My trip to American Jurisdiction!

Last tuesday, I was in America. Yup, I sure was, and I didn't call any of you so we could meet up!! I mean, I would have, but you were all sleeping- and I hate international calling!!! wha?!?!!? you maybe be asking yourself? okay, I WAS technically within the jurisdiction of the US goverment for about 3 hours, but I was still "in" bulgaria at the US Embassy! I was there to present my grant/project to the Democracy Commission, and get feedback on where the idea was headed, what they were looking for, etc. Well, it went well for the project, and really well for me!! I wound up spending the afternoon networking, and by the end of the day I had even been offered a job with us-aid. this is the amazing thing about living near sofia and working with the peace corps, you never know when opportunity is going to show its head!

breaking news for bulgaria: NO EU accession for 2007. this is pretty big, as most people were counting on the accession. BG is tentatively set to join the EU in 2008. laundering of money and organized crime were sited as reasons for the delay.

also last week, I saw my first ballet and ate indian food for the first time! Two of my favorite volunteers were in town (this means sofia in my world) for a conference on the economic implications of bulgaria joining the EU. After work, I hopped on the bus, met up with Ben and Jenn (of shoumen, buglaria) and watched the national ballet perform Hans Christian Anderson's "The Red Shoes" and "The Emperor's New clothing." it was a fantastic night!

This weekend, I was back in sofia (yup, three times in one week!) to meet back up with Ben and to watch Lincoln, my sitemate, play rugby. along the way, while speaking english on the streets of sofia, by chance we ran into two other volunteers from our group- Andrea and Boudreaux! They heard people speaking english behind them, and lo and behold- it was people that they knew! its a small world, i tell ya!

In other news- its cold here! that means that after I wash my clothes (by hand, mind you...no washing machine in my apartment, and no laundramats in the country!), they go out on the clothes line. this morning, I awoke to frozen clothing. Thankfully I was amused, rather than annoyed.

today I had an interview with the local TV news. I think this is actaully the third time i've been on the local news. its pretty crazy, because occassionally they get wrapped up in the interview, and ask me questions that we didn't discuss before the interview started...so sometimes I look like a huge idiot. other times, only mildly so...