Довиждане Америка, Здравей България!!

The Prom

2007-05-27T04:36:00.001-07:00

For the past few weeks the seniors have been preparing for their prom (or Ball). They can be heard all around town blowing their whistles and saying "Who has a Ball?" . . . "(Insert name) has a Ball." This past week the excitement intensified since the proms were actually taking place. Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening the center was full of people (the graduates, family, friends and onlookers) yelling and taking pictures - It's been crazy.

On Friday I went to one students pre-party with her family and then to our school's prom. I actually had not intended to go (I don't even teach the 12th class) but when I got there (to the hotel to take some pictures) the other teachers sucked me in. It was very interesting. Their prom is like a dinner and dance combined. It was especially fun seeing what was fashionable for the students to wear.

Hear are some photos:

This sign says "Chestit Bal" or "Happy Ball." This photo is from the gathering I went to with the family of one of our students who will be going to America for College in the fall.

This is her and her grandmother who entertained the guests with some poems she wrote for the occasion.

Outside the Hotel

Some of the seniors all dressed up and ready to go

At the Prom

The Teacher's Table

Spring Again

2007-05-26T02:41:00.000-07:00

This past April I got to go on a tour of the Rousse area with one of the Americans who works at the Peace Corps Sofia office and his wife. Here are some highlights from the tour:

Our visit to the Sveshtari Tomb - These are Thracian Tombs. You can see them all over Bulgaria. Each of the large mounds below is a tomb.

A Turkish Lunch

Stork Sighting

Demir Baba Teke - An Alevi (Bulgarian Shias) Holy Place

A piece of your clothes has to be hung on a tree or a bush around the Holy
Demir Baba Teke site for health and good fortune. I found some underwear on one tree - I guess those people already found their good fortune??

Here your partner should be able to guide you (blindfolded) so that your fingers lineup with the 2 holes. It's supposed to be a sign of fidelity.

Here you are supposed to pull a piece of cloth through the holes three times in order to relieve minor ailments (like a headache)

This is called the Moon Rock. If you lay back on it and sit up three times it is supposed to make you fertile. If you do the same thing in the other direction it's for fortune. It was a lot harder than it looks. The top of the rock was very slippery so when I tried to sit up I started sliding off.

Our Visit to a Wood Carved House

The Orthodox Midnight Service - The Easter Midnight service takes place outside of the church. When Midnight comes, the priest gives the blessing and everybody has to walk around the church 3 times with their candles. I was afraid my long hair would prove to be a fire hazard but I made it through unscathed. I just got a lot of wax all over my coat.

Easter Lunch in the Village of Ivanovo

The Ivanovo Rocky Monastery - Located near Rousse, it has
paintings listed in the World Heritage List. They are said to be some of the most
remarkable works of Bulgarian Medieval artists of the 14th century.

The Ruins of the Medieval Fortress of Cherven

A Celebrations in Pirgovo Village Square (the town where we ate Easter dinner)

Romania

2007-03-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago I went to Bucharest with one of my Bulgarian Friends. It was a quick day trip (possible now since I'm living on the border) but it was a lot of fun. The tour guides seemed impressed with my Bulgarian skills, little do they know . . .

Here are some photos from my visit:

Home for the Holidays

2007-02-01T06:29:00.000-08:00

It was great being back in the states where there's a plethora of Mexican food and native English speakers galore :)

Here are some shots from my trip to San Diego:

At Hotel del Coronado

Out for Benihana's

Christmas

Christmas in Rousse

2006-12-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

Tis the season . . .

The YMCA-Rousse World AIDS Day Campaign

2006-12-09T01:38:00.000-08:00

The following are some photos from the AIDS Day campaign we held this December:

The Bold & The Beautiful

2006-11-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

That's right - The Bold & The Beautiful

On air since the 80's but a big hit here!

Case in point:

Today, after finishing one of my classes, the school librarian told me that an old man had stopped by the school. Apparently he wanted me to translate a letter, which would reveal "Who stole the baby" to one of the characters on the soap. The letter included the name of the character and, of course, noted that it be sent to LA.

I suppose it's nice that he wants to help a fictional character recover her baby and, at the very least, the librarian and some of the teachers got some entertainment out of the situation; however, I'm slightly concerned that I'm going to run into this Bold & The Beautiful Fanatic - to tell him or not to tell him, that is the question. Which is worse? Revealing to an old man that a world he has invested himself in, the world of this soap, only exists on a closed set or indulging him, simply saying I'll mail out that letter straightaway?

Rousse!!

2006-11-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

Long story short, Peace Corps decided to move me host organizations. I’m now working in Rousse, Bulgaria. Rousse is along the Danube River, which serves as the border between Romania and Bulgaria. I am north of the Balkan Mountains now which means colder winters but the city is great and the job is keeping me busy. I now teach 4 classes a week at the local language high school and am working with the YMCA (yep, YMCA). Apparently they are all over the world; however, the YMCAs here are much different than in America. They are oriented more towards providing social services—there is no gym to speak of (for more on 'YMCA Europe' see http://www.eay.org). At the moment the YMCA in Rousse is planning an AIDS campaign for World AIDS Day (December 1st, http://www.worldaidscampaign.info/). If you or someone you know would be interested in supporting the campaign please let me know. Anything would help!

Here are some pictures of my new home base:

The Gurkovo Donkey Festival!

2006-09-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago there was a Donkey Festival—held in commemoration of, what else, the DONKEY! It was great fun. Two volunteers from the area participated. They had a donkey cart and everything. Each cart had to have a theme so they went with the 70’s (the festival began during the 1970’s). Their cart looked like a tie-dye covered wagon. The festival was hilarious. During the raising of the flags they played donkey noises in the background! There were a variety of events included in the festival: the race, donkey soccer, donkey tug-a-war, and a donkey beauty contest. The American cart took second place in the beauty contest!

In the evening one of the chalga (Bulgarian pop music) singers, Preslava, came for a short performance. The Gurkovo volunteer was excited because he was one of only two people there to get a picture with her.

Later that night we camped-out by a stream near town. A volunteer had some marshmallows from back home so we had fun making smores while sitting around the camp fire. It was a really good time. Here are some photos from the camp-out:

Touring the Valley of the Roses

2006-09-15T01:26:00.000-07:00

You may have though that the Rose Festival would have provided enough Rose related festivities for one season but you couldn’t be more wrong. Shortly after the festival was complete, I went with two other volunteers on a tour of the Rose Valley that was hosted by JICA. The tour was all free because JICA was testing it out on us foreigners! It was GREAT! Over the course of the two day tour we saw a Koukeri puppet show, visited two of the Thracian tombs, saw Thracian treasures at the local museum, went rose picking, did some folk dancing and partook of rose jam and liquor. We also got to stay over with Bulgarian families that are part of the Rural Tourism Association, which is developing mini-bed-and-breakfasts in the villages around Kazanlak.

The Koukeri Puppet Show:

One of the Thracian Tombs:

The Ethnographic House (where we learned about various extracts and had some rose jam and liquor; the second photo is a Rose Distiller):

Thracian Treasures:

Japanese Doll Display (was setup by one of the JICA volunteers at the local museum):

My Rural Tourism Experience (Below is a picture of the family I stayed with and some of their rabbits. I had lots of fun playing with the rabbits that they raise but was sad to discover that they were on the menu. The people were very nice and, I am sad to say, the rabbit was very good—poor bunnies):

Our Visit to the Rose Fields:

Me and 2 volunteers from Alaska (Jack and Rhonda) on our way to the fields

The Kazanlak Rose Festival

2006-09-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

The following are pictures from the Rose Festival, which took place this past June. The festival recognizes the importance of Rose oil production in this region of Bulgaria. The most important thing to know is that they drop rose oil from planes during the closing parade (a pleasant surprise for all on a hot summer day)!

Here are a few photos from the international folk festival, which coincides with the Rose festival. The Russian folk group (see the dancers in blue costumes) was great! The styles of the other groups were similar so they tended to run together, but the Russians were very different—combining what seemed like Bulgarian folk dancing with more fluid movements that were almost ballet like.

The next few photos were taken in a rose field outside of Kazanlak. I went with some other PCVs and JICA volunteers to take part in rose picking ritual and some traditional songs and dance. One of the funniest parts of the whole experience was that there was a bus full of Japanese tourists attending the event (I’m not very use to tourists being here but with the festival there was an influx of both Japanese and English—it was strange to say the very least). They all had matching visors on from a local hotel—it was odd but cute. I think there were more cameras there than people :)

The presentation of the queen was a bit intense (see below). There was a huge rose on stage that she emerged from following a ballet performance. As she was coming-out of the blossom, the stage filled with smoke, an entourage of little girls threw peddles at her feet, and rose oil was released into the air. Following the presentation the mayor spoke; as usual, his arrival on stage was preceded by academy award type music. The spectacle finished with a display of fireworks. It was a fun show but I preferred the rose rituals out in the fields—it was much more authentic.

Jennifer and the :"Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad" Month

2006-07-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

14 reasons why this has been a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Month:

1) Had more work troubles – I can’t describe them here (Why? Because Peace Corps says so . . . it seems so “Big Brother”)

2) My apartment was sold out from under me

3) Had to move to another apartment (I am told this one is only temporary and that I will have to move to a third one soon)

4) The boiler was broken – resulting in many cold showers

5) The door lock was broke – could only enter through the balcony

6) I was SICK! – so sick I dirtied my own pants (I warned you it was a bad month) I don’t remember the last time I was so sick

7) I was robbed while on vacation – I saw the Pope and then my wallet was stolen (I guess he doesn’t bless people as he drives by in his Pope-mobile)

8) Spent way too much money because Spain was just plain expensive and I had to keep calling VISA, my bank and my parents after the theft . . .

9) . . . Consequently, I won’t be able to participate in the marathon

10) My digital camera broke in Barcelona

11) My friends were thoroughly annoyed with having to loan me money for half the trip

12) I was locked out of my apartment when I returned (the door lock was fixed without me)

13) Had even more work troubles this week – I can’t describe these either (Give me a call; calls are good!!)

and lastly,

14) I spoke with my Dad and he tells me our dog was putt to sleep

OK . . . I’m done now . . . From here on out I intend to be extraordinarily happy! After all July is almost over.

If you would like to send something to assist in making next month a much better one the below book would be great and/or anything else you can think of!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764551442/102-4316467-1030503?v=glance&n=283155

And just because it makes me smile . . .

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY
by Judith Viorst

I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

At breakfast Anthony found a Corvette Sting Ray car kit in his cereal box and Nick found a Junior Undercover Agent code ring in his cereal box but in my breakfast cereal box all I found was breakfast cereal. I think I'll move to Australia.

In the car pool Mrs. Gibson let Becky have a seat by the window. Audrey and Elliott got seats by the window too. I said I was being scrunched. I said I was being smushed. I said, if I don't get a seat by the window I am going to be carsick. No one even answered. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

As school Mrs. Dickens liked Paul's picture of the sailboat better than my picture of the invisible castle. At singing time she said I sang too loud. At counting time she said I left out sixteen. Who needs sixteen? I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I could tell because Paul said I wasn't his best friend anymore. He said that Philip Parker was his best friend and that Albert Moyo was his next best friend and that I was only his third best friend. I hope you sit on a tack, I said to Paul. I hope the next time you get a double-decker strawberry ice-cream cone the ice cream part falls off the cone part and lands in Australia.

There were two cupcakes in Philip Parker's lunch bag and Albert got a Hershey bar with almonds and Paul's mother gave him a piece of jelly roll that had little coconut sprinkles on the top. Guess whose mother forgot to put in dessert? It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

That's what it was, because after school my mom took us all to the dentist and Dr. Fields found a cavity just in me. Come back next week and I'll fix it, said Dr. Fields. Next week, I said, I'm going to Australia.

On the way downstairs the elevator door closed on my foot and while we were waiting for my mom to go get the car Anthony made me fall where it was muddy and then when I started crying because of the mud Nick said I was a crybaby and while I was punching Nick for saying crybaby my mom came back with the car and scolded me for being muddy and fighting. I am having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, I told everybody. No one even answered.

So then we went to the shoestore to buy some sneakers. Anthony chose white ones with blue stripes. Nick chose red ones with white stripes. I chose blue ones with red stripes but then the shoe man said, We're all sold out. They made me buy plain old white ones, but they can't make me wear them.

When we picked up my dad at his office he said I couldn't play with his copying machine, but I forgot. He also said to watch out for the books on his desk, and I was careful as could be except for my elbow. He also said don't fool around with his phone, but I think I called Australia. My dad said please don't pick him up anymore. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

There were lima beans for dinner and I hate limas. There was kissing on TV and I hate kissing. My bath was too hot, I got soap in my eyes, my marble went down the drain, and I had to wear my railroad-train pajamas. I hate my railroad-train pajamas. When I went to bed Nick took back the pillow he said I could keep and the Mickey Mouse night light burned out and I bit my tongue. The cat wants to sleep with Anthony, not with me. It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. My mom says some days are like that.

Even in Australia.

STING and Sunny Beach

2006-06-15T03:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to ‘Sunny Beach’ to see a Sting concert with some other Peace Corps Volunteers—it was GREAT! Well, bazaar . . . but great! Sunny Beach is the tourist town on the Bulgarian coast. Nearly everyone there was Dutch or English. It was so odd. I heard almost no Bulgarian at all the entire weekend. It felt like being in a different country-It looks noting like the rest of Bulgaria. Sunny Beach has hotels as far as the eye can see. I don’t think I saw one Block (big communist style apartment building) the whole time. The only bad thing about the whole trip was how expensive everything was. Most of the tourists seemed to be thinking it was a deal but compared to the rest of Bulgaria the prices are very high there. Here are some photos from the trip.

Sunny Beach

Nesebar (located next-door to Sunny Beach)

The Concert

Sting's Son/The Opening Act

STING!!!

~ Spring is in the Air ~

2006-05-18T05:53:00.000-07:00

Spring is here!! The snow has finally left the valley; everywhere I look now flowers are blooming. Here are just a few of the spring activities that I have taken part in.

Easter Egg Making—the Bulgarian Way!

The Master at Work

My Creations

A Volunteer from JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)

Making Bulgarian Croissants (Kifla)

An International Easter

I spent this Easter celebrating with a JICA volunteer, a couple from Ireland and South Africa who run an NGO here, and a Ukrainian woman and her daughter

Athens Marathon

2006-04-16T01:11:00.000-07:00

As some of you know I am preparing to run the Athens Marathon this November. As most of you don’t know the team of Peace Corps Volunteers that I am running with are fundraising for the World Scout Jamboree (Please read the letter below for more information). If you would like to help this worthy cause by sponsoring me in the run please see the website below:

Donation Information:

1.Donations By credit card -

http://www.scout.org/donate/

Select “Scouting in the European Scout Region”, Select the currency “EUR, USD, ..”, and mention “World Scout Jamboree 2007, support to Bulgaria and the name of the donor”

2.Acknowledgement of payment - At the end of the fundraising operation a “thank-you letter” will be prepared by the Scout Organization of Bulgaria and sent to all the donors.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF BULGARIAN SCOUTS

April 05, 2006
Dear Sir or Madam:

The National Organization of Bulgarian Scouts (OBS) is an organization which serves the needs of youth who in turn aid their communities through scouting activities. OBS is a volunteer based non-political, non-militaristic, non-governmental organization open to all youth regardless of their race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, creed, gender or sexual preference. Bulgaria currently has 20 scout troops who have had over 2,700 scouts participate in their activities. OBS focuses on the development of youth by creating opportunities which expose them to other cultures, skills and ideas. Scouts also participate in team-building and outdoor activities. By participating in the opportunities offered to them by OBS, the scouts develop an overall sense of self while learning the ideals of peace, understanding, and tolerance.

One such event which accomplishes these goals is the World Scout Jamboree. The 21st World Scout Jamboree will be held in England from July 24th to August 9th 2007. This jamboree will mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first scout camp on Brownsea Island, England. Scouting groups from over 130 countries around the world are expected to participate in this Jamboree.

Unfortunately, the current economic situation in Bulgaria has earned it the title of one of the poorest countries in Europe. Although the desire has long existed to attend the jamboree and represent the Bulgarian scouts, the OBS has previously been unable to raise the funding. The cost of sending one scout is equivalent to six months salary in Bulgaria and thus is prohibitively high. OBS would like to send 10-15 scouts, two leaders and two international service team members (scouts between the ages of 18 and 25). The cost of sending one scout or their leader to this event is 580 EURO and to send a scout as a member of the international service team is 470 EURO. OBS would like to raise at least 8,700 EURO for 15 scouts, 1,160 EURO for 2 leaders and 940 EURO for 2 ITSР staff for a total of 10,800 EURO. Although the jamboree seems distant, the World Scout Organization requires a schedule of payments beginning in March 2006.

To make this dream a reality we have partnered with a group of Peace Corps volunteers in Bulgaria. These volunteers are running the November 2006 Athens Marathon as a fundraiser for our cause.

Please support this cause by sponsoring a volunteer. Again, 100% of the donations will go to aiding the scouts in making their dreams of attending the World Scout Jamboree a reality!

Respectfully,

Diana Boteva
OBS International Commissioner
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Bulgaria, Plovdiv 4004 5 Br Shkorpil str. apt 1

Jerramy Dear-Ruel
U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer
Malko Turnovo, Bulgaria

My Trip to Hissar (A Bulgarian Spa Town)!!

2006-03-31T02:54:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I went with a group of PCVs to Hissar, A small Spa town known for its spring water. We went hiking, had dinner and, most exciting of all, I had a massage!!! The weekend was great! The town was really nice. It has lots of beautiful parks and ruins. Here are some picture from the trip:

Side note - last night I saw my first Bulgarian play! What I understood of it was good BUT it lasted 3 hour!!! That's longer than the Titanic!!! That would be much too long for any play but was especially long for me since I only understood about a third of what was happening. The play actually ended with a flying pig???? Don't ask. Next time I will have to bring a camera.

Other happenings - in June I'm going to see STING here in Bulgaria!!! And in July I'm going to Spain and Prague with some other volunteers!!!

GLOW!! (Girls Leading Our World)

2006-03-10T03:08:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, I am currently working on a Peace Corps run camp for girls. It is a great opportunity for the girls to learn about being a leader and being a woman. If you would like to make a donation (tax deductible!) please go to:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.projdetail&projdesc=313-080

To learn more about camp GLOW go to www.campglowbg.org or see below. Thank you for any help that you may offer! The more donations that we get the more girls we will be able to have participate in the camp.

Camp GLOW Bulgaria

"Perfect week for a girl."

-GLOW Camper

The incredible week-long experience for young women around the world, known as Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World), began in Romania in 1995. Due to the success of the first camp, and the worldwide need for programs that support the specific educational and emotional needs of young women, the camp has continued to grow and develop. Through the efforts of Peace Corps Volunteers and their communities, Camp GLOW has expanded everywhere from Uzbekistan to Namibia, and also to Bulgaria, where the first Camp GLOW was held in 2000.

This year 70 young women will participate in Camp GLOW Bulgaria. The activities at Camp GLOW are aimed at fostering self-esteem; developing leadership, teamwork, communication, decision-making, and goal-setting skills; encouraging civic responsibility and volunteerism; nurturing tolerance and promoting appreciation of culture and diversity; and expanding knowledge of current issues facing young Bulgarian women, such as HIV prevention and eating disorders. Camp GLOW is conducted in English and includes:

Morning outside meetings, led by counselors and junior counselors.
Daily games, such as the “Tower of Straw” team-building and problem solving activity.
Medium-sized workshops, where a team of one counselor and one junior counselor work with a group of 10 campers to provide information about topics such as Human Rights. The same three workshops are offered during morning sessions and afternoon sessions—campers choose which workshops they want to attend.
Small discussion groups, where a team of one counselor and one junior counselor meet with five campers to debrief various topics related to the larger workshops held that day. For the entire camp, the same counselor and junior counselor are assigned to a specific group of five campers, in order to facilitate bonding and to establish a comfortable discussion setting.
Guest speakers who lecture about particularly relevant topics in Bulgaria, such as Bulgarian Women in Business; the trafficking of women and children in Eastern European countries; and the culture, history, and present situation of Roma women in Bulgaria.
Afternoon activities, such as meditation, yoga, Tae Bo, self-defense, or ultimate Frisbee.
Themed nighttime activities, such as a Hawaiian Luau, Talent Show, Cultural Gallery Walk, Bonfire Night, or Pajama Party.
An environmental awareness activity, such as hiking on an eco-trail and visiting a monastery in the mountains.
A community service day, such as visiting a retirement home, bringing flowers and talking one-on-one with local residents.
Each year, young women ages 14 to 18 throughout Bulgaria apply to Camp GLOW. This year, Camp GLOW anticipates receiving 250 applications for 50 camper spots. The applicants send in an application form, reference letters, as well an essay on a topic such as, “What does the Camp GLOW motto, ‘Be a woman, be yourself,’ mean to you?” All counselors and junior counselors have participated as campers or junior counselors in the previous year’s Camp GLOW, and have been selected to be counselors based on having proved themselves outstanding, amongst a group of already outstanding young women. Prior to camper arrival, these 20 counselors undergo an intensive three-day training session on peer counseling, mediation, communication, and workshop facilitation. Their role is not only to assist with camp logistics, lead medium-sized workshops and small group discussions, but also to provide encouragement and support to all campers during Camp GLOW. They act as inspirational role-models, and are the tireless life, energy, and spirit of GLOW for the entire week.

This is the third year that Camp GLOW will be help in Bulgaria’s former capital, Veliko Turnovo. Every year, Peace Corps Volunteers continue to transfer skills to the GLOW NGO and its parent NGO, the Open Door Resource Center. Through Camp GLOW’s partnership with Open Door Resource Center, GLOW has been able to grow and expand in a way that was not possible in the previous years. This year Camp GLOW is again co-directed by a Peace Corps Volunteer and the director of the GLOW NGO. Peace Corps Volunteers and the Open Door Resource Center work throughout the year to make Camp GLOW happen--organizing all camp logistics, and most importantly, by fundraising through community grassroots activities and the assistance of Camp GLOW supporters in America.

GLOW Girls’ Voices:

"I am an ordinary girl from Bulgaria, but that doesn’t mean that girls from Bulgaria just go to school and learn their lessons. Every girl in Bulgaria is at least a little ambitious and has goals for her future. So, in fact, ordinary in this sentence means ambitious! We are trying to be the best in everything and to show that even a girl from a small country like Bulgaria has something to give to the world. It is very important for us to be leaders. But, in Bulgaria, if young women don’t work to make ourselves leaders, no one will help us. Fortunately, a couple of years ago, some nice people decided to organize Camp GLOW and they saw what talented young women we are! Since 2000, the camp has been organized every year. I was lucky enough to have been chosen to participate in last year’s camp in Veliko Turnovo. Camp GLOW was a great experience for me. I recently went back and read my journal entries from camp and they brought me such nice memories. I remember wanting the feeling that GLOW gave me to last as long as possible. I met so many girls during camp, each special and different in her own way. All of them ambitious and born leaders! Many of us became friends, and even though we live in different parts of Bulgaria, we keep in touch.

“When I look back on my experience at GLOW, I realize how helpful it has been to me. Not only did I have fun, but the entertainment was combined with helpful talks, and exercises that taught me to be myself no matter what is going on. GLOW taught me to be more self confidant, to have higher self-esteem, and to be more open to other people and to the world. GLOW opened my eyes to the real world."

-GLOW Camper

“As a very emotional person, I could say that every single detail impressed me a lot at Camp GLOW--from the genius way that all the sessions and events proceeded, to the magnificent behavior of all the wonderful girls. From the entire experience I’ve achieved the most awesome friends I have found. I think more camps like GLOW are needed, because everybody has the right to experience the most exciting, and at the same time the most beneficial week, of her life. Only those who have tasted the magic of a camp like this could say what the sentiment is! Since Camp GLOW 2005 I have become better-organized. I make my decisions much easier than before, I am a more self-confident leader, which is very important and useful for my post as a club President.”

-Mirella Karadjova, GLOW 2005 Camper

“Recently, I read Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie, in which the dying college professor and mentor of Mitch – Morrie-- was giving Mitch his last lecture about life. In the book, Morrie said that emotions are just like shirts- you should put them on, experience them and then-- let them go. But what about your favorite shirt- the one with the stains and the holes that you love so much! CAMP GLOW IS MY FAVORITE SHIRT. No matter how many years pass I can’t give the camp up. Why?

Because the camp made you more open-minded and tolerant.

Because you improved your team-working and leadership skills.

Because you learned how to face challenges and overcome difficulties.

Because you learned more about the others and about yourself…

Because you learned how to dance Hula and had fun with Tae-Bo

Because the only time when you cried was when you got your friendship bracelet, and when you had to say goodbye to friends.

Because the magic of Glow is in YOU!”

-Elena Genova, GLOW 2005 Junior Counselor

“Before I went to Camp GLOW, I didn't have any idea that it could be so meaningful to me. I am kind of a shy person, but GLOW changed me in a way I like. I learned from GLOW that I am a very meaningful person. But what is more important is that I learned every person is meaningful.”

-Hristina Veleva, GLOW 2005 Camper

"[GLOW is a] breathtaking, unforgettable experience that gives young women the chance to learn more about themselves.”

–GLOW Camper

"I think that this week at Camp GLOW has been a turning point in my life, and that the friendships and memories will stay forever in my heart. Thank you for giving me that chance."

– GLOW Camper

Koukeri!!!

2006-02-05T22:11:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was in Pernik, Bulgaria where there was a huge Koukeri festival. What is Koukeri you ask? Well in a nutshell it is a pre-spring celebration designed to chase away evil spirits and ask for a plentiful harvest. It was GREAT!! It's my new favorite thing about Bulgaria. The costumes were very elaborate-some scary, some funny but I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

The Black Roses

2006-01-31T04:58:00.000-08:00

These are the highlights from what may have been my strangest day in Bulgaria. The organization I am with handed out Christmas goodie bags to children at a hospital with a biker group! The group goes by the name of "The Black Roses."

The day before we put the bags together with just a few of the bikers but the next day there was a whole gang of them. One was dressed as Santa and another had a crazy blue wig on. Before the gifts were handed out we spent some time in the office where Santa had a few drinks before heading out on his hog.

At the hospital the gift bags were handed out and we had something to drink with one of the doctors (we drank to our health).

Following the biker festivities we went to the center where some members of the youth group handed out AIDS information cards...It was an odd day to say the very least.

My Bulgarian Christmas

2006-01-31T04:07:00.000-08:00

As usually I find my self short on time for posting but here are some picture from Christmas.

My Turkey - The Before Shot:

The Celebrating Begins:

SUCCESS!! My First Turkey!!

PCVs + Alice :) who came to visit from Japan!!

Some Japanese Candies Curtsey of Alice

Winter Wonderland?

2006-01-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

I just receive this from another volunteer, who will remain anonymous, and thought I would share it. I think it just about sums things up at the moment.

Hey Gang,

I have a problem, and I am hoping one of you knows the answer.

Problem: When I was at IST my house froze solid. So my toilet is a block of ice and all my pipes are frozen. Things are slowly getting better, temp is increasing, but I can only get a small trickle of water from my sink.

Does anyone know how to get the plumbing working again? Is I something that will go back to normal once things thaw out?

If anyone has any suggestions or has gone through this before and can offer me some help please write back as soon as possible. I havent showered since friday, and I am getting sick of leaving the house to take a dump. Thanks

It Looks to Be a White Christmas

2005-12-18T03:06:00.000-08:00

Only 7 days left till Christmas! It came so fast. It seems like I just arrived in Bulgaria and already over three months have past and Christmas is quickly approaching.

I arrived in Kazanluk in late October and since then there have been a lot of ups and downs. I am now living on my own in Bulgaria, although I am still learning the language and customs, so I guess that is to be expected.

My apartment Building or "Block"

The view from my kitchen

My refrigerator otherwise known as the balcony

Note the many cartons of milk in the photo above. I thought they were just going bad quickly because I was storing them on the balcony but apparently that was the type of milk that needs to be boiled because it's not pasteurized-Luckily I didn't get sick.

Overall my apartment is nice. I think it is one of the largest of any Peace Corps volunteer. There are three bedrooms! Only the main bedroom is actually furnished though and since it is hard to heat the place I just keep the extra two rooms closed off. My site mate, the other volunteer in Kazanluk, calls them my haunted rooms. One is actually kind of creepy. It has bunny-rabbit wallpaper and a teddy-bear lamp in it. There is also a mark left on the door from a letter "A" which use to hang there. (I'm assuming the child's name started with an "A" who lived there). The other one just kind of smells.

I also have two bathrooms, however, the toilet does not work in one of them so I just use that bathroom for the shower. After moving in I have had to get use to not being able to flush toilet paper or anything else for that matter. I had heard about this during training but my host family lived in a new house so flushing was not much of a problem. But I suppose I am lucky. Apparently I almost ended up in another apartment that only has a Turkish toilet! That's basically a hole in the ground that you have to squat over to use. That's what I have to use at work but I try to avoid it by always going before I leave home. At the very least I have worked out my thigh muscles a bit and hay I barely ever pee on my self anymore!

The first snow fall

The center after the first snow

Today!

I love the snow. It's cold but it makes it feel a lot more like Christmas time and more like home. I was walking around town today and there were children having snowball fights and building snowmen. I have a tree up in my apartment now and after much searching managed to find some Christmas music. I have also been getting in to the holiday spirit by baking a lot. My oven does not work well so the first time my cookies were burnt on top and dough on the bottom but another volunteer suggested preheating it and then turning the top off before putting the cookies in. That has worked well but it does take me a little over an hour and a half to make cookies now.

A fountain in the center

A main street in the center decorated for Christmas

One of the many street dogs and a local "Pazar"

I had dinner for the first time at one of my neighbors on Thursday night so I brought some cookies over with me for them. After first arriving at the wrong apartment (Oh my, that was fun! They must have thought I was crazy.) I finally made it to dinner. When I gave them the cookies they looked at them like they were from outerspace but after dinner when they finally had some they said they had to have the recipe. I am almost tempted not to hand it over though. The secret of chocolatechip cookies has managed to made me a good cook as far as Bulgarians are concerned and that's no small feat.

The Arizona cocktail Bar - Yes "Arizona"

Well I am going to wrap up this enty now. I have much much more to say but my hands are very cold (the office is not well heated) and it is making typing hard. I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year.

Честита нова година

Christmas is Just Around the Corner

2005-11-21T04:52:00.000-08:00

The following is a message from one of my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers:

For the past year I’ve been working with a group of disabled women living in the Home for the Handicapped in Stara Zagora (a city in central Bulgaria). The women are craft knitters and, as a part of a SPA Project (SPA = Small Project Assistance; this is a grant through the Peace Corps), we have created a web site to sell their products online.

Each woman’s short biography is posted along with our catalog of offered products. Our intent is to personalize the buying experience as much as possible. Upon receipt of an order, the customer will receive a confirmation letter (email) telling them which woman will knit their product and when it will be shipped. The customer can ask for modifications to the product and can correspond with the knitter by email. We accept all major credit cards.

Shipping to America is FREE via BulPost and we have an overnight service available, at the customer’s expense, with lower rates than DHL, UPS or FedEx.

Our web address is:

WWW.handknitcrafts.com

Regards,

Larry Gemmell
Community and Organizational Development,
Peace Corps Volunteer
Stara Zagora
lhgemmell@mac.com

A Review – In Pictures

2005-10-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

Permanent Sight Announcement Day:

Volunteers anxiously wait for their names to be called - will they be on the Black Sea? Will they be in the middle of nowhere? - Only time will tell.

At last I know! I will be spending my 2 years of service in the city of Kazanluk (Каэанлък). For more on my new home see the following sites -

http://www.bulgariatravel.org/etis/bycity.php?cityID=181®ionID=8
http://www.rose-festival.com/

Sight Visit:

An overview of the recently refinished city center. These are the nicest streets I have seen in all of Bulgaria.

In Bulgaria when there is a new school year the students bring their teacher flowers and everyone attends the opening ceremony. Here teens perform for the opening of a school in Kazanluk. This was followed by a very patriotic raising of the Bulgarian flag.

An Orthodox church located in Kazanluk.

A statue outside of the church.

Traditional Bulgarian shoes.

A church built in Kazanluk in honor of the Russians for freeing them from Turkish rule.

A lion located out side of Shipka monument. I will post a picture of that later when I can get one on a less foggy day.

Roma Cultural Day in Pazardjik:

A fellow volunteer with some of the local children who participated.

Me with some of the other volunteers trying to learn a Roma dance.

The Big Guy (aka - Carl) Visits:

Team Trud with the Peace Corps Bulgaria Director.

Рожден ден ми!!

The B-Day cake that my host-family got for me.

My Ьаьа Working Hard

I don't think I have ever seen anyone work as hard as this woman. I am not quite sure how old she is but she is up there in years but as you can see here that does not stop her. In the above picture she is cutting down a tree. Later that same week I saw here move wheelbarrows full of dirt until the entire garden was covered with new soil.

The 6th of September

2005-09-18T03:28:00.000-07:00

Below are some pictures from the Bulgarian independence Day celebrations. Some are from here in Trude and the rest are from Plovdiv. That night we went to a show at the old theater in Plovdiv. It was beautiful being there at night with the old ruins all litup. The show was fantastic as well. There were some very good singers from the local arts school along with dancers and gymnasts . . . Things are busy now but I promise to write something of more substance soon.

No Goats Please

2005-09-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

My visit to Bachkovo Monastery - in pictures

This sign was posted at the beginning of a hiking path by the monastery. It made me wonder how big the goat problem was before they felt the need to tell people that they could not take their goats hiking with them.

All of these sheep were wearing bells around their necks and since they were in the mountains the sounds from their bells would echo when they moved. It was like listening to very beautiful music . . . music composed by sheep.

My Trip to 'Old Town' Plovdiv

2005-08-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

I will write more soon but for now here are some photos from my trip to Plovdiv.

I'm Famous in Krichim!

2005-08-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

Эдравей!!

I write at last. Life has been busy here in Bulgaria. We left Borovets last week to go to our satellite sights where we will spend the next 10 weeks studying language and doing various other training sessions and activities. My group of four is staying in Trude, a small town located between Pazardjik and Plovdiv. People have cars and motorbike here but I still see many with their horse and cart during the day. Tonight I saw the mayor go by in his with a large bale of hay. I also saw someone herding goats down the street this evening.

I am nearly at the end of my first week in Trude and have been loving every minute of it. My family is great! Vladislav, my new Bulgarian father, is awesome or as he always says "Sup-ar!" He speaks no English and is very fun. He tries to tell me what every thing is in Bulgarian all at once. Ivanka, my Bulgarian mother, is very nice as well. She does speak some English but is trying to use it sparingly so that I can work on my language skills, which at the moment only rely consist of introducing myself and discussing what I like and do not like. I also have a Bulgarian brother or as they say here "brat" - no really. And as an older sister I am his "Kaka!" It is hilarious. Someone was explaining to their child who I was and they said "Valantine's Kaka." It makes me laugh.

The house that I am in has three levels. We are on the second. Below us lives My host Dad's grandmother. She is 77 years old and reminds me of the grandmother in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." I must seem cute like a small child because she likes to pinch my chin a lot. It is probably because I have the vocabulary of a small child. Living above us is Vladislav's brother, his wife and their daughter Alexandra, or "the cutest child I have ever seen." The first day I was here she put on the Cardinals hat and foam finger that I brought and kept saying "Jenay . . . Jenay." The way she says my name reminds me of "Forest Gump." Speaking of my name. I was introduced to a woman at the mayor's office earlier this week and she said, "Oh 'Jennifer,'mnogo hobav (very pretty)." That was a first for me since every other girl my age seems to be a Jennifer in America.

The uncle is very funny. He wants to learn English so he comes to study with me sometimes when I sit on the bench outside. Our conversations are hilarious because we both know some French so when we speak it is a little French, a little Bulgarian, and a little English.

A few nights ago I was sitting and talking with my host mom and the aunt and they told me that I was very interesting in Trude. They looked up the word 'Gossip' in the dictionary and pointed it out to me. There is definantly that. Another volunteer, Holly, did not know they sip vodka here and when offered some at her host house simply took a shot. We were walking past some other people a few days ago and they stopped us to talk and when she introduced herself one man said "Oh, Holly vodka."

There are many animals here in Trude. On a typical day I am either awoken by the roosters or the sound of horses feet clapping against the pavement. A number of us have chickens and one of the volunteers lives with a family that raises pigs. He is up the street so sometimes the smell wafts over my way in the evening. A few days ago I was outside chatting as best I could with my family and the Baba who lives across the street became very excited, I had no idea why, but she led me to her back yard where I saw the biggest cow I have ever seen. It was huge! With it was one small calf but I was pretty sure there must be another on the way. She also had a rely cute rabbit. I mentioned this to another volunteer and he teased me that they are going to eat it. I hope not. There is also the cutest dog that has made the local cafe/restaurant ("The Station") his home. I would love to pet him but he probably has fleas so I compensate by feeding him a lot. Today he followed me most of the way back to my house - I wonder why. I would love to adopt him. All he needs is a good flea bath and a few shots but then I would never be able to go anywhere.

This past week has consisted mostly of school, either in our class room in the mayor's building or at "The Station," studying, and getting to know the local children. We went by the cultural center in town and made the acquaintance of some children there who were studying English. One is fairly good but the others are just beginning. We had our language instructor Ani there to interpret. It was very cute, some of the cirls chased me down to give me their email addresses. Yes email. There are a few local internet cafes. Well not so much internet cafes as just a room with a few computers where kids go to play games. I also plays football (Soccer to those in the states) with the other volunteers at my site and some of the local Roma children.

Yesterday we went with a large group of children to Krichim, a larger town near by. The kids had been invited to perform at the local festival and when we visited one of their practices we were invited to go. It was a great time! I was very popular with the children because of my digital camera. The all wanted their picture taken every other second. It was also nice to head to Krichim because some of the other volunteers are staying there and we got to visit with them during the festivities. The funniest this also happen. A girl, probably around 12, asked me for my autograph!! She also took a picture of me with her camera phone - yes 'her' phone. I think more people have cells here than in America. It was a very interesting experience. I am still not quite sure who she thought I was.

In the bus on the way back we listened to some of the latest Bulgarian hits. The girl next to me tried to show me some dance moves. After we got back and the kids wound down we headed to "The Station" to meet up with some Bulgarian girls our age one of which speaks English. We had run in to her earlier that day during language lessons and arranged to meet up and then hit the disco. There is not much in trude, maybe 4-5 place to eat, but there is a disco. We ended up dancing till around 3:30. The music was a mix of Bulgarian hits and a few random American songs including, 'Gangster's paradise' and 'It's My life,' among others. Going dancing reminded me very much of life in America but hoping to not step in horse poo while we were walking home in the dark brought me back to reality - Yes I am in Bulgaria. Every once in a while that clicks.

tomorrow I will be going in to Plovdiv with my host mom. We are going to see the old part of town which is supposed to be neat and then Monday and Tuesday I have HUB!! That is when all 50 of us come together for more training stuff. I am excited to see everyone again.

Oh, here is my new address for during training:

Jennifer Owens
Peace Corps
PO box 178
Central Post Office, Pazardjik, 4400
Bulgaria

I will have my permanent site address after assignment are made in a few weeks but feel free to write to this one in the meantime.

Well this entry is running long so I am going to bring it to a close. I will have to start writing more frequently so it wont be so much at once. Hope to hear from you all soon.

Photos from Borovets:

The B-18s:

Wild Dogs, 'Fanta' and More

2005-08-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I am here in Borovets, Bulgaria!! I am currently in the first week of my Peace Corps training. We are at hotel 'Zodiac' till we move in with our families on Friday (eeek)!!! Thus far my time in the Peace Corps has been quite eventful. We had a very long plane ride which stopped in Frankfurt on the way. They collected some of our carry-on bags there but when we arrived in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, much to my dismay, our checked luggage was missing. I had grabbed my passport out of the bag they lost before I checked it but my money, credit card, and digital camera were all still in it - needless to say that made for a bumpy start. Luckily the bags appeared yesterday and there was nothing missing from mine. However, one girl was missing the digital camera in hers. Other than the mishap with the airport everything has been GREAT.

They have been keeping us very busy with language classes, technical classes, and shots :( The mountains are beautiful here. We are located in the Rila Mountains which are host to many skiers in the winter time. Our hotel was much nicer than expected but I do have one of those showers where it is just a drain in the middle of the bathroom floor and a nozzle on the wall. So basically after my roommate or I shower the bathroom is out of commission because everything gets soaked - the toilet and all. I did find that there are a number of wild dogs in Bulgaria. I was serenaded by their barking when I went to sleep last night. Despite being on the skinny and mangy side they are still cute. I named one 'George' but am trying to avoid petting any strange animals. I don't think the rabies series would be much fun on top of all of our other shots. Speaking of which, I had my medical interview today and they wanted to know all about the form of protection I use for STDs. The doctor was very focused on that topic like I'm planning on running around with a whole bunch of the men here or something (don't worry Mom. I have no plans to do so - Yet . . . he he . . . just kidding).

Last night a few other volunteers and I had a rather eventful evening. We went for a walk and came across this bar/hotel place and were invited in for some Fanta (Yes, Fanta. It is apparently a big thing here). We spent some time talking with this Bulgarian man (around 21). It was hilarious because our Bulgarian is very limited and his English was as well. There were moments when we would all get quiet and then start laughing at the awkwardness of the moment. It was a lot of fun. We were invited to come back in the winter when it snows. Other than that I have been having a lot of fun with my training team.

We learned to dance the horo! It was hilarious. Another volunteer said he got some video of me when we were dancing so I may try and post it or at least some stills later. I will also put up some other pictures of the area we are in now. At the moment I am at an Internet cafe so it is not very convenient to try and hook my camera up. Can I just say I love Bulgaria's music - everywhere we go they play 80s and other very random American songs that I have not heard in forever. In the place I am at now they are playing "Addicted to Love." I am surrounded by little children playing computer games and other Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs) trying to get in touch with people at home. Oh . . . they gave me another address but the one you have will still be checked, however, less frequently (oh . . . thanks for the card Marie! I got it just before I left San Diego - I just about cried. Be sure to keep in touch. I want to hear all about life at Harvard!) I will try to post the new address the next time I get to a computer but for now feel free to write to me about all of your happenings in the states at the address I sent out (or you can always email). I would love to hear from you all. Well I should finish up now. I only have so many leva (that's Bulgarian money) to live on. We get 4 lev a day to live on. My friends just bought banana splits and they were 3,50 so as you can see the 4 will not take me far (I passed on the ice cream). I am rely hoping to stick to the money they give us. Others have been known to frequently use their personal funds but I think living like the people you are serving is a very important part of the Peace Corps experience. I hope you are all well. I will try to write again and post pictures soon.

Staging . . .

2005-08-13T22:42:00.000-07:00

Things have been crazy these past few days. On the 11th I departed San Diego for DC to begin my Peace Corps journey. The flight went well and most importantly I was very fortunate to not be charged extra at the airport. I pretty much threw the 100 pound weight limit out the window. One bag was 66 lbs and the other was somewhere there about. Here is a photo of all of my stuff in the hotel:

I arrived a day early since I had a long flight but my roommate was here as well so we walked around Georgetown, which was gorgeous, and became acquainted over some Starbucks (we though we should treat ourselves before we go). On the 12th we had till 1:00 to register so we ventured out to see more of our nations capital. It was great - It made me feel very patriotic! Here are some photos. I have more on my Kodak page but I need to look at how others can access them still - stay tuned for updates.

That afternoon we were joined by 48 other wonderful PSTs (Pre-Service Trainees)!! Everyone was very nice and it was refreshing to hear from others who have been going through the same trials and tribulations. Everyone seems to be very energetic and excited about what's to come despite the uncertainty. However, there is at least some apprehension and/or stress with most.

Other than meeting each other we have been spending a lot of our time going over the general Peace Corps policies and procedures along with some logistics (taking care of insurance stuff, going over how we will all be transported to the airport etc . . .).

AND, last night my friend Kathleen came for a visited! It was great to have the opportunity to see a close friend before I leave. I think it made me sad but also excited about both of our quickly changing lives.

OK . . . It is 2:30 DC time now and I need to be up soon so I should get some sleep. I will write more later from BULGARIA!!

Leaving for Bulgaria August 15th!!

2005-07-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

Well only 13 days to go and then I will be heading off to DC for staging and then Bulgaria!! I can’t believe it has come so soon! For those of you who do not know I will be spending the next 27 months in Bulgaria as a Peace Corps Volunteer. This journal is meant to update my family and friends about my happenings; however, should you come across it and not know me, feel free to read up! – I should be in for an exciting experience.

I will be doing youth development work while I am at my site . . . I will find out specifically what that means for me and where exactly in country my site will be during PST (Pre-Service Training). As of now I am trying to pack (How do you pack for 2 years???) and trying to wrap my brain around the Bulgarian language. WISH ME LUCK!