Off the Grid

Hey everyone,

Lately I've had some major computer problems and so I sent it back to the States to get repaired. In the meantime, I'm using the local internet cafe, which doesn't really afford me much of a possibility to write blog posts. That's not to say that interesting things aren't happening - I've been helping out with the training of the new group of volunteers (the b25s), and I traveled to the town of Belogradchik to see the famous rock formations (one of the candidates to be one of the new 7 natural wonders of the world) and cave paintings from between 12000-6000 BC. When I get the whole computer situation sorted out I'll be sure to get into more details about these and some other things with pics and videos and all the good stuff that I've put up in the past. Until then, shoot me an email and I'll try to get back to you when I can (which is to say when this 8 year old computer I'm using decides to get back to you).

Until next time...

Town Holiday!

Sunday was a big day in my town and around Bulgaria - the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, creators of the Cyrillic Alphabet. Born in Thessaloniki, Cyril and Methodius came to Bulgaria as missionaries and created the alphabet as a way to introduce Christianity to the Slavic people. To do this they needed a written language that reflected the different sounds of the Slavic languages of the time. Using some Greek letters, and also inventing some new letters they came up with the Glagolitic alphabet, which eventually transformed into the Cyrillic that many countries use today.


When Preslav was the capital of Bulgaria during its Golden Age, there was a great literary school that contributed much of the great historical literature of the country. Without Cyril and Methodius, much of the expansion that Bulgaria experienced probably never would have happened. Since this alphabet directly contributed so much to the development of Veliki Preslav (and to Bulgaria for that matter), the town celebrates it as its town holiday.

Today, the festival is somewhat removed from celebrating the contributions of Cyril and Methodius, and more an excuse to have a carnival come into town. The day kicked off in the center with a short presentation by the mayor, and a wreath-laying at the statue of Czar Simeon (the king of Bulgaria when Preslav was the capital and throughout its Golden Age). After that various groups put on singing and dancing presentations for about another hour.


When the presentation was over, it was off to the carnival, conveniently set up next to the pazar up the street. This was one of the most ridiculous, yet fun times I’ve had in town so far. Firstly, the weekly pazar (outdoor market) was expanded and included merchants from all around the region, and even some from some other cities selling everything you could imagine from clothes, to random gadgets, to chalga. Next to the market, crammed into a tiny square, were several rides that can only be described as deathtraps, some rip-off games, and several ponichki stands.

A word about ponichki: I think the nearest approximation would be little donuts, but to call them just "little donuts" would be a crime. These Bulgarian versions are fried not only in hot oil, but also a mixture of dreams, puppy kisses, and children's laughter, then drizzled with chocolate sauce and served directly to you fresh and warm in a little basket with a tiny fork. Pretty much the best and worst food ever created…

A little ways further up the road towards the school and the orphanage was located a giant inflatable slide and a dirt buggy track. Actually "track" is probably a bit of an exaggeration (more like a tiny circle of anti-fun and dust) but the allure of it brought the kids in anyway. I was almost snared as well, but luckily those tricky Peace Corps rules saved me from certain doom (PC rule 537: No driving anything ever. Sometimes donkey carts, maybe).

To my surprise, the children from the orphanage were allowed free rides on many of the attractions present, which made for a great weekend for them. As for me, I just had a good time hanging out and watching the people pass by on what was undoubtedly the most crowded I have ever seen my town. It seemed that most of the people from town were there, and for the first time that I can remember, the town actually felt as big as people tell me it is.

Until next time…

Days of Graduation

I have to say, Bulgarian graduation celebrations ("Abiturenski") are pretty awesome.

Today, at random intervals, groups of kids would start chanting numbers - "First, second, third..." all the way up to twelve at which point they go crazy and yell really loud. This is for each grade they've passed. Now that they're graduating they have the authority to go the whole distance. This makes it kind of awkward for people who aren't there yet (or who didn't graduate), since they have to drop out of the chant at the grade that they are at or that they made it to. This is a good incentive to stay in school... No one wants to be that guy who has to stop at 10. Well maybe some kids.

At the same time, there are cars passing by at like 2mph covered in balloons and honking constantly. Some of them at their windshield wipers on and the washer fluid running, getting people on the sidewalks wet as they drove by. I've seen this before after weddings, but it's a whole different story when there are several multiple cars all doing it at the same time.

We had a small party at the orphanage with cookies and bezalkoholno (soda - lit. "without alcohol"), and the kids were all decked out in their new suits and dresses. There are 5 graduates from the orphanage this year, and they are all awesome kids who will definitely move on to do great things. I'm going to miss them too, since I've kind of leaned on them (especially in the beginning) to establish myself there.

After the graduation ceremony, the kids will be shouting all night long, the horns will be blazing, and at least for one night, the graduates will run the town. The festivities will continue until morning comes, when the tradition is to walk up to your school one last time and watch the sunrise together as a class. Then everyone goes their separate ways. This is a tradition that is definitely better than its American counterpart, and shows a great amount of solidarity with classmates and friends. It's a special end to a night that means so much more here in Bulgaria than I feel graduation night means in America, since graduating high school is a significantly more rare occurrence here. In America it's usually just something that's expected. Maybe that's why the parties didn't seem as cool.

Until next time...

A Day in Sofia

So I’ve been to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, several times now, but I’ve realizes that I had never really written about it. This particular visit was due to a meeting of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons committee, of which I am now Co-Chair. This is exciting for me, because I deal with this issue in my work since my kids are prime targets, and also something that is important to me on a personal level. I’m so glad to have the chance to help lead this committee and to help lead this committee to spread awareness of this huge - yet still unfortunately overlooked - issue.

Anyway, Sofia is a big city (the biggest in Bulgaria), but even as it holds such an important place in the country and in the region, it is an often misunderstood place. I often start my day at the Central Bus Station, a monstrous glass-faced building, and head either for the Peace Corps office or the center. Since the PC office is in the middle of nowhere with practically nothing interesting around, other than rows of residential block apartments, I try to hang around the center as much as possible. Here, most of the interesting things in town are located with a radius of a couple of kilometers or less.

In the direct center of town is located a square called “The Largo” (currently being totally redone), in which is located Parliament, the President’s office, and the Ministry of Justice (interestingly located in the building that once housed the former headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party).


Watching over this square is the gold-skinned statue of Sofia, the personification of Wisdom. The statue stands in the place of a statue of Lenin, toppled during the fall of Communism, and is a symbol of Bulgaria's desire to put its past behind and start anew with other nations in the world of democracy.

A short walk away from the center is the impressive Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the largest in Bulgaria, and large enough to occupy its own square. The domes are a brilliant gold that can be seen from many places around town, and the interior is covered in impressive frescoes and sculptures.

Right next to Alexander Nevski is the Church of Saint Sofia (Hram Sveta Sofia), dating back to the 6th century, and also the city’s namesake. Arguably more impressive than Nevski due to its age and significance to the city, the brick building also houses an eternal flame for fallen Bulgarian soldiers.

Heading the other way from the Largo, we reach Boulevard Vitosha, the city’s (and pretty much the country’s) main shopping street. The street starts at the Church of Sveta Nedelya, another famous and beautiful church and heads towards Mount Vitosha, a still snow-capped mountain just outside of town. The Boulevard runs for more than a kilometer and includes tons of international high-fashion (and expensive) stores.

At the end of Vitosha is located the National Palace of Culture (NDK for short), a gigantic complex of theaters, meeting halls, and even TV studios (BTV, one of the big Bulgarian channels, calls this home). It is also here that my group officially swore in as Peace Corps Volunteers. Pretty much anything with national cultural significance happens here. It’s also located in a huge park, which is a nice place to hang out when the weather is good.

There are plenty of other interesting things to check out in Sofia as well and I can spend (and have spent) a good bit of time just wandering around. And the food! Mmm… It’s one of the only places in Bulgaria where you can find good international food. Anyways, I hope this was a good introduction for all you people outside of Bulgaria. And for the people in Bulgaria, you probably know all this already. But maybe you liked the pictures… or something…

Until next time…

A Night at the Theater...

I just got back from my first trip to a Bulgarian play. Man that was an experience. I don't even know how to put it into words, but I have to try. The name of the play was "Zavrushtene" which I still don't know the translation to. I think it means something like "The Arriving" or something like that. The plot went something like this:

Act 1: An older man, Georgi, gets a visit from a lady named Milka who tells him that she's in love with him even though he's married. He tells her that he's not interested, to which the Milka responds by exploding emotionally and yelling at him that he'll be sorry and never have a love like her's. The man's wife, Gergana, comes in and wonders what's going on, and Georgi tells her. The couple's son, Svilen, comes home from out of town, now grown and engaged. He has brought his fiance, Eva and they are madly in love. Eva tells the parents that she has no family except for her mother who lives alone. The parents find out that Eva's mother is Milka and proceed to freak out because they have been avoiding her. End of Act 1.

Act 2: The audience learns that the fiance is actually the child of the Georgi and Milka from before he was married to Gergana. This is where the audience started to get into it. Milka comes by the house while everyone is there, and the whole thing is revealed. Of course, Svilen and Eva are shocked at the discovery that they are actually siblings, and a good 10 minutes of crying from everyone ensues. Suddenly, Eva tells everyone to stop, breaks the 4th wall and asks the audience and the family, "But what will happen to my BABY?!" At this point the audience just goes crazy and starts yelling and clapping. End of Act 2.

Act 3. The audience is still going crazy and talking to each other about what has happened. Eva tells Svilen that she isn't actually pregnant and just told that to everyone to see what her mother's reaction would be. The audience lets out a "Awwww..." and calms down. Svilen tells Georgi that she's not pregnant and he goes to tell Gergana. While he is out, Svilen tells Eva that they can still be in love, but not in the same way (in a strange sequence with dimmed lights, sappy music, and a swirling spotlight effect). Milka comes in crying, and no one reveals to her that Eva isn't pregnant. She leaves for good, and Eva leaves too, but says she'll be back. Gergana threatens to leave everyone too because this was such a traumatic experience, but then decides to stay, saying, "This is Love." She and Georgi down a couple of shots and dance horo. The end.

I have to say, that even though the plot might have been on par with a Spanish soap opera's, I was totally entertained. Can't wait for my next one... And now that the Chitalishte (community center) is finally open, I'm sure there will be plenty more opportunities.

Until next time...

Slushat Li Detsata?

By far one of the most frequent questions I hear from people around town when the conversation inevitably shifts to working with children in any capacity is, “Do the children listen?”

Ever since I have arrived here at site I have heard this question at least once a week, and I wince a little every time I hear it. For a while I never understood why it got to me so much, but after a while I realized that this question (to me) epitomizes everything I find wrong with the system and methods of child care in this country. Now I’m not saying that there’s nothing good about child care in this country. Truth be told, I have met several great teachers and child care providers during my time here who are having a positive influence on the children they work for. However, when I hear Bulgarians every week telling me about how the school system is failing and how children have no interest in learning, it makes me think a little about why. The question reveals a lot...

The first problem is that the question addresses the concerns of the child care worker rather than the needs or even the problems of the child. This is reflected in the fact that often, the system of child care here is more concerned with itself or with its employees than with the children it works with. I cannot tell you how many times I have wondered exactly how many people here are working with children because they have to, or because they want to. Thus the question transforms a potential shortcoming of the worker into the fault of the child. I have heard stories of when children are dancing on tables in class ending in, “Ne slushat” – “They are not listening.” OK… what have you done, or what are you going to do to address this? Are the children unruly in class because they aren’t listeners, or because your classroom management skills are lacking? What is the punishment or the incentive to behave? More often than not, there isn’t one.

The second problem is that the question is really meaningless. It doesn’t address anything. Or rather, it addresses so many different things that it loses its meaning. I have heard the question used to ask: “Are the children well-behaved?”, “Do they pay attention to you?”, and even, “Turkish and Roma kids can do things?” When can you tell if the children are “listening” if the question itself isn't even consistent? Many times, the question doesn’t refer to discipline, but also the overall behavior of the child. For example, you may hear in response to a child at the Yasli who won’t stop crying, “Ne slusha” – “He/she is not listening.” Is this a case of a 2 year old refusing to pay attention to you, or is it a common reaction to being away from parents?

Sometimes the question even refers to the abilities of the children. At the orphanage I hear stories about kids who are slacking off in class ending in, “ne slushat” (They don’t listen). Though this should be the topic of another post, it is this situation that is perhaps most frustrating for me. I hear the question posed like this all too often in reference to the kids at the orphanage, many of which have been moved through the system without learning how to count or read. Are they not interested in class, or are they not participating because they can't understand what you're teaching and don't have a way to catch up? Or is it because they can't afford the textbooks you're using in class? Or is it because most of the people in town have given up on them and treat them as criminals or mentally challenged? Perhaps simply saying they aren’t listening is easier than acknowledging the shortcomings of the system.

My answer to the question has usually attempted either some clarification, or just “Yes, they listen.” This often prompts some surprise on the part of the asker, either because they aren’t used to have a question directed back at them in response, or because the expected answer is always “no.” When I proudly tell people around town that my kids are great - the children at the orphanage who can’t read or have had behavior problems, the little boy at the Yasli who cries for hours because he misses his mommy, the group of kids I pass by every day who hang out and pretend to build houses out of sticks instead of going home after school – I get looks of bewilderment, or the look that says, “Yeah, right.”

Sometimes I just want to say to them… “The kids are listening. Are you?”

Until next time…

Volleyball Death Match

This weekend I went out to Turgovishte, a town pretty close to me, to go help a volunteer from another group with a fundraising project she has going. The idea was to have a Volunteer vs. Bulgarians volleyball match. Sounded fun, and in the end it actually was a lot of fun. However (just as many seemingly normal things here in BG turn out) the whole deal was an adventure.

I got into town at about 2pm and met the other players from the volunteer team. We were going to get together to play a bit and practice before the match. After buying possibly the greatest prize of all time (a plastic sword) to give to the winners of the match, we eventually made our way to the school where the game was going to go down.

As we waited for the doors to become unlocked, we watched a boys vs. girls dodgeball game going on outside the school. The girls were vicious, and the boys resorted to cheating (i.e. not leaving when they got hit, bringing in 2 people when they caught the balls). I have to say, between that game, and the little boy climbing nearby buildings, the time before the game was pretty entertaining.


Finally we get inside and start hitting the ball around, and get a quick practice game together. Only one person on the team had ever played on a volleyball team before, and the rest of us hadn’t played in a while, if at all. However, for not having any experience, we came together to field some sort of semi-respectable, rag tag team as the opposing team of Bulgarians walked into the gym.

After giving our strongest “USA!” cheer in a huddle we yielded the court so that they could get some practice in. This is when it became apparent that we were going to die. Previously unbeknownst to us, the team has recently won the regional championship. As we sat there watching as the other team practiced serving some of the hardest, most Olympic worthy serves I had ever seen, I got visions of the most mismatched events in sports history It was like the 1992 Basketball Dream Team against the scrubs of the rest of the world. The 0-14 1976 Buccaneers vs. the Steel Curtain…

A good crowd showed up, and the game got underway. We got our butts handed to us, unsurprisingly, but we actually got some good volleys in, and didn’t go scoreless which was nice. I sparked up a conversation with one of the Bulgarian players in between games, and he said, "So, I thought Americans were really good at volleyball,” referring to the dominating performance of the US team at this year’s Olympics. As I laughed to myself, I told him it depended on the region, and that beach volleyball is usually the version played (in Florida at least). Volleyball is serious business here in Bulgaria, and is very much a “man’s game.” Whereas in schools in America, girls usually play volleyball while the boys play basketball, it is interestingly exactly the opposite here.

Anyway, after a couple of games in which we Americans lost by huge lopsided margins, we mixed up the teams and played some mixed games, which yielded the most fun times of the tournament, and made up in part for the loss of confidence I had in my athletic skills. All in all it was an awesome time, and a huge success. The event brought in more money than was expected, and everyone had fun, despite the stinging red marks on our forearms…

Until next time…

Velikden

After painting eggs, I was reminded by my coworkers to go to the center for the big Velikden (Easter - literally "Great Day") midnight mass, and that this was something I shouldn’t miss. Not wanting to pass up a good look at another tradition, I said I’d be there. At about 11pm my sitemate and I headed down to the center where the big church in town is. People were slowly congregating in and around the church, and others were just hanging out at the café nearby. Seemed just like a normal night, maybe with just a few more people.

At 11:30, the church bells started ringing as a call that the service was about to start. Everyone filed into the little church, and the priest started singing his prayers. Incense was lit while the curtain hiding the altar was moved away. At that moment, a small path was made through the middle of the church. In Bulgarian churches there are often no chairs, and so there were a ton of people in there. The priest then made his way down this makeshift aisle with a giant bundle of candles. I recognized this tradition as being similar to the tradition of the Paschal candle in Western liturgy. This orthodox one was a bit different: 3 candles bundled together, creating one large flame at the top - a powerful symbol for sure. The deacon also carried a large single red candle as he led the procession.

As the priest made his way down the aisle, people from all around started reaching over to light their own candles from the paschal candle. Since I was on the aisle I reached out and lit a candle as the priest sang something in Old Bulgarian. As the priest reached the door, the aisle that had formed quickly collapsed and people made their way outside. There, it seemed as though the entire town had gathered around the church, and everyone had a candle and was lighting it from the original. After about 10 minutes, the entire center was glowing with candlelight.

The priest carried on his liturgy, as old babas responded by singing “Gospodin pomilo” and “Amin” (I think “Lord merciful” and “amen” respectively). Then the singing stopped and the priest shouted to the crowd “Isus Vozkresus” (Jesus is risen) to the clanging of the church bells. I don’t know if it was the hundreds of candles around or what, but there was something very magical in that moment. For a couple of minutes at least, it seemed that everyone in town was content. Even the stern, usually unsmiling babas had a look of joy. It was one of those moments during my service here in BG that I will never forget.

The priests wrapping up the service outside:

Ring the bells - it's officially Velikden:

But this wasn’t the end, as it would have been after a service back in the States. In Bulgaria it seems as though there’s always something during each holiday that will grant you health and luck for the year and absolve you of your sins. In this case, the gathered crowd had to make 3 laps around the outside of the church while keeping their candles lit. If successful, you will be washed of your sins and have a healthy year. Some people even had strategies to prevent their candle from going out in the night breeze. I saw a lot of yogurt containers being made into makeshift shields to block out the wind. This was serious business.

As for me, I took my regular little candle and just made the laps bez extra protection. When a breeze picked up I moved my hand over the flame and that seemed to work just fine. I made my way around the church three times along with the rest of the crowd (it seemed as though most people were successful). Everyone then placed what was left of their candles in the gardens around the church to burn out.

I think a pretty large group went to the discotek right after - a fitting activity to do with one's newly renewed sanctity. As for myself, I returned home and fell asleep pretty quickly. The next day I woke up and ate my first taste of Kozunak. This is pretty much a giant muffin filled with jelly that is traditional to eat on Easter, along with the eggs. I got three of them - one from the awesome Yasli staff, one from my landlord, and another from my baba next door. Needless to say, it was delicious and prepared me for a week full of more Easter festivities.

Until next time...

Boyadisvane na Yaitsa

The Easter season is here, and the people around town have been reminding me that it might be the biggest holiday in Bulgaria. I don’t deny that – there is a ton of stuff going on around Preslav, and will continue for a while after this. Today we kicked off the festivities by painting Easter eggs at the orphanage.

Painting eggs is pretty popular in the States. Here in Bulgaria the tradition of using eggs as an Easter symbol is taken to a whole new level. Starting on Easter and continuing for a week after, I am told that there will be “egg wars” in which two boiled and painted eggs are knocked together, and the winner is the egg that doesn’t break. I love this country.

Before....


So there's a tradition here in Bulgaria during the egg painting. After the first red egg is done, someone takes it and draws a cross on everyone's forehead with the red paint. I can now check "Have a hot egg dragged across my forehead" off the list of things I have to do in my life.

The kids were pretty into it. (Also, note the shirt that says "Police American Football" on it... It's the little things here that I love the most).

One of my awesome coworkers getting into the mix:

Out to dry...

So now I am officially ready for egg wars... Tonight there is a sort of midnight mass at the Church in town , and a big traditional celebration there. Tomorrow I’ll let you know how that goes…

New Camera, Spring Break, and 50th Post Extravaganza

Well faithful readers, we’ve hit a big milestone. This is my 50th post here on Greg in Bulgaria. There’s been some interesting moments and a lot of good times, but it’s not nearly over yet. The updates will keep on coming until there’s nothing left to say. Luckily, there’s a whole lot left, so stay tuned!

This weekend I headed out to the nearby city of Shumen on a mission. I needed a new camera. As you may know, my old one broke during the Kukeri trip and so it has been in the shop for the rest of March. Well, I got it back, and they were able to fix some of the things. However, most of the buttons remained out of service (including the zoom in/out button, review button and menu button). They informed me that to make over the whole camera back to fully working condition would cost more than a new camera. So I went to the TechnoMarket in Shumen (the BG version of Best Buy) and picked up a good little Samsung. I’m able to share photos again, and just in time for some interesting things around town too… Lucky you!


The kids are all out for Spring Break here in Bulgaria, which is awesome for them, but means more work for me… yay! Actually, it’s a lot of fun hanging out with the kids on break. Plus, we have fewer children in the orphanage during vacations. Here in Bulgaria, some families can send their children to live at an orphanage if they cannot afford them, with the option of taking them back during vacation times. This leaves the children who actually don’t have parents at the orphanage during these times. A little over half of the children stay, which lets me spend more time with them, and also relieves some of the stress of working with 80 children at a time.

Spring Break seemed to come at the absolute perfect time. Trees and flowers are in bloom. The Sunday market lasts longer. Cafes have started putting tables outside. People are actually walking around and act like they’re happy to be outside. Lovely. It’s consistently warm here now, allowing us to start some sports and outdoor activities at the nearby basketball court and the local stadium. Every day, it’s been above 60 degrees – ideal for running around with the kids.

I’ve been running by myself, too. The Athens Marathon is slated for November 8th, and I’m planning on being there. Now that the weather has warmed up I have started training, and have fallen into a pretty good routine, upping the distance every once and a while. There’s some shorter distance races near me in the coming months, so that will help out as well.

Even though I won’t be getting a good chance at a long break for a while (probably not until summer), I’m really looking forward to the coming weeks and months, and am feeling very motivated. I have plenty of interesting activities to hold me over, and a lot of plans I’m getting ready to start following through on. Even so, I really can’t wait to get out and explore the areas around Bulgaria. A few other volunteers have already taken excursions into Turkey, Greece, and Romania. There’s plenty of time left to see it all though… definitely enough to carry a good 50 more posts!

Until next time…

OIB: Chalga

I don’t think any description of Bulgarian life is complete without the inclusion of Chalga.

Known also by the more euphemistic term “pop-folk,” chalga is a style of music that, as far as I know, is unique to Bulgaria. Usually you’ll find it while flipping through the channels (somewhere between CityTV, the Voice, and MTV Europe) to find a half naked girl that only goes by one name dancing provocatively to a strange mix of techno and an array of Bulgarian, Turkish, and Roma folk instruments. Despite the inclusion of folk instruments, the connection to actual folk is weak at best, and I’m pretty sure it’s referred to as pop folk just to give it some sort of artistic credibility, which it rarely ever receives anyway. Lyrics almost invariably include at least one mention of “Tvoito tialo” (your body) and “Surtseto mi” (my heart), and either “Iskam teb” or “Iskash li?” (“I want you” and “Do you want?” respectively).

During my time here in Bulgaria, I’ve developed somewhat of a love-hate relationship with chalga in all its forms. While it could possibly be the most annoying and vacuous of all music forms, it’s something uniquely Bulgarian and a big part of life here. The children here love it (just as children in the States grew up with similarly horrible pop), but strangely the love for chalga knows no age. Sometimes while eating dinner or going na gosti, your hosts will leave a tv on looping chalga videos. This includes babas. It’s hard to say if it’s better to let them know that you don’t like it or that it’s destroying any and all culture in this country, or to give in and embrace the horribleness.

In most situations, I’ve gone with the latter.

Since I’ve touched down in Bulgaria, I’ve attended a chalga concert in a broken down stadium in Dupnitsa, danced kyuchek with coworkers at a Christmas party and on New Years, bought a chalga CD from what I have dubbed the “chalga salesman” at the pazar, and (since moving to Preslav) woken up to a steady stream of chalga hits blasted through my wall every morning. I have dedicated a chunk of my time at the orphanage every week to dance to some awesomely bad chalga songs with the kids in the tv room.

Since seeing is believing, I’ll share some of my favorites from my time here so far. Click the titles to check out the video:

Djena - "Shte Te Spechelia" Translated to “I will win you,” this is your typical break-up song, only with the inclusion of an electric form of some sort of folk instrument (could be a horn, gaida, fiddle... who knows). The video is amazing for a few reasons: When her butler informs her with a handwritten note “He now is with her!” Djena begins a transformation to win her boyfriend back. From what I can gather, these changes include giving up smoking (because the other girl smokes), giving up lipstick (because the other girl wears lipstick) and giving up her car in an attempt to get the other girl away from her boyfriend (I think). You’ll just have to watch for yourself, but beware the “twist” at the end.

Preslava – “Novata Ti.” (“The New You”) This very well might be my kids’ current favorite song, evidenced by the fact that they scream it at the top of their lungs whenever it comes on. The song features what actually sounds like a catchy mandolin riff, but that’s nullified by the pop beat under it and throaty singing. I’m sure something happens in the video, but for the most part it’s just a vehicle for Preslava to pose provocatively in a nice hotel. I think she’s stealing some other girl’s man?

Nelina – “Nyama Nashi, Nyama Vashi.” (“Not Ours, Not Yours”) This singer is a real folk crossover, and I know this only because I watch the Planeta Folk channel (all Bulgarian folk, all the time) every day and saw her singing folk songs. Therefore this song might actually qualify to be called "pop-folk" as it has an actual tinge of Bulgarian folk music to it, and is sung by a folk singer. As for the video, I'm still just trying to figure out what is going on. I think a few girls are fighting over a guy. But then there are some guys checking out some girls. A soccer ball gets involved. Then I think everyone dumps each other and they all start a dance party. That smile sure is enchanting though...

Ustata – “Male Male.” (“Male” is an expression here in Bulgarian used to express disbelief, sort of like “Oh my god”) This is the rap side of chalga. As a matter of fact, it might not even be considered chalga, but this guy does collaborate with chalga stars very often. I place this song in the category, however, for its use of a Balkan Brass band, its ridiculous lyrics, over the top video, and performer with just one name.

And of course no description of chalga would be complete without mentioning AZIS. Azis is somewhat of an anomaly in the world of Bulgarian culture - a large, cross-dressing, Roma (what English speakers typically call "gypsy") singer. Somehow the unlikely combination of all these factors combined with a wildly flamboyant personality has turned him into one of the most famous people in all of Bulgaria. I believe he has his own tv shown now as well... Michael Palin did an interview with him on his travel show not too long ago. If you'd like to check it out, as well as get a glimpse into his music, click here.

Regardless of what you might think of chalga, it’s an inescapable force that’s here to stay. For now, I’m off to dance to some kyuchek…

Until next time…

So Energy

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. The camera’s still in the shop, and even though I don’t have any new pictures to share, there’s been some interesting developments around.

Since returning from the Kukeri festival at the beginning of the month, I’ve been hard at work. I’ve been trying to keep my groups together at the orphanage. I’ve been dealing with this language, dealing with failures personally and professionally. I’ve been trying to figure out what exactly I’ve been doing for the past 8 months (!). It seemed like I hadn’t made any progress with any of the kids in my math and Bulgarian group, my English groups were falling apart, and I was having a hard time reaching some kids with whom I had previously made some good progress. I was called a liar and spit on by a kid after explaining that I can’t work with every child in the orphanage all the time. Eventually I found myself buried under the seemingly sudden avalanche of all these factors. I was sapped of my desire to do much of anything, and contemplated leaving for the first time since being here.

This past week I headed to a seminar in Stara Zagora (a town in southern-central Bulgaria) focused on HIV/AIDS education, human trafficking, and life skills. We spent the better part of our days in a hotel conference room trying to absorb a big amount of information in a small time, aided only by a constant stream of free coffee and cookies. The nights however were a lot of fun, and I’m glad I got to know the town a bit more. I met some b23’s (the group before us, English teachers), who turned out to be great people. Coincidentally we met an American conductor who teaches at UMass who was in town to guest-conduct a performance of Beethoven’s 9th, which we attended and enjoyed greatly (at least I did).

I don’t know when it happened, but at some point during the week I forgot all about all the things that had been plaguing me for a while. For a brief time, at least, I just let it all go and enjoyed myself. I was finally back in the moment. I also made progress on starting some life skills activities I had wanted to do since I got here, and also moved forward with a summer camp idea that I and another volunteer are working on.

Towards the end of the seminar we read some notes that were anonymously sent to each other between the Americans and Bulgarians. For the most part, this was an extremely cheesy exercise. One of the notes, however, really affected me, and I think it will stand as one of the high points of this part of my service.

The note read, “You are so energy!”

I smiled not only at the apparent grammatical mistake, but because it was the first time in a while I had actually felt genuinely good. I felt proud and confident, and for the first time in a while truly and honestly energized and ready to jump back into site. I have ideas again. I have motivation to do them, or at least to try. I am back in the moment, and my perspective has shifted back from one of looking back on my failures so far, to looking forward at the potential in people and things around town.

Being here and in this line of work, it’s easy to focus on the negatives. It gets in your head sometimes… Makes you think twice about reaching out to that kid just one more time, about keeping the groups going or about trying a new activity. It prevents you from venturing out and meeting people, and from developing the relationships with the people you do know. Makes you question if it’s even worth it to stick around. I think it’s why so often you find people here without the desire to start projects, or the energy to try new strategies or activities with kids. Things are not like this all the time, but it’s a pretty noticeable thing most of the time.

I have always considered myself somewhat of an optimist. I’ve often tried to gravitate towards the positives in the face of failure. It was this quality that I’ve relied on so many times in my life to get through the rough patches. Similarly I’ve also tried to help others in stressful times doing the same thing. I’ve always found that this ability has been a constant source of energy. When I first got here, I tried to act as an energizing factor in my town, the Yasli, and at the orphanage by being there for people and pointing out the positives. Somewhere along the line here I lost that.

Sometimes it just takes a simple, tiny note written by a stranger to put you back on the right track.

Until next time...

Kukeri Pics

OK I lied (Well, sort of)... As I mentioned in my previous post, my camera is currently being refurbished for future enjoyment, but I was able to salvage the Kukeri pictures and videos from my card before sending it away. Yeah!

So... without further ado:

A scene from the sleepy town of Shiroka Luka before the festival...

The concert we went to featured some crazy horo moves...

The first round of Kukeri marching and dancing in the center.

The next group getting ready to go on...

Some really tall Kukeris...

Showing off some patriotism (this year's Kukeri coincided with the weekend of Mar. 3, the Bulgarian Independence Day)...

This guy had the best seat in the house. In his house.

Here's some video to give you a better idea of the craziness:

Kukeri!

So over the long weekend I took the long trip back out to the beautiful Rodopi mountains. This time I traveled to the village of Shiroka Luka (about 10km from the place I went to last time), in which is located a famous folk music school. Also located there is an annual Kukeri festival, which was the main draw for the weekend, turning this sleepy mountain town of about 500 into a churning madhouse of music, dancing, and scary men running around in costumes threatening people with wooden swords.

There’s a logical explanation for all this, dating back through the ages. The closest tradition I can think of would be Halloween, which of course started as a way to scare away bad spirits. Similarly, the men behind the Kukeri masks (bizarre, hairy, freakishly tall costumes) come out and do everyone a favor every year and scare away all the bad spirits that might be lurking around just in time for spring.

The way they do it is at once terrifying (mission accomplished) and sometimes hilarious. The entry starts with the far off sound of bells being clanged together as the Kukeris rhythmically jump closer and closer. Finally, they're in the middle of the center and doing their dance in a circle and chanting, seemingly in a trance. Then the real fun starts - the Kukeri begin doing their duty and scaring the daylights out of any spirits who dare to get in the way, usually by dancing. Many of the groups had costumed manifestations of the bad spirits to illustrate that they were indeed being scared away. Included among these personifications of evil were a golden idol, impish demons, cross-dressers, and a group of lost backpackers (seriously).

The festival concluded with the costumed men triumphantly going back to the places from which they came, now loaded with wishes of “Zhiv I Zdrav” (Life and Health) from the mayor of the town and the appreciative crowd. Now that the demons had all successfully been exorcised, it was (of course) time to dance, and a 4 hour long horo commenced in the center almost immediately.

Other highlights of the weekend included a concert at the famous folklore school the day before the festival. The dancing was mind-blowingly good, and the music eardrum-blowing (but still quite impressive). It was, however, great to see what the place there is all about, and there is a lot of talent coming out of the little school. It’s also nice to see that the Bulgarians are committed to preserving the great folklore tradition in the country instead of just succumbing to the onslaught of chalga and Katie Perry. It was also, as always, nice to be with friends, and we met some new friends as well – members of the EU version of the Peace Corps (EVS – European Volunteer Service).

I promise to you that I took a ton of pictures and video. However I discovered upon returning to my place in Preslav that my camera had mysteriously broken. I’m sending it to a repair guy, but I still have the card on which all the pics are located, so hopefully I can get those out to you soon. However, it might also take up to a month, so be patient. They’re coming eventually, along with a stream of other updates… I promise!

Until next time...

Bizarre Foods BG: Chicken Hearts

Like I’ve mentioned before, winter is back in full force here in Bulgaria. The snow melted just enough the other day to coat the entire road and sidewalk system with water, which then promptly froze again. The plus side to this is that I get to ice skate everywhere. The downside is that I don’t know how to ice skate... But hey I can learn. This is just one of the activities occupying my time here in Preslav as I wait for spring to roll around. However, I think another activity I've taken up is more blog-worthy.

In the States on one of my favorite channels, the Travel Channel, one of the shows I would watch often was Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. On his show, Zimmern travels around the world and dedicates each episode to a certain country and the food that the people there eat. The twist is that he only goes for what we would consider to be the most bizarre, but might be considered normal in that country. Bulgaria is full of these interesting little treats, and most of them are available in my town. I have therefore taken it upon myself to try all of these crazy foreign foods at least once during my time here (for the purposes of integration, of course). This is the first installment in a series about bizarre foods in Bulgaria, and I think it’s a pretty good one.

Chicken Hearts. I have long known that they have them, but have often wondered if they are edible. This question was finally answered when I came to Bulgaria, where they can frequently be found on restaurant menus (and often hilariously mistranslated into English as "hards"). This includes a restaurant here in Preslav that is right up the street from me which I have begun to frequent. Now when I go to this restaurant, I usually go for their chicken soup, or chicken and rice, or any number of more traditional chicken dishes. When I saw the hearts on the menu, I was at first repulsed, but over time became strangely drawn to them. At this particular meal I decided to take the plunge and order some to try on the side.

When they arrived at the table, I was actually kind of surprised by the look of them. For some reason, I didn’t actually think they’d have the appearance of actual hearts, but lo and behold, there they were. They were split in half probably to facilitate cooking, but this particular preparation seemed (creepily) to really show the structure of the hearts: ventricles, atriums, and all…

I sprinkled some lemon on them and popped the first of the bite size morsels in my mouth. The first thing I noticed was that it was really chewy. The next thing I noticed was that it actually didn’t have a lot of flavor to it. What was there kind of reminded me somewhat of chicken liver, which I have had many times before, and there was a slight gaminess in the flavor as well. Aside from the intense chewiness, which admittedly was a bit unsettling, the flavor was pretty tame, although in my opinion this is one part of the chicken that doesn’t actually taste like chicken.

Overall it was just kind of neutral experience. Once I got over the appearance, it wasn’t so bad. I don’t think I’ll voluntarily order it again, but I wouldn’t shy away from it if it was offered to me at some point. I've had much worse, and I'll be sure to write about those experiences for your pleasure (and probably, amusement) soon.

Until next time…