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.