kids to paint the other two trash containers in the village, because I think it will add a little character to the place. I shouldn't be complaining, but the village sometimes feels too sterile because it's so clean. Most Bulgarian towns have problems with trash laying around due to littering, including my own, but in SOS it's not a problem. The children pickup trash weekly, and as punishment, so the place looks well kept. Now, I hope my other Earth Day projects go as well as this one.

Quotes of the Day:
"Some birds just aren't meant to be caged - their features are just too bright. When they fly away the part of you that knew it was a sin to lock them up rejoices, but still that place where they use to live is drab and dark." - Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption

"Excellence can be achieved if you...risk more than others think is safe, love more than others think is wise, dream more than others think is practical, and expect more than others think is possible." - Anonymous

Beat on Repeat:
"Why Can't There Be Love" - Dee Edwards

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Sun is shining, the weather is sweet...!

I've been in-country for a little over 10 months, not that I'm counting, and finally something has happened which I've been waiting for. This morning the air was crisp with the mountain dew and the sun's rays were playing hide and seek above the Tryavna Balkan Mountain, and with that I knew today's run would be a good one. I ran past the usual farmyard with its sheep, horses, roosters, and manic dog, and I began to brace for that infamous smell of manure. On most days it's so strong that I've mastered the skill of holding my breath for about 50 meters without hyperventilating, but today was different. As I approached the concrete electrical tower marking the start of my newfound talent I lost my sense of consciousness to the odor, maybe due to the bloom of the morning. Before I could recognize where my footsteps were landing the scent of manure came to me as a welcoming gesture, like a fist-bump from my best friend or a wink from my next-door neighbor. I wondered before coming to Bulgaria if I would ever find a new norm of essence for the tang of animal feces and today I think I realized it. Now, I don't want this to sound like my most prestigious accomplishment since arriving here, but I must admit that I'm finally beginning to feel accustomed to my surroundings. The cool mornings and pleasant afternoons are massaging my senses with bliss, which are making the thought of this past winter truly a thing of the past. Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up and there will be peace and unending love in the world, but then again maybe that's asking too much!

Quotes of the Day:
"We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances and to choose one's own way." - Vicktor Frankl

"Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness." - Harold Kushner

Beat on Repeat:
"Window Seat" - Erykah Badu

Peace, Love, and Understanding...





Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Честит Св. Патрик (Happy St. Patrick's Day)

In commemoration of St. Patrick's Day I decided to do an activity with my English class to teach them about the day. Since Bulgaria does not celebrate the day no one knew what it was or why we, Americans, celebrate it. I showed pictures from the Internet of St. Patrick's Day celebrations around the States, and everyone was really fascinated that the city of Chicago dyes the Chicago River green for the day. I also tried to give them a brief history of why we celebrate, and the meaning behind certain aspects the day such as the shamrock, leprechaun, and the color green. Lastly, we made a poster with shamrocks and hand-colored leprechauns, which was fun because the children were able to use their imagination a little. Hopefully I did a good job at Peace Corps' Goal #2, and the children will remember something about St. Patrick's Day.

Quotes of Day:
"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these." - George Washington Carver

"Lack of patience in small matters can wreak havoc in great ones." - Chinese proverb

Beat on Repeat:
"Fast car" - Tracy Chapman

Peace, Love, and Understanding...


One of my students really concentrating on his drawing.

The whole group hard at work.

The final product!

Monday, March 15, 2010

The Sun is Rising Again!

Things are starting to look up just as winter, hopefully, is on it's way out. The SOS Tryavna children's parliament has finally gotten some feet and is starting after 2 months of planning and waiting. On Friday, we had a our first election for president and ambassadors of the children's parliament. The parliament is made up of one president and 11 ambassadors, or one child from each house in the village. The children were extremely excited to start the parliament, and they had a really good time electing their own peers to represent them. The most interesting part of the process was the vote for president. When it was time to give nominations for president there were many different names given, but when it came time to vote there was an overwhelming majority for one child. I was very surprised for many reasons, because for one the person elected was a girl, and two, she's very quiet and shy. Bulgaria is a very male-dominated country, and it's very evident by the behavior of the children in the village. The boys try to reign supreme over the girls by bullying them, and usually the girls give in without a fight. So when a girl was elected so lopsidedly, it confirmed a lot of things that I knew but I wasn't seeing. First, you don't have to push your weight around to be respected, and secondly, there is much more gender equality in the village than is given credit for. Going into the election I speculated that the vote would come down to two well-known boys in the village, but as it turned out only one was nominated and he received only 5-10 percent of the vote. I feel like President Obama when he wrote in his second book The Audacity of Hope, "I am robbed of the certainty of uncertainty - for sometimes absolute truths may well be absolute." Overall, I think the experience for the children was a success, and hopefully the parliament can be used to allow them the opportunity to make decisions in the SOS village.

In other news, today Peace Corps volunteers around the world received some really good news from our director, Aaron S. Williams. As of April 1, 2010 Peace Corps is raising the readjustment allowance volunteers accumulate during their service and receive after completion. As of now we accumulate $225 per month, but after April 1st we'll receive $275 each month. If you're inspired enough to extend your service past the normal 2-year assignment into a third year, you'll receive $375 a month towards your readjustment allowance. So for anyone out there thinking of joining Peace Corps you now have an extra incentive to make the jump.

Quotes of the Day:
"We can't change the world except insofar as we change the way we look at the world - and, in fact, any one of us can make that change, in any direction, at any moment." - Pico Lyer

"The present moment is all you ever have." - Eckhart Tolle

Beat on Repeat:
"Paris Nights/New York Mornings" - Corinne Bailey Rae
"Closer" - Corinne Bailey Rae

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

The final tally for president of the parliament.

The elected ambassadors from each house in the village.

The final vote for president.

Children from one house deliberating over their decision for ambassador.

A group of kids waiting for the final vote for president.

Monday, March 8, 2010

International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day, so I thought I would do my part to recognize this important day. In Bulgaria, like the majority of other places in world, women are being recognized for the economic, political, and social accomplishments made through hard work and sacrifice. In SOS Tryavna, we held a celebration for all of the mothers and female staff members in the village, and we hosted a group of female guests from Gorna Oryahovitsa, a small town in northern Bulgaria. The director gave all of the women flowers and toasted them for all of their hard work. The women's group from Gorna Oryahovitsa also gave a toast, then recited poems celebrating women's achievements. Afterwards, there were refreshments ranging from banitsa to cookies and cake. One of the pedagogues made a Powerpoint presentations also paying tribute to the women of SOS, which was entertaining because most of the women had never seen the pictures.

Well, it's snowing again, so Baba Marta, like Groundhog's Day, didn't necessarily mark the end of winter again. I'm learning just to take each day as it comes and not get disappointed when I look out the window and see it snowing. Maybe one day soon it will stop!

Quotes of the Day:
"The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?" – Bob Marley, in reference to the gunmen that shot him in his home before a peace rally.

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - the Dalai Lama

Peace, Love, and Understanding...


This is the group of women from SOS and Gorna Oryahovitsa.

The psychologist, is giving one of the mothers in SOS a flower for International Women's Day.

One of the SOS mothers is participating in a Bulgarian tradition by taking a piece of the bread and dipping it in honey.

The director, a woman from Gorna Oryahovitsa, and one of the pedagogues taking part in the Bulgarian tradition.

The traditional Bulgarian round bread and honey, which is given to welcome guests.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Честита Баба Марта! (Happy Baba Marta)

If you don't know, which I know everyone does, March 1st is a national holiday in Bulgaria called Баба Марта (Baba Marta)! :) In Bulgarian "baba" means "grandmother" and "Marta" is the word for the month of March. Baba Marta is a tradition welcoming spring, and it is characterized by the colors red and white, and when woven together symbolizes good health. To symbolize the holiday it is customary to give your family, friends, people you're close to, etc. a мартеница (martenitsa), or adornment, made of red and white yarn. The martenitsa is usually a bracelet or tassel, and it is to be worn from March 1st until around the end of the month, or until the first sighting of a stork or budding tree. Once a stork or blossoming tree is spotted most Bulgarians, depending on the region, tie the martenitsa to the branch of a tree, which supposedly gives it good health and good luck. There is an old folk tale about Baba Marta and why the martenitsa brings good luck, but I'll let you research it to find out more. Below are some photos of the different styles of martenitsi.


So with all of that said, I hope winter is truly on it's way out. If Baba Marta is anything like Groundhog's Day we might be in for another few weeks of cold weather. At this point I can deal with temperatures around 32F, but anything below freezing has worn out it's welcome. Gauging by the past week, I think we are in the clear of any more snow because the weather has been relatively nice. On average, the temperatures have been around 50F (10-11C) as a high, and we have gotten lucky on a couple of days with temperatures in the 60s. Although, I feel like I'm jinxing myself because as I type I'm looking at the forecast for the upcoming week, and it's not looking good.

Quote of the Day:
"Focusing your life solely on making bucks shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential." - Barack Obama

Peace, Love, and Understanding...

Here is my martenitsa given to me by a colleague.