The school year. My first school year, is coming to an end. I also recently passed my one year anniversary in Bulgaria. So many things to feel and no desire to actually be feeling them.

Last night was the prom for my 12th graders, yes teachers attend these things here. Of course being Bulgaria EVERYONE was drunk. The (ex)Students tried their best to get me to a hospital from alcohol poisening. Luckily I have learned enough in this country about drinking without drinking. I did dance for hours. I did enjoy the way that the newly liberated youths seemed to forget the disfunctional relationship we had all year. There were tearfull thank yous, apologies for mental torment, and professions of love. Magically with the lubrication of whiskey I heard more english from some students than I could ever pull from them in class. As debaucherous as it sounds, it was another reasurance that I am having an effect on kids, even if im not seeing it. I got home at 5 this morning and had one of the most relaxing sleeps I have had in the past year.

I know that I dont update much, to the 3 people who read this im sorry about that.

What I have been up to:

Baseball Club Бейсбол Клуб

Several nights a week I coach baseball with about 20 local kids. Baseball is kind of an exotic sport here so we have an interesting group of kids. Most of them arent my students, which is great, and we have kids from 4th grade up to 11th. I never realized how complicated baseball is, and exlplaining it has been a blast for my bulgarian language skills. The basics were simple enough, but I still cant get them not to run on a fly ball, or to understand a pickle. Its usually the highlight of my day and no one has died so I guess its a success.

Spring Break Пролетна Почифка

For spring break I had 8 days free and decided to travel to Romania. It was beautifull and definetly more "european" than Bulgaria. However I didnt really like the people or the culture that much. I kept finding myself wishing I was back in Bulgaria, something that shouldnt happen on such a short vacation. Sign that this place is growing on me? Definetly.

Sigishoara, Transylvania

Sibiu, Transylvania

Sleepy Saxon House

Best place to have an eastern european train transfer. Copsa Mica, Romania

I have also been up to lots of other odds and ends. This summer Pravetz will get 2 new volunteers. My friend Marcy is transfering here and a fresh newbie will be moving next month. I will definetly not be at want of friends to spend time with, at the same time im a bit unsure. This was always "my" town. I was the Volunteer, and I had to make an effort to make bulgarian friends. Its definetly going to change my volunteer experience but probably for the better. They are both great people and no one ever said that you had to suffer like a hermit to be a good volunteer and do the things you wanted when you signed up for this adventure.

The weather was getting quite hot, but for the last week it has rained and thundered every day strait. Im planning on procuring a tent and attempting to see as much of the country as possible this summer. And of course there is the trip to Ukraine and the visit from the family so I couldnt be more excited for the summer.

So two weeks ago I went on the most amazing ski vacation and Im just now getting around to updating about it.

I went to a mountain chalet with my 8th graders as a chaperone. According to the PE teachers I was a "guard" which is a funny word for them to use because my classes are usually complete chaos. Now I was initialy dreading the trip because as I saw it, I was going to be locked in a mountain hut with 40 14 year olds. In addition I have what can best be described as animosity towards about 80% of my students, mainly for making my life a stressfull hell. In the day time we skied (I found out im actually very good at skiing), had snowball fights, played hours of Skip-Bo, Monopoly and cards, and goofed around. Then every evening I went and got completely drunk on home made wiskey with all other teachers in the true Bulgarian way. Anyways long story short, I had a great week rediscovering why im here, why was reminded exactly why I chose to join PC. I came back to earth and realized that my kids are just that: Kids. And most importantly I realized that I am really accomplishing things here, even if it doesnt always feel like that. By the eighth day everyone was physically exhausted and ready to come home. I am already looking forward to next year when im going with all my classes for 3 weeks.

Groups Photo

A few of the little mountain terrors.

The Bunny hill where I learned to ski, and fell quite a bit in the proccess.

Beautifull Rila Mountain

So its the end of the semester. Half way through the year, and time for me to give my first official "permanent record" grades.

I was on my way to flunking half of the 12th grade, when the the kind little secretary told me that I basically couldnt. Here in Bulgaria EVERYONE passes regardless of what you know or how you did. Regardless of if you ever came to class (even once) or ever even started the first sentence of a homework.

You see in an effort to make sure that all these post-commy era single children (little emperors as I call them) never have to do anything they don't want to, it is completely unheard of to fail a class. Esspecially 12th graders. So in my abundant grace and mercy I offered them all the chance to get 6s (As) even those little worms who played on their cell phones all class and never lifted a piggy finger. Redemption was in the form of essays, and to my great surprise I recieved over 60 of them int he past week. The breakdown was as follows:

60% Strait cut and paste off the Internet. These are the easiest to spot, as their english improves light years, to the point where its obvious no 18yo ESL student wrote it.

Actual EX: In music there are a variety of instruments that display the color of harmonies, when they are played in an orchestra or a band. The ranges of their sounds spans from the lowest pitch of a contrabass to the highest pitch of a piccolo. Moreover their classification derives by the group or section to which they belong.

20% Lets copy from eachother. These I just don't understand. Do you really think that I will mistake two copies that I read an hour apart as originals when the only thing differant about them is the handwriting?

20% Oh! A blessed 20% are actual original efforts. By this point I dont care about spelling, grammar, voice or formating. The only thing that matters is that they didnt cheat.

So as it stands right now, out of 118 12th graders im only failing 2. If this were any place other than Bulgaria (where the entire educational system is a barely functioning laughable excuse for a clown college) at least 80 would have failed. But if there is one thing im learning here, it is that there are something that are just beyond your control, so give them up.

So yeah, Im pretty sure that im getting more out of my Peace Corps service than anyone here. The old me would have felt bad, but you know what? Its not my fault.

I returned from Istanbul this past thursday. As a city that I have dreamed about since childhood it did not dissapoint. I spent 6 days there and didnt begin to scratch the surface of the city. Churches, Mosques, Walls, Cisterns, Hippodromes, Palaces, and Streets all still standing and giving testament to millenia of history. It has a way of making you small and inconsequential when faced with the immense march of history. Pictures dont even begin to give justice to the immense beauty and mistical feeling of the place, but here are some of my favorites.

A panormama of the Bosphorous, the Old City, and the Golden Horn from the Galata Tower.

The "New" Mosque, from Galata Bridge with fishing poles in the foreground.

One of thousands of minarets in the city on my first evening in Istanbul.

The Golden Horn, I would like to think that the ancestors of these seagulls saw the countless waves of history come and go through this harbour.

The Suleiman Mosque, on of the most beautifull things I have ever seen created by the hand of man. Sitting in the courtyard near sunset, there isnt a human being on earth that wouldnt believe that good excists.

The Blue Mosque

Haga Sofia: Bulky on the outside from almost two millenia of repairs and structural changes, but on the inside it is beyond description.

A side street in the old part of town, its mindblowing to think that Roman Emperors, Sultans, and Crusaders all walked the same streets.

The gratuitous "Look at me in in Asia!" picture.

On the Bosphorous.

A grave that I liked.

The Archeological Museum occupied my attention for an entire afternoon.

The end of the Orient Express and the return to Bulgaria.

So I went and bought my own Charlie Brown Christmas tree for my apartment. Its one meter tall and plastic. It cost me 4Leva (about $2.50)

Needless to say it broke before I even got it set up. Luckily with some duct tape (from my wonderfull christmas package) it appears to standing strait.

Bringing some Christmas cheer to my humble studio apartment:

I have some pictures from my trip last week to Sandanski to celebrate "student's holiday." I have no idea why I keep traveling during the winter. I should really just hole up in my apartment and read books. I keep forgeting it is December in Eastern Europe.

Me and the University students:

(Im in the back looking like the baby of the group when in reality im older than all of them. Smoking and drinking like sailors tends to age a man.)

How long do you think it took Daphne to wreak havoc on the poor christmas tree?

Here she is carefully planning which part of the tree will be attacked next.

Well it has been forever since I updated. What can I say? Life has been moving along very fast for about 8 weeks. You ever get that feeling that your falling through time, the month and weeks pass in seconds, and somehow your missing so much around you? Well thats what its like. Alot has happened, so I will give you the sweetened condensed version.

Had my kitty run away.

Went to a mountain hut for the weekend.

Bulgarian Ski Lift (Yes this is opperational)

Contacted a nasty flu.

Found the kitty after 11 days.

Found out that the nasty, persistant "flu" was really Pneumonia. This is after 2 weeks of being downright cruddy.

Went to a Soccer match between Sofia Levski and Barcelona in the Champions league. Barcelona won (of course.)

Kitty ran away again (I swear I dont beat her.)

Spent Thanksgiving with other volunteers and my best Bulgarian friend Alex.

Went to a big Peace Corps conferance. Saw all the people that I dont make the effort to actually visit. Bored into a coma by endless hours of "seminars."

Cat found by kind but neighbors who are tired of me losing my cat.

Lots of other stuff has happened but I cant really think of it right now. Things are progressing fastly towards Christmas. Only 1.5 weeks of teaching left. Then my brother Ethan comes to visit, im so excited. I hope you are all having a great Holiday season!

I had some friends over for the weekend, the weather agreed and gave us a beautifull mild fall weekend. We played Tennis and spent as much time as possible outside. Today after everyone else went home Krissy stayed and went with me on a big hike and picnic in the mountains around town.

We walked to the monastary a few kiliometers up the valley, ate lunch and then took a beautifull hike back to town on the "EcoTrail" through the foothills.

Shepard's Home

I am so thankfull to be in a place so blessed with natural beauty. Im so glad that im up in the mountains and not down on the Danube flood plain.

Some of the amazing colors of a Balkan Mountain fall.

Pravets and my little valley from up on the hill.

Only about a 1000 kilometers to my little bro.

Fall is definetly here in Bulgaria. School is settling into a rythme, days come one after another and life has become extremely routine. We had our first snow last week, it was only an inch or two and it was gone by the late afternoon. Every morning I wake up to a cold mountain frost, and the hum of my little electric radiator.

I walked to the lake last night and caught the fall sunset.

The hotels on the other side of the lake.

The road into town.... Welcome to Pravetz

Pravetz is celebrating 25 years of being an official city, with plenty of signs and banners to let everyone know.

My little neighborhood.

My enterance to my apartment blok is on the left.

Daphne is getting bigger every day.

She loves the laptop, or more precisly the Keys (toys) and the Fan exhaust area (heat source.)

Her first Bath.

Playing in the washbin.

Last weekend I had a party at my place in honor of Mexican Independance. A bunch of PC volunteers came (some of them from along ways away) for a weekend of food and friends. We made a mexican feast, watched movies, made our best tropical drinks and just hung out. On Saturday we all took a trip into Sofia. Pictures follow.

National Theatre Ivan Vazov

Some Ministry building

Sunset over the bloks.

Krissy and I on the bus home after a long day. Can you see how tired I am?

Lsat weekend I discovered "real" Pravetz. The part of town that was the original village, before the communist city was built.

A view of Pravetz valley from the edge of town.

An old barn

The abandoned church (there isnt a new one.)

Daphne and I at home. Everytime I sit down to my computer she climbs up onto my shoulder and watches attentivly.

Whenever I go to Sofia I get to ride the Trams. For some reason I love them. Stinky, crowded, and dirty to me they have this romantic link with the gray cold grinding of everyday life. They have new trams and I hate them, all covered in advertisments and equiped with quite brakes. I prefer the old East German ones, more noise and soul.

Into the horizon of Bloks.

So school officialy started on Friday. There weren't any actually classes but a nice little ceremony, and meeting with students and parents. Im very optimistic about the school year. Below is a picture of the outdoor assembly type ceremony.

On Saturday I took a trip to Pleven (a largish city in north Bulgaria) and met with Marcy for a day of wandering and exploring.

The city square complete with fountains, clock towers, and a river running through it.

The Pleven City Art Museum

Pleven was the site of a big battle between the Russians and the Ottoman Turks. This is a memorial to the soldiers that died.

A cool relief over the door the the memorial. St. George killing the Dragon. St. George is the patron saint of the Bulgarian Army.

I found a Mexican themed restaurant (the first I have found in the entire country.) While the food didnt really come close to being Mexican it was pretty decent.

They had Sangria, so of course Marcy and I had to split a pitcher. I think it was intender for more people but we managed to polish it off.

"To fall in love is to create a religion that has a fallible god."

I love Jorge Luis Borges.

Just a bit of randomness for you all.

For the first time in many months im finally starting to feel at home somewhere. Walking through the housing complex (a group of about 30 giant soviet apartment bloks) people wave and the ladies at the food stores (magazini) help me out and ask how im doing. More importantly im starting to feel like I could really be happy here. Heres a quick tour of my apartment.

The Bedroom/Office/Living Room

The Kitchen/Dinning Room

I attempted to make Pralines for the neighbors.

I spent all day Sunday roasting peppers with Marcy. This is the first (extremely labour intensive) step in making Lutenitsa, a Roasted Peppers/Tomatoes puree paste that is delicious.

You drop the washed and de-seeded pepper in the red hot ceramic roaster cylinder thingy.

Allow to roast about 2 minutes then remove and repeat about 2 million times.

Delicious!!!

Yesterday was Unification Day in Bulgaria. It celebrates the unification of the modern bulgarian state with south bulgaria which had been a puppet government of the Ottoman empire.

I went with a fellow teacher to her famlies orchard in a traditional village pretty high up in the mountains. We went to pick plums (sleevy) in order to make Rakiya, Bulgaria's national drink. I picked about 110 kilograms (I ate a few kilos also) in the few hours we were picking. It was a big family affair with the entire extended family there. One of the uncles commented that i was a quick picker, and in my head I couldn't help but laugh at all the times mom would tell me I was "hecho en Mexico" (Made in Mexico) I guess im part mexican after all.

After we filled the entire truck with plums we had a huge Picnic and I took a cat nap in the sun. All in all it was a great day, and I came home tired and feeling good about being exactly were I am.

On the way to the Village

My love affair with Russian cars continues....

The Truck (1979 Tatra, Poland) that we filled with over 900kilos of plums.

A Balkan Orchard

Yes I havn't been the best about posting lately. Long story, really short.

I had some serious problems in Topolovgrad and decided that I didnt want to stay there. So about 3 weeks ago the PC moved me to Pravetz. A nice little town in the Balkan mountains, about an hour north of the capital Sofia. Im going the the settling in period all over again. I have internet again, and im back in the swing of things. Here are a bunch of pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Pravets in Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter.

Welcome to Pravetz

The Center

My School

My Kitten "Daphne"

She likes to climb the walls

Me & my friend Marcy @ a Bulgarian carnival.

A Beautifull old house in downtown Sofia.

Some pictures I took near NDK (National Palace of Culture) in Sofia.

I have been really busy these last two weeks in Topolovgrad. Things have been going much better. Im really enjoying having the freedom to cook for myself again. Im adapting to cooking for one. Its a strange and not really enjoyable sensation to cook and not have anyone to share it with. Here is my take on a Bulgarian dish, Pile sus oriz (Chicken and Rice)

I went for a hike the other day to this group of anciant Thracian houses "dolums" they are pretty spiffy. They remind me of houses in the Flintstones cartoons.

Last weekend I went to a conferance in the city of Sliven that was put on by the International Organization for Migration. It was supposed to be an educational seminar on how to do projects and education regarding Migration and Human trafficking. Unfortunatly it wasnt very informative, and became more of a "networking" weekend. It was good anyways because I got to see alot of my PC friends, and meet alot of really proactive Bulgarians who are working in their communites to affect real change. And I got alot of ideas for things I can do in Topolovgrad and in my classes. We also got to ride a chairlift up (part of) the Balkan mountains that sliven is nestled up against.

Last Monday and Tuesday I got to help out with a summer day camp in my town. It was alot of fun; I got to meet alot of the younger kids in the town and play games like Sharks and minnows and capture the flag, Bulgarian Style. It was a good reminder of how kids are pretty much the same the world over. Really made me excited for my time here. Here are some pictures from Topolovgrad.

The local Yasovir (resivore [sp?])

Sunset from my balcony

On Friday I went to the Black Sea coast for a weekend peace corps gathering. Unfortunatly I forgot my camera, but you can trust me it was beautifull. I swam, sunbathed, and there was even a bonfire at night with marshmalllows and vodka (this is bulgaria after all.) I met alot of volunteers from earlier groups, who I hadn't really gotten a chance to meet. My circle of friends gradually grows the longer im here, and makes it a little easier knowing more people who are in the same boat as me.

Basically im trying to fill my days and enjoy my new life. Its very hard sometimes but im making the best of it. This week you can be praying for oportunities to open up in this town, and the opening of peoples hearts. There is significant small town political squabling going on right now, and alot of people here arent to thrilled that im here. Its not connected to me, america, or the peace corps, but it does affect me alot, and i find myself wondering if I couldnt be more effective somewhere else.

A disclaimer: You can find dumb ignorant people all over the world, I just happen to live in the Adirondacks of Bulgaria, so I hear alot of interesting things.

So today im visiting Yambul (a nearby city) with some people from Topolovgrad, one of who "speaks" english. We had the following conversation almost completely in bulgarian, and I understood close to 100 percent of it.

The italics are things im thinking in my head as im listening.

1- Hey theres the mosque. Tell Nolan about the mosque.

2- (in english) N O L oooo N.... this is a turkish church, we call it Djamea (mosque)

me (in bg)- thats very nice, it looks very old.

1- thats the largest mosque in Bulgaria.

2- really?

3- are you sure?

1- actually its the biggest in Europe.

2- wow, well it figures, its very big.

3- really?

1- Im positive

3- Im not sure.....

(WTF? are we looking at the same mosque? Thank god 3 has some marbles.)

1- tell nolan about the mosque.

2-(in english) N O L oooo N this is the most ancient djamea in Alllll (insert hand gesture) Evropa. And it is also the largest in Evropa.

(*blank look* where did that come from?)

me - the oldest?

2- oh yes!

me- and largest?

2- oh yes!

me- Oh, I thought the largest djamea in bulgaria was in the Shumen region? (its famous)

3-he's right, that one is very big.

1- No this ones bigger.

2- No N O L ooo N the largest is right here in front of you. (with a voice reserved for 4 year olds) You are very lucky to see this djamea today.

me- And its the oldest in europe?

2- Yes

(I can't ake this any more, these people are just making stuff up!)

(We walk up to the plaque: "constructed in 1844 by the ottoman......" )

I point to the date on the plaque. Its quiet for a second while they read it. Then seeing that they were completely wrong, what do they do? Stand their ground of course.

1- Well that doesn't seem very old.

2- All the other mosques must have been built after that.

(OMG!! They actually believe their own lies)

(At least 3 will get it)

3- Oh, remember there was that earthquake?

(Ahhhhggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

2- (spoken as fact in english) N O L ooo N this is the oldest djamea in europe, the others where destroyed in an earthquake.

(A pan european earthquake?)

me- Is that so?

I give up, these people can't be beat. 5 minutes latter we are sitting at a cafe and the conversation has moved on. But the mosque is just tearing me up inside. I am one of those people who cant stand it when a fact is wrong, i was going to will this little game and win it in bulgarian. I was gonna be the american, bringing enlightenment and reason. so here it goes.....

me- OK, so i understand that the mosque is the oldest in europe, but there mave to be bigger ones in europe, no?

1- You really like mosques don't you?

me- I more like history (this is my bg)

2- Yes N O L ooo N this is the most oldest of all arab churches (she reverts to this? we already established i know the bg word for mosque) in the whole of europe.

3- The Turks (pretends to spit on the floor) were here longer than anywhere else in europe. Until we threw off the yoke of turkish slavery in 18.......

(Oh no! Not the Turkish yoke again......)

me- (cutting 3 off) But what about the djameas is Turkey? There are djameas in Istanbul that are much older than 1844.

1- Istanbul isn't in europe.

me- really? where is it? ( I havn't got sarcasm down in bg yet, but im trying really hard)

1- Istabul is in turkey.

me- Yes but that part of turkey is in europe.

1- No its not.

(OK, well every nation teaches geography differantly. Letts find out where europe ends and asia starts)

me- so where do europe and asia meet?

3-the border between turkey and bulgaria. (15k from my bed, who knew i was so close?)

me- So when i stand on mt. zacar (behind town) and I look down on bryagnovo (a village on the other side of the valley that is inhabited by bulgarians but is inside turkey) Im looking at Asia?

1- No NO NO NO!!!!! (accompanied my wild hand gestures)

1- Those are Bulgarians!!!

me- Im not talking about the people, im talking about the land, the continent.

2- N O L ooo N I shall explan this to you.... Bulgarians live in europe. Turks (fake spit) live in Asia. I don't know what things they teach you in american schools. This is like yesterday when you tried to tell me that ostriches are from africa not australia. Emu's in australia! hahahaha My children know that emus are from africa and ostriches are from australia. Hahahaha......(pats my head, I kid you not)

(this cant be happening)

me- So where am i right now?

2- right now?

me- right now!

2- A cafe.

me- where?

2- In bulgaria.

me- in Evropa? (spoken with all the contempt i could muster)

2- yes....

Me-No, you have an error (thats how i speak in bg.) Im an american, im in america.

Right here this chair, its part of the american continent. hahahahaah.....

3 chuckles (proving he has some brains) and the other two just stare at me like im insane. I could care less. These people are beyond help (not bulgarians in general, but the backwards ones.) I can take confidence in the fact that their little safety bubble is being eaten up by a modern world order that punishes societies for ignorance and laziness.

I will never fit in here, and im happy about that.

I have be notified that some of you want to see the pictures BIGGER.

Picky picky picky

OK, just click one of them. Its gonna take you to Photobucket.com in the upper right hand corner there is a little space to type in stuff type: normewu Push enter.

You DONT have to sett up an account.

You will go to my photostorage gallery. You can look at anything you want. There is stuff in there from before Bulgaria, but he current stuff is in front so no digging is required.

Enjoy.

Well today hasn't been the best birthday ever, but it hasn't been the worst either so it aint so bad. A quick wrap-up of the last week (My first out on my own in Bulgaria):

Friday we had out official swearing in ceremony in Sofia, Bus schedules being what they are I couldn't stay in the capital and celebrate with my friends that night. I made a quick exit to the bus station and caught my 7 hour bus ride to Topolovgrad (hereafter refered to as Turkmenistan.)

Saturday: I stared at the 4 walls of my bare concrete block apartment (I must admit I dont see the benifits of building EVERYTHING out of one material). Realized I am completely alone.

Sunday: Felt a little sick. Realized ALL the stores AND restaurants in my little town are closed on sundays. Was very hungry. Went for a walk in the rain. Found plums. Ate quite a few.

Monday: Felt very sick. Ran some errands, bought some things for the bare apartment. Went to Haskovo (the regional center) and applied for my identity card. Spent 4 hours in beurocratic red tape, with a fever. Went home with high fever and slept.

Tuesday: Called the PC doctors at 6am with a 103.6 fever. Lotts of stuff happened after this, but suffice to say that @7pm I had some medicine and a diagnosis (strep throat.)

Wednesday: The wonders of modern medicine, I start to feel better. Stayed in bed all day, drank grape juice.

Today: Feeling 80% Went to school, they had a little party for me. A cute speech, cake, a present from the school, and a song. Had coffee with some of the few people in town who know me. I got a ton of (maybe 10) emials, phone calls, and text messages from other volunteers and people in the states, made me feel great. Found Dyuners(gyros) in town. Im a very happy content boy.

Its been a rough week, but things are getting better. Im settling into my apartment, cleaning, painting, and making it look nice. Im cooking again after 3 months away, i forgot how theraputic it is.

Those who feel like it are highly encouranged to pray for joy and encourgement as they have been hard to come by lately.

Marcy & Kim having a philosophical discussion over glasses (or in my case: muggs) of Baba Vassi's homemade wine in her garden. The stuff is amazing, apperantly the key is honey. Anyways it has numerous benifits, including making the bulgarian language a bit less daunting.

The single biggest weakness of a PC Volunteer in Bulgaria: Adorable street puppies.

It had been 2 months without peanut butter, enough said.

Me suffering under the back breaking labour of being a volunteer.

But seriously.... they have Pink Grapefruit Fanta, which can singlehandedly turn a day around.

Rila Monastary. A UNESCO world heritage sight. What the pictures dont quite convey is its location tucked away in a narrow mountain valley high in the mountians.

The fatefull day when I was banished to Turkmanistan (my little nickname for my new home on the turkish border, Toplovgrad.) Also known as "site anouncment"

Topolovgrad ("city of poplar trees") is really quite charming. I havent seen any poplar trees, Im sure the Turks cut them down.

The road to Topolovgrad. We are a bit of the beaten path.

Alexander Nevski Cathedral (if it looks big its cause its freakin HUGE)

Your typical ex soviet eastern european capital (now with NATO flags)

A monument to 1300 years of Bulgarians in the Balkans, apperanty before that they enjoyed wandering to steepes of asia from time imemorial. (I think it looks a bit like T-Rex)

The Cosmopolitan city of Blagoevgrad (feels like your in europe)

The beautifull shoe manafacturing center of Dupnitsa (the hole), nestled up against the highest mountain in the Balkans.

A beautifull dying house in the city of Kyustandil on the border with Macedonia.

Jamie just outside of Bobov Dol. I think he comliments Mt. Rila Dont you?

Bulgaria has some amazingly beautifull mountains (coming from a Washingtonian this is no small compliment)

The cars of Bobov Dol

The Train (my favorite mode of transport)

The only kind of driving i will be doing for 2 years

If I could drive I would drive this car. The Lada Niva 4x4

My training site: Bobov Dol

A (small) part of the mine

My Bulgarian Family (they dont bite)

My fellow volunteers in Bobov Dol (minus Jamie) and our language teacher Ani.