Friday, July 2, 2010

So It has been awhile

Sorry to everyone! I haven't updated in a long time. It has been absolutely crazy. So, biggest news first. I got my site placement!
I will be spending the next 2 years of my life in a very small town about an hour away from Varna (Bulgaria's big beach resort). Peace Corps asks that we don't put our exact locations, but skype or e-mail me if you would like. My school is pretty cool. It has a ton of old USSR emblems and stuff around from when it was first built. The flag stand that has the EU flag has a little sycle and hammer on the top which I found really amusing. My apartment is small, about 15X20 but I have a balcony and a washing machine so I am pretty happy about that! Plus there are a lot of really cool people near by to visit. A lot of my really good friends are spread out around the country so I will be seeing a lot of the country over the next few years!
So other than eagerly awaiting swearing in on July 23 there has been a ton going on. The school year finished and our summer school program began. Tessa and I are teaching improv and acting. I am also helping with Drew's class on American Football. So we have Bulgarian Language lessons in the morning and then teach all afternoon. About 5 I start homework and study. Running with Tessa about 7. Dinner around 9pm and then bed around 10:30-11.
The PCV in town, Neil, left yesterday for the summer. He is teaching at an all English Summer camp for the next month and we will have left for site by the time he gets back. I am really going to miss having him around. He has been great to sit and have a beer with and hear what Peace Corps are really like. Neil has been so great for helping with any questions and just to hang out with.
We hung out with the British folks again to watch the England v Germany World Cup game. I have found myself already slipping into calling it football. It was a disappointing game, but I have Germany v Brazil for the final game so I was secretly happy! It really is amazing that I never really gave a damn about watching sports before, but now I jump at the chance to get together to watch them. Plus a bunch of PCVs rent out an English Pub in Varna and get together to watch the Super Bowl every year.
On the home front I think my family is coming over to my neck of the woods for Christmas. The tentative plan right now is to meet in Istanbul (which is only like a 3 hour train ride for me). Justin might come over early and maybe see a little of Greece if I can get the time off from school. Otherwise I think I will be traveling a bunch next summer. A flight from Varna to Rome is only $120 round trip and to Germany is about $150. In comparison, the train would only be about $75, but it would take close to 9 hours (The trains through eastern europe are not what one would call quick). So plenty of time to plan and think about it, but if you are in Europe next summer, drop me a line!