Somehow this week flew by and the weekend is already here. I plan on spending the weekend baking for my colleagues at the municipality building and spending several hours studying my Bulgarian. This will be my first full weekend in Karlovo since I came to site. My first weekend was spent inside preparing to go home to the states, and the weekend I returned home from America was spent sleeping. Since then I have traveled at least one day of the weekend for PC appointments or Holiday events. It will be nice to sleep in and enjoy the town. Maybe a morning hike in the Balkans or a run down by the railroad tracks.
This week has been quite eventful. My department has received several requests for projects. I will be working on a SPA (small project assistance) project for a local village who wants to do some environmental cleaning involving their riverbed. The local Rotary club has requested that we work with them and gain assistance from Project CURE. A meeting will take place with them next week. In the mean time my site mate and I are working on a regional approach to ATIP that will also work with surrounding countries and hopes of reaching the legislative level.
Yesterday was St. Nick. In Bulgaria, if you have a name that corresponds to a Saint, then on the day they are celebrated this is your name day. You are to bring in food and treats and give them to your friends, family and colleagues. Several individuals in my office celebrated yesterday. It was my first time having whisky in the office.........but here's to integration! The head of our municipal council had a name day so we spent the last half hour of work drinking, eating snacks and having a little gossip time.
I'll be going back to Sofia next Wednesday for a second PCMO appointment. I have been approved for MedEvac to Thailand. Looks like I may be going in January. I just hope it isn't during new years. The last two new years haven't been very eventful so spending this one in a hospital bed in Bangkok doesn't sound too exciting either.
A gentleman came into my office yesterday who was a family friend of my counterpart. He didnt say anything to me when he walked in and only spoke with my CP. I overheard him talking to her about me in Bulgarian and when I told her I needed to leave for my language lesson he began talking to me in english. I almost peed my pants. He used to live in Washington D.C. He explained that it has been several months since he has spoke english and wants to meet for coffee so he can practice. It works out well for me also.....I need to practice my Bulgarian :) .
We seem to have many visitors strolling in and out of my office for whatever reason. The mother of one of our secretaries came in this morning and when she saw me her face lit up. She started asking questions. I understood she had a single 37 year old son who she was speaking about. My counterpart explained she was asking if I wanted her to be my mother in law. I smiled and had no problem saying "Ne."
I'll probably be going to the local disco with the Youth Parliament. Such a great group of kids. Roger and I will be having a Christmas party with them later in the month. Time to do some research.
[The] food chain we have now is not designed to feed people.... it is designed to produce the maximum amount of cash in the shortest time. ... The global free market might be good for some things (perhaps we get better computers and warships that way) but for farming, and hence for humanity as a whole, it is disastrous.
- Colin Tudge
No comments:
Post a Comment