20 February 2012

Spring???


Woohoo!! I think the worst of winter may be over. It was warm enough to clean today (finally!) and I found and killed two spiders. Hugely significant not only because I really needed to clean, but also because the spiders mean the world is coming back to life! 

18 February 2012

Birthday Party and Macarena


This weekend was Palma’s 30th birthday party and I spent the weekend hanging out with her and friends in Zhelezna. They were a hit. So Though I’m pretty sure the local impression of my cooking skills is grossly inaccurate, I’m so. grateful for  the care packages with ready-made mixes.  Palma’s party was great. We danced, toasted, and ate until late.  I never thought I’d think this, but a highlight of the party for me was the Macarena. I hadn’t heard the Macarena for at least a decade, but it’s not a song or dance one easily forgets. Finally, a song with moves I know and look no more foolish than anyone else dancing! 

05 February 2012

Offline

Chiprovtsi
 The cold weather has seriously disrupted internet. Anxiety was a bit high this week as I tried to translate a super-technical proposal for updating the municipal water system, keep abreast on law school decisions, and plan upcoming events with friends. Though it’s not perfect, Google translate makes translating a lengthy proposal a million time easier than it otherwise would be. At the very least, it gives the ‘gist’ of what is being written, then I clean it up and make it sound nice. When the subject includes construction specifications and uses jargon words that I’m unfamiliar with in English, much less Bulgarian, the internet is a lifesaver.

The only good thing about being ‘offline’ was that I was unable, for the most part, to obsess over law school applications. I ended up applying to 14 schools. I’ve heard back from five schools so far, but decisions may come as late as April/May and I could be on waitlists until August. Driving me crazy! 
Car under snow in Zhelezna

Post office yard in Chiprovtsi