A Chronicle of my Changing Times.

Rozdenden Mi

This past Saturday was my 30^th birthday.  I’ve often chided friends and relatives when they hit the Big Something-Oh – usually saying they’ve entered the next decade of their life.  For instance, I’ve now entered my 4^th decade (my first being 0-9, 2^nd being 10-19, etc.).  Luckily for me, no one remembered these chides and I was able to celebrate without too much grief. (pictured above: Myself & Pavlina)

 

Being away from the states for this might have caused some pause, but for me it wasn’t as big of a deal as it could have been.  I had friends, both American and Bulgarian, around me the entire weekend.  I have to admit it was rather nice.

 

Friday, Liz came up from Ivilograd bearing homemade chocolate chip cookies.  For all of you in America, this is a real treat.  Cookies, cakes, and pastries are just not the same here and I honestly miss them as much as I miss Italian food or hamburgers/hot dogs.  I’m trying my best to savor them, but anyone who knows me and cookies knows that I’ve plowed through most of them. (pictured: Myself & Liz)

That night we went out to Rimini, one of the nicer restaurants in town.  We polished off a bottle of Merlot over a scrumptious broccoli dish, mozzarella covered tomato slices and pizza.  After dinner we headed up to KDK, my local pub, and were adopted by a number of my students and other acquaintances.  I discovered people who are interested in learning how to play baseball (next spring) and someone who will take me to dance classes here in town.  It’s something I’ve long wanted to do, and I can’t think of a better time to do it.

 

After KDK, we went out to Exclusive (a local disco) to meet up with Pavlina.  It’d been a while since I went there – I’d forgotten just how much I enjoy it.  Pavlina even made sure to have them announce my birthday and play a song for me.  I danced with her and a few other BG friends most of the night.  I also ran into a few of my 12^th class students and had a blast with them.  We finally succumbed to exhaustion around 3am and headed home.  Liz had to be up at 6:30 Saturday morning to catch a bus back to her town for some work. (pictured: Pavlina looking gorgeous as usual)

 

One would think I’d head back to sleep after seeing her off, but instead I caught up on all the television shows I downloaded the previous week.  I’ve luckily been able to stay up to date with some of my favorites like Lost, The Amazing Race, Grey’s Anatomy and the like due to the wonder of the internet.  If you would have told me that I’d join the Peace Corps and still watch American TV, I’d have called you crazy.  Just goes to show how small the world is getting.

 

My good friend Erin came over Saturday afternoon and after dropping her bags off at my apartment we headed out for dinner at Rimini once again.  I decided to go back there since she’s a vegetarian and they have a wide selection of things for her.  It was rather amusing for the waitress since I was there a second night in a row with a different woman ordering the exact same thing as the previous night (sans the wine). (pictured: Panjo, a waiter at KDK and friend, & myself)

 

In keeping with patterns, after dinner we headed up to KDK where Ethan and a number of Bulgarian friends joined us.  I was surprised with presents from Kalina (a white elephant figurine), a few of my students got me a Zippo lighter (to my utter shock), a bottle of wine from Ethan and Angie/Krassi (a few BG friends), and the promise of scarf from Erin once her knitting improves.  Many people went out of their way to insure I won just about every game of pool I played.  This became increasingly difficult as the night wore on and I drank more.  The night was capped off after heading home and falling asleep during a mini Lost marathon. (pictured:  Myself and Suren, a BG/Canadian and taxi driver extrodinaire)

 

The weekend wasn't exactly as I would have planned it – but I enjoyed myself immensely none the less.  I’m truly appreciative of those who came to help me celebrate.  Once again I have to say that I am wonderously  blessed by those whom I call friend.  I hope that this upcoming year sees as much change and growth for me as this past one has.  It is, after all, the beginning of my 4^th decade.  I should make the most of it…

Posted by: mjmarble at October 24, 2005 00:07 | link | comments (2)

Success

These past few weeks I’ve begun to settle into my work life here in Haskovo.  I actually have a regular schedule – finalized just this past week.  Yes, it’s a month into the school year, but this is apparently the way it’s done here.

 

My first class of the week is Monday afternoon when I work with some of the eight class ‘preps’.  This basically involves me playing games with them in order to improve their speaking abilities.  In the first year of gymnasia – or High School – in language schools here in , kids get over 20 hrs per week of intensive English study.  This includes afternoon classes, of which I teach one for each of the three sections of 8^th class learning English.  I also have them each once per week in the mornings.

 

On top of my work with the 8^th classes – I have a British Literature class with the three sections of 11^th class English students.  On top of this, I will begin an optional Essay Writing class in the afternoons with those 10^th class English students stupid and brave enough to sign up for the extra work of a non-graded class.  I round out my schedule with some open class periods I’m supposed to be free in order to assist those in the 12^th class who wish to apply to university abroad.

 

Honestly, since I have Monday mornings and Friday’s off – I have one of the easiest schedules I think I’ll ever have.  Work 3.5 days and then have 3.5 days off – every week.  But once my work week begins, it really picks up and doesn’t stop until late Thursday evening.

 

I was really please a couple weeks ago when we received notification of a possible scholarship for students in need from an American/Bulgarian Foundation.  After contacting the organization for information in English – I organized the teachers and then students within 48 hrs.  Seven students were nominated, CV’s were compiled (many for the first time), references were written, and everything was postmarked in time.  I was contacted by the organization saying they’d received the applications and that they looked outstanding.  This would be an extra 60 leva a month per student – not really a small amount here in . It was rather rewarding to feel like I’d finally accomplished something here.

 

This past week I’ve taught Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to my 11^th class Brit Lit students.  I’ve stressed stepping away from what they know to try to see the larger world and perhaps even the perspective of those who wrote the story.  We discussed the concepts of Chivalry and Honour and all that comes with them.  What impressed me the most was how active the class was without being disruptive.  Those few who choose not to participate simply stay quiet whilst the majority were eager and engaged.  I even took the lesson to a personal level of asking them if they’d ever considered not where they were going drinking, who they were going out with or what job they might one day have (and the money that came with it) but rather did they consider what type of people they were.  Some had considered these things, most had not – but from the looks they gave me, they were starting to think of it.

 

One of my 8^th classes sang me Happy Birthday yesterday and had plastered the white board with well wishes.  Also, when I was leaving school I exited a different way than usual – a way that took me across the courtyard in full view of all my 8^th classes.  They were between classes, but most were still in their rooms.  Each class, individually of the others (since they couldn’t see each other), ran to the windows and in unison waved to me.  Seeing around 75 kids all excitedly waving goodbye to you is a wonderful feeling – you know they like you and are excited about learning.

 

I’ve also taken to tutoring some adults privately.  This is probably the hardest thing for me, because there is absolutely not structure for it and I’m not sure how to install any.  But I have people who want to learn, so I’ll continue trying to help them.  Most just want to improve their already decent English – so simple conversations seem to be working thus far.  I’ve discovered that success in sometimes is not necessarily knowing what you’re doing but rather simply making the effort.

Posted by: mjmarble at October 21, 2005 14:00 | link | comments

Septemvri Redux

A couple weeks ago I decided to get out of Haskovo so I went back to Septemvri to see my old host family, my language trainer Vesi and also the new B18 volunteers.  I don’t think I could have planned a timelier trip.  A few days before I arrived one of the new volunteers training in Septemvri left abruptly and everyone was a bit upset about it.  Having a new face around allowed them to focus on something different for a while and eventually trust me enough to talk about it. 

 

It was also wonderful to see my host family again.  This time around I was actually able to communicate with my host mom Yulia in Bulgarian – which I take as a good sign that I’m still learning the language.  I can’t express enough how nice it was to be with people who were ecstatic that I was there and who pampered me just a bit.  I guess there’s a reason they call them host families.

 

Speaking of which, my host family has one of the new volunteers.  Anna and I hit it off rather well, staying up late talking about PC, politics, and especially religion.  She’s a great person and I already decided I’m adopting her as my little sister here in .  She’s going to make an excellent volunteer.

 

That Saturday there was the Roma Festival day in Pazardjik which happens with every training class.  I went over with the PCT’s from Septemvri and had a great time playing Ultimate Frisbee with the roma kids.  Many of them remembered me from last spring, which was really cool.  The cultural performance was shorter than the one from my training, which was a shame because the last one was a lot of fun to watch (and participate in).

 

The weekend finished up with my attending my first Orthodox Church service with Anna.  It was good to have someone to go with to church, especially since we were both perplexed by the service.  It’s very different from Latin based services with the priest just standing up front reading some sort of liturgy out of a book.  People file in and out continuously lighting candles when they come in.  There are no pews or songs sung by the parishioners.  Whilst I didn’t understand everything that went on, it was time for me to attend a service again.  I even took communion and didn’t realize how much I missed it and needed it until I received it.

 

I was the first volunteer from my group in Septemvri to return, which I think my family took as a badge of honor.  I hope to get back over to visit them again in November and most likely will spend Christmas with them.  Whilst Haskovo has become my home now, have people (dare I call them family) who care about you within close proximity gives me a lot of reassurance.  I really consider myself lucky.

Posted by: mjmarble at October 08, 2005 17:46 | link | comments (1)