A Little Uneven

Bulgaria still maintains a lot of it's "naturalness."  Many gardeners do not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers on their plants.  Much of the work is still done by hand - pulling/hoeing weeds from sidewalks; scything crops; laundry, and so many other things I've mentioned previously.  Part of the naturalness is lots of uneven surfaces - dirt roads, paved roads with many potholes and patches, uneven stairs - different sizes in a single flight; sidewalks made with 12' tiles which over time have settled every which way, different surface levels on patios, entries or buses with no identifying features to warn someone (me).  Since arriving I have stumbled, tripped and almost fallen so many times, it almost seems normal.  It's just as normal to walk looking down at the ground - a lot - one has to - I have to.

Today, however, was the first time I fell.  I was out for a leisurely evening walk around the village and I didn't do anything unusual - I just looked up at an unfortunate moment.  With the next step my ankle twisted and then I was doing a tango move all the way to the ground.  I'm o.k. which is the good news but it is unsettling to feel that body-to-ground contact. I'm taking a homeopathic remedy called Arnica to help ease muscle soreness from the bumps and bruises. If I had a tub, I might take a bath tonight but all I have are buckets - all too small for me. 

As I was heading home, I passed a woman's home who I've met through the other volunteer who was here before me and who is in one of my English classes.  She invited me in to her garden and fed me a small bowl of fresh bean soup.  She also offered me a white substance which she cut into small, small pieces (1/2" x 1/2" x 1/4" thick).  It almost looked like fresh (mature) coconut meat with a little of the skin on it.  I took a bite and it was quite salty.  I asked what it was - veggie?  meat? what?  Note to self - next time don't ask Patricia.  I think the answer was that it's pork belly.  She smiled when she told me.  I think she enjoyed it.  :>)  Fair enough - I smile when I serve someone some weird tofu dish and they make a face.  She too, was most generous and sent me home with purple grapes, green peppers and 3 figs she picked from her garden as she was giving me a tour.  Once again, thank you Bulgaria for your kindness.

Now it's time for rest.  Good Night.

Bulfrenglish

I'm happy to say I'm operating at about 90% wellness.  I've had two "more normal" days and am grateful for my health.

Yesterday I had a very interesting language experience. After I arrived at one of the villages I visit, I had a little "free" time so with new resolve I began looking at my Bulgarian vocabulary words and was pretty focused.  Then a woman showed up and asked for me by name.  She asks me if I speak French.  I said a little.  She's a lovely woman in her early 70s and when she was a young girl in school the only foreign languages taught were French and Russian.  She can communicate in both in addition to her native Bulgarian.....and she knows a few words in English.   For the next 30 minutes or so we attempted to have a conversation in French.  This is where the fun begins.

My brain was doing somersaults English-Bulgarian-French-Bulgarian-oops-English-French. Oh my gosh - it was like a Keystone cops routine in my head or a re-play of Abbot and Costello's "Who's On First."

Before coming to Bulgaria, I was working on brushing up on my French, and in my first few weeks in Bulgarian classes, it was easier to find French words than the new Bulgarian ones I was learning.  Now however, I had to dig deep to find my French vocabulary.  She reminded me of words I forgot and I managed to know a few she forgot.  So we had a conversation in Bulfrenglish  or Frenbuleng.  I was laughing so hard in my head at what my brain was trying to do!  For people who are fluent in multiple languages it must be like a dance moving from one to another, mixing and matching words.  It could be fun - but I think the key word is fluent. 

Then it was time to teach English - ahhhhh.  But yes, I need to use as many Bulgarian words as I know to answer questions people have.  The women in this class are delightful and I enjoy it very much.

A little later Jordanka and I went to visit Lela (Aunt) Marie, an older woman with an enormous garden and heart.  I visited her a couple of weeks ago too (but this time I avoided saying hi to the pig and its population of fleas)!  However, I am posting a photo of me holding one of (she has 30) her favorite chickens.

She has many, many grape vines and her green grapes are some of the largest and sweetest I have tasted.  And she sent me home with a generous portion.  I think I may try drying some in the sun so I'll have raisins to enjoy later in the fall.  She also gifted me with a lovely bowl and plate with a design I have seen frequently in this part of Bulgaria.  And lots and lots of embroidery and lace/tatting I'm sure she spent many winters hours creating.  Oh my gosh....such plentiful gifts. I feel blessed by the generosity of so many Bulgarians - fruits and vegetables, acts of kindness, enormous smiles and oh-so-much patience with learning the language.

Lela Maria's Grapes and Jordanka

Lela Maria's favorite!

This may be strange to anyone who lives in a country setting - but this is the first time I have held a live chicken.

Lovely Bulgarian flowers.

Lots of interesting plants and flowers which are new to me.

and more.

Only a partial view of all the grape vines in Lela Maria's care.

Lela Maria's tomatoes

This day I had two hiking companions.

Early Autumn colors - now this part of Bulgaria looks more like California than the midwest in my mind's eye.

Coming Out of a Tailspin

All day yesterday and half of today I spent resting in bed with a running nose, headache and sore throat.  It's time to re-set my thoughts and behaviors. I've tried along the way, but apparently the trying never manifested into a shift that changed my behavior.  So the Universe provides the catalyst for change - getting sick.

The past several weeks I've been in an unproductive and frustrating loop around planning English classes.  I've spent way too much time researching and not enough time getting a plan on paper.  For instance - taking 5 hours to plan two 30-minute classes. Part of the problem for me is that I wasn't sure what to level of English to expect from some of the students who have studied it before.  Another part is that I'm teaching young children, older children and adults.  So I was trying to "over-prepare" for multiple levels and contingencies.  I also have unrealistic expectations for myself.  I need to embrace that this is new to me and it's o.k. 

After my first week of classes, I realize that I was trying to do too much.  But I continued anyway.  This frenetic behavior and worry wore me out.  Over the weekend I felt I was coming down with a cold.  Sometimes I can redirect it with Vitamin C and liquids, but this time I ended up in bed feeling miserable.  Rest is good.  And it certainly gives me time to think.  Of course there is a certain amount of whining at first, but then there is a shift.  Taking deep breaths and knowing that things will get better is some of the best medicine.

Today midday, I had a shift - I have more energy and I'm more relaxed about preparing for classes.  I want to remember this space and if I get obsessive again about something, I want to begin the deep breathing and re-directing myself before I get sick. And I want this to be the enjoyable experience I know it can be.  I'm looking forward to getting to know the kids and adults in my classes.

Names and Such

Yesterday was the first class for my 4 advanced beginner women here in my village.  They asked me what the short names are for Patricia.  Everyone here uses nicknames for their formal first names. (And they always introduce themselves with 3 names.  There is a lot of commonality between first and last names, family names are traditionally passed on to new generations, so the middle name is usually a distinguishing factor in introductions.  There may be 20 Nevena Petrovas but only 1 Nevena Dimitrovena Petrova.)

Anyway, the ladies wanted to know if I ever used a short version.  After going through my name history of marriages (2)  and a chosen name change  for 10 years (all of which they thought was hilarious) we talked about nicknames for Patricia - Pat, Patti, Tricia, Trisha, Patsy, Ricia.  I said I had been Patti (which in Bulgarian would be Pati (they don't use repeating letters often).  The laughed because Пате (Patay) means cute little duckling.  Awwwww - maybe it's time for a new nickname.  I like it.

Fleas - again

This morning I once again woke up with a few new flea bites.  I stripped my bed and washed (by hand) the sheets, duvet cover and two blankets covering the chairs in the room.  I mopped the floor and I sprayed the mattress with a product called "Bio-Kill."  Everything hangs outside on the clothesline in the Bulgarian sunshine and breeze.  This evening I put the clean sheets on the bed and lie down to meditate........I see a flea on the sheet. AAAArrrghhhhh.  What to do???? (After flushing the flea, of course).

Is this a test - focus on the solution, not the problem?  Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (my welts don't feel that small)?  Chicken Soup for the Annoyed Soul?  Sh*t My Dad Says - stop scratching!

Captions for Newer Photos

Due to technical difficulties (not sure if it's the technology or the operator) here are some comments for the most recent photos.  I couldn't post captions below the photos.

A rose at the Chicken Soup Festival in Kozarevets, 10-Sept-11
Two photos of the winning soup chef and soup preparations.  Her garnishes included croutons and roasted peppers and fire-roasted okra (photo)
Singing Babas from a nearby village.  Notice Petur playing the bagpipes as the accompanist.
Another vegetable carved floral arrangement. 

A Week in the Life of ... Saturday – HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!!

For continuity - please begin with A Week in the Life of.... Monday

Today I wanted to go for my usual, longer weekend morning walk in search of treasure.  Today’s treasure I’m looking for are walnuts and hazelnuts.  This is the first time I’ve picked walnuts and hazelnuts off of trees.  I never realized that walnuts grow inside a big green shell (kind of like coconuts do) or that hazelnuts are like peas in a pod – well not exactly but they have a fringed “cozy” they grow in.  I suppose it would be helpful if I had pictures to illustrate the way they grow for others who also have never seen them. 

 

I headed out of town on one of the main roads towards the community guest house (hizha) near the river.  Lots of trees,  but not many treasures.  A car stopped – it was someone I know – and he said he has lots of walnut trees at his house and he will bring me some on Monday.  Yippee.  Another friend here in the village let me gather some hazelnuts from her tree earlier in the week, but it’s a small tree.  Tomorrow I  will get a nutcracker so I can actually eat some of these fresh nuts.  My round trip walk was about 2 ½ hours.  I came home and had breakfast then took a 1 hour nap.  Ha!

Today, Saturday, is not a weekend day for most Bulgarians.  Next Thursday is “Independence Day” and a national holiday, and the government has said that Friday will be a holiday observance day.  However, today was a work day to make up for the lost work day next Friday.  So everything that is usually closed on Saturday was open today – the post office, the mayor’s office, the doctor’s office, the community center, the school (kids went to school today).  This is the second time this month this occurred and everyone seems to be on the same page about when this happens. Obviously I didn’t go to work today. I went for a walk.   :>)  

Then I made a salad and ate lunch.  Next, I defrosted the little freezer compartment in my little fridge.   I unplugged it, opened the door wide, put all the contents in a small plastic tub together to keep it cold and turned a fan on high to circulate the warm air of the day.  It only took about an hour for the chunk if ice to melt, then I put everything back and plugged it in.  Easy!

While I had a long list of things to accomplish today it seems like I’m done a few.  I’ve also spent about 4 hours writing for this blog.  It’s been a while since I have written so I think it’s worthwhile.  But my eyes are getting tired so I think it’s enough for today.  I have written about 6 out of 7 days of “A Week in the Life Of….”  I probably won't have time to write tomorrow, so I’ll give you a little preview instead.

On Sunday mornings there is a marvelous market here, where one can by fresh garden produce (to supplement all the veggie and fruit gifts I receive), local honey, clothes (some new, some used), household supplies, fishing equipment, second hand electronics (radios, speakers, etc.), and other things.  I'll probably take a quick look during my morning walk.  Then I have class planning and Bulgarian to do before midday when I go to a larger town to get my hair cut.  Not a dramatic change, but about 3 – 4 inches shorter. Tricia goes to someone who works out of her home and we are having back-to-back appointments so I can see where she lives.  Then I’ll take an afternoon bus home and will meet with my tutor in the evening (and I promise to not be grumpy! – see Wednesday). And most importantly – after two days of being very itchy, my flea bites will be mellow on day three and no longer an annoyance (see Thursday). 

Ciao!

A Week in the Life of ….. Friday

I wake up with a headache – must be from all the angst of whether or not I got all the fleas out of my apartment.  I think so – but there might still be a renegade, because I do have a couple new bites (thankfully, not another 20).  I let the whites soak in the soapy water overnight, so I rinse them and hang them on the line.  Today I have a visitor coming to my village.  It is Vyara from Sofia.  She is a wonderful support person for PC Community and Organizational Development program here in Bulgaria.  It’s her first “check-in” site visit since I arrived here 3 months ago.  Yippee.

We talk about my integration into village life in Bulgaria, goals for the next few months and of course, how I am feeling about my experience here.  She gave me a few great ideas that I hadn’t thought of.  One of Vyara’s best suggestions was to ask for a Bulgarian to join me in the classroom with the kids, at least in the beginning.  Someone who knows the kids and who the kids know (think order and discipline).

As long as I stay focused on the big picture about why I am here with the PC and why I wanted to come in the first place, I do well.  I am doing well in the big picture even though there are moments here and there when I have fears and doubts (pretty normal, I think).  One of my life long attitudes which I have continuously worked on changing to a more positive mindset is the attitude of “I’m not_______enough.”  Fill in the blank with almost any positive quality and it might be what I have thought about myself at some time earlier in my life.  Gratefully, I’ve come a long way in the self-confidence and trust department – generally through life experience and learning to look for the things that are going right.  Basically unlearning a lot of childhood belief systems.  So here are some examples of my mind-speak:  

~Yes, I am continuing to study and learn the Bulgarian language (I have my own pace and yet I am learning consistently. …I’m on the turtle team …he he heh…..and we all know the story of the tortoise and the hare, right?).

~Sometimes I see things differently than others see them (diversity is a good thing as long as there is tolerance too) and I just have to keep communicating if I want to be understood.  And I have to keep listening so I understand others.

~I’m nervous, I haven’t formally taught classes before (everyone has to start somewhere, and I know once I get the hang of it, all will be fine). 

I’m grateful for the support the Peace Corp Bulgaria team provides.  They are always available to answer questions and to share resources and ideas. 

Vyara also brought some copies I asked her to make for me – the printer I use here is inaccessible at the moment.  And she brought more bug spray and cortisone cream that I requested from the medical team as well as a water distiller.  I’m going to try the distiller to see how it works and if it helps me feel more comfortable about using tap water to drink.  Even in Arizona I had a water filter, but here I’ve been buying bottled water and then refilling the bottles at a local spring.  The spring water tastes great but when I boil it for coffee or tea or soup, there is a heavy mineral deposit on the container.  So I’m going to experiment with the distiller.

In the afternoon at the library, I did a little more prep work in the classroom upstairs.  I have decorated the walls with some colorful postcards from America (more gladly accepted!) and am putting some grammar info up as well as some classroom words in Bulgarian that I want to be able to use for reference until I learn them.

In the evening I went for another walk and met some new folks (again).  By the time I get home, take a shower, clean up a bit – its bed time.  I also like to find a little time to read books on my Kindle.  I’ve read a couple of books I really enjoyed this summer, but now I seem in a phase of “duds” starting and stopping several.   Post in comments or email me if you have any great book suggestions.

A Week in the Life of……Wednesday, Thursday

Please begin with reading Monday

Wednesday – morning and afternoon in the community center working on projects, studying Bulgarian and planning for teaching English.  At least that’s my plan.  I’m feeling out of sorts – can’t seem to get started or focused.  Coffee and chocolate I use to get me “up and running” just make me more agitated and irritable.  I try to keep a low profile.  But I’m annoyed by everything and everyone. Obviously it doesn’t have anything to do with them – it’s just the space I’m in. I’m not getting anything done I want to get done – especially English class prep and studying Bulgarian.

Harrumphhh.  I’m grumpy and cancel tutoring with my Bulgarian tutor in the evening. I try meditating but I don’t connect…my mind remains engaged and agitated. I go for a walk and speak with some Babas sitting on their benches.  Moving and interaction help me feel better.

I decide to cook some lentils and quinoa so I have more than popcorn for tomorrow’s menu.

Not a great day – but I have those in Arizona too.  Usually it’s an indicator that I’m disconnected from myself and it’s time to re-connect to my spirit. Now that I’m feeling better, I give myself extra meditation time before going to sleep.

Thursday – early morning bus (8:00 am) to a larger town (40 minutes away) which is a transportation hub.  I have a 2 ¼ hour wait for a connecting bus to village D3 (15 minutes).  I use this time to do errands in the “big town” or to study or visit with friends.   Today I walk 20 minutes uphill to the supermarket and look for a few things my village stores don’t carry (molasses; deep, dark brown sugar, a nutcracker).  I was unsuccessful finding all those items, but managed to find other things to carry home with me (dense pumpernickel bread, a large cinnamon, a large cup for tea, facial tissue, etc.).  Then I walked to the cell phone store to pay my bill but was about 10 days too early (now I know when to pay). Then back to the bus station.  It’s a short ride to D3.

The day is spent at the community center/library.  This center has a couple of computers for the public to use.  The secretary has a little work to finish and I check email and look at a cooking magazine (in Bulgarian of course – mmm, looks like there is a good lentil loaf recipe).  I teach my first “class” – beginners English to 3 women.  One woman’s teenage daughter joins us – she has studied English in school for many years and is a big help with translating.  They are great and we move right along.  What a mirror for me.  I see the language learning process from the other side.  They have as much of a challenge saying simple English words like I have saying what they consider simple Bulgarian words.  One sound that is very difficult for Bulgarians is “th” like in Thursday, think, three.  They don’t have that sound in their language.  It’s also difficult for them to say “r” without rolling it.  For me one of the most difficult sounds in Bulgarian is “vt” as in “vtornik” which is spelled вторник and is their word for Tuesday. I also have trouble rolling “r” – I’m usually o.k. if it’s at the beginning or end of a word, but it’s really hard sometimes when it’s in the middle.

The hour goes by quickly and then Jordanka tells me that she’s going home for a few minutes.  I say great I brought my lunch (lentil salad), so I’ll eat.   

O.K. – when I‘m done eating and she hasn’t gone home yet, I realize I misunderstood what she said (what a surprise, eh?).  Aha, she waited for me to finish my lunch and then said "Time to go."  It turns out we are going to Lela Maria’s for na gosti (Lela = Layla – is the term of endearment for “Aunt.)  Great.  I love these na gostis to meet people and see their gardens and/or homes.  Jordanka buys two buckets of fresh tomatoes from Lela.  She gives us a tour of the garden – lots and lots of grape vines.  She also has about a dozen chickens and a pig.  I got excited because it’s the first pig I’ve gotten to visit up close and personal.  Nice pig.  I think its destiny is to be on the Christmas table.   I came away with a huge and wonderful amount of grapes and two ripe peaches.  Yum!  I wish some of my American friends were closer so I could share all these wonderful fruits and vegetables with you.

Later the teenager returns and helps me find songs on the internet in English to use for classes for the students.  Also a couple of songs in Bulgarian which can be translated into English.  In the late afternoon I take a taxi (no buses available at this time) to the transportation hub town so I can get the last bus of the day to my village, D1 (usually about a 45 min. wait – I want to make sure I don’t miss the last bus!).  Lately I’ve been meeting with my friend and fellow volunteer, Tricia, for a cool beverage at a café near her apartment.  We share stories from the week and she’s an awesome resource for me to ask questions and to learn from her experiences from the 2 ½ years she’s been in Bulgaria.  She’ll complete her third year of service next June. Then it’s a 40 min. bus ride home.  I put the groceries away, start cooking some chicken and decide to change my clothes.  

Oh-ohhhhh.  Look at all those fleas on the floor.  Oh no….look at all those bites on my feet, legs and thighs.  I had fleas in my pants!!!  Usually, I only see one or two but this time there are many!   Eeeek.  Maybe I shouldn’t have said “hi” to the pig.  I counted 22 bites.  I took my clothes and put them in hot soapy water.  I mopped the floor and took a shower.  My mantra was “Kill the f……s.”  Not exactly my spiritual side, but I don’t feel patient when I’m covered in bites that ITCH. Not the plan I had for the evening, but absolutely necessary.

A Week in the Life of……Tuesday

Please read Monday first....

Tuesday – I take the early (8:00am) morning bus to D2 (15 minutes) and go to the “office” in the community center/library.  Today when I arrive my counterpart tells me she has to go the larger town for an errand or two, but she will be back by noon.  She suggests I visit the Seniors Club and possibly the kindergarten. First I spend a little time checking emails using my laptop.  This library does not have computers for the public to use, but they would like to find funding so they could have them.  Then I go to the Seniors Club and check out their new computer – after saying “hi” to everyone there.  I transfer some photos from last Saturday.  All three villages I visit participated in a nearby festival where the Babas (grandmothers) sing and there is a competition for the best chicken soup.  I enjoy taking photos and I put them on the Seniors’ computer so they can look at the photos. Next I work with two women who have studied some English and want to learn more.  We spend about an hour practicing exercises.

Then I am invited to Penka’s house for “na gosti.”  I met her once before in the grocery store and this time she wanted me to visit her for lunch.  She is 83 years old and speaks very good basic English and her reading vocabulary is even better!  What a treat to have lunch with her.  She has lots of vitality and had quite an interesting life as a neurosurgical nurse for 32 years.  She lived in Libya for 4 years at one point.  She’s lived under both communism and democracy.  I enjoyed her perspectives. She sent me home with some huge and very sweet green grapes off her vines.

Yes, it’s grape season – green, red, purple/black.  It’s one of the highlights of the harvesting season.  Many folks make their own wine and then from the remnants of the wine-making process, they make rakia.  Men pride themselves in their rakia-making abilities.  They share the brandy-like beverage with everyone all year long as well as discussions about whose is best.  All grapes off the garden vines have seeds (of course) and everyone eats the grapes with the seeds.  Pop one sweet, juicy globe into your mouth, taste the burst of sweetness and crunch, crunch, crunch.  Enjoy.  Ask me next year if I’m used to eating grapes this way….at this point I’m not quite there but I refuse to be the American spitting out the seeds in public. All colors have been sweet (and occasionally sour) but my favorite ones are the really dark purple/black ones.  Right now I have more grapes than I can possibly eat – I’m doing my best, but some are going bad before I get to them.

After lunch I met with my counterpart.  She showed me how to send photos via Skype.  I showed her some of my Facebook photos.  We talk about schedules.  Then I catch a late afternoon bus (about 4:45) to a neighboring village near the one I live on.  It’s only about 10 minutes away, but I get off the bus there, while it goes to the bigger transportation hub town.  Then 60 minutes later I get back on when it returns to continue its route to other villages including the one I live in.  I’m home 10 minutes later.  So the bus trip to go 10 kilometers takes an hour and 15 minutes.  That’s o.k.  I use the time in the in-between village to study Bulgarian.

When I get home I have popcorn for dinner and go for a walk.  Yup – didn’t have anything prepared and food prep sometimes just takes too long!  The one thing I miss most here is New Frontiers Deli – I would love to pop in and grab a salad to go, or some new, cool item like raw lasagna!

A Week In the Life Of……Monday

I thought I'd give a brief overview of my weekly schedule - but then I started expanding on my days so now I'll divide a week up among several posts.

I spend time each week in three different villages – let’s call them D1 (where I live), D2, and D3. 

 

Monday – Before work I hand wash some laundry so it can hang on the line and dry during the heat of the day.  I go to the “office” at the community center – which is also the library – by 9:00.  I have a desk there.  This week the head secretary is out on vacation, so I do as best I can when someone comes to return a book and/or check out a new one.  I can also help with making copies.  The word for copy in Bulgarian is almost the same as in English.  I also help people use the computers.  This library received a grant last November and installed new 6 computers for the public to use.  This is great because a lot of village folks don’t have computers in their homes.  It’s a great asset for the village.  Checking Facebook and using Skype are two popular activities for adults and kids.  Beginning next week I will teach English Saturday mornings.  I will take Monday mornings as part of my weekend and in the afternoon, teach one or two English classes to elementary school-aged children, after school in the community center.

I go home for a two-hour lunch which always passes amazingly quickly.  I frequently have tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and sirene (sear-ah-nay) the Bulgarian version of feta ( cucumbers are now past their prime in the garden and scarcely available).  

The afternoon – I’m back in the library.  This week the kids are in the library often (they have a one-hour limit on the computer).  Their energy was different for a while today and I paid attention. The girls were giggling and forming group huddles around a monitor. I heard them telling their names, ages and the town they live in.  My hackles went up.  Since I hadn’t heard this previously I was pretty sure the secretary wouldn’t allow it.  So I told them they had to say “Ciao.”  Then I used Google translate and explained very briefly why it’s not a good idea to give personal information to strangers over the internet.  I felt good about being able to understand a situation intuitively as much as with language and respond. Sometimes communicating with words isn’t everything.  It’s good to know –being a foreigner living in another country and working on learning the language, but still very much a beginner.

There is an interesting dynamic I see here in Bulgaria.  The young girls are naïve and innocent in some ways as girls are around the world.  On the other hand, selling “sexuality” is everywhere here.  As an American woman who grew up in the 60s and 70s when the woman’s movement was fighting against sexual objectification, it’s difficult for me to have a clear understanding of this part of Bulgarian society.  Bulgarians tend to take pride in how they look and dress.  Women here love to look beautiful and sexy – tight short skirts, tight shirts and lots of cleavage, big hair, lots of make-up, 4-inch heels (even in villages).  And of course, the men love to look and frequently make comments.  Because I don’t understand and I have the beliefs I have, it upsets me to see many young girls (elementary school age) exhibit very provocative posturing and attitudes about having a sexy body.  I’m not making any judgments, because I don’t understand it the way a Bulgarian understands it, but it does make me uncomfortable.  I wish the girls could enjoy being children and not be in such a hurry to grow up.  (Am I showing my age here?)

After work, I head home with my big backpack (an identifiable “American” trait I exhibit). I usually have some quiet time meditating before making dinner (more tomatoes and ??).  Then I’ve been going for earlier walks around town – it’s getting dark much earlier now, around 8:15.  A couple of months ago it wasn’t dark until 9:30.