May and June -- Rundown in 60 seconds (more or less)

It has been nearly two months since my last blog post.... woah.  Where does the time go? 

The time goes to a weekend wedding in Rome; 

a celebration for St. George, complete with dancing and Bulgarian karaoke; 

graduation weekend and all of the crazy senior antics; 

me working as quickly as possible to get my courses wrapped up; 

our own evening out in Sofia at the one bar that hosts karaoke on

 Wednesdays;

an IB training in Manchester UK so I can be prepared to teach IB biology next year; 

a "last hurrah" trip to Sweden -- Stockholm and the quiet little town of Dalarö -- full of lounging, kayaking and taking in the land of the tall, blonde, tan and beautiful...

 

...and all the while, trying to visit with the friends and people I have met this year who have now become my family.  Some will be here for another year (or two, or three...) but some will be moving on to different countries, different schools, jobs, friends and family.  It has been exciting, sad, fun, tearful but also full of laughs.  I certainly have a few more places in the world to visit, now

 with people to host me, although I will miss them greatly... xoxo and best of luck to you all. 

 

Here are some photos and accompanying captions to try to capture the fun, whirlwind, delightful and bittersweet memories and emotions that came along with this end of the year…  

a night out for fondue and fun at the Swiss Chalet... seriously a swiss chalet that was just stuck in the middle of the commie bloc apartments somewhere in Sofia

... a view of the Stockholm harborside ...

... after Erin purchased an ice cream sandwich at a sidewalk stand, we were stopped by a tv crew, who wanted to ask us what we thought about the recent hike in ice cream prices in Sweden... random! 

... more random -- movie film crew on campus, filming a scene where this girl walks into one of the villas... Erin and I watched them film this scene about 8 times from our living room... 

See the previous post for photos from our trip to Stockholm and Dalarö.... I will continue to update the post with more captions and thoughts over the next few weeks... 

My Fave Pictures of Sweden

.: Stockholm, Sweden :.

Thassos Slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thassos Greece

A Front Row Seat...

.:. Thassos, Greece .:.

I have ventured into a few different countries over the course of our week and a half long spring break (which was back in April, and I am long over due in posting about) as well as a 6-day weekend (we had Friday, Monday and Tues off of this past weekend.  I am not sure you can still call something a weekend if you have 6 whole days off!!)

the "strip" in Scala Potamia

In either event, I was able to spend time in Budapest, Hungary, Prague, and more recently from our 6 day St George's holiday, a bunch of us traveled to a little northern island in Greece called Thassos.  It was the most relaxing vacation I have had this year: I purposefully left all of my work and school related tasks to do when I returned so I could fully enjoy my time.  

a view of the Scala Potamia beach where we were staying in Thassos

Thassos is a rocky island, with gigantic mountains situated in the heart of the island, which dramatically look over all that is going on around them along the coast lines.  The beaches were rocky, with smooth round rocks of marble in varying shades and colors.  The water in the coves: the brightest blue and the clearest water I have seen since being in the Caribbean Sea. 

crystal clear blue water - the view from above on our hike to this hidden cove

happy feet :) - getting some sun after our walk to the hidden beach

pebbles on the beach

With the company of good friends, we relaxed, enjoyed ourselves and completely ate ourselves through the menus of the family run Greek restaurants we ate at each night.  Seafood was fresh, everything seemed homemade, and of course it was all delicious. 

we took a trip around part of the island on some scooters - so fun!  I now want to own a vespa :)

A completely different world, my first Greek isle visit, all within an easy day's drive of 5.5 hours from Sofia. 

hidden in the cliff is the most amazing monastery I have every seen.... with an unbelievable view! 

dinner being prepared in Aliki (little village we found on our bike ride)

the beach in Potos - prepping for the coming season

Metroto : The Metro in Bulgaria!!!

The Metro.  Such a simple and yet wonderful mode of public transportation!! Finally it comes to the lovely country who I think is still hungover from Communism... There was a big article in the paper that the metro station in the center opened today and on our way home from dinner we passed by it... going in to check it out, we took a chance on the fact that we were not totally sure it would take us back home and jumped on the train as it came to the station... 

Then the lights went off in the train and the conductor came around asking us to get off the train.  Cool... we were off to a good start. 

A few moments later, after further debate and map scrutiny, we concluded that the metro does in fact go to the place we wanted it to go (so we could go home) and that we should go on it.  I must say it was a hysterical, fun and momentous occasion for our lives and for the lives of Bulgarians!  The looks on some of the faces of people were priceless... looks of nervousness/excitement/uneasiness about the whole operation.  I am happy to say that the new metro station at Vasil Levski Stadium is running, is very nice and relatively new looking (although I think there are some recycled escalator parts due to the several gum stains near the end of the escalators) and I hope this new public transport will streamline the lives and the traffic of this area...

Happy riding!  

Oh the silliness of late night working...

Sometimes I like the peace and quiet of my classroom when all the students have gone, so I will return to the science building to get some work done in a place where I can concentrate a little more.  Last night, after most of the students had left, I went up to my classroom to get through some planning for the next few weeks.  I think it was probably around 6:00 pm or so... still light out.  I was playing my music, singing along... I could hear some people downstairs... keys jingled.  A man yelled something, but the building is so large and empty, his voice was echoing and I could not understand what he was saying.  I actually thought it was a friend of mine, who works on the first floor of the science building, yelling things out a window, in his large, deeper voice, which is sometimes unintelligible when he is yelling...I did not really think anything of it and went back to what I was working on.

  

Au contrare - It turns out that the deep, booming voice was not Derek, as I was to find out about an hour later...

After packing up, I go down the stairs with my stack of papers which still needs to be graded, I notice the sunset is still shedding pale light from behind the mountain... I step down to the door to walk out. 

Locked. 

Awesome.

I try the second door on the first floor.  Locked too.  I was locked in the science building.... 

One would have thought, that the security guard who is locking up a building for the evening at 7 pm, would at least walk up to the third floor (as he later claimed he walked up to the second) to make sure no one was up there.  I had all the lights on in the hall, and my classroom, and my office... would it really have been such an inconvenience to walk up 20 more stairs to the top floor of the building?  I would have thought that would have been a better idea instead of just yelling something up the stairs of a stone building? (Turns out it was also in Bulgarian, a language I am still trying to learn how to speak and understand, so the echo/mumbling really did not help in my language recognition)

So, what to do when one is locked in your own place of work?  Call someone to your rescue.  I did contemplate jumping from one of the first floor windows, but they are too high up in the hall for me to easily get to.... And then the window would have been open with no way for me to shut it.  So plan B, call someone who has the ability to open the door :)  Luckily my friend Andy came to my rescue;  he and Erin found the new guard on duty (who was in the door of the neighboring building, a mere 30 feet away...apparently he did not notice me turn all the lights on in the stairwell...)  Our favorite "friendly" guard (as he is ever so chatty) came to my rescue to let me out.  What a wonderful feeling....  It was a night with a few pretty good laughs, and an awkward moment when I realized I was locked in my own building. 

No harm done... I just hope that the next time I am there late, the guards come up to the next floor to check if anyone is there.  If anything, it makes for quite the amusing story :)

Also...

...Just wanted to say that I had a wonderful birthday a few weeks ago.  Thank you to all who sent their love, wishes, and cards.  :) It was a very nice and relaxing day, and one which I actually had off from work, which was fun!  (We had the entrance exam the day before on Sunday, so they gave us an extra day in exchange for coming in to work). 

A Little More Debt Free

As a pre spring break activity, a few of us girls decided to go to see the film, "Confessions of a Shopaholic".  If you have not heard of this film, based upon a book series, the basic gist is that it is a light-hearted film, sprinkled with some romantic interest, between this young woman MASSIVELY in credit card debt... way more than I could ever fathom... and is running away from the debt collectors, all the while trying to make her way up in the magazine world by writing for a financial magazine.  A shopaholic, massively in debt, telling other people via magazine column how to manage their finances.  Talk about a bit of irony here.  Anyway, one lighthearted movie later, where the heroine manages to pay off all her debt with a bit of sacrifice, it got this little one thinking that perhaps it was time for me to pay off the rest that I owed on my VISA.  

Now, I had debt nowhere NEAR the extent that this character in the movie.  Mine had just accumulated over the past few years, as I was living in Charlottesville, paying for things which I "needed" at the time, which I could not have necessarily paid off completely at that moment, as well as things which were actually necessary but that I still could not have paid for in cash... Because I had needed that cash to pay for my credit card the next month.... I now see what a vicious cycle it all is.  I have no regrets... except that this has gone on for way too long. 

Personal take-home message of the movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic: Do not end up like her.

Action taken to avoid said fate:  I paid off my entire bill for last month, a total, which although not as high as it once was, totaled over $1,500 (but no more than 2, I promise-  I will keep the actual figure between me and VISA).

Result of this action is that I feel weird.  It is a good weird, and one I am still getting used to.  But is it an odd feeling like some sort of negative security blanket is now gone.  I do not know if that even makes sense, because generally security blankets are a positive force in one's life.  However, it is the best I can do.  However, all in all, I am now debt free.  And the current purchases which have been made, I know that I will pay off the entire sum in full, and will have ample left over to pay my student loans (that will not go away for another 11 years) and have some change to add to my savings. 

It is a good feeling.... and is one that was inspired by a silly little chick flick movie before spring break.

A Note to Self...

.... do not plug in American hair straightener into a European electrical outlet.  Even with a plug adapter.  This action results in the melting of the hair straightener, smoking as it is melting, and a terrible smell of plastic which resembles the smell of burnt hair to fill the bedroom.  Stick with european appliances... luckily I did not burn my hair off.

Celebrate International Women's Day!

Women, all around the world, celebrate the strides which have been made towards further equality!  Yet let us not forget to continue to fight for equal rights and treatment, and awareness of these issues of abuse, mistreatment, discrimination and inequality. 

www.internationalwomensday.com

Happy Grandmother March, Indeed!

Chestiita Baba Marta... the day where ALL Bulgarians celebrate the coming of spring by the sharing of "marteniitsas" -- little red and white braided pins for lapels, or bracelets to tie around your wrist.  These are to celebrate the coming of spring, on March 1st.  Every single Bulgarian I have seen this past week has been wearing either something on their shirt or jacket, or with several martenitsi on their wrists.  Some of the students are having competitions to see who can wear the most, for the longest.

The tradition is that you wear a marteniitsa until you see the first sign of spring -- There are a couple interpretations about what the "sign" is, but if you see either a stork (which apparently there are plenty around) or a tree beginning to set out its first leaves, you are supposed to remove your marteniitsi and tie them to the tree and make a wish.  The wearing and giving of these little red and white trinkets is supposed to bring you health and a good life in the coming year. 

As we have been traveling around Bulgaria this year, everywhere I have been seeing the remnants of marteniitsti (marteniitsa = singular) of years past.  What surprises me and what makes me love this tradition/holiday so much is that everyone I have seen has been wearing at least one marteniitsa, if not many, on their person.  Old, young, male, female, people of all ages, interests, etc have participated in this tradition.  And everyone around has emerged from the grumpy, miserable winter hibernation persona with these wishings of the coming spring, or "Grandmother March" which is what Baba Marta literally translates to. 

Here is an article in the Sofia Echo (it is in English) of the traditions.

Yesterday, I went to the center for some errands and just for some wanderings.  It was a beautiful day, the sky was a bright blue and the air was clean with a touch of warmth-- one of those perfect "spring is coming" day.  I thought it was too warm to wear my winter wool peacoat when I left, and so I grabbed my lighter jacket, rolled up my jean cuffs and donned a pair of flip flops. 

I have never had so many strangers come up to me in one day (three people) and comment on my appearance... ever.  They kept asking me, with disbelief in their voice and faces, whether I was cold with my flip flops.  My limited knowledge of Bulgarian only permitted me to reply "not cold" (ne studenno) and keep insisting that I wasn't.  It was very interesting... However these are people who also believe that if you sit with a draft on your back, you will become infertile. 

Yes, that is one of the medical myths which some people adhere to and believe wholeheartedly. 

I continued to walk in my flipflops.  I happened upon a bead shop, where the woman/artist/owner makes her own jewelry -- necklaces, earrings, key bobbles, bracelets... but also sells the beads for you to make things or she will make something on request.  I picked out a pair of really pretty and funky blue and light sage green earrings, for about $3.  There several other items that I had wanted to buy, but I am trying to moderate my spendings, with our upcoming spring break trip (more descriptives on that later)

After the bead store, right next to it was this beautiful artisan gallery!  It reminded me of an art gallery in Portsmouth, or something downtown in Charlottesville.  Lots of funky pottery, framed and unframed artwork, multimedia pieces, more jewelry... I will definitely return! The lady there also had these beautiful handmade marteniitsi (the ones you buy from the street vendors are mass produced, probably in China).  I loved browsing through there. 

Having quite the art inspired morning, I decided I was going to find a nice sketchbook and some charcoal pencils so I could start drawing again.  I was so sad when I made the decision to leave my "art box" at home... There was no way I was going to be able to bring all or nearly all of my supplies.  I had been over the limit as far as weight in suitcases was concerned, and I did not have the money or the luggage capacity to pack and pay for another excess bag... Well, now I am happy to say that I have begun the restoration of my art supplies!  I found a nice (but expensive) sketch book and some good pencils and charcoal pencils, which I think will be very nice to use.  Perhaps I will do some sketching today :-)

I met up with a friend, Jess, and we had some lunch.  I remembered that there was a Picasso exhibit that was visiting in the National Gallery of Foreign Art and I am pretty sure this was its last weekend here in Sofia.  We went over to the gallery and bought our tickets- with our ACS id cards, we were able to receive the student discount which was 2 leva (about $1.50).  The exhibit was packed!  I am not sure I have EVER been to an art gallery which had that many people.  It was at first annoying, but then I really started to appreciate the fact that so many people, as misrun as this country and city can be, really do have an appreciation for culture and artistic talent.  Not that I didn't think that they would, but I was just impressed with how many people were there...Old folks, families, some of our students, I even heard some British English speakers... and it was a great exhibit!  I think the first time I have ever seen Picasso.  The rest of the gallery was wonderful as well.  They had a great collection of French art, some Renoir, a couple Degas, and then this other painter whose images appeared so ethereal the subjects looked like ghosts (I cannot remember the name--something starting with a C).  

Jess and I only explored the second floor, where the Picasso exhibit was located, but there were other parts of the museum that weren't open and that we did not get to see, so I will definitely be returning again :-)

The marteniitsi, the crocusses that are popping up on campus, the bunches of hiacynth, daffodils, tulips, crocus, which are being sold on the street by the old babas, the sun showers which happened as I was walking through the campus of Sofia University, all these signalling that spring is coming.  And I love it!

So happy spring to all, 

Честита Баба Марта!!