Today I woke up early and decided to go for a walk right away. It seems the last few times I’ve tried to work it into my day time schedule – Z has had a different plan for me. So if I want to walk I think I have to do it before “our” day begins. :>)
Every day is filled with surprises when you don’t know the language….yesterday I was pretty sure I was told that we were doing chores because today, Sunday, would be a day of rest (as was Good Friday). So I thought – great another day to catch up on homework. Not so………after breakfast I started working on some of my homework only to hear a commotion outside – 5 people arriving at the gate. I find out these were Z’s daughter’s husband, his two kids, one girlfriend and one additional young friend. I think her daughter stayed in the city, Sofia (accent on the So – SO-fia). O.K. looks like we’re having an Easter meal, and it looks like they’re settling into the guest bedrooms. It’s a gorgeous day and we sit outside. Z serves a meal she has spent much of the morning preparing (cukes and tomato salad with feta, yellow cheese & salami, potatoes cooked in sunflower oil with salt and pepper and a variety of meats (mostly pork) and sausages. The family also brought a few meat items as well as 4 litres of beer and home-made Rakia (vodka-like). The festivities begin. The hard-boiled eggs we colored yesterday were brought out and the egg-breaking ritual begins. It appears that one of the young men is going to have a very healthy year next year (see Saturday’s posting).
The family gets along well. There is a lot of animated conversation and they seem curious about me and laugh every time I try to say something in Bulgarian. The four 20-somethings have all studied English in school for multiple years, but no one speaks more than a word or two (a lot like me with my Bulgarian). Sometimes they respond when I say something in English so as is typical, they can understand more than they can speak. A scenario I am familiar with! The meal is leisurely – eating, drinking, smoking (I’m glad we’re outside). Around 5:00 one person goes to the little grocery and gets 4 more litres of beer. Wow! Around 6:00pm I ask to go to another PC volunteer’s home where there is internet access to try Skyping my sister, son and Erik. Z walks with me, I’m not sure if she wants a break or if she just wants to make sure I get there and back safely. (It’s only about 6 blocks away in a very sleepy village – I feel very safe here.)
What a joy it was to talk with Jane and Erik for the first time since arriving in Bulgaria. Hearing familiar voices of encouragement that I haven’t heard in a month. I didn’t get to talk with Ryan – was probably sleeping and didn’t pick up. Understandable! There is a 10 time difference between California/Arizona and Bulgaria. So when I was talking with Jane and Erik they were just beginning their Easter Sunday as I was close to the end of mine.
By the time Z and I returned home about an hour after we left, the party (and smoke) had moved inside. I hung out for a little while, but then headed up to my smoke-free room. During the day a lot of cigarettes were smoked (and one communal Cuban cigar – yes I too, had a puff – no, I didn’t inhale) and a lot of alcohol consumed. I was frequently offered beer and Rakia, but after a couple of sips I was done. I drank water, a bit of Coca Cola and other soda akin to carbonated Kool-Aid. What is interesting to me is that there were no sloppy drunks given the amount of alcohol consumed. There were many animated discussions but no heated arguments and no fights. I can’t tell you if anyone was slurring their words – I’m not sure I would know. I was told a few times that the son-in-law does not drink when he’s working in Sofia - he owns a taxi. And one of the reasons they stayed the night was so they could drink as much as they wanted and didn’t have to drive home.
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