Alaskan Bulgarian

Events of the Day

Coming off an incredibly rainy weekend, we've stumbled into the workweek nice and sunny and a bit warm for fall. No better way to start the first full week of school.

Today, I went through the standard rules class with my one new class, and--somehow--it all came around to a race discussion. Some student in the back of the class mentioned the n-word and, for a short time, we were off. We went through acceptable ways of referring topeople of verious races, including whites, and ended with the observation that we're all people and should probably just go around calling each other by our own names. A particular smartass in the back noted that gypsies weren't human and didn't deserve any of that kind of treatment, and I took a deep breath and dealt with him quietly after class.

Business as usual basically. Although this year, the 12th class in general seems particularly clever about being lazy. They've made it an art. Fortunately, the class registers are finally in service, so that should cut down on class skipping quite a bit,

Still Here

The internet ordeal continues. It just came back after being away for a week. I need something to complain about though, and this as good as anything, I suppose.

The last week has been full of the little things that usually mark the beginning ofa school year. Other than that though, let's see...I got the last bit of my luggage back on the first day of school. The school radio/PA system that USAID and Peace Corps paid for after radingmy grant proposial is working beautifully, albeit a bit too loudly. I'll try to focus my thoughts and come up with something better later today. But for now, just know that I'm still alive.

Back to School

School begins again and I'm tired already. It mostly has to do with the fact that a new school year means adjusting to the idea of waking up before 9 every morning. Life's hard.

The project I was working on early in the summer has finally come to full fruition and the school has its new radio system fully installed. Courtesy USAID, we now have speakers in every classroom, a ful radio system with a new computer, and two big speakers that came in handy during this morning's opening ceremonies.

And despite the fact that it's still early days, we have a schedule blip. I'll have to teach Saturday and the students will have to learn. This is because next week wil see the annual celebration of Bulgaria's independence, and everybody likes a four-day weekend.

Fortunately, I have Mondays off again. That always softens the bow of these destroyed weekends. So I can't go out on Friday night. OooOoooh. Scary.

Back in the Big B

What a trip, Seattle, Minneapolis, London, Rome, Sofia, and all in the space of what a person might call a day. It's amazing what a flight delayed here or there can do to an entire schedule when a person is travelling internationally.

Everything was fine up until Minnesota, when my flight to London was delayed for an hour. I figured that would give me 30 minutes in England to get to the plane. And it was Bulgaria Air, to boot. They don't have a reputation for being on time. Well, the flight closed 15 minutes early, and a Bulgarian woman, who was also on the flight, and I were left without a way to get home.

So I entered the nightmare of immigration. I stood in a line that was about a half-mile long and watched from the hall windows above as people went through the customs line below. That's right, they tortured us with views of how much longer the line would be. And I wasn't even supposed to be there.

Hours later, I managed to get to the Northwest ticket counter and arrange for a flight through Rome into Bulgaria. At this point, I'm pretty sure, my baggage was lost somewhere in the depths of Gatwick. I've so far gotten one of the bags back, the other might arrive tomorrow.

Fittingly enough, the flight out of London was a half hour late, and the woman and I had to run in Rome to catch our flight to Sofia. Well, not really. Because as soon as we got to the plane, out of breath and with seconds to spare, we were sent off the plane and to another gate due to mechanical difficulties. At this point the theme music to "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" kept playing in my head on repeat. Not because the woman I was traveling with was like John Candy, not at all. In fact, she was funny and kept me sane and entertained the whole way back. It's amazing how much two stranges have in common when all they need to do is complain about something.

So, two hours later, after watching the sun set over Rome, we took a bus to a gate on the other side of the airport and boarded the plane there. Two hours and a shaky, applause-inducing landing later, we were in Sofia. I waited for my bags which, of course, never came, and filed a report with the baggage people, who said my bags were in Boston and on their way to Amsterdam in order to get to Bulgaria. I'm glad my bags are getting a Eurpoean tour, too.

A short night on a 1 AM bus got me back to Silistra and a cat who seemed to miss me and the apartment (she was staying with a friend) very much. Now I'm just settling in. Catching up with friends and figuring out what will happen at school this year are going on actively.

More reports--and photos--to come.

On My Way to my 2nd Home

I'm near Seattle and a long month of state-hopping is nearing an end. Tomorrow morning, I'll be going to Sea-Tac where I'll catch a flight to Gatwick in England, and from there on to Sofia. In Sofia, I'll take a cab from the airport to the bus station, where I'll hopefully be able to snag the 5 PM bus that will get me into Silistra at around 11:30, Saturday.

I have no idea what to write about the past month. I can't do a simple narrative. It goes beyond that and it would bore me to write one and know people are getting bored reading it. What I will do is sift through the reactions and memories of this trip and apply them to life back in Bulgaria. Then I'll report on that. I think that'll work. So--know that there will be more stuff coming next week.