A Chronicle of my Changing Times.

Paris this time

So I'm out of the country which I think means I'm required to post more to my blog.  As I mentioned yesterday, (or was it earlier today?), I've left the country yet again.  I'm kinda making a habit of this now.  I'm back in Europe, this time hanging out in Paris.  I'm actually writing this from CDG airport as I try to kill time waiting for Rumy to arrive.  You have to love Europe and the free internet in airports.  It definitely helps distract from any jet lag issues.

So this is my spring break from GW, although technically I skipped a couple classes to fly last night.  This is my first real "travel" on a spring break.  I mean, in college I sang in the Wittenberg Choir and we toured every spring break.  It was nice to do that and I definitely would never trade it, but I never just road tripped with friends somewhere or did irresponsible things you see in all the movies.  Ok, most people don't do those irresponsible things seen in movies, but wouldn't it be interesting to do it just once?

Anyways - this is the beginning of a very European 6 months for me, which I'm more than a bit excited about.  I'm working on setting up a series of study abroad courses throughout most of the summer and will spend quality time in Brussels (X2), Prague, Bratislava, and Rome plus side trips to London, Amsterdam, Bruge and of course Bulgaria.  Best part of all that travel is that half of those places I've never actually been to before.  So it'll be something new for me.  This isn't to say that Rome isn't FABULOUS just that I've been there and done that enough that it doesn't necessarily excite me as much as Prague.  Of course, all of my courses are very intensive and honestly (no joking or sarcasm here) will take up a vast majority of my time.  So it will be a summer of work (mostly).

Well, I think I've killed just about enough time.  I need to head over to the Information Kiosk across the station from where I'm sitting to find out if the RER (local train service in Paris) has weekly passes or if I need to purchase individual tickets.  I'm hoping for the week passes because that'll let us get out to see Versailes and a few other sites outside the "center" of the city.  Not that one really needs to get outside all that much, there's so much to see and do.  I just wish the weather would be nicer.  Rainy and in the 50's every day we're here and as soon as we leave it's scheduled to become sunny.  Eh, what am I complaining about, it's springtime in Paris and I'm here.  That makes me darn lucky.

Oh, by and by before I go, the devaluation of the dollar is more than a bit unpleasant.  A couple 'pan du chocolat' and a coke?  That'd be over 7 euros, thus over $10.  Thank you George Bush.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  Now would you be so kind as to not do anything for the next 10 months (yes, only 10 months left) so as to not screw anything else up.  You're a peach.

Until later folks....

Posted by: mjmarble at March 14, 2008 09:55 | link | comments

Wow, just wow...

So I was going to drop a quick line tonight on how I'm headed off to Europe again tomorrow (later today?) to see Rumy and how excited I was.  I also was going to voice my utter shock and bitterness that it cost me $40 this week - on the nose, no less! - to fill up my rather dirty Jetta with gas.  Both of these would be worthy posts, especially coming from someone who never posts anymore....

But then I decided to randomly check something online.  I discovered in the last day that I could view the status of my petition to bring Rumy here to the states online.  I was sent a confirmation last month when I submitted the forms and on the top of it was a tracking number.

Well, low and behold I punched my numbers into the appropriate spot and couldn't believe what came up.  Allow me to share...

Application Type: I129F, PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On March 12, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E). Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

So at about 4am I let out a scream that I'm sure woke just about everyone in my apartment building.  They approved our application earlier today (or is it yesterday?  Who the heck knows at 5am!).  I just cannot believe our luck.  I'm just floored.  The day before I'm to fly out to meet her I get this wonderful news.  The processing times for I129F forms has been sitting at about 6 months - we weren't expecting to hear ANYTHING for months.  I'm just....  just floored.  Just ecstatic.  Just overwhelmed.  

Of course I called Rumy immediately and (unfortunately) interrupted her in a class.  But I think it's worthy news.  So in 24 hrs from right now, I'll be greeting her at the airport (hopefully not too jet lagged) and we'll have something to truly celebrate.  I want to tell the whole world about this - this is the best thing to happen to me since...  well... since she said yes when I asked her to marry me. 

I had to share.  I'm sure I'll have pictures over the next week or so with Rumy to share.  Keep an eye out.

Posted by: mjmarble at March 13, 2008 11:21 | link | comments (2)
travel, plan, family, future

In passing...

I'm still battling an exceptionally busy life.  Plenty of details to post, but I'll save that for a study break later tonight or tomorrow.  There's an end to all this stress and work, right?

Posted by: mjmarble at March 01, 2008 00:38 | link | comments

Let me introduce you to...

I haven’t posted much lately as some may have noticed.  I’m down to about once a month or so now.  Some of that has to do with the busyness of my life right now.  Some has to do with deciding how much of myself to put out here into the ether.  Some has to do with the audience I’ve developed over time – not that I don’t appreciate all who read, I have just found myself considering who reads when I write.  I’m not sure if I like that or not.  One final factor has been some people in my life have made it a point to point out a desire for privacy.  One of these people is Rumiana, who I’d like to say a few words about here. (Pictured on the left: The Canal on the grounds of the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg where I had planned to have that special conversation with Rumy.  Due to the rain it just was not meant to happen there)

 

After coming over from Bulgaria around New Years for a 2 week visit, Rumy is now my fiancée.  I consider myself wonderfully lucky to have found her and am very much in love.  In a life that’s going faster than I ever imagined possibly and pulling me in a thousand different directions she is a source of calm and peace.  She is the single most important thing in this world to me.  Although we are very different in many ways, we complement each other in ways I never dreamt possible.  Simply put, she helps me become a better man.  She does this through encouragement, support and fostering in me a desire to take action towards a better life together.  I can’t and do not want to imagine my life without her.  (Pictured: Rumy in her new dashing red jacket)

 

She was one of the first people I met when arriving in Haskovo close to 3 years ago now.  My first memory of her was how beautiful her eyes were (are).  Unfortunately in my nervousness I was a bit of a dufus in some of our initial encounters and I left her with an unfavorable impression which took over a year to get past.  Over time she eventually became my work counterpart (due to a bit of subtle maneuvering on my part) and then my friend.  At some point I noticed I had a bit of a crush on her and eventually decided to pursue it even though my time in Bulgaria was finishing.

 

Let’s just say that she took more than a bit of wooing on my part.  Overcoming two big obstacles, that initial impression and the fact that my service was quickly coming to an end, was not easy.  But over time I wore her down, all the time building a deeper friendship than I had ever had with any other woman I had dated.  We came to a juncture when I left Bulgaria last summer.  She saw me off in Sofia on one of the hottest days I can remember.  I promised to call her when I got to Spain.  I did just that, and have done so every single day since – more often than not, twice a day lately.  (Pictured: The Fife and Drum Band in Colonial Williamsburg)
 

 

Continuing a relationship with 5000 miles separating you is not easy.  I would not recommend it.  It will either drive you apart or drive you together.  In our case it drove us together.  I left Bulgaria in July.  By August I knew without a doubt I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Rumy.  By September I had asked her to come visit me here in Washington DC and bought her a ticket.  By October I had talked with her openly about marriage and filing paperwork for her to come here permanently.  By November I had bought her an engagement ring.   And in December, before the New Year struck, I had asked her to be my wife. (Pictured: on the balcony of my apartment the day she returned to BG)

 

We had a wonderful time while she was here.  She had a chance to see Washington, DC where I live, work and the University I attend.  We spent a very long (and wet) weekend down at Colonial Williamsburg – even making time for a side trip down to Virginia Beach so she could see the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.  We traveled down to Charlotte so she could meet my parents, family and especially my adorable niece Jenna.  The trip seemed to be over before I had time to truly appreciate having her here.  After being apart for so long, simply holding her hand while driving (and we did a lot of driving) was a quiet joy.  (Pictured: There's the ocean!)

 

Now, as we plan to get together again soon, time cannot go by quickly enough.  I’ve lived long enough on this earth alone to know that I don’t want to do it any longer than I have to.  I have found the woman I want to have beside me all the days of my life – through successes, failures, births, deaths, travels and that day to day ordinariness that is truly what life is about.  For those of you who know her already, this is nothing new.  You know me and how I feel.  But for those of you who do not know her or have not met her yet, this is Rumy (or my Rumche or Rum4e), my fiancée and better half.

Posted by: mjmarble at January 31, 2008 22:27 | link | comments (1)
family, future

Still lacking time...

The more I try to find time, the less I have.  I guess that goes with making myself as busy as possible.  Rumy comes in today, and I am more than a bit excited.  She's set to land in just over an hour and I still am cleaning the apartment.  And I still have to clean my car and pick up some flowers before going and picking her up.  And yet here I am blogging.  Sheesh. 

It's a good day though, and should be a good next 15 days.  I'm really looking forward to them.  Maybe if I get some more time...  (yeah right - between full time Grad School, working 40 hrs per week, church, choir, friends and of course Rumy).

Posted by: mjmarble at December 27, 2007 20:59 | link | comments
daily life