Variations on a Fall Theme

The Start of School

I love the first day of school! New books, sharp pencils, the excitement of seeing everyone again after the summer. And then in college we got a syllabus for each class--what ecstacy! The whole semester laid out before you waiting to be conquered. Here in Gyovren it's a little different because September 15th means saying goodbye to a lot of families who were just visiting for the summer and now have to return to the cities for work or higher education. I also said goodbye to Sarah, the peace corps volunteer who has been in Gyovren for the past two years. She was very helpful in getting me started here and I will miss spending time with her. The first week on my own was rough.

I am now teaching in the school a little bit. I team teach with the regular English teacher in a combined 2nd and 4th grade classroom and then teach optional tutoring sessions in the afternoons. I am also getting to work with the kindergarteners and 1st graders who would normally not have English class until 2nd grade. Each of these have their own joys and difficulties. I love the flexibility I have in teaching the younger kids and their enthusiasm for learning, but I'm the only teacher in the room and I don't have much experience with handling 11 very active 6 year olds! I appreciate having Eliza, the English teacher, to help with classroom management in the 2nd/4th grade, but coordinating our teaching styles and plans is a challenge.



Harvesting and Cooler Weather

Everyone is gathering something. Wood, berries, potatoes...the approach of winter is palpable. Temperatures are in the 40's in the mornings, but warm up to a blissful 65 when the sun is out in the afternoons. Here are some "drenki" (which remind me a lot of cranberries) that I gathered with my landlord:

Apple Pie
I made an apple pie the other day. No matter that it was in a square pan and that I had to use a jar as a rolling pin. As soon as I cut the fresh apples and mixed them with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar, I was transported to Kay Kellers, the apple orchard, and everything beautiful about fall in Upland, Indiana.



Pumpkins
Yep, we have them here :)

Out of the Ordinary

Since my last blog was about a typical day here, I wanted to share some of the exceptional things that have happened over the past month. So here they are:

Going to the mosque with my landlords on the first night of Ramazan














During Ramazan here a common meal is served at a small store near the mosque after the evening call to prayer. Anyone who wants to can come and eat--different families just take responsibility for providing the food each night. Ramazan ends on September 8th and since people in this village really take the fasting seriously, they will have a big celebration with Sheker (sugar) Bayram.

Attending festivals in Osikovo and Yagodina














Every town in Bulgaria has a "sabor" which I describe as a county fair/homecoming football game/variety show. In Osikovo we literally danced in the streets!


Visiting a mandra














A mandra is a place where shepherds herd the sheep to be milked. People who want fresh milk, cheese, butter, or yougart can come directly to the source and make/buy it there. We piled 12 people into this jeep (3 in front, 8 in back, and one on the fender) for the rough drive up the mountain! It was a day of beautiful weather and incredible views.


Reading with kids











This may not seem like a big deal, but it was an extraordinary moment for me. While in the library with several kids who were using the computer, one picked up The Giving Tree. I asked if I could read it with him and we began working through it in combination English and Bulgarian. The other kids became interested and huddled around us. When we finished the book they liked it so much that we read it all the way through two more times with different kids taking the lead!

Returning to the U.S.














I came back to the states for my grandfather's funeral (Gene Godby). The occasion was sad, but the time spent with family and friends in Muskogee was such a blessing. All of the grandkids were able to make it! And, I got to meet my second cousin, Elaine :) Thank you to everyone who was an encouragement to me during this time.