It can't be news to anyone who has ever stumbled upon this blog even briefly that I absolutely love my job and the kids I get to work with and advocate for on a daily basis. Because of this, however, I don't often broach the "touchy" areas of Roma issues in this forum. I would rather post pictures and stories that show these kids in the light that I see them, so anyone out there in the internet world can appreciate these kids for who they really are - not who the world wants, expects, or tells them to be. 

I'm going to break that rule today, because I think it IS important to shed some light to the real situation at hand, even though I know that whatever I say here will not do true justice to the reality faced on a day to day basis. 

Since the moment I opened the Peace Corps Welcome Book for Bulgaria back in the spring of 2008, I knew that God was bringing me to Bulgaria to work with the Roma/gypsy youth population. Despite Peace Corps best efforts to prepare me for my work here during Pre-Service Training, though, it wasn't until I actually moved to Samokov and started working that I truly started to see the disdain, disgust, and all-around racism towards Roma. To be honest, though, I have yet to truly understand where this resentment comes from, even though everyone you meet has their own theory. 

A few weeks ago I mentioned that a friend of mine was reading Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin. Griffin was a white Texan, and the book describes his 6 week experience traveling the deep south on greyhound busses and hitchhiking in 1959, all while passing himself (undisputed) as a black man. I've often heard people comparing modern day Roma issues to the Civil Rights Era in the United States not so long ago, but it wasn't until I felt inclined to pick up my own copy and found myself unable to put down Griffin's story that I began to realize how true that comparison must be. I don't have page numbers because I read this on my Kindle, but one of the quotes that made me think of the life my children have been dealt here is this: "When all the talk, all the propaganda has been cut away, the criterion is nothing but the color of skin. My experience proved that. They judged me by no quality. My skin was dark." I've seen Roma kids get chased away from vendor stands because they are all automatically labeled as thieves due to their darker hair, eyes, and skin. I've seen paying adults from the same community denied rides on public transportation even though there was plenty of room for them. I've seen Roma families approach a table with a 'reserved' sign in a restaurant, only to be turned away because the table is reserved only for suitable (read white/Bulgarian) patrons. 

It breaks my heart to see such a beautiful, loving, generous, community-based demographic deemed void of all of these positive attributes, and be judged by their skin color or the sins of a minuscule minority. It also makes me proud to be serving in the role I do here - to be working alongside determined, passionate advocates for the Roma population in Samokov - but unlike the start of the Civil Rights movement in America, I wonder if there are enough enraged individuals out there willing to take a stand for population that has been denied their own voices.  

Just bought my InterRail Global Pass!! And wow... also realized that my verbiage needs to be updated to correspond with reality: I will be leaving Bulgaria, entering the world of RPCVs, and embarking on the 17 country trip I've been saving for since high school... NEXT MONTH. I am officially a basket case of mixed emotions.

"Less than 6 Months Left" Syndrome

There are, of course, lots of things that I have missed over the last couple of years during my time here in Bulgaria. For the most part, though, the absence of these luxuries and conveniences have all been a part of the adventure (except the intense food cravings... those I could have done without!!). I can honestly say I have enjoyed the simpler lifestyle that I take part in here, and a big part of me dreads going back to the "land of plenty."

Lately, however, the list of things I am anticipating upon arrival on American soil is growing. At the top of the list... a washing machine!! And DRYER SHEETS (and obviously the correlating dryer - although line drying my clothes is NOT a part of the process that I have grown to resent)!! I would say that a great number of volunteers in country have access to washing machines, and to be honest, I technically have one (shhhh - don't tell). When I asked my landlord when the last time it worked was, she laughed at me, and I deemed the archaic thing worthy enough for counter space and nothing else. At this point, I suppose I could have found someone to try and fix it (Bulgarians are incredibly resourceful), but I... just... never got around to it. Washing clothes in an unheated bathroom in an Eastern European winter is nothing short of brutal, but truly - it never bothered me. Until lately. Its gotten so bad that my laundry pile is just growing and growing. So really, I'm just making my life MORE difficult by neglecting my household chores (you can only wash so much at a time when you do so in a small plastic bin), because at some point, I will need to catch up! And sheesh, I was helping a friend with a dryer (the only one I've seen here - but she has 6 kids!) the other day fold her laundry, and I think I sat there smelling a used dryer sheet for a good 5 minutes. Heavenly. 

A couch. Oh my goodness. I love my little peach, purple, and red one-room apartment.... it IS wonderful. But I'm a reader. I miss curling up in the corner of the couch with a giant mug of tea and being all cozy for a bit. There is a time and a place for reading in bed (usually before bed or early in the morning), but I can't wait to snuggle up on my parents couch with a good book and just be absorbed into a page turner. Or watching an edge of your seat film on said couch. Again, watching a movie in bed can be nice... but my tush is looking for a change in scenery. One of the hotels up in the ski resort has this nice big lobby with leather couches and cheap coffee.... I've been frequenting there just for some prime couch sitting and productivity (more sitting, less productivity). 

My car. Not for transportation purposes. I like being able to walk everywhere. And in recent years I've had a hard time justifying the insane gas money to just get behind the wheel and drive, but that is EXACTLY what I want to do right now. 

I'm sure there are more things I could add to this list, but these are the ones I've been thinking of lately. And I'm certainly not going to get into all of the food I'm craving, but I suppose I need to not throw away all of the pants that are too big for me now, because I am certain that after a few weeks of indulging my ICE CREAM, Mexican, Thai, cheeseburger, pizza, Chinese food cravings... I'll be needing them again. And ya know what? As much as I want to get back to my pre-accident active lifestyle, I'll sacrifice it a little while longer in order to indulge. ;)

Vday with the 8th grade and Katya's birthday

Making Valentine's afterschool

Katya's birthday is on the 14th, so like last year, we were able to celebrate the two together with the kids after school in the program.

Valentine's Day toothbrushes

Last year, my dentist in the US donated a very generous amount of toothpaste samples and floss. Oral hygiene over here is widely overlooked among both Bulgarian and Roma communities, so we purchased some toothbrushes and taught the middle schoolers at camp this summer the importance of keeping your mouth happy.

I had been wanting to do the same lesson with the kinders for awhile now, so when I was putting together their Valentine's goody bag, I dropped a toothbrush and toothpaste in each bag. After enjoying our cupcakes, we marched the little chickens to the bathroom to practice! NONE of the kids own a toothbrush, so they were excited about their gift. I'd never get away with throwing a holiday party in the US and seizing the cupcake opportunity to teach about brushing those germs away. It'd be like the grouchy old lady who gives out apples on Halloween. But they loved it.



Svetlo back their cheesing over his new skill, and the others greatly concentrating.

Iskra giving the Do's and Don'ts of brushing your pearly whites.

Introduction to cupcakes

So I guess if I'd thought about it, I should have realized these kids have never seen a cupcake. If I'd realized that, I would have handed them out with a warning to not eat the paper wrapper.... haha. Don't worry though, as soon as I saw the first kid try, I quickly put an end to that and "demonstrated" paper removal.

My mom had sent me these cute little sets of Valentine's cupcake wrappers and toothpicks with hearts on them. I definitely got a kick out of the kids trying to eat the cupcakes using the toothpicks as a utensil... hahaha. I gathered them up, and they were thrilled to learn that I was not only giving them permission to eat with their hands, but making it so they had to!! Too cute.



Lots of concentration involved when trying to eat a cupcake... with a toothpick.

Valentine's Day with the Kinders

Or should I say, "Day of Saint Valentine," or... even better... "Day of the Lovers." ;) In Bulgaria, Valentine's Day is only just starting to commercialize as a holiday. Last year, actually, I remember only the flower shops selling balloons, and then the activities I did with the kids. Other than that, you saw only Name Day parties as people named after the actual saint celebrated, and then whatever I pulled off with the kids. This year, however, while out to eat with a couple of friends, I was surprised to see the restaurant completely decked out with balloons and streamers and candles on every table.

I started my day with my "pileta" (chickens), and had a blast! We talked about how we celebrate the holiday in America, made some Valentine's, ate some cupcakes (hysterical, pic to follow), and then I got away with something I never would have gotten away with in the US! Haha, that story to come too...



My buddy Hristo! He's really mastered his balloon drawing lately! One of my biggest regrets over the last couple of years is not spending enough time with this little guy... he has Down Syndrome, and its really neat to see him "mainstreamed" into the kindergarten. The staff and other kids really look out for him, but he kind of does his own thing. I'd like to see him get a little more individualized attention to address his needs. He's a smart kid and absolutely hysterical, but no verbal communication.


Goshko made his Valentine for his girlfriend. ;)


Nicollete - She's so pretty...

Another fav photo

Hiking in Maliovitsa, Summer 2010

Go ahead - diagnose me with temporary Bi-Polar Disorder. At this point, I've come to terms with the fact that I'm going to be an emotional wreck for the next two months, because as of today, you can officially start the TWO MONTH countdown! 

Mission Impossible

I'm pretty sure I'm the only PC Bulgaria volunteer in the world (bold statement - I still stand by it) who has managed to take a photo with EVERY child in it smiling. It took two and a half years, but here is proof that I managed the impossible:



And look at their faces! No bribery involved!

Add to it the fact that I almost got every single one of them looking in my direction, and wow.... haha

After my last two months here (how is it possible that this time is arriving too quickly, and at the same time, not fast enough??), I have a lot of ground to cover in the Euro Trip I've been saving for since early high school.... very exciting. But can it be true that I am MOST excited about summer camp 2011 with my Svetlina kiddos and my family on the Black Sea in June???? 

:D

Kinders

Today we reviewed out weather words from last week, then started learning some classroom words. These kids are absolutely amazing. So eager to learn. I wish there was a way to make everyone see them the way I do...


Love.

AMAZING weather!

So much for the "coldest winter in a 1,000 years!!" Pretty sure its been record high temps lately... Although I was hoping for some serious snow this year, I'm not complaining!! All of the cafe's have set up tables outside, people are out and about (loved the 30minute walk to the kindergarten this morning), the ice rink was melting the other day, and... I was able to play outside with the boys today after school!

It took coming all the way to Bulgaria - where soccer is football and American football doesn't even exist - to perfect my football spiral. I've gotten pretty good, if I do say so myself. ;) But its definitely more fun to teach the kids how to throw.


It makes me nervous, but the boys have really gotten into boxing lately, and have been asking me to use the gloves on a regular basis. It makes me nervous... especially when one of the kids is an amateur boxer (the tall one - at least 6'4"!!!!) - ranked in Bulgaria. Also, all of the kids in this picture are in 7th grade except for two on the far right...

Things in Bulgaria have a tendency to be on the [ridiculously] inefficient side. I can honestly say that in general, it doesn't bother me. I almost appreciate it. I like that it keeps me on my toes. Sure, the fact that you have to fill out paperwork to apply in order to be able to apply for a residency card is a bit crazy, and I was a little confused why a bank representative had to drive all the way from Sofia to Samokov to retrieve the bank card that the ATM decided to eat, drove with it BACK to Sofia, all to just mail it to me in Samokov a few days later in a package with the other cards the machine devoured from Samokov residents.... but its all a part of the excitement and fun of living in a foreign country, right? ;)

The day to day craziness also allows you to especially appreciate when things turn out to be surprisingly EASY - which does, believe it or not, happen from time to time. 

Last month, I developed a nasty sinus infection. Eventually, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to kick the crud in my head without a little assistance, so I finally emailed Peace Corps - PRAYING that they wouldn't make me come all the way into the capital for a doctor's appointment. To my relief, after speaking with our doctor about the symptoms, he confirmed it was some sort of sinus infection and wrote me a prescription, which he then emailed to me. Now, I don't own a printer, but I DO live three floors above a pharmacy. I unplugged my laptop, walked downstairs in my slippers, penguin pajama paints, winter hat,  and down coat - looking about as pathetic as possible (and not intentionally....), showed the pharmacist my computer, and she filled my prescription within about 4 minutes of me leaving my front door. I was back in bed what seemed like moments later. 

I'll take the ridiculous stories of infficiency any day if it means that some things go even easier than I expected. 

In exactly 5 months, I will have finished the last few months of my PC service; traveled to Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Turkey; helped put on a ten day summer camp for my kiddos; gone completely broke; and be ready to celebrate my 25th birthday... on AMERICAN SOIL!!!!

With my family. :)

Life is oh, so good!

I want to start posting some of my fav pics from the last two and a half years... starting with this impromtu dance party caught on film down in the Roma mahala:

love it.

I realized something tonight over too much greqna rakia, a lot of laughs, and entirely too much food with my colleagues... I'm not ready to leave here. 

DAYCATION

To say that I'm a bit of homebody is a more than just a mild understatement... and over the last two and a half years my little one room apartment in this lovely commie block building has definitely become Home to me. When I travel, I look forward to returning to my peach walls and purple furniture, and there have been many a' day where I'm hard-pressed to even leave my bank-vaulted front door. 

Every once in awhile, however, I just need to get away! Especially now when I've been an emotional spaz lately and don't see that ending any time soon as I anticipate the end of this phase of my life here in the Bulg...

Enter one of my new and perfectly appropriate invented words - "daycation." During any season other than the current one, this act usually involves a little day trip to Sofia to go see a movie at the mall and eat a McD's cheeseburger, but during this lovely winter period, I like to hop the bus up the mountain to the beautiful winter wonderland of Borovets. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit spoiled having this place only 15 minutes up away from Samokov. Not only are there restaurants, coffee shops and bars with good music and ENGLISH speaking people, but the snow-covered Rila mountains simply cannot be rivaled in my opinion.  

Today I loaded up my bag with my Kindle, a notebook, my iPod (its working again!), and my Eastern European travel guide, and set off for a much needed "daycation." It was so nice. At first I just walked around under the low-hanging, snow-covered trees, and allowed my stomach to turn as I watched people dart down the visible ski runs (I don't think that sick feeling or leg-throbbing will ever go away long enough for me to actually try strapping ski boots to my leg ever again...). Then I curled up on a leather couch in one of the big hotel lobby's and spent the next hour and a half people watching and planning an entire week in Croatia on the Dalmation Coast for this April (woot!). Then I packed up my books and relocated to a little Bulgarian restaurant with a cozy fireplace that I like to frequent when I'm up in the ski resort area. I came in here the first time early last spring season with two colleagues of mine. Now, every time I go in I get the "local" (read BULGARIAN) price on everything. Which actually makes my hot cocoa, french fries, or mulled wine quite reasonable for a resort locale! And it makes me like the owner so much that I usually end up tipping him the difference anyway. ;) We have a great, unspoken agreement, and I love the huge smile I get when I walk in. 

I took my time with my tea and cheeseburger (note - just because it looks like a cheeseburger and they call it a cheeseburger, does NOT mean that it is in fact a cheeseburger), and then relocated to a different hotel lobby for a little more reading while I waited for the bus. When the bus came, I opened the door and crawled in, only to be greeted by the driver and his son - two friends of mine! The driver is married to the nurse at my school, and with their son, Sasho, all three spent the entire ten days with us at camp on the sea as an NGO last summer! I caught up with Emil for a bit, got a free ride, and a HUGE smile from my buddy Sasho. :)

All in all, a good mental health day, and a perfect daycation. 

They closed my school for the whole week in efforts to contain the flu epidemic that is quickly spreading across the country.

The down time is nice to get stuff done around my apartment, but I have less than three months left with my kiddos.

I miss them already. 

Me talking to "the ladies" - "How am I going to live without Bulgarian yogurt, rakia, cirene, good honey, lutenitsa, homemade vino, and BG tomatoes???"

Katya - "You'll live just like you did before you moved here - before you even tried all those things."

Well ok then!! Hahahaha.