Dispatches for the Masses

That's Nobody's Business But The Turks

2009-04-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am. Finally back from Istanbul, and man was it a rush. I am already missing the tea and OJ they had there, along with a whole host of foods and desserts. The architecture was amazing, the weather was awesome, and in times were just awesome all around. In order to spare you a lengthy recount of my adventures, I'll let my pictures speak for me, for the most part:

As you can see, from the outside alone it's all pretty breathtaking. I spent quite a while inside the Hagia Sofia, and took probably more pictures than I should have:

After that, I headed to the Blue Mosque with Day (my friend in the purple dress in one of those pictures up there) and her brother Lloyd, only to find ourselves shut out by the call to prayer - the Blue Mosque doesn't allow tourists during prayers, unlike some of the other mosques. So, instead, Lloyd (Day's brother) and I went to check out the Basilica Cistern, originally build by Emperor Constantine and rebuilt/enlarged by Justinian in 532:

From there, it was back sun-side and over to the Blue Mosque for more pictures:

After that, I went to the Grand Bazaar, where I got ripped off, and then to a Turkish bath, where I paid a heavyset, hirsute Turkish man to pound on me for about an hour. After spending far too much money, I felt squeaky clean and more relaxed than I'd been in months. Obviously, there is no photo evidence of this.

On Thursday (Day 2), I decided to check out the Archeological museum, but prior to that, I got distracted by the park on the grounds. The blobs in the one picture of trees are stork nests:

After that, I went into the museum, which included a museum of Ottoman tile art. Yes, that nice police officer in the last picture is carrying a submachine gun.

To round off the day, I went to the Spice Bazaar (also known as the Egyptian Bazaar), where I ended up buying almost a pound of various teas.

For a change of pace, on Friday, I decided to catch the boat to the island of Bosphorus, which is on the Asian side of the Strait of Istanbul. From the castle on top of it, you can even see the Black Sea on a clear day.

Saturday was a short day, since I had to take a train home, but I still had time to see Dolmabahce palace, where the last Sultans of the Ottoman Empire lived, as well as Ataturk, the founder of the modern-day Republic of Turkey. "Opulent" and "decadent" are the words that come to my mind. There are three enormous crystal chandeliers, the lightest of which is 1 ton. The big one in the main reception hall is something like 4.5 tons. I'm not sure if it's short tons or metric tons, either.

I ran out of space on my camera, or I'd have taken more pictures, but it's still quite a bit to check out. I had a great time, and I'm really really glad I went, for all that I spent too much money on things.

We'll Dig His Grave With A Silver Spade

2008-11-14T12:00:00.001-08:00

Today was a mixed bag. So was the whole of this week, actually. On the upside, I got to talk about Robert Frost with my seniors today, and they actually participated in discussion and analysis of it, to my surprise and delight.

Which segues into the point of this entry. Robert Frost is probably my favorite poet, certainly of the early 20th century. T.S. Eliot is amazing, and e.e. cummings was groundbreaking, but there is something about Frost's work that really resonates with me. "The Road Not Taken" is the quintessential Fall poem, and the bittersweetness of it sets me thinking about life and all the myriad steps that lead up to the present moment. It's this sort of ode to the "What If" game, while at the same time, accepting the results from decisions made, without trying to return to a point in the past which is irrevocably lost.

At the same time, there's this guarded optimism about the choice made; the options have been weighed, everything considered, and a decision is reached. There's no real second-guessing, just this sense of "well, if I get the chance, I'll get back to this." Given my apparently congenital inability to let go of things, this is something to which I aspire.

I know you've all read the poem, but it bears posting, I think:

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Later, flipsiders.

Open Up A Can of Tomato Juice

2008-09-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Gather round, boys and girls, Uncle Alex has another fun story for you.

Last night, a bunch of Volunteers were in town for their mid-service conference. I had dinner with them, and afterwards, they invited me to come out and have a few drinks with them. I agreed, and so we headed out. We're drinking, being loud Americans, etc., and a former student of mine comes up to me, says hi.

Now, this would not be awkward, except there was a girl that came over with him to say "hi" as well. She introduced herself as the daughter of one of my colleagues. She then proceeded to hit on me. And then crossed the bar to do so a couple more times over the course of the evening.

Yeah, that was awkward.

I mean, as amusing as it is, I would rather prefer to avoid the "oh, by the way, I made out/slept with your daughter" awkwardness in the staffroom that that would entail, but that may just be me (assuming she's even over 18 in the first place).

Later, flipsiders.

I Know Where You Go When You Want To Fall

2008-09-14T10:10:00.001-07:00

While traveling today, I happened to pass a field of sunflowers. Over the past few months, I've passed it many times. In the spring, when they were just emerging, in the summer, when they formed a joyous cacophony of yellow and now in fall, when they formed a darkening procession of mourners, lamenting the passing of life and time. In a few weeks, they will crumble to dust, leaving no trace of their existence until next spring, and their cycle begins anew.

The whole scene was obviously rather melancholy, with the skies supplying tears for the botanical funeral procession. It was also appropriate, I feel, since I have just completed what is most likely my last summer in Bulgaria. With nine and a half months to go before I have to resume the "normal" course of my life, it feels like I've entered a season of endings. There is still much to be done, though, and I'll doubtless be kept too busy to really dwell overmuch on this sort of thing. After all, I have to get everything in order for the life-reboot.

I suppose it's just one of those things that you have to occasionally step back and watch: the passage of time and your position in it. Much like the sunflowers, we have our own cyclical nature; birth, production, decay, gestation/reflection, repeat. While we may not be as punctual or predictable as they are, it's still worth bearing in mind.

Later, flipsiders.

If They Say "Take It And Like It," You'll Do It

2008-09-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

The system worked as they said it would, and I have my schedule today. Unlike previous semesters, I have no days completely off. Schedule is as follows:

Monday
7:30-8:15 - IXa

Tuesday
7:30-9:10 - XIa
10:25-11:10 - VIIIb
11:20-13:00 - XIIb
13:10-13:55 - IXa

Wednesday
7:30-9:10 - XIIa

Thursday
7:30-10:05 - VIIIb
11:20-13:00 - XIb

Friday
7:30-9:10 - IXb
10:25-11:10 - XIIa
11:20-12:05 - VIIIb

As you can see, Tuesdays are going to be... less than fun. Having to wake up at 6:30 every day, on the one hand, will not be fun. On the other hand, having a regular wake-up time will probably be more conducive to long-term productivity. Only time will tell, I'm sure.

Later, flipsiders.

When I Find The Living A Bore, There's A Place I Go

2008-09-10T06:40:00.001-07:00

Oh, hey. The LHC didn't kill us all. Nifty.

I Find My Way To Do That Same Old Jam

2008-09-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

Wow. Less than a week to go before classes start again. Then, I will have most of a week of going through the same song and dance over and over again as I let returning students know about classroom policy changes and new students find out about who I am and what they can expect from me.

On tap for this year:
12a - Modern English Lit (4 hrs/week)
12b - Advanced/Superadvanced Grammar/Conversation (2 hrs/week)
11a - Intermediate Grammar/Conversation (2 hrs/week)
11b - Advanced Grammar/Conversation (2 hrs/week)
9a - Pre-Intermediate Grammar/Conversation (2 hrs/week)
9b - Intermediate Grammar/Conversation (2 hrs/week)
8b - Beginning Grammar/Conversation (5 hrs/week)

Hopefully, I'll have my actual teaching schedule tomorrow, but I wouldn't be entirely surprised if I had to wait until Thursday. Regardless, once class actually starts, I suspect things will be a whirlwind of activity that leaves me largely drained by the end of the day.

...Hey, it beats sitting around doing nothing. Also, once school starts, I'll have more crazy cross-cultural hijinks to share. Something to look forward to, to be certain.

Later, flipsiders.

Make A Hole With A Gun Perpendicular

2008-08-08T10:15:00.001-07:00

This is bad.

It's also getting worse.

I am very, very glad that I have the Black Sea and most of Bulgaria in between me and this little situation.

More updates as the situation progresses.

Later, flipsiders.

I Like Pleasure Spiked With Pain

2008-08-07T09:25:00.001-07:00

One of the worst parts of the post-breakup period (for me, anyway) is the fact that WinAmp (or whatever music program you use) seems to have this unerring tendency to play songs that trigger relationship nostalgia.

Case in point: "Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode) followed by "Accidentally in Love" (Counting Crows) followed by "Sound of Your Voice" (BareNaked Ladies).

I really dislike the fact that certain songs take on special emotional significance, sometimes. That is all.

Later, flipsiders.

Lay Your Weary Head To Rest

2008-07-17T00:51:00.000-07:00

Well. That was an unexpected and unpleasant end to an otherwise nice week.

Long story short: A week ago, Milena got here for an extended visit. Last night, she and I ended things.

...This morning was kinda awkward.

I wish it could have worked out differently, but I don't see how. I suppose I could have proposed to her, but I'm nowhere near ready to make that commitment, even if she was dropping all sorts of hints that that's what she wanted.

As previously mentioned, she wants a family and kids. A lot. Again, as previously mentioned, I am not in a place to make that sort of step, yet. Add to the mix the long-distance thing, and we combine that with the uncertainty of the whole situation (with less than a year to go before a final decision would have to be made one way or another), and it was really hurting her.

So, we talked it out, and even though we both love each other, the situation just wasn't sustainable, and wasn't likely to change. That didn't make watching her walk out the door this morning any easier.

Per usual, I'll deal with it, even if I'm not happy about it.

Later, flipsiders.

I Was Alone, I Took A Ride

2008-07-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been running around all over this corner of the country, dealing with various paperwork things, medical issues, that sort of thing. In the process, I've rediscovered the meditative effect of travel time. When you're on public transit, and especially trains, there's a certain rhythm as the wheels move, as the seat bounces in time with the road or track. The landscape streams by, the sun moves across the sky, and you have a chance to focus on the scenery and reflect on life.

Yesterday, in particular, made something clear to me: my life is meaningless without understanding. Every day, I learn a little bit more about myself, and a little more about the world, and how I see my place in it. Above all, I need the freedom to explore, mentally, physically and metaphysically. If I can find people to explore with me, all to the better. If not, then I'm better off just striking my own path and relating what happens.

The ancients were on to the right idea when they declared that words have power. Not power in the superhero "I can now defy physics" sense or in the political sense, but rather power in the gnostic sense of things. To name a thing is to place a cognitive framework around it, to make the unknowable a bit more knowable. You make the previously uncharted reaches more accessible. That thrill of understanding is what I live for. This is why I want to study linguistics and cognitive science in greater detail. If we accept that words are the currency of knowledge, then I want to work in the mental mines, extracting pure understanding from the labyrinthine corridors of consciousness.

It all sounds a bit overly dramatic, I know. That doesn't change what I see as the fundamental truth of the matter. I'm on a journey of understanding, and whatever side-stops or detours I make, the ultimate goal remains the same.

Later, flipsiders.

It's Ten 'Til Two And I've Got A Thing To Do

2008-07-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

Woo. Independence Day, again. I get to celebrate by going to get my paperwork to stay in this country renewed. Afterward, my sitemate and I will be having our own little 4th of July thing (complete with massive amounts of grilling). Life, overall, is good.

In honor of the 4th, here's some Muppets. Enjoy:

Later, flipsiders.

And, Of Course, Henry The Horse Dances The Waltz

2008-05-23T07:53:00.001-07:00

Surreal moment of the day:

I was calling roll today, and one of the students wasn't there. When I asked where she was, the other students told me: "Oh, she's married."

...This is in one of my 9th grade classes.

Later, flipsiders.

I'm So Colonel Klink Oblivious

2008-05-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

Very little of interest has happened this weekend, so instead of a real weekend update, here's a picture of the kittens that live under my stairs:

Later, flipsiders

Good News Will Work Its Way To All Them Plans

2008-05-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, I just got back from my extended weekend holiday. Overall, the trip was awesome, but well, it wouldn't be me if there hadn't been some hiccups and blips throughout.

The saga begins!

On Wednesday, Milena and I met up in Sofia at 10:30 (as planned) in order to catch the 11:30 bus down to Thessaloníki. The problem? Everyone and their grandmother was trying to get down at the same time (what with Thursday being International Worker's Day). Thus, there were no tickets to be had. In addition, the next available tickets for Wednesday would have put us in Greece well after dark - for obvious reasons, we both wanted to make sure we got there during daylight hours. Accordingly, we headed back to Dupnitsa to stay at my place (after purchasing tickets for a 9 AM bus the next day).

We had been told to show up a half an hour early for the bus, so we woke up early on Thursday to catch the 5:42 to Sofia. This is supposed to be a fast train (and was correspondingly pricier). It showed up 20 minutes late and (because of various random stops) took about 40 minutes longer than it probably should have. The upshot of all of this was that we were both somewhat stressed when we arrived, slightly out of breath, at the bus station.

Turns out there was no need to worry, but when you're stuck on a train, unsure of when it'll actually get in and on an ever-tightening deadline, it's hard to remain perfectly calm.

The bus ride itself was long, punctuated by stopping for lunch and a queue at the border.

Arrival in Greece

The first thing I noticed about getting further south was the existence of little clumps of poppies. They started showing up about 30 km (or so) from the border, and only increased the further we went. Almost as soon as we crossed over, I noticed changes in soil composition. It was almost as abrupt as crossing into southern Georgia - suddenly, the land was tan; sandy and dotted with yellow and red flowers throughout. As ubiquitous as the poppies were the olive trees. It's stereotypical, but it's also true. Grape vines, poppies, pine and olive trees and a mountainous landscape that feels ancient. You really get the sense that one people have been living here for thousands of years, mostly uninterrupted.

Upon arrival in Thessaloníki, we made reservations for our return trip and asked where we needed to go in order to get to Asprovalta. One extraneous cab ride (and €10) later, we got to the proper bus station (having been given the wrong station the first time).

Waiting at the station:

Getting to Asprovalta

Once the bus got to Asprovalta, I kept an eye out for the place where we were supposed to be staying, without success. The bus was about to leave town when we asked them to stop, as the place was certainly supposed to be in town. Fortunately, there was someone who spoke a bit of English at the place where we stopped, and they put us in touch with a local hotel owner offered her help.

...Turns out that the place where I thought we were supposed to stay was completely unknown to any of the locals, leaving us with a dilemma: we had nowhere to stay, most of the town was booked, night was fast approaching and we were both exhausted. Maria (who runs the Assamaris hotel) talked to the owners of the Litsa House just up the street, made sure they had a room, told them give us the low season rate (it's currently the mid season) and told us we could stop by for breakfast (€5.50/person, but still).

Here's where we ended up staying:

And the view down the street on which we were staying:

Day 1

After a much-needed night's sleep, we went and got breakfast at Assamaris; fruit, break with cheese, granola, juice and coffee. It was taken on the lawn, in the sun - an auspicious start to the day. We followed it up with wandering around for a bit, to get a sense of the town's layout.

First, the beach:

You can see the church of Agios Georgios (St. George, or Άγιος Γεώργιος for you purists) in the background, here:

Yours truly:

I love the layered effect of the mountains, here:

Some shots of Milena:

And some poppies:

This house really caught our attention:

And someone clearly has a sense of humor, here:

We went to check out the church (also called Agios Georgios), but didn't go in immediately (improperly dressed):

Milena and I:

Orange trees were a pretty common sight:

We went back to the hotel, changed, and actually went to really enjoy the beach (as opposed to just sort of wandering about). The water, as you can see from the pictures up there a ways, is a rich blue/blue-green and wonderfully clear. It's also freaking COLD. At this point, the suns of summer have not yet warmed the Aegean, so it's a wee bit nippy. Needless to say, this did not stop me from enjoying myself. Even Milena (who can't swim) jumped in a bit. Granted, I had to help her, but she still got in. I helped her float a little bit, so with time, I might be able to help her get over her fear of water/drowning. After a few hours, the wind started getting to us - it was maybe 25 C (77 F), so, while pleasant, it wasn't hot by any means. A shower, a nap and a change of clothes later, we were back out, enjoying a walk along the beach:

Obviously, since I was the one with the camera, I'm absent from most of these pictures. We also discovered a small church/shrine dedicated to (translated) "The Metamorphosis/Transfiguration of the Savior" along with a nice little meditative area. Naturally, we lingered for a whiles:

Afterwards, we decided to pick up dinner. The hotel room had cooking implements (albeit somewhat limited) and a stove, so I offered to cook. It was a fairly simple affair - tarator (cucumber yogurt soup, flavored with dill and garlic) and herb potatoes, along with some white wine. Well, at least it was, until the power cut out.

For whatever reason, the power to our room shut off. A bit alarmed, we went to try to find the owners, unsuccessfully. We asked the other guests (who turned out to be mostly Bulgarian) as to their location, only to find them as clueless as we were. I went back to dealing with supper, Milena went to track them down (since she was a better candidate for rounding up assistance from the other Bulgarian guests), and discovered that the entire bottom floor was without power. After the owners were located, power was quickly restored; we ate and cleaned up.

Following that, tired and happy, we went for a short walk, and then to bed.

Day 2

Having decided that we'd go check out the church after breakfast, we did just that:

Obviously, I couldn't take pictures of the interior, since they really frown on that sort of thing. It was a jewel box, though. Typical of most Orthodox churches, the walls were covered in iconography and biblical scenes. There was also a great deal of gilt-work. Following a walk to areas previously unexplored (including past the local cemetery), there was more beach time:

I loves me some panoramic shots:

More Milena/beach shots:

As before, after beach time, we were a bit hungry, so we went to get dinner. This time, I decided to do something a bit fancier - shrimp with wine lemon cream sauce over farfalle, garnished with lemon and dill, accompanied by white wine and bread. I'd never tried anything of the sort, but it came out pretty well:

Later, we went for another walk and spent some time watching the water, as well as a bat go for various bugs. It got amazingly close to use at several points, but a) I didn't have my camera on me, and b) I'm not sure it's fast enough to reliably capture something as fast-/erratically-moving as a bat.

Still, another nice capstone to another nice day.

Day 3

Instead of eating at Assamaris for breakfast again, we had some pastries that Milena had picked up the previous evening while I was cooking (no pictures, but they were tasty). I really wish I were better at working with filo pastry, because I do so enjoy the pastries of Asia Minor and surrounding areas (mmmm, baklava...)

After bit of a tiff (I'll elaborate later) we took another trip to the church and wandered in silence for a little whiles. In the meantime, we found the amphitheater (well, more like actually went to check it out, since it's right next to the tiny church of the Metamorphosis).

From the perspective of the audience:

From the actors' perspective:

Milena loves palm trees, therefore, I took many pictures of her with them (obviously):

This house had so many kitschy things on the lawn, etc., that I had to take a couple pictures:

I have no idea what this plant is (cactus or emerging palm tree, or what, but it's pretty massive):

Tiny little lemon tree:

And further illustration of the clarity and beauty of the water:

There was no swimming (since there was no hot water, for whatever reason), but we did go out and get some sun. I neglected to put sunscreen on my torso, so I got slightly burned, but nothing too serious.

After a long talk to resolve the lingering tension between us, we went to get money to pay for the hotel (the next day) and dinner (that night), only to get caught in a sudden afternoon downpour. Milena had a problem with one of her cards (which alarmed and frustrated her), so I stepped up to cover (I'll admit, I like being able to do this occasionally).

After we changed shoes, we went for another walk in the hopes of finding a decent restaurant. Before we hit the beach strip, though, I took a bunch of pictures of the sunset:

And a couple of wildflower shots:

We got dinner at a nice little place that serves pretty damn good traditional food, and wasn't too pricey (relatively speaking, anyway) either. We split tzatziki, feta and politiki; she got midopilafo (mussels with rice), I got soutzoukakia (spiced meat patties in tomato sauce). There was also homemade bread, water, and ouzo. All in all, rather delicious (and extremely filling).

Leaving...

We woke up fairly early, since we wanted to catch the 10 AM bus back to Thessaloníki. We were also wanted to get breakfast at a cafe, for the sake of doing so. Once we'd checked out of the hotel and eaten, we went to the bus station, even though we had something like 45 minutes left. Rather than sit and wait the whole time, we went down to get one last look at the beach:

It turned out that we had just about perfect timing, since it was threatening rain (and sporadically raining) the whole morning we left Asprovalta. Once we got back to Thessaloníki and finally tracked down a cab to the train station, we still had about 3 hours to kill, so we checked our stuff at the station and went wandering.

...It's a wonderful way to pass the time in a new city.

We managed to stumble onto the Chinese import/export district (which was a little surreal), passed by a bazaar (of sorts) filled with what appeared to be mostly camping/survivalist gear, and found a decent little place for lunch. Greek salad, gyros, and beer (for me) and iced coffee (for her) - good times. Gyros are so much better than Bulgarian döners (at least in terms of richness), and I can tell I'll be missing them. I suspect it's largely because Greek pita is thicker/richer and they use meat other than chicken. Regardless, it was incredibly tasty and filling.

After lunch, we stopped by a church nearby the rail station - we would have gone in, but it was chained shut, since they were doing some sort of renovation in the back, I think. It might have been Agios Dimitrios, but I somehow doubt it (kinda wish I hadn't left my camera in the station).

The bus ride back was much less stressful, as the border queue was practically nonexistent. We still didn't get back to Sofia until about 9:15 (which meant that I had about an hour and a half to wait for my train back home), and Milena had another minor freakout when none of the ATMs in the bus station worked. Fortunately, she had time to run to the train station (while I safeguarded her luggage) to get the cash to get home. We spent the next half-hour enjoying each other's company and trying to figure out when we'd get to see each other again before saying goodbye as she got on the bus back to Ruse.

For my part, I caught the train back with no issues, got back home shortly before 1 AM, and passed out in fairly short order.

Today has been a low-key sorta day, and I like that. Tomorrow, it's back to the grind (but only for 7 more weeks), then summer vacation.

Life, as they say, is good.

Later, flipsiders.

And The World Ain't Gonna Change For Me

2008-04-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

So, as of yesterday, I've completed one year of my 27 months in Bulgaria. In that time, I've lived in two different cities, made some new friends, learned a completely unfamiliar language to a basic conversational level (along with a new alphabet), gotten some fiction written, visited the Black Sea, traveled across the country and back a couple of times, turned 24, started dating a really awesome Bulgarian girl who lives 7 hours away, helped start a youth leadership council, started a capoeira club, helped make homemade rakia (aka Bulgarian moonshine), became an even better cook, lost over 25 lbs and turned into a political news junkie.

...I'd say that's a hell of a time so far. That's not even including what I've actually done in the classroom (which ranges from "got intensely frustrated" to "had discussions about thematic elements in Romantic literature"). At the same time, there's a certain bittersweetness to it all. I've done all this on my own (with support from my school and Peace Corps), which is awesome. On the other hand, I haven't had any face-to-face contact with old/older friends and family (with one exception this past July). So, while I'm growing and forging myself into a better person, I'm not sharing it with anyone directly.

College was awesome because it was a chance to grow with others - this is, obviously, an outgrowth of the next logical step. Life, ultimately, is solitary, but at the same time, being uprooted from your "grove" and being replanted in someone else's garden is kinda jarring. To stretch the metaphor, you have to deal with new lighting, new weather conditions, new neighbors/companions with whom to cooperate/compete. If it's done properly, you'll ultimately become a stronger being for it.

So much of success in all of this lies in outlook, really. In a way, I regret leaving Athens when I did, since it meant saying goodbye to my comfort zone that much sooner. On the other hand, I think it would have been a lot harder if I hadn't gotten the initial goodbyes out of the way when I moved up to DC - the shock would have been rather greater. Additionally, the combined experiences of selling cars and substitute teaching have helped a great deal in cultivating a relaxed attitude in the classroom, which has been absolutely necessary.

At the same time, having a year under my belt has the natural consequence of me looking to the future. I now have a frame of reference with which I can judge what's happening; I'm watching the new guys get here and start to learn/deal with the challenges that I've already come to terms with (mostly). The shiny newness of the country has started to wear off, my language is no longer hurtling forward, getting ever better, and I occasionally find myself getting into a rut. I've become somewhat settled, in other words. This allows for homesickness to make itself felt a little more strongly.

It's funny. When I was growing up, I would have given anything to get out of Georgia and was embarrassed about being from there. Now, I can calmly admit "Oh, I'm from Georgia," and not feel self-loathing. Hell, I even want to visit this summer (financial situation prevents this, unfortunately), though it's mostly a desire to see everyone again before you all follow my lead and scatter to the corners of the globe. Outside perspective is ultimately a good thing.

The same applies to the US, in a way. Being able to see the US from the outside-in for a prolonged time has been invaluable, if somewhat depressing. I suppose that's part of what this is about - develop a better sense of how you can take the training you receive in-service and apply it to improve your environment wherever you go, be it back to the States or somewhere else in the world.

Ah, well. I'm not even halfway done, so we'll see what the next 15 months bring!

Later, flipsiders.

Put Out Your Hands And You Fall Through The Window

2008-04-07T05:07:00.000-07:00

Well. That was a hell of a weekend. Normally, I'd have been on Spring Break this past week, but because of the strike, it got cut down to a 4-day weekend. Still, I'm not complaining. Milena came to visit me on Wednesday and left on Sunday, which was severe awesomeness. We'd been planning on going to the Rila Monastery (she's never been, apparently), but the weather decided not to cooperate. Instead, we stayed in, watched movies (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, the Back to the Future trilogy and some Invader Zim), played word games, and just... enjoyed our time together. Also, I cooked for her (bourbon ginger chicken with rice and sautéed vegetables, curried lentils and rice, and spicy red beans and rice with sausage, Thursday-Saturday dinner, respectively), which is always enjoyable.

All in all, a good weekend. Definitely not long enough, though.

...Stupid distance.

Even though going back to teach was somewhat jarring, getting up earlier makes a tremendous amount of difference in my attitude. If I don't have to rush out the door, I'm more relaxed for the rest of the day, which makes things much more enjoyable all around. Something to keep in mind, certainly.

Also, the new guys arrived in Bulgaria today. As I type this, they're probably en-route to Panichiste (the resort where I was when I first got here a year ago). They'll be there until Friday, when they'll come here to meet their host families and head to their training sites. The first week at their training sites, they'll visit the schools at which they'll be training. This time around, they're using my school as a training school, so I get classroom observers next week. After that, they'll be teaching classes most weeks until the end of May. I've found out that they'll be using 6 of my class hours a week, which should be... interesting.

Time will tell whether this raises my stress level or lowers it. I suspect it will make any control-freak tendencies I might have flare up on a level similar to seeing people mess around with my computer settings. Hopefully, they'll actually be fairly cool, and I won't want to strangle them by the end of May.

Later, flipsiders.

Make One Man Weep, Make Another Man Sing

2008-03-24T03:36:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I am not used to severe weather shifts. I woke up this morning feeling intensely hungover, only without the convenient excuse of having had anything alcoholic to drink last night. Regardless, when light triggers migraine-throbbing and moving is an exercise in unpleasantness, I am not terribly likely to go into work.

I don't get it, though. I was never sick (even marginally) this often in the States. Here, I got sick a couple times in November, and now twice in March. More than slightly irksome. It could be, as I originally attributed it, due to the bipolar weather (seriously, sunny and warm one day, snowing the next), or it could be that I'm just not used to whatever microbes are living around here, or a combination thereof.

What sucks is that I was feeling all right yesterday, minus a minor bit of insomnia. And now... moving hurts. Joint soreness, muscle soreness... I just hurt. And it's irritating. It's a gorgeous day out, my brain is restless and wants to go out exploring, trees are starting to bloom and I want to take pictures. So of course, I get stuck at home.

At least I'm not violently rejecting food this time.

Later, flipsiders.

Down Below In The Hold Was A Cargo Of Bricks

2008-03-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

To start with, the weather is weird, here. Yesterday, it was a bit too warm for a light jacket. As of right now, it is snowing. Some of it's even sticking.

Like I said, weird.

In the interim since last I posted, I've been sick (some sort of violent stomach thing), visited my host parents (they're doing well), made rakia (sketchy as hell doesn't begin to cover it), spent way too much money going to the capitol (but had a really good time) and have taught some basic Irish history (and exposed my students to Irish drinking songs).

In order, the sickness lasted for about three days, during which I had to fight to keep toast, chicken soup and water down. It was all sorts of pleasant, let me tell you. Visiting my host parents, on the other hand, was genuinely pleasant. I always enjoy talking with them, and I can actually have real conversations with them, now. Kinda shocking, given how little I could talk with them when I first got here.

-On a side note, I've been here for 11 months; almost a year holy good goddamn-

The following week, one of my colleagues said he was finally about to make rakia. This made me happy, since he invited me to come with him. To elaborate, this guy is probably old enough to be my grandfather, lives in a village about 4 km. outside of Dupnitsa immediately next door to his parents. They both have decent-sized grape vines, with which they make home-made wine (and, obviously rakia). He's probably been making this stuff since he was a teenager. Needless to say, he knows what he's doing.

The basic process is simple. Take a bunch of grapes. Stick them in a barrel with some sugar and let them ferment for a month or two. Afterwards, you take the juice that has fermented, with as little of the actual fruit as you can, and put it in a 100-liter still. Depending on how sour the ferment is, you need to put in 100-300 g of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and about 300 g of salt. Then, you light the fire, seal up the still (we used bread soaked in water to form the seal) and wait. The first stuff that comes out won't be clear. Throw this away, as it contains methanol as opposed to ethanol. Repeat until the distillate is clear. It'll probably be about 120 proof. Dilution with distilled water is required to get it to a less intense proof (most stores sell 80 proof rakia) The whole process of transferring the ferment to getting the distillate took about 4-5 hours, though it was certainly going to continue on for another few by the time I left.

The next day, I headed up to Sofia for a birthday party/St. Patrick's Day celebration with some other PCVs. I got to see several people I haven't seen in a while, and there was good booze - Guinness, Bailey's, and combinations thereof. Also, Cachaça (Brazilian rum-like drink) and spicy Indian food (lamb khaltada) which made me happy for reasons entirely unrelated to St. Patty's Day. It was a good, relaxed time with good people.

The Irish history/music thing went over fairly well, I think. At any rate, they were happy to have something else to do rather than just listen to me talk. Plus, it's meant that I've not had to do a whole hell of a lot (always a benefit).

So, yeah. That's been my month so far. Things with Mila are still good, though I really dislike the distance issue. My own fault, there, I suppose, but it still sucks.

Later, flipsiders.

I'd Trade You Places Any Day

2008-03-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I seem to have broken two rules that I set for myself. First, I came here with the express intent of not starting a romantic relationship of any sort. Second, I have a long-standing rule about long-distance relationships.

Yeah, so much for that. I've managed to fall for a girl who lives seven hours away (native Bulgarian). If any of you recall me posting about my friend Mila, it's become rather more than "friendly," at this point. We'll see how it all works out, I'm sure.

Later, flipsiders.

Amazing What A Good Breakfast Pickles Make, Isn't It?

2008-02-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

Surreal moment of the day: going to throw something out and finding a dead weasel next to the dumpster.

In other news, I got to get kids thinking about predicting the future, acting out celebrity interviews that they'd written, reading/discussing William Blake and the Romantic/Idealistic poets, especially re: Anti-Rationalism and the reaction against the Industrial Revolution and watching the Mattress Skit*. All in all a pretty decent day, teaching wise.

Also, I've got my 11th graders doing a reduced version of "A Modest Proposal" as a writing assignment. It'll be interesting to see what kind of problems/solutions they come up with.

In non-academic news, I had my first two capoeira students today. They seemed to have fun with it, even though we only did a warm-up, some stretching, and learning ginga. Towards the end, I showed them aú and rolê. They were more comfortable trying the latter, but I'll get them doing aú soon enough. It took about an hour, including the small cool-down workout/stretching we did, which isn't bad for a first session. By the time things really get started, we'll be up to 2-hour sessions, including a roda. If this gets really popular, I may consider having class 3 days a week. We'll see, obviously.

Here's hoping.

Later, flipsiders.

*I showed this because we've been talking about satire, and this particular skit uses the hymn "Jerusalem," the lyrics to which are lifted from Blake's poem "And Did Those Feet In Ancient Times."

His Life's A Great Big Bang-Up

2008-01-19T08:25:00.000-08:00

So, funny story.

I just managed to lock myself out of my apartment. While on my balcony.

As that sinks in, I'll elaborate. Every door that leads directly to the outside (i.e., the porches/balconies) is a two-layered door system. Sort of the same principle behind storm windows. Normally, if you want to hold heat in, you would just close the outermost door whilst outside. In this case, I just sort of swung the doors closed, meaning the inside door latched shut, as well. This is, as we say, a problem.

This is a problem because both doors open inwards, meaning that I can't get to the inside door to open it. Also, since my apartment door is currently locked, I can't get call anyone to come to my apartment to let me in. Thus, I have two options. Climb down, or spend the rest of the day (and the night) outside. As I live on the 2nd floor (3rd floor in America), neither option is particularly appealing to me.

Fortunately, there are a great many protrusions, ledges, and other balconies that I was able to use, though I imagine it would have caused awkwardness had anyone actually been there to watch (specifically when I had to slide under an antenna support bar to land on one the balcony railing of one of my downstairs neighbors).

The escape route:

Still, no harm, no foul, and I'll admit that, in the end it was a bit of a rush.

...That doesn't mean I'm eager to have a repeat performance.

Later, flipsiders.

I Can't Leave You Alone For Five Minutes

2008-01-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

So, a week into the new year, and I've done approximately nothing so far. I meant to go skiing, but, due to my friend who lives near the ski slopes having scheduling conflicts, that got pushed back a bit. Ah, well. There's still snow on the ground here, and I don't think it's coming off the mountain anytime soon. Sometime this month, it will happen.

Regarding the rest of my holiday, I ended up going to a small town called Bobov Dol for New Year's Eve. There were several other PCVs there (2 from my group, one from the group immediately preceeding mine), so we ended up drinking together, cooking tasty food, and playing cards. Later, we venured out to see how the natives were ringing in the new year. The center got pretty crazy, and I learned that the Bulgarians love their firecrackers. People lighting them and tossing them pretty much everywhere - I had one go off right in my face as I turned around. My ears were ringing for days. On the plus side, there were a lot of entertaining drunks and a lot of people doing the horo. I even played (they play the horo, instead of dancing it) one with them, though they were doing one far more complex than the few I know.

On a completely unrelated note, I have realized that at this point, I officially have less than 18 months to go - I'm 1/3 of the way done with the total time, and 1/4 of the way done with my actual service time. Crazy. Further, there's only 3 months before the next group of newbies arrive. It really seems like just yesterday that I was getting off of the plane, and now, I'll be the old hand.

*shakes head*

Time does weird things when you let it. Which I suppose explains why the past two weeks were a blur and don't seem nearly long enough, and simultaneously have me feeling restless and in need of things to do.

Speaking of time, how the hell did I end up in my mid-20s? Has it really been over a year and a half since I graduated? Have I really been here for 9 months already? Jeez. I'm not sure my perception of time will ever really be the same, after this.

That's not necessarily a bad thing.

To wrap this whole meandering update up, I've started growing a beard (as of 2 weeks or so ago). See?

Side view:

Later, flipsiders.

Let's Hope It's A Good One (Without Any Fear)

2007-12-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

Well, happy holidays, one and all. Hopefully, your Christmas/Festivus/Yuletide/Zappadan/Coming of the Great Old Ones was a good one. It was definitely weird to be away from family/old friends around this time of year, and odd not being able to call you crazy cats up and wish you a Merry Christmas the day of, but even so, it was still pretty good. I got a bunch of new music, courtesy of some of the other PCVs burning a DVD of stuffs for me.

Backing up, I went to a city called Razgrad (Разград) for Christmas, and saw some folks I hadn't seen in a few months (3-6, depending on the person), which was nice. There was a chicken dinner with roasted veggies and mashed potatoes, and trivial pursuit (which took up most of the afternoon/evening, due to a house rule that to win, you had to run the entire card). My team ended up winning, which was satisfying, but it took a whiles, and eventually was settled essentially by a trivia-off.

After that, I went to Rousse (Pyce), and had a late lunch with my friend Mila, and spent a few hours catching up with her - I haven't seen her since May, so it was nice to see her face to face again. There was a bit of panic at the end, when it turned out that I'm mistranslated a preposition, and thought that the last bus TO Sofia was at 6 PM, when in reality, that was when the last bus FROM Sofia was to arrive. Fortunately, we arrived at 5:20 to discover this, and there was a 5:30 bus that I was able to catch (just barely). From there, I got into the central station, convinced that I had missed the last train back home, though it turned out that it was supposed to leave 30 minutes later than I thought it did, meaning I had approximately 2 minutes to get buy a ticket and get on the train.

A minute and a half of panic later, I had my ticket in hand, and was frantically searching for the train. Upon my failure to see the train, I asked an employee where it was, only to be told that there was a 30 minute delay for it, and I was, in fact at the right track. The 30 minute delay turned into an hour and 15 minutes, meaning I got back in to Dupnitsa at 2 AM or so. All in all, fun times!

Hopefully, I'll be going skiing sometime soonish. I promise I'll take my camera along, if that happens.

Later, flipsiders.

I Can See That You Were Right About This Place

2007-12-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

Hm. Another one of those moods is on me, it appears. What's important? What is it I truly want? Am I doing the right thing here?

I'm doing a good thing, of that there's no doubt. But I have another 18+ months to go. I've made some friends, but is that really enough? I had a hard enough time in DC, since I didn't have sufficient social outlets, can I really take this? I don't want to end up dependent on the internet for sanity. That's not healthy. It just reinforces feelings of isolation/loneliness. Work helps, though. Something to do, something to throw myself into, occupy my brain with the "now" as opposed to the past/possible futures.

I've talked with my program staff, and this sort of attitude is apparently normal - winter means less sunlight, which means any tendencies towards SAD come through. I don't think I'm anywhere near there, but I think I do need more social time than I've been having. Or, perhaps, different social time. Social time where I don't feel like I have to suppress part of who I am (due to lack of vocabulary, possible alienation, what have you). Regardless, I'm trying to find a balance between contact with my old life and forging connections that will make the new life easier.

It's times like this that I understand the tendency of Eastern Europeans to drink heavily.

But, that's just another escape, isn't it? Instead of seizing the day, you seize the bottle. What does that get you?

A liver that hurts and a spotty memory is what (in addition to whatever good times you might have had along the way).

If you let yourself, you'll get into a rut, regardless of where you are, what you're doing or how you're thinking. New paths are needed. New experiences; new perspectives. New data. Anything to keep yourself from stagnating, falling into predictability, falling into banality.

Admittedly, some stability is good. Knowing you'll have a roof overhead, food on the table, utilities, what have you... this is a good sort of stability. Doing the same thing day in, day out, not so much. It stifles creativity, robs you of mental richness/diversity in your life, kills your dreams (mostly. Sometimes you get lucky and do whatever it is you want to do, day in, day out).

Dreams. Good, bad. They're a part of us. The brain gets bored, puts on a movie. Alarm goes off, consciousness arrives, vague impressions remain. The body reasserts itself, companions vanish, company gives way to solitude.

You wake up alone. Even if there is someone there (and there hasn't been, for quite a while), you still wake up with no immediate awareness of them. That only filters through later (admittedly, sometimes very shortly afterwards). The point remains. Inside your skull, you are alone. This can be either a good or bad thing.

Good and bad, on reflection, seem to be wholly subjective. If someone sees something as 'good' (alternately, as merely 'not-bad'), how can they be expected to behave in a manner contrary to that judgment? I'm not saying that condemnation is to be ultimately avoided (murder/rape/etc), but it seems that good/bad are largely regulated by society, rather than the individual.

What is the individual? Where does the boundary between "self" and "interaction with others" fall? Do we define ourselves through how we interact with other people/things/concepts? What defines the self? I'm not in a proper state of mind to answer. Rhetorical question, maybe?

I keep trying to impress the importance of questions on my students. Not sure how much success I'm having. I can't shake the feeling that if I could only encourage my students to question everything, I could have a more lasting effect on my philosophical environment as a whole. Is having a lasting effect immortality? Is it pride? If yes to both, does (justified) pride == immortality?

Too many questions. Not enough answers. A metaphor for life, perhaps? Life is a riddle, not an answer? Perhaps I should take this up when I'm not prone to mental wandering.

Thoughts?

Later, flipsiders.

Capture Me In An Instant, And Leave Me Hypnotized

2007-12-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

I saw two of the saddest, most pathetic/depressing things ever today. One is fairly common (unfortunately): An old woman, probably a grandmother, picking through the trash for things that could be sold, or things that were/are edible. I see this every day, and it never fails to make me wince.

The other thing, that really sparked a visceral "Holy shit" sort of reaction, was seeing a dog dragging itself along by its front legs. Its back legs were useless, probably broken. Additionally, the dragging was causing the back legs to abrade, leaving a faint blood trail (which was getting gradually more distinct) behind the poor thing. If I'd had plaster, I would have tried to at least give its legs some protection, but at that point, I almost wanted to just put it out of its misery. It was heartrending, to say the least.

In less depressing news, I finally started to teach the English course for unemployed people. It seems to be going well so far - they're having to start from the alphabet, so I'm basically able to adapt the training I was given for Bulgarian and turn it into an English class. That'll be a regular thing from 2-4 every Thursday, which makes for a busy day/middle of the week.

Also, my computer has been reformatted for the second time in as many weeks, with total data loss occurring again. I need to start backing this thing up every week, apparently. It's more than slightly irritating, at this point. Hopefully, this issue will not come up again.

Later, flipsiders.

Until, One Day, It Disappeared

2007-11-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

Weekend update time. Overall, it was pretty good. I got to hang out with some other Volunteers on Friday evening/Saturday morning, and then I headed up to Radomir for my host mother's 65th birthday (it was on Thursday, but I wasn't able to get up until Sat). Social time, Bulgarian language practice, free food (yesterday and this morning)... It wasn't Thanksgiving, but it was a decent enough substitute.

Once I got home, however, things weren't so hot.

Expected: Having to restart my computer because it froze up.

Unexpected: Said machine refusing to boot up after the restart.

Good: It's still under warranty.

Bad: I don't know as of yet whether any data can be salvaged.

So, it could have been worse, but it's more than slightly irritating. The fiction I was working on is saved to my flash drive, and most of the stuff I was going to use for class similarly backed up. My music, however, may be toast (having to start over with that would irritate me rather a lot), and the living allowance survey that I was filling out for Peace Corps may be toast as well (this is bad, because such things are used to calculate possible living allowance increases).

Tomorrow after work, I'm going to go to the store-type place, and see what (if anything) can be done. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to salvage some data. If not, I'll get a new hard drive, and I'll have to start re-installing/re-acquiring stuffs. Joy.

More updates as things progress.

Later, flipsiders.

Ten Miles From Nowhere, There's A Story That's True

2007-11-22T14:09:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a good Turkey Day and is appropriately stuffed. It's certainly been odd, being away from friends/family today. Also, it's very odd to be working today (in addition to yesterday and tomorrow). It wasn't as if I expected today off, but it's one of those things that doesn't really hit you immediately. Just one more reminder that I'm living the ex-pat life.

On the plus side, I got to talk with a lot of people via VOIP-type programs. Thus, I am thankful for the internet. It brings me horror and mental scarring, but it also allows me to remain in close(ish) contact with those I hold dear. And so, friends, family and assorted others, to you I raise my glass. I likely won't see most of you in the meat for well over a year, but that doesn't change the importance you all have to me. If anything, it makes you guys even more important - an emotional anchor, of sorts. Having a point (even in the abstract) that I can call "home" is one of the things that helps me deal with all the stress of being thrown into a completely strange situation, and having contact with friendly voices from the past makes looking into the future that much more doable. So, thanks.

Please pardon the sap. I'll get it cleaned up before I post again, I promise.

Later flipsiders.

Man I Had A Dreadful Flight

2007-11-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

Warning - Stream of consciousness to follow:

Tired for no reason I can see. Not a stressful day, nothing worth reporting, really. Just... tired. Can't think, but at the same time, can't sleep. Weird sort of insomnia state, self-hypnosis with no real point. Borderline.

Borderline what? Depression? No. No self-recrimination. No self-destructive thoughts. Thoughts slow. Glacial. Getting colder here. Snow on the mountain. Going to be good for skiing soon. Can't seem to use explicit subjects. Non-standard grammar; English isn't pro-drop.

Why does grammar come up now? This makes no sense. Am I internalizing it? Internalizing is only good when it comes to language. Emotions shouldn't be bottled up. Am I bottling something up? Too many questions. No answers forthcoming. Irritating. Like a mental itch that I don't know how to scratch, or even how to ask someone else to scratch it for me. Sleep would blot it out.

Can't sleep. Should, but can't. Dunno why. Circular. Neverending circle, bringing me right back. Is there a point? Should be. Maybe look at things sideways? Doesn't help. Lines. Lines of thought, like breadlines, unemployment lines. Neurons marching in formation with no end in sight. Craving release, freeform thought. Dreams blurring, faces running together. Wax and the face of God, exploding for box-office gold. Smoke and mirrors, bread and circuses.

Haven't made bread since I came here. Need to change that. Warm crust, soft inside. Person or food? Food is consumed; people renew, share. Flow. Water. Lava. Love.

Larva? No. Non-sequitur two steps removed. Two steps... even bigger leap? Mars? More?

More what? Thought's lost. Feel lost. Know what I'm doing, where I am. Wherefore lost? Convoluted plots; not on TV. Living it. All mental, ping-pong in the mind. Solitaire table tennis; small white sphere of light/sense, paddle of self, table of world. Constant pinging the IP address of reality - eyes, ears, nose, skin, tongue. Sense it, learn it, know it, understand it, change it. What is it?

It - infinitely malleable, singularly specific. Model for reality? Ni!

Live to tell the tale. Live the tale. Be the tale. Not making sense again. No checks on rambling, wandering. Sensorium desert. Not quite 24 years wandering. Too much metaphor, not enough meaning. Bah.

Later, flipsiders.

Breathe Out So I Can Breathe You In

2007-11-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

Oh, man. So, I just made this and sweet Jesus is it delicious. It needs a lot of salt and pepper, for me, but you get a hard, smoked cheese grated on top of it, maybe some chives... Nummy. It was accompanied by a nice salad (lettuce, cucumbers, mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, chives and herbs tossed together with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and basil, topped with kiwifruit and balsamic vinegar) and some red wine (I had to bootleg the sherry by combining red wine with amaretto).

In other news, the strike is finally and at long last, over. This means that I have work as of tomorrow (though I have no regular Tuesday classes to teach), so I'm pretty happy about that. Additionally, I'm supposed to start teaching a twice-weekly class on Tuesdays and Thursdays for unemployed adults.

That's going to be interesting, to say the least. Beats the hell out of sitting around wondering what's going to happen next, though.

Ok. I'll have more tomorrow, but now, it's after midnight and I'm in desperate need of sleep.

Later, flipsiders.

In That Case, I'll Go Underground

2007-09-29T00:35:00.000-07:00

Well, week 2 of teaching over and done with. I'm starting to get a feel for things, and I feel like I'm starting to hit a stride with my classes. Of course, just as this happens, things get a tad screwy.

For those of you who haven't been following Bulgarian news (i.e., probably all of you), or those of you who I haven't told (most of you), the teachers in this country are going on strike. Basically, they asked for a 100% raise (they currently get paid, on average, 25% less than the average salary in Bulgaria), and the Ministry countered with an offer of a 15% raise. Thus, we get strikes and bargaining. From what I can gather, the teachers are probably willing to settle for a 50% raise, which would put them at a little over the average monthly salary. Until then, we're having walkouts across the country.

This is where the fun starts. See, I'm not paid by the Ministry of Education. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I'm supposed to stay apolitical. Therefore, I'm not allowed to get involved in the strike at all. This means I'm expected to be at school, ready to teach, regardless of what's going on with the other teachers. In other words, I have been informed that I have to cross a picket line.

I'm terribly excited about this, let me tell you. I mean, on the one hand, the school director and the chairwoman of the strike committee both understand my position and have told me to be at school. On the other, I'm crossing a damn picket line. Not exactly a comfortable position in which to find oneself.

On an amusing sidenote, at the staff meeting where they apparently decided that they were going to strike, a roster was passed around. As I thought it was an attendance thing, I signed it. Turns out it was a list of support for the strike.

Oops.

Fortunately, I was able to get it cleared up, with no residual problems. It certainly explains some of the odd looks I got between Tuesday and yesterday, though.

Hopefully, next week won't be too weird. I suspect I'll just end up chilling with a book and some music in my classroom, as I'm not hopeful that many (if any) students will show up. We'll just have to see.

Later, flipsiders.

Lined Up And Waiting For That Next Big Set Outside

2007-09-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

Well. One week down, second one started. It's sort of a mixed bag, at the moment. I have some classes that seem very eager to study, who ask and answer questions, etc., and I really enjoy teaching them. Other classes, I have to struggle to get them to pay attention, put up their cell phones, etc. Needless to say, I don't particularly look forward to teaching them.

Additionally, the schedule isn't set in stone, yet. This makes for some interesting times, as I thought I had a class during 5th period today, only to find that it had been moved to 6th, when another class came into the room in which I teach, letting me know that they had a class with another teacher.

This is apparently not an uncommon experience for Volunteers.

On a different note, I went up to the mountains again this weekend. This time, I went with the current Trainees on their hike to the Seven Rila Lakes (Bulgarian: Седмите Рилски Езера, Anglicized "Sedmite Rilski Ezera"). It was a lot of fun, and once again I was struck by just how amazingly beautiful this country is. There are, of course, pictures.

Starting off, just outside the lodge:

"Rugged" is a good adjective for the countryside here, I think. Also, as you can see, we were kind of hiking up into a cloud. It made things interesting.

One of the Seven Lakes. They were all amazingly clear.

There were all sorts of shots like this.

More shots of the various lakes:

At this point, the hike took a sharp turn upwards (into and past the clouds).

At the top:

Yours truly:

A cloudscape panorama:

Me again:

More lake shots:

Someone made some rock loungers. Perhaps this is what Blizzard meant when they talked about Frozen Throne™?

Couple more shots from the top:

The clouds rolled in, obscuring a really awesome shot of the lakes flowing into each other, so here's a little rainbow instead:

On the way down:

All told, it was about 4 1/2 hours round-trip from the lodge to the lakes and back. It was an awesome time, and hanging out with the new trainees and some other Volunteers who went was also really cool (there were 50 people in the group, total).

On Sunday, we went to the waterfall I went to last time. Due to battery issues, there are no pictures of that this time. What was interesting was that there were already icicles forming at the top of the waterfall, and there was some ice on the rocks leading up to the falls, as well.

Later, flipsiders.

Who Told You Dreamers Are Never Achievers?

2007-09-04T04:58:00.000-07:00

Second official day of work today - just meetings, at the moment. Classes don't start until the 15th, so at this point we mostly sit around in a miniature reading-room-type place and drink coffee and smoke (well, my colleagues do). It's not so bad, as long as I sit near a window.

Anyway, today I found that there was a copy of Fahrenheit 451 in there. As I'd never read it before, I took the opportunity to do so. It's a really fantastic book. There was one bit, in particular, towards the end that resonated with me:

"'I hate a Roman named Status Quo!' he said to me. 'Stuff your eyes with wonder,' he said. 'Live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.'"
-Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

For me, that really sums things up nicely. We spend so much time inside our little box, our little private universe of neuroses and stultifying certainty that we never step outside to see that the world is actually a surreal place of wonder and amazement. We never wake up and think about the small everyday miracles that make up our life, the mind-boggling strangeness our species has wrought upon the planet.

Imagine, if you will, trying to explain the internet to the average Joe from the 1950s. Hell, even as recently as the late 1970s you'd get glazed looks in a matter of minutes. And the neverending press of forward progress continues headlong. In 30 years, imagine trying to explain dial-up modems to kids who might not even remember what corded phones are. And that's all on the technological level. I'm not even delving into the unadulterated weirdness that is the natural world.

Myriad forms, perfect natural geometries and symmetries, windswept LSD-shapes carved in the rock, it's all there. All of our dreams, all of our nightmares, our inspiration and our demons, lurking on this beautiful, fragile planet we call home. It shapes us, makes us, even as we strive to master it and reshape it in our own image. We swarm across its surface, busily wrapped in our little shells of meat and bone, forcing ourselves into obliviousness as to the wonder of it all, lest we be struck dumb with awe at the fragile majesty and overwhelming power of the world around us. We barely take time to appreciate the cultures that we ourselves create in response to the environment that contains us.

And all of the strangeness and wonder that surrounds us goes unnoticed as a defense mechanism. Who could hope to do anything if you actually thought about the vastness of our planet? I mean, the jungles alone are pure madness, to say nothing of things found underwater. Creatures that can swallow you whole? Essentially kill you with a thought (via sonar)? The world is such a strange, frightful place that all we can do is compartmentalize it and shove it to the backs of our minds, and maybe allow ourselves a peek now and again at the wonder of it all.

I suppose that's really the point of the quote. Don't take anything for granted, just because it's there. Enjoy the opportunities you have and make your own when you can. Really, life is there to be lived, enjoyed, exulted in. Taken by the throat. There really is more to see, to do, to learn than can possibly be done in a lifetime. So, enjoy the journey. Take time to appreciate the things around you, to open your mind to the possibilities. After all, no matter how old or young you are, you have your whole life ahead of you.

Later, flipsiders.

Angry People Get So Sanctimonious

2007-08-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I said I'd have pictures by the end of the weekend, so by Bob, you're going to get them. Enjoy.

First up, the view from my back porches (I have one attached to my living room, and one attached to my bedroom:

I was going to take pictures out of the front balcony, but I just have the top of a powerline pole there. Once I take pictures of the streets, you'll get a better view, anyway. In any event, we now come to the interior.

Front/central hallway:

Leading to the dining room:

The ALF poster that inspired this place's name:

Also, my minifridge thing is covered with Sonic the Hedgehog stickers:

The kitchen is attached to the dining room, and it is tiny:

That second picture, I was as far into the far left corner as I could get. Like I said. Tiny, but it's sufficient for one person.

Going back a ways (the hallway has 2 left turns, one immediately as you get in), we get to the living room:

Down the hall to the right, there's the shower room (the toilet's in a seperate little cubby hole). I feel lucky to have a tub as opposed to a lipped platform. Also, there's a shower curtain. The downside is that the water heater for my apartment is also in the shower space:

There's a storage room type thing to the left:

And my bedroom to the right:

Not terribly exciting, I know, but it's cozy, and it's home (for the next two years, at least). Next time, I'll have photos of the city.

In the meantime, I've been enjoying a slackful weekend, alternately watching Avatar, Freakazoid, and various movies, hanging out with folks (my friend Kevin who lives in Samokov, and Dermot, the Irishman I met on Monday), listening to music, and cooking. Life is good.

As always, if you can't see the pictures in the full window, right-click/view image is your friend.

Later, flipsiders.

You Say That You've Seen Seven Wonders

2007-08-18T05:32:00.000-07:00

Well, that's it. Finally done for the summer. I now have 4 glorious weeks of not having to teach (though I do have to start showing up for staff meetings on the 3rd of September). This means I can do pretty much whatever the hell I want (which will largely be determined by the weather). Well, as long as it doesn't conflict with some Peace Corps training with which I've agreed to help.

I'd love for things to cool off a little so that I could go wandering around the hills and mountains of the surrounding countryside for an afternoon, but hiking in 35C+ == not fun, in my book.

In other news, I'm starting to look at grad schools again, since I'll want to be applying around this time next year. Man... Life just has a funny way of running wild, if you let it.

Carpe diem, flipsiders.

And The Clock Hands Move So Fast It Makes The Wind Blow

2007-08-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Man... I'm sore. Specifically, my lower legs are sore. This, I think is the sign of a good sparring session. In this case, a pair of them, back to back.

The first one was interesting, in that I had two partners at once. They were less-experienced, and didn't make good use of the fact that they could flank me. Still, they certainly forced me to keep aware of everything that was going on. They both tended to try to dance away and avoid me, rather than one of them engaging and letting the other one get behind. I'd like to think it was because I was able to attack their base/out-range them if they got too close, but it had at least as much to do with their inexperience as it did with me taking advantage of my leg length.

The second session was with a much more experienced guy, and it was one-on-one. I'd forgotten how tiring a back-to-back session can be. This kinda forcibly reminded me. At first, we were evenly matched, I might have even had the advantage. I did manage to sweep him when he went up on one leg to try to kick me at one point, though he quickly became much more wary after that. Also, my handwork is not nearly as good as my footwork. I'm much more adept at kicking than I am at punching. This came back to bite me once or twice when I took shots to the face (we were wearing gloves, so no damage, but I still got the point). As the fight wore on, it became harder and harder to kick terribly high. I went from having a kick deflected from his arm to brush his face to having to work to kick much above his waist (with a martelo/side snap kick/whatever you want to call it. Ultimately, this resulted in a mis-aimed kick which he ended up blocking with his knee, rather than his shin. That shit hurts, lemme tell you.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun (regardless of the soreness), and good practice. I've got another Volunteer coming to crash with me on Thursday - he's the guy who's done Muay Thai for 6 years, and I'm excited to finally get to train with him.

In other news, I got dragged to a concert last night with a few other Volunteers who were passing through Dupnitsa. I say "dragged along" because it was a chalga concert. For those of you who have never heard of this particular form of music, chalga is apparently pretty popular through much of the Balkans. It's traditional Balkan folk music, run through a pop idol filter and given a heavy dance beat. It sounds about like what you'd expect. The music aside, it was an interesting time, though it was a bit weird to see kids that I'd peg as maybe 10-11 chainsmoking.

Also, immediately prior to the concert, we went to a restaurant about 5 minutes from my place, where we met some Irish gentlemen, who apparently live in Dupnitsa as well. Contact info was exchanged, so it should be interesting hanging out with them at some point in the future.

Speaking of The Future™, it should also include pictures, in a rather immediate sense (i.e., before the end of the weekend), as I've cleared off my camera and have a computer with which to upload them.

Later, flipsiders.

The Check's In The Mail

2007-08-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well. July's been a busy month. I moved in, spent a couple of weeks having to run around to get my work permit/resident alien registration paperwork (plus some Peace Corps paperwork) taken care of, got cable/internet in the apartment, had my laptop die on me and my freezer reclaimed by my landlord, started teaching a summer course, headed up to the mountains for a day trip, and visited my host parents for dinner. I also spent probably more time than is healthy being enraged by US politics.

This isn't, of course, all in one week, or anything. I've had plenty of time to relax and explore. Since most of July was at least as hot as Ga., if not hotter, I spent a lot of time taking cold showers and not going outside.

In other news, I was interviewed by the local TV station. They asked about what I'm going to be doing with teaching English, but afterwards, they started asking about Capoeira (that actually took up most of the interview). To my credit, I was able to give an overview of the art almost entirely in Bulgarian. Hopefully, it will help generate some interest in the club I want to start.

For whatever reason, August decided to be a lot cooler (I suspect October decided to pay a visit). It was in the high teens (Centigrade) and raining last Monday (the 6th). I can honestly say I never expected to have to wear a jacket in August. It's warmed up since then, but it's nowhere near what it was in July. It's pretty damn enjoyable, actually.

Now that I have a new computer (and therefore internet in my apartment again), I should be updating a bit more frequently.

Later, flipsiders.

He Took A Bow And Made A Stance

2007-06-06T08:18:00.001-07:00

So. I'm almost done with training. Literally, my last day of teaching is on Friday, and I only have one class. It's kinda exciting, really. A little unreal, perhaps. Honestly, I just want to get done with training so's I can get to my permanent site. The waiting around is killing me, even as I recognize the need for more language training.

I've taken the pictures of Radomir, which you can see at the end of this post. I dunno. It's really hard to describe how things are going, for some reason. Lately, even though I'm aware, on one level, that this is a really awesome adventure, it seems as if I'm just being held back, and that I'm in a sort of holding pattern. "Chomping at the bit" might be the best way to describe it.

Ah, well. Things will, as always, proceed. I'm here for the duration, after all. I've only got 3 more weeks to go, and I'm on my own, finally and at long last. That's actually going to be really strange. I've never really lived on my own for an extended period of time; I've always either had family or roommates. It'll be a learning experience.

I'll admit it, I miss the being around family and friends. There's no one here with whom I can really connect on a really meaningful level, and that makes things a bit harder.

Enough of my rambling. Here are the promised pictures (they're in reverse chronological order, and I like panorama shots, so you've been forewarned):

As before, apparently you have to right-click and hit "View Image" to get the full picture. I'll see if I can figure out a way to get around that by the next photopost.

Later, flipsiders.

He Could'a Pinned A Medal On Us For Bein' So Brave And Honest

2007-04-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

Now that I've gotten my little rant out of the way, I can give you guys a real update (with pictures, though they don't seem to format properly. Check the URL if you want to see the whole thing). First:

From the time we got onto the bus in Philly, we were in transit for over 24 hours (once you include the layovers). This was not, as they say, much fun.

Ahhh, sweet freedom.

There were quite a few of us on that trip, and it was considerably more than a 3 hour tour.

Our arrival at Panichiste. A traditional Bulgarian offering of bread and salt.

Once we arrived, we had a basic run-down of what orientation was going to be like, had dinner, and got to explore a bit. The resort we were staying at was absolutely breathtaking.

In the winter, this place is a ski resort.

After 4 days of getting to know each other and a crash-course in what to expect, we went to Dupnitsa, where we met our host families (this was on Friday):

Eva and Pando. She's a retired teacher, he's a digger (I believe) who was a colonel in the Bulgarian military (drove tanks).

We basically had the weekend to get acclimated to the city, so Eva showed me around. On Sunday, Evan and I went to Rila Monastary with the son of one of Pando's friends. The monastary really is just beyond words, so I'll let my photos do most of the talking:

Rila mountain.

The outside of the monastary

The courtyard, with the church.

Panorama of the courtyard.

Some of the iconography on the outside of the church. The whole building was covered with it, outside and in. I thought that the Ufizi Gallery was impressive in using every surface, but that had nothing on this. The interior iconography incorporated giltwork (gold sun-discs, silver hands, that sort of thing). I can only imagine how long it must have taken.

Rila Monastary and mountain.

Tony, Eva ,Tony's sister and nephew (also named Alexander, or Sasho, interestingly enough).

This week, it's been back to heavy-duty Bulgarian lessons, as well as being introduced to the school where we'll be getting our TEFL practice. Should be fun. More updates as they happen, I suppose.

Later, all.

Every OS Wastes Your Time, From The Desktop To The Lap

2007-04-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

The following was written at approximately 1:00 AM, 4/22/07:

One of the things that strikes me, as I lie in bed, staring at a Soviet-era Bulgarian ceiling, unable to sleep, is how much larger the world must have been when the Peace Corps was founded. Then, you had letters, postcards, photos, etc., but they moved at the speed of the mail (which was extremely variable). If you were lucky, you had phone service. Now, if you're connected to the internet, everything you could ever want to see or know (and quite a few things that you didn't) is just a mouse click and a load time away.

In the long run, it will probably turn out that my laptop's harddrive frying (or whatever the hell happened to it) will be a blessing. I can cut the electronic tether, learn independence from my internet/computer addiction (forced intellectual detox, if you will), that sort of thing. It doesn't change the fact that it is somewhat (and I am, of course, understating the situation) irritating to have a piece of technology - that you had assumed to be reliable - turn out to be a waste of packing space. Nor does it particularly mitigate the frustration of having to re-map any and all plans you may have had which were dependent on your shiny new paperweight.

I suppose that that's really what gets to me. I actually had a cohesive plan, for once; I knew how certain things were going to go. Were I a different man, I might suspect the universe of having a bit of a chuckle at my expense. I might even suspect my laptop of maliciously committing suicide. It's possible that I would even go so far as to shake my fists and rage with Shatnerian impotency.

At this point, none of these suspicions/actions have come to pass (though I reserve the right to put them into practice later). I mean, it could always have been worse. The bloody thing could have exploded. Worse still, it could have decided to do this after I left Radomir, in the middle of collecting data for my proposed research paper, before I'd backed any of it up. That would have been, to put it mildly, simply splendid.

What I'm getting at, in a sort of roundabout way, is that all of this can serve as an object lesson into the nature of the Peace Corps (or life itself, I suppose), if you let it. You've prepared for the journey, you've packed your bags, headed off into the wild blue yonder on your grand adventure, only to discover that the situation changed miway through. You discover that your baggage is useless; that you completely failed to anticipate certain eventualities; that the one constant upon which many of your plans were based was not, in fact, constant. You could take away all sorts of profound life lessons from the simple event of a technological malfuntion in a foreign country wherein you don't even speak enough of the language to find a computer store, much less inform the technicians of anything more than "it broke" (if that). Alternately, you could walk away with an altogether simpler sentiment:

...Freaking technology.

Later, flipsiders.

The Ringmaster's Telecaster Sings On An Empty Stage

2007-04-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to let you all know I'm not dead. I've arrived in Radomir, which is a small city about 25 km south of Sofia. The host family I'm staying with seems very interesting. Their names are Pando and Eva; the former being the husband. He was a colonel in the Bulgarian military and drove tanks (he speaks a little German), and she was a teacher here in Radomir (and speaks some English). They don't use processed sugar, which is nice, and they seem to be fairly health-concious, though they both smoke. It's a bit slow going, though, since they speak very little English and my Bulgarian is sparse at best. As lessons progress, however, I'm certain that things will get easier.

It's going to be a busy few months, to say the least, but I'm looking forward to it. It's starting to sink in just how long I'll be gone; a little bit of homesickness, I suppose. The group of volunteers seems quite cool; it's a shame I won't be able to spend more time getting to know them. There are three others in this town for Pre-Service Training (PST), so I'll probably know them pretty well by the time things are all said and done.

I'm slowly uploading photos, so I'll make a massive photopost once they're all on Photobucket. In the meantime, they can be found here.

Keep yourselves safe, flipsiders.

Once More, They Will Replenish Themselves

2007-03-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

Well. Today's been off to a spectacular start. I woke up this morning to my fan falling out of my window onto my bed. I went to check email and the like, and my computer was displaying a message informing me that Windows had failed to start properly.

Ok, I think... No worries, I'll try again.

...Nothing.

I try with "Last Good Configuration"

...Still nothing.

I try Safe Mode.

...Same story.

Remove CDs from my computer, try again.

...Nope.

The good news is, the BIOS is still working, so I know the MoBo's not fried. The bad news is, I have no way of getting to my data, which is necessary for quite a bit of my Peace Corps prep, and the external HD I've ordered for the purposes of backup hasn't arrived yet. Thus I have, as they say, a problem.

I am also more than slightly irritated by this whole mess.

Time to get non-computer-based stuff done, I suppose.

Bloody machine.

-Alex

Look At All The Happy Creatures Dancing On The Lawn

2007-03-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Staging kit is here! Staging kit is here!

I fly up to Philly on the 13th, registration is from 1:30-3:00 PM, and then the initial events are from 3-6 PM. Saturday, it's a 10 hour day (8 AM-6 PM). Then, 9 AM bus ride on Sunday to JFK Airport in New York. From there, it's JFK to Frankfurt to Sofia, and off into the wilds to deal with "a bunch of Bulgars," as Lisk once put it.

It's all coming together. All the waiting, the paperwork... it's all happening. I'm excited.

...Now, if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go fill out some forms in triplicate.

-Alex

The Lesson's Not The Answer You Once Heard

2007-03-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

A month to go, and things are starting to get hectic. The "Welcome CD" that I recieved has been very helpful, thus far, but I'm still trying to develop the proper phonetic-orthographic associations for Cyrillic. Learning a new alphabet is always a tricky proposition.

At least Cyrillic is a 1-1 orthography (i.e., no duplicated sounds, no redundant letters). That makes it somewhat easier. I haven't yet gotten to the actual sounds of the language, which is probably a mistake. Being able to parse before I arrive in-country will be a good thing, I suspect.

Also, going through my stuff is proving to be all sorts of fun, as I'm rediscovering miscellarious tschockes that I wasn't even aware I had. This is both a good and a bad thing, as, for instance, I've found pillows and headset/microphone, but I've also found random junk that perplexes me as to why it was moved in the first place. Such is the nature of moving, I suppose.

Ah, well. Back to work. Hopefully the little snafu for today won't preclude me getting paid. That would be most irritating.

-Alex

You Don't Have To Be A Genius But It Helps

2007-02-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are. The first post of this (very unofficial) Peace Corps, Bulgaria blog. Staging's not for another 9 weeks or so, but time has a way of getting away from you, if you let it. It doesn't seem that long ago that I recieved the invitation, along with the instructions to "take care of x, y and z pieces of paperwork. Now."

I've taken care of all of the immediate paperwork, but I need to make sure I go through my belongings so I know what can be packed and what can go into storage. It's not a process to which I'm looking forward. The tedium of beaurocracy seems to do it's damndest to eliminate the wonder and awesomeness of what's happening. Despite this, life goes on, and it brings me ever closer to Philadelphia, and from there, 5000 miles away, to Bulgaria, where I'll spend the next 27 months.

I'm definitely looking forward to it though, paperwork, packing, organizing and all. Now, back to the grind of getting things done.