I don't speak Bulgarian...
I am going to have to admit that I am in a very strange situation. Forget the whole Bulgaria thing, or that my town is the toilet paper capital of the Balkan Peninsula, the most surreal part is that I have not a clue what is going on about 80% of the time. Just imagine going dumb and mute in a single plane ride. Granted I am getting the basics down (about 20%) but getting past eating or going to the bathroom I am in the hurt box. For example:
The Festival:
My family and I went to the Youndala festival last Sunday. I didn’t know it until we got back home. I had a vague notion, via group charades, that a ‘picnic’ was being put together for Saturday. So, I spent most of Saturday near the house waiting to go for a nice meal outdoors. Saturday came and went. No problem, I must have misunderstood and forgot about it (things like that had happened before). The next morning, I wake up and am told to grab some shoes and a fleece. Then I am directed into a car with a bunch of other people and we head out. To where? I don’t know. No one else in the car seemed worried. So, I just sat quietly and looked out to the beautiful Rila Mountains. My host brother had talked (via translator) about going kayaking, rock climbing, camping, bungee jumping and more. Are we going bungee jumping today? I don’t know. After about an hour of this cyclical pondering we came to a carnival. It was nice. We walked around, watched some traditional dancing, and looked at the bazaar with almost anything for sale. After awhile we got back in the car and started driving again. Are we going home now? I don’t know. About four miles down a road we pull off and start driving around a beautiful meadow. We get out, put the drinks to cool in the stream, built a fire, and started grilling. It was nice. After eating for a steady two hours, we are still there. A couple more pleasant hours pass and the sun starts to set. Are we going to sleep here tonight? I don’t know. Once night had fallen completely, we packed up and began driving again. This time we did go home.
I have resigned to the fact that for awhile I am going to have to be as fluid as possible and not worry about not understanding. If I had in this instance, I would have ruined everything. Just about every event is a trust game, like the ones they have you play in church retreats. Close your eyes, tip backwards, and hope someone catches you. Law of Averages says that the system will not work every time, but “Without the bitter, the sweet just isn’t as sweet.”
“I am Frank, and Frank must go.”
~~Mark
PS: The two quotes are from Vanilla Sky.
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The Festival:
My family and I went to the Youndala festival last Sunday. I didn’t know it until we got back home. I had a vague notion, via group charades, that a ‘picnic’ was being put together for Saturday. So, I spent most of Saturday near the house waiting to go for a nice meal outdoors. Saturday came and went. No problem, I must have misunderstood and forgot about it (things like that had happened before). The next morning, I wake up and am told to grab some shoes and a fleece. Then I am directed into a car with a bunch of other people and we head out. To where? I don’t know. No one else in the car seemed worried. So, I just sat quietly and looked out to the beautiful Rila Mountains. My host brother had talked (via translator) about going kayaking, rock climbing, camping, bungee jumping and more. Are we going bungee jumping today? I don’t know. After about an hour of this cyclical pondering we came to a carnival. It was nice. We walked around, watched some traditional dancing, and looked at the bazaar with almost anything for sale. After awhile we got back in the car and started driving again. Are we going home now? I don’t know. About four miles down a road we pull off and start driving around a beautiful meadow. We get out, put the drinks to cool in the stream, built a fire, and started grilling. It was nice. After eating for a steady two hours, we are still there. A couple more pleasant hours pass and the sun starts to set. Are we going to sleep here tonight? I don’t know. Once night had fallen completely, we packed up and began driving again. This time we did go home.
I have resigned to the fact that for awhile I am going to have to be as fluid as possible and not worry about not understanding. If I had in this instance, I would have ruined everything. Just about every event is a trust game, like the ones they have you play in church retreats. Close your eyes, tip backwards, and hope someone catches you. Law of Averages says that the system will not work every time, but “Without the bitter, the sweet just isn’t as sweet.”
“I am Frank, and Frank must go.”
~~Mark
PS: The two quotes are from Vanilla Sky.
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