So we have snow here now. And that is tremendous! (no picture ,slight camera issue, should be soon though...) The snow is great because it makes this tiny village on top of a mountain feel like some stylish resort in aspen. It is also exciting because there is always some special energy that accompanies the first snow of the season.
With the snow and the lower temperatures I have been using my wood stove. It is kind of fun to start a fire in your house, not to mention it can get quite warm in my two rooms. Strange how in my Peace Corps home,it will be warmer this winter than my home in the United States.
On Halloween weekend, I had the chance to go visit and celebrate with a bunch of other Peace Corps Volunteers. It was sweet! We haven’t had the chance to socialize with each other without any Peace Corps obligations in a real long time. We also played a game of American Football and that was radical.
Things I am looking forward too: Slowly but surely starting projects. Thursdays, I run an English club where we speak English or work on assignments. I will be starting a scouts group where we hang out and do scouts type of activities (un-official scouts, real scouts is expensive!) also there is an English class for adults in the works. All these projects, along with studying will really help my Bulgarian language progress. Once my Bulgarian is sufficient, then I will be able to move onto other projects in the business development and (hopefully) micro-finance.
Joke.
Q: What do you call an avid gardener?
A: Herb!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mormons or Peace Corps?
There is something that is becoming increasingly clear to me. Bulgaria is small. Bulgaria is Duluth, MN small.
This has become apparent in the way that most people I encounter in Bulgaria knows, has known or known of a Peace Corps volunteer. This is really great, and I think says a lot about the work Peace Corps is doing in Bulgaria.
So, that brings me to yesterday (Saturday, October 17); a fellow volunteer and I met in Plovdiv to do a little exploring and eat some McDonalds! We were in the old town at a gift stand when the man working the stand heard us speaking English and could tell that we were American. He asked us “Mormons or Peace Corps?”
This has become apparent in the way that most people I encounter in Bulgaria knows, has known or known of a Peace Corps volunteer. This is really great, and I think says a lot about the work Peace Corps is doing in Bulgaria.
So, that brings me to yesterday (Saturday, October 17); a fellow volunteer and I met in Plovdiv to do a little exploring and eat some McDonalds! We were in the old town at a gift stand when the man working the stand heard us speaking English and could tell that we were American. He asked us “Mormons or Peace Corps?”
Sunday, October 4, 2009
4 of 26: Volunteer Report
This week the bi-annual Volunteer Report Form for Peace Corps workers was due. The report is Peace Corps’s way of tracking what the organization is accomplishing. Each volunteer has to give detailed descriptions of their activities and the number and demographic of the people they are working with. This time it was easy for us volunteers who started 2-months ago. We didn’t have a whole-lot to report, but I still thought some people might be interested in what I have been doing as far as work kind of things.
Teaching English
I have been helping teach English to 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders two days a week.
KUBB
Monday-Friday I have been playing sports with kids at the school. I have taught them a game that I play with friends from the US. The game is called Kubb. It involves throwing sticks at blocks of wood. The kids have really enjoyed the game and ask to play it often. The game has been especially good at equalizing talents of girls, boys and the younger kids. The competition is fair, so boys and girls play the game together. It is different when we play other sports. Most of the time, the boys’ are the only kids who play the sports.
Examples of ICT (Information/Communication Technology)
My landlord has a computer in his store. He was having problems with installing a new mouse and getting his internet to work. I was able to help him resolve his issues with the computer.
Four friends of mine, who live in the village, didn’t know much about the internet. I was able to help them sign up for Email accounts, Facebook accounts, and Skype accounts using my laptop. We also started a Facebook page for our village, and uploaded many photos to the page using my digital camera.
WID/GAD (Women in Development, Gender and Development)
I played volleyball with a group of the younger girls of the village. I was also able to introduce a game to those girls where they could fairly compete with the boys of the village.
Goal Two: “Promote understanding of Americans to peoples served”
When one of my friends had a birthday, I made Chocolate chip cookies and everyone enjoyed them a lot. I was able to show 7 of my friends an American dessert. Also, my friends are interested in American Football and we have been following the Minnesota Vikings a little bit.
Goal Three: “Promote understanding of Host country to Americans”
I have been maintaining a blog (dansarles.blogspot.com). The updates on the blog communicate observations that I have had made about Bulgaria and the people of Bulgaria. Also, I have been writing letters and Emails to friends and family in the US.
~~~
Another thing in particular that I seem to have been really lucky with is; in my village I have friends close to my age! A lot of Peace Corps workers are serving in villages where all the 20somthigns go off to larger towns to work. My friends were able to find work around the area, and they like living in the village. They have been excellent people to get to know!
Here is a picture with some of my friends from the town holiday.
Joke:
Q: What do you call a cow that just had a baby?
A: De-CAFEinated!!!!!
(THANKS JILL)
Teaching English
I have been helping teach English to 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders two days a week.
KUBB
Monday-Friday I have been playing sports with kids at the school. I have taught them a game that I play with friends from the US. The game is called Kubb. It involves throwing sticks at blocks of wood. The kids have really enjoyed the game and ask to play it often. The game has been especially good at equalizing talents of girls, boys and the younger kids. The competition is fair, so boys and girls play the game together. It is different when we play other sports. Most of the time, the boys’ are the only kids who play the sports.
Examples of ICT (Information/Communication Technology)
My landlord has a computer in his store. He was having problems with installing a new mouse and getting his internet to work. I was able to help him resolve his issues with the computer.
Four friends of mine, who live in the village, didn’t know much about the internet. I was able to help them sign up for Email accounts, Facebook accounts, and Skype accounts using my laptop. We also started a Facebook page for our village, and uploaded many photos to the page using my digital camera.
WID/GAD (Women in Development, Gender and Development)
I played volleyball with a group of the younger girls of the village. I was also able to introduce a game to those girls where they could fairly compete with the boys of the village.
Goal Two: “Promote understanding of Americans to peoples served”
When one of my friends had a birthday, I made Chocolate chip cookies and everyone enjoyed them a lot. I was able to show 7 of my friends an American dessert. Also, my friends are interested in American Football and we have been following the Minnesota Vikings a little bit.
Goal Three: “Promote understanding of Host country to Americans”
I have been maintaining a blog (dansarles.blogspot.com). The updates on the blog communicate observations that I have had made about Bulgaria and the people of Bulgaria. Also, I have been writing letters and Emails to friends and family in the US.
~~~
Another thing in particular that I seem to have been really lucky with is; in my village I have friends close to my age! A lot of Peace Corps workers are serving in villages where all the 20somthigns go off to larger towns to work. My friends were able to find work around the area, and they like living in the village. They have been excellent people to get to know!
Here is a picture with some of my friends from the town holiday.
Joke:
Q: What do you call a cow that just had a baby?
A: De-CAFEinated!!!!!
(THANKS JILL)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Fountain Head
When you think about digging trenches in the Peace Corps, you wouldn’t think they would be for your landlord’s new barbecue/fountain/picnic area. But, that is what I was working on yesterday.
My landlord is building a barbecue/fountain/picnic area on the road coming into our village. It isn’t too uncommon for people in my area to work on projects like this. In fact, on the 14 KM stretch of road leading into my village there are no fewer than 3 picnic areas (depending on if you count the tipped over cable-spool under a tree, which, I do) and at least 9 fountains.
It has been quite fascinating to see how to build a fountain. The fountains are supplied from natural springs that are all around the mountain. Once a source of water has been identified, rock, sand and plastic-sheets are used to create a collecting pool. Plastic pipe is ran from the collecting pool to the place the fountain is to be built.
Concrete is poured into the shape of the fountain. There is a reservoir to hold incoming water and a spout that pours water into a basin which holds the out going water. On some of the fountains, water flows out into troughs for animals to drink form. Every fountain has been dedicated to someone who has passed away.
The fountains make hiking around the mountain much more enjoyable. Not only do you not have to carry water but, they are all unique and fun to look at. Some of the older fountains have algae growing in their basins, some have many different spouts and some are quite useful at keeping bottles of beer cold. Each fountain has a different aspect to it that give it’s character.
Hopefully all this talk about fountains hasn’t made you too thirsty.
Joke:
-Why would you lie about how much coal you have?
-Because you don’t want to tell anyone you’re a miner!!!!!
My landlord is building a barbecue/fountain/picnic area on the road coming into our village. It isn’t too uncommon for people in my area to work on projects like this. In fact, on the 14 KM stretch of road leading into my village there are no fewer than 3 picnic areas (depending on if you count the tipped over cable-spool under a tree, which, I do) and at least 9 fountains.
It has been quite fascinating to see how to build a fountain. The fountains are supplied from natural springs that are all around the mountain. Once a source of water has been identified, rock, sand and plastic-sheets are used to create a collecting pool. Plastic pipe is ran from the collecting pool to the place the fountain is to be built.
Concrete is poured into the shape of the fountain. There is a reservoir to hold incoming water and a spout that pours water into a basin which holds the out going water. On some of the fountains, water flows out into troughs for animals to drink form. Every fountain has been dedicated to someone who has passed away.
The fountains make hiking around the mountain much more enjoyable. Not only do you not have to carry water but, they are all unique and fun to look at. Some of the older fountains have algae growing in their basins, some have many different spouts and some are quite useful at keeping bottles of beer cold. Each fountain has a different aspect to it that give it’s character.
Hopefully all this talk about fountains hasn’t made you too thirsty.
Joke:
-Why would you lie about how much coal you have?
-Because you don’t want to tell anyone you’re a miner!!!!!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
3 of 26: In This Refulgent Summer
8-30-09
In This Refulgent Summer, it has been a luxury to draw the breath of life. My days are spent speaking with people in a language that three months ago seemed so alien to me. There is time in my day to take a 30 minute coffee break, or a 3 hour lunch. And some of the most glorious hiking trails I have ever been fortunate enough to explore. But, what has been most unexpected is the scents of village life.
The village is surrounded by evergreen, pine, and Norway spruce trees. The smell is invigorating. A sweet smell of pine carried on a cool mountain breeze is a good way to wake up in the morning.
Bread-baking has been another smell that has characterized this summer. The house, I live in is a duplex. My landlord and his family live above me, and below me is a small bakery. The aroma spills out of the bakery and finds it way into my room.
There are the scents of coffee in the café and herbs drying in my neighbors yards. There is also the smell of smoke from the fires people use to boil water that seals jars of fruits or vegetables.
The pace of life has slowed down in Peace Corps. It has been good to relax a bit and take it all in. And I have concluded, I am quite, pretty, very lucky. Bulgaria is a beautiful county, with some of the most hospitable people I have ever come across. And I get to live here with them. (and the governments paying for me to do that!)so i guess what i'm saying is... go join the peace corps or maybe go outside.
a joke:
what kind of tree grows in your hand?
-a palm tree!
a cultural observation:
Bars are open till 6 in the morning. Now that's a Chalga Party.
My Two Favorite Colors
A Great Place To Swim
Ready For Winter
In This Refulgent Summer, it has been a luxury to draw the breath of life. My days are spent speaking with people in a language that three months ago seemed so alien to me. There is time in my day to take a 30 minute coffee break, or a 3 hour lunch. And some of the most glorious hiking trails I have ever been fortunate enough to explore. But, what has been most unexpected is the scents of village life.
The village is surrounded by evergreen, pine, and Norway spruce trees. The smell is invigorating. A sweet smell of pine carried on a cool mountain breeze is a good way to wake up in the morning.
Bread-baking has been another smell that has characterized this summer. The house, I live in is a duplex. My landlord and his family live above me, and below me is a small bakery. The aroma spills out of the bakery and finds it way into my room.
There are the scents of coffee in the café and herbs drying in my neighbors yards. There is also the smell of smoke from the fires people use to boil water that seals jars of fruits or vegetables.
The pace of life has slowed down in Peace Corps. It has been good to relax a bit and take it all in. And I have concluded, I am quite, pretty, very lucky. Bulgaria is a beautiful county, with some of the most hospitable people I have ever come across. And I get to live here with them. (and the governments paying for me to do that!)so i guess what i'm saying is... go join the peace corps or maybe go outside.
a joke:
what kind of tree grows in your hand?
-a palm tree!
a cultural observation:
Bars are open till 6 in the morning. Now that's a Chalga Party.
My Two Favorite Colors
A Great Place To Swim
Ready For Winter
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Kubb Corps!
8-16-09
Ahh… The first few months of being a Peace Corps Volunteer, where the only thing that is expected of you is to take it easy and become a part of your community. So far so good.
Things are going well. I have made friends with a group of guys in the village who are my age. There has been quite a bit of time to read and drink tea. Ideas for projects are starting to develop. I even remember the names of some of my neighbors! (It is actually kind of difficult. I am not familiar with a lot of the Bulgarian names.)
This week, something quite exciting happened. Something that has made me tremendously happy. Something that no matter what happens with the rest of my service, it has a complete success.
Kubb has been introduced, and warmly received, in my village!
For those of you who are familiar with me and my close friends, you know that for the past five years we have been living, breathing, and eating an obscure yard game known as Kubb. The game consists of throwing sticks at wooden blocks. My friends and I have spent countless hours playing and discussing the game. We have built many different Kubb sets. We founded a club at our college devoted to playing the game. My friends Dan, Keith, and Ryan are even the Midwest Kubb champions for the past two years.
In pre-service training, I was able to describe the construction of a Kubb set to the host Dad of my fellow trainee Val. A few passes through a table saw later, I had a Kubb set! Unfortunately, things were quite hectic towards the end of training and I didn’t get to play much with the people in my training village. I played one game with my fellow trainees C.J. and Meg. They enjoyed it.
I didn’t want to try to push Kubb on anyone in the village so; I waited for the opportune time to introduce the game. The kids around the village spend a lot of time playing table tennis or soccer at the school. One day last week, after a group of kids and I got board of playing table tennis, I grabbed my Kubb set. I wasn’t sure how describing the game play would go; I can hardly describe how to play the game in English. Fortunately, playing the game is the best way to teach it. We played a few rounds, and what do you know, they love it! We have been playing every day since!
One of the T-shirts that I brought was given to me from my buddy Ryan. The front of the shirt is a design of a Kubb set and the back says “Kubb unites people and creates peace on earth”. Perhaps it is just a game and won’t create peace on earth but, I can attest to the uniting people aspect of Kubb.
Joke:
A bumble bee was chasing a rabbit. Finally the bee turned around and flew away. Why? The rabbit had two b’s already!
Cultural Observation:
People in my village spend a lot of time in cafés. They drink coffee “normalno” (Espresso) or “Duragol” coffee (Americano). Often, they also order a soda water or Coca Cola to drink with their coffee. Let me tell you, you haven’t lived until you have an espresso and a Coca Cola. Surprisingly, it tastes wonderful. It is also a good way to get your daily recommended amount of caffeine. Next time your at your favorite coffee café, give it a shot. An Espresso shot that is…
Ahh… The first few months of being a Peace Corps Volunteer, where the only thing that is expected of you is to take it easy and become a part of your community. So far so good.
Things are going well. I have made friends with a group of guys in the village who are my age. There has been quite a bit of time to read and drink tea. Ideas for projects are starting to develop. I even remember the names of some of my neighbors! (It is actually kind of difficult. I am not familiar with a lot of the Bulgarian names.)
This week, something quite exciting happened. Something that has made me tremendously happy. Something that no matter what happens with the rest of my service, it has a complete success.
Kubb has been introduced, and warmly received, in my village!
For those of you who are familiar with me and my close friends, you know that for the past five years we have been living, breathing, and eating an obscure yard game known as Kubb. The game consists of throwing sticks at wooden blocks. My friends and I have spent countless hours playing and discussing the game. We have built many different Kubb sets. We founded a club at our college devoted to playing the game. My friends Dan, Keith, and Ryan are even the Midwest Kubb champions for the past two years.
In pre-service training, I was able to describe the construction of a Kubb set to the host Dad of my fellow trainee Val. A few passes through a table saw later, I had a Kubb set! Unfortunately, things were quite hectic towards the end of training and I didn’t get to play much with the people in my training village. I played one game with my fellow trainees C.J. and Meg. They enjoyed it.
I didn’t want to try to push Kubb on anyone in the village so; I waited for the opportune time to introduce the game. The kids around the village spend a lot of time playing table tennis or soccer at the school. One day last week, after a group of kids and I got board of playing table tennis, I grabbed my Kubb set. I wasn’t sure how describing the game play would go; I can hardly describe how to play the game in English. Fortunately, playing the game is the best way to teach it. We played a few rounds, and what do you know, they love it! We have been playing every day since!
One of the T-shirts that I brought was given to me from my buddy Ryan. The front of the shirt is a design of a Kubb set and the back says “Kubb unites people and creates peace on earth”. Perhaps it is just a game and won’t create peace on earth but, I can attest to the uniting people aspect of Kubb.
Joke:
A bumble bee was chasing a rabbit. Finally the bee turned around and flew away. Why? The rabbit had two b’s already!
Cultural Observation:
People in my village spend a lot of time in cafés. They drink coffee “normalno” (Espresso) or “Duragol” coffee (Americano). Often, they also order a soda water or Coca Cola to drink with their coffee. Let me tell you, you haven’t lived until you have an espresso and a Coca Cola. Surprisingly, it tastes wonderful. It is also a good way to get your daily recommended amount of caffeine. Next time your at your favorite coffee café, give it a shot. An Espresso shot that is…
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Super?
8-04-09
The internet has been a little difficult to come by over the past couple of weeks. No complaints here. I mean, I am in the Peace Corps after all. Today, I have posted two posts in the order I wrote them. I can’t tell you what to do, but I recommend reading the previous post first. Otherwise you’ll miss a lot of the plot . )
So, here I am. In the real-life Peace Corps, and it absolutely feels that way. Pre-Service Training (PST) wasn’t quite like this. In Pre-Service training, I had 4 American friends who I talked to on a daily basis and I also knew a few kids in the village who knew English fluently. Now that I am in my permanent site I don’t have that anymore. The concept of living two years in a small, foreign village has finally sunk in. “Petrified” might be a good word to describe that initial feeling. After a few days I was able to get out and embrace my situation by talking with my neighbors. That helped a whole lot.
This past week, on the whole, has been good. It was the town “Sepour”. The Sepour is a celebration where everyone in the village and those who have immigrated out of the village come together to celebrate. A lot of my time this week was spent helping with set up. It was good for two reasons: 1. It was manual labor which is a good way to start showing that I am serious about helping out in this village. 2. My buddy Collin, who I met on the first visit, was one of the guys in charge of setting everything up. He is close to my age and doesn’t live in the village but came back to help out with the festival. It was good to have a familiar face during my first week.
The weekend came and the village was flooded with people. The people who came were family to the people who are living in the village. It was actually quite a big deal. There was live music, a makeshift bar/restaurant and all sorts of vendors that were set up in a field near the village. I met quite a few people who could speak English as well.
There was one man that I met named Vincty who is living in Connecticut now. He was shocked to learn that an American had come to live in the village he grew up in. It was nice to meet many English speakers who had a personal connection to the village. They were able to tell me things about it that I didn’t necessarily pick up on. Also they introduced me to other people in the village who are currently living here. Reflecting on this now, I am quite lucky to have had the opportunity to make the friends I did this weekend.
There will be a lot to read today, so I wont go on any longer about the Sebour. I will leave it be with one story;
Saturday night, an all-night disco and bon-fire were featured. Around 4 in the morning, I stood with some friends and other weary partiers around the bon-fire. The bon-fire started to die-out so I took it upon myself to kick the fire back up. Poking around the fire for a few minutes I managed to get the flames to start back up. It was then that I noticed the group of people around the fire weren’t really talking to each other anymore, and instead were watching me. I returned to my place with my friends and watched the fire. It occurred to me how appropriate that felt. In essence, that is exactly what I am trying to do in this village. I am trying to kick up the embers of a fire to get it blazing again.
The internet has been a little difficult to come by over the past couple of weeks. No complaints here. I mean, I am in the Peace Corps after all. Today, I have posted two posts in the order I wrote them. I can’t tell you what to do, but I recommend reading the previous post first. Otherwise you’ll miss a lot of the plot . )
So, here I am. In the real-life Peace Corps, and it absolutely feels that way. Pre-Service Training (PST) wasn’t quite like this. In Pre-Service training, I had 4 American friends who I talked to on a daily basis and I also knew a few kids in the village who knew English fluently. Now that I am in my permanent site I don’t have that anymore. The concept of living two years in a small, foreign village has finally sunk in. “Petrified” might be a good word to describe that initial feeling. After a few days I was able to get out and embrace my situation by talking with my neighbors. That helped a whole lot.
This past week, on the whole, has been good. It was the town “Sepour”. The Sepour is a celebration where everyone in the village and those who have immigrated out of the village come together to celebrate. A lot of my time this week was spent helping with set up. It was good for two reasons: 1. It was manual labor which is a good way to start showing that I am serious about helping out in this village. 2. My buddy Collin, who I met on the first visit, was one of the guys in charge of setting everything up. He is close to my age and doesn’t live in the village but came back to help out with the festival. It was good to have a familiar face during my first week.
The weekend came and the village was flooded with people. The people who came were family to the people who are living in the village. It was actually quite a big deal. There was live music, a makeshift bar/restaurant and all sorts of vendors that were set up in a field near the village. I met quite a few people who could speak English as well.
There was one man that I met named Vincty who is living in Connecticut now. He was shocked to learn that an American had come to live in the village he grew up in. It was nice to meet many English speakers who had a personal connection to the village. They were able to tell me things about it that I didn’t necessarily pick up on. Also they introduced me to other people in the village who are currently living here. Reflecting on this now, I am quite lucky to have had the opportunity to make the friends I did this weekend.
There will be a lot to read today, so I wont go on any longer about the Sebour. I will leave it be with one story;
Saturday night, an all-night disco and bon-fire were featured. Around 4 in the morning, I stood with some friends and other weary partiers around the bon-fire. The bon-fire started to die-out so I took it upon myself to kick the fire back up. Poking around the fire for a few minutes I managed to get the flames to start back up. It was then that I noticed the group of people around the fire weren’t really talking to each other anymore, and instead were watching me. I returned to my place with my friends and watched the fire. It occurred to me how appropriate that felt. In essence, that is exactly what I am trying to do in this village. I am trying to kick up the embers of a fire to get it blazing again.
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