MASS EMAIL #2: An unexpected journey
*Note: small edits to the wish list below. Current wishes are highlighted. Also have an Amazon wishlist, just look up my email. THANKS!*
Zdravete!
Greetings again from Bulgaria! I had originally intended these letters to be weekly, but time is a little different here. It seems to creep by oh-so slowly although there is never enough of it.
As I think I mentioned, I am now in the “trainee” phase of being a Peace Corps volunteer. This means that I am temporarily stationed in a town and staying with a host family while I study the language, have technical training, etc. The town, Velingrad, is located in the central southwest of the country. I am stationed here for the next two months with a language trainer (Margarita) and four other trainees (John, Eric, Greg and Lori). We see each other 5 days a week for 4-5 hours a day. It’s like family – and all the pluses and minuses that come with that territory. While I generally don’t feel like I have much in common with my group, I am extraordinarily lucky that there is one exception. John and I have become good, close friends. We share many characteristics and values, while having intriguing differences. John harbors in his heart while I harbor in my head, making for dynamic exchanges and shared experiences. He is great fun and a suburb confidant. In the last few weeks we have served as each other’s life raft more than either of us would care to mention.
On that note, I have to say the Peace Corps is harder than I thought it would be – harder because the challenges come from unforeseen sources. Life, generally, is fine. The food is different (more bland and basic), but edible. The culture is a little usual (everyone and their mother – Huns, Turks, Slavs, etc – passed through here leaving their mark) but not alarmingly so. The people speak a different language (in so many ways), but are genuinely friendly and hospitable. There are, however, no immediate signs of home. At first the “otherness” is exotic and fun and then, at odd moments, that strangeness knocks you over like a bowling pin. You miss people and situations and options – you even miss things you couldn’t wait to leave (anything “venti,” “supreme,” or “to go”). Little things like understanding someone, finding someplace inviting or setting a pattern can seem lifesaving. We go to “hub” in Pazardzhik about once a week. There, a list of received packages and letters is posted on the wall. Coming from an alien planet, one might think that that list was a decree from God about one’s worth as a person. A lack of mail – signs from home, signals of love – has the ability to crush a person until the next decree is posted.
So that none of you think I am nearing some emotional edge, I do have to say I have had good platonic luck here. I have two people (John and Megan) I’ve established an immediate, close connection to. John, I’ve mentioned, and Megan I met at the KC airport. Checking in my two excessively large bags, I was asked where I was taking everything. When I said “Bulgaria” the desk person said “Oh, that’s odd, so is she”. That she was Megan. We rode the whole plane ride to Philadelphia together and have never stopped talking. Originally from Kansas City herself, she and I share a similar sense of humor (and bite), sensibility and drive. With both John and Megan I have had the kind of soul-bearing conversations that one needs in order to maintain a personal center through such a trying experience. There are other people too that I have connected with – but those are budding connections.
While it seems like we joined some extended camp to deal with emotional baggage, we all realize that we didn’t. I have been introduced to multiple serious social topics that remind me why I am here. For starters, there are three “Bulgarians” – the “regular” Orthodox Bulgarians, the Bulgareen Mohammadany (those that converted to Islam when the Turks came through) and the Roma (the nomads forced to settle). When asked about the ethic problems in the country, the patent response is that there is “no problem”. The sitation is that the Muslims live in separate villages and sections, which are inevitably remarkably poorer than the towns, and the Roma live like refugees. A few of us took a walk through a Roma neighborhood, guided by a Roma NGO director, and felt like we had suddenly stepped into a Save the Children commercial. Eight people live in a single room “house” with no electricity or running water. They were never taught proper sanitation or agricultural skills, so little is grown and the garbage is next to the water supply. Children run around dirty, and obviously underfed, in few clothes and without shoes. The popular attitude is that Roma are dirty, grubbing thieves. One host father, not mine, thankfully, even stated that the only way to deal with the Roma was with a gun.
In addition to dealing with some of the internal issues, our other goal is to assist Bulgaria in its EU accession. Multiple problems need to be solved, or at least addressed, before Bulgaria is granted EU membership (which it is hoping for by 2007). Friday, I find out where I will be placed and what I will do exactly for the next 2 years. Some type of project management, probably in a municipality. I’ll keep you posted.
I want to take the time to thank everyone who has sent me email(s) and apologize for not returning them with due speed. For these three months of training (rumored to be the hardest part of service) my time is not my own. I am constantly at the disposal of my host family, language trainer, and the Peace Corps generally. I am expected to be involved with family events, to study at night, to create and implement a community project, to visit other towns and sites and to do a hell of a lot of paperwork. I am perpetually exhausted. Also, because I am not living in my own space (and am only here temporarily) I can’t get home internet access and instead rely upon internet cafes filled with preteen boys playing games with each other. Know that your words and updates and encouragements have meant the world to me (and keep them coming). I can’t promise right now that the exchange of emails will be even, but I will do my best to make sure that changes as soon as possible.
Finally, several people have volunteered to send me things if I should want and/or need them. Well, you asked. Here is a list of things I’d like. Perhaps you can coordinate with each other about who will do what.
- Music (Music has been such a comfort to me, so if you have anything worth sharing and want to send a CDR, I will accept. Note this as a standing invitation.)
- Qtips (one large box) **Got it! Thanks Ellen!**
- Kleenex (one of those packs of the 9 little packs) **Thanks to many**
- Info (especially academic) about EU integration and its impact
**Thanks to Barbara and Josipa for the first shipment!**
- Twizzlers, especially Nibs **Thanks, Ellen! Always room for more.**
- Carefree Orange Koolers gum
**gum here sucks. Thanks again to El for the 1st shipment**
- Spearmint Altoids **never got these, dag nab it**
- Modern History of Bulgaria
- Intensive Bulgarian II
- Teach Yourself Bulgarian
- ANY Bulgaria travel guides **Thanks, Barbara!**
- *high* quality foot lotion
Zdravete!
Greetings again from Bulgaria! I had originally intended these letters to be weekly, but time is a little different here. It seems to creep by oh-so slowly although there is never enough of it.
As I think I mentioned, I am now in the “trainee” phase of being a Peace Corps volunteer. This means that I am temporarily stationed in a town and staying with a host family while I study the language, have technical training, etc. The town, Velingrad, is located in the central southwest of the country. I am stationed here for the next two months with a language trainer (Margarita) and four other trainees (John, Eric, Greg and Lori). We see each other 5 days a week for 4-5 hours a day. It’s like family – and all the pluses and minuses that come with that territory. While I generally don’t feel like I have much in common with my group, I am extraordinarily lucky that there is one exception. John and I have become good, close friends. We share many characteristics and values, while having intriguing differences. John harbors in his heart while I harbor in my head, making for dynamic exchanges and shared experiences. He is great fun and a suburb confidant. In the last few weeks we have served as each other’s life raft more than either of us would care to mention.
On that note, I have to say the Peace Corps is harder than I thought it would be – harder because the challenges come from unforeseen sources. Life, generally, is fine. The food is different (more bland and basic), but edible. The culture is a little usual (everyone and their mother – Huns, Turks, Slavs, etc – passed through here leaving their mark) but not alarmingly so. The people speak a different language (in so many ways), but are genuinely friendly and hospitable. There are, however, no immediate signs of home. At first the “otherness” is exotic and fun and then, at odd moments, that strangeness knocks you over like a bowling pin. You miss people and situations and options – you even miss things you couldn’t wait to leave (anything “venti,” “supreme,” or “to go”). Little things like understanding someone, finding someplace inviting or setting a pattern can seem lifesaving. We go to “hub” in Pazardzhik about once a week. There, a list of received packages and letters is posted on the wall. Coming from an alien planet, one might think that that list was a decree from God about one’s worth as a person. A lack of mail – signs from home, signals of love – has the ability to crush a person until the next decree is posted.
So that none of you think I am nearing some emotional edge, I do have to say I have had good platonic luck here. I have two people (John and Megan) I’ve established an immediate, close connection to. John, I’ve mentioned, and Megan I met at the KC airport. Checking in my two excessively large bags, I was asked where I was taking everything. When I said “Bulgaria” the desk person said “Oh, that’s odd, so is she”. That she was Megan. We rode the whole plane ride to Philadelphia together and have never stopped talking. Originally from Kansas City herself, she and I share a similar sense of humor (and bite), sensibility and drive. With both John and Megan I have had the kind of soul-bearing conversations that one needs in order to maintain a personal center through such a trying experience. There are other people too that I have connected with – but those are budding connections.
While it seems like we joined some extended camp to deal with emotional baggage, we all realize that we didn’t. I have been introduced to multiple serious social topics that remind me why I am here. For starters, there are three “Bulgarians” – the “regular” Orthodox Bulgarians, the Bulgareen Mohammadany (those that converted to Islam when the Turks came through) and the Roma (the nomads forced to settle). When asked about the ethic problems in the country, the patent response is that there is “no problem”. The sitation is that the Muslims live in separate villages and sections, which are inevitably remarkably poorer than the towns, and the Roma live like refugees. A few of us took a walk through a Roma neighborhood, guided by a Roma NGO director, and felt like we had suddenly stepped into a Save the Children commercial. Eight people live in a single room “house” with no electricity or running water. They were never taught proper sanitation or agricultural skills, so little is grown and the garbage is next to the water supply. Children run around dirty, and obviously underfed, in few clothes and without shoes. The popular attitude is that Roma are dirty, grubbing thieves. One host father, not mine, thankfully, even stated that the only way to deal with the Roma was with a gun.
In addition to dealing with some of the internal issues, our other goal is to assist Bulgaria in its EU accession. Multiple problems need to be solved, or at least addressed, before Bulgaria is granted EU membership (which it is hoping for by 2007). Friday, I find out where I will be placed and what I will do exactly for the next 2 years. Some type of project management, probably in a municipality. I’ll keep you posted.
I want to take the time to thank everyone who has sent me email(s) and apologize for not returning them with due speed. For these three months of training (rumored to be the hardest part of service) my time is not my own. I am constantly at the disposal of my host family, language trainer, and the Peace Corps generally. I am expected to be involved with family events, to study at night, to create and implement a community project, to visit other towns and sites and to do a hell of a lot of paperwork. I am perpetually exhausted. Also, because I am not living in my own space (and am only here temporarily) I can’t get home internet access and instead rely upon internet cafes filled with preteen boys playing games with each other. Know that your words and updates and encouragements have meant the world to me (and keep them coming). I can’t promise right now that the exchange of emails will be even, but I will do my best to make sure that changes as soon as possible.
Finally, several people have volunteered to send me things if I should want and/or need them. Well, you asked. Here is a list of things I’d like. Perhaps you can coordinate with each other about who will do what.
- Music (Music has been such a comfort to me, so if you have anything worth sharing and want to send a CDR, I will accept. Note this as a standing invitation.)
- Qtips (one large box) **Got it! Thanks Ellen!**
- Kleenex (one of those packs of the 9 little packs) **Thanks to many**
- Info (especially academic) about EU integration and its impact
**Thanks to Barbara and Josipa for the first shipment!**
- Twizzlers, especially Nibs **Thanks, Ellen! Always room for more.**
- Carefree Orange Koolers gum
**gum here sucks. Thanks again to El for the 1st shipment**
- Spearmint Altoids **never got these, dag nab it**
- Modern History of Bulgaria
- Intensive Bulgarian II
- Teach Yourself Bulgarian
- ANY Bulgaria travel guides **Thanks, Barbara!**
- *high* quality foot lotion
posted by Jen at 11:00 PM
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