Shaina's Travel Blog

So I finally got to leave boondock Strelcha and the evening chorus of goats and bells...I arose at 5am with the crowing of the rooster. My Bulgarian Mama Maria woke up and made me coffee even though i told her to sleep in and ill get breakfast ready myself. I think that since i speak their language like a 3 year old that i have the mental capacity of a three year old. They dont let me do anything around the house except set the table and clear the table...but i guess that's all right wit me. We all get a long great though and Georgi and Maria always take me out their friends house for Go Nogsti (visits) with their friends. Lots of fun. Ive already been invited for christmas and new years. okay anyways back to the story...
So i left Strelcha with my group (there's five of us if i havent already told you guys that) and took the bus to Pazardjik...a city of 80,000 woohoo!!! We had our first hub...which is when all 60 of us PCT's get together and have classes and stuff. So after we were finished with our classes we went to our hotel to check in. I got to stay with My bes PST friend Kate. She's hella cool...we just make fun of the loser PST's and crack each other up. I love her to death....anways...we went down for dinner and had Bulgarian Chinese food with a currently serving PCV. He gave us all the details and the tricks to the Peace Corps game.
After dinner all the PST's hit the bars and took Pazardjik by storm. Nothing scarier than a group of 20 drunk americans...seriously. We swarmed the bar and demanded our drinks in english...well not me of course...i used my Moje' lee....(may i have....) Vodka, molya. (vodka, please) We had a ton of fun...
then we went back to the hotel and partied in another PCT's room because it was Chris's bday. Man....what a great night. But i was hurtin the next day. Luckily i speant most of it on the train sleeping. I'll just say that i woke up that morning in my clothes on top of the blankets. good times. (MOM!!! DONT WORRY! I WAS WITH LIKE 20 OTHER VOLUNTEERS AND WAS NEVER ALONE!)
So 8am we left on the train with my group (a new group that signed up for the same trip to visit a current Peace Corps Volunteer) 3 of the oldest guys, and me....hurrah. Well anyways, we got of the train in Yambul and a scrumpcious PCV named Chad picked us up. We had lunch at an intalian restaurante and then went to some boring interviews with people where i was struggling to keep my eyes open. After those were over we headed to our hotel and i took a beautiful long nap. Met the fogies downstairs and met Chad at the irish pub DUBLIN...YEs, i am in Bulgaria...!
He dished out all the dirt about being a PCV and i'll just say that i learned a lot :)
After a few beers and a 5 leva guiness (beers usually run about 0,50 stutinki akacents) so very expensive guiness...but it was worth it! we went back to the hotels and i watched some MTV!!! YAY!!!! And passed out! Tonight...we do another meeting and then pizza and beer at the PCV's house and after that...the Discoteca! OPA!!!
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE BUlgaria...The people are absolutely beautiful, so warm and friendly....if only there were some hot guys...but i have already made some awesome bulgarian friends and cant wait to show DARA AND JAMIE BULGARIA WHEN THE COME!!! I know you guys will love it....sitting at cafes and drinking good super cheap wine and beer is the life! I feel like im on vacation. No wonder they call the Peace Corps in Bulgaria, Cushy COrps...man, i cant believe i ended up here...i think my lucks starting to change.
I really miss you guys though. Dara, I love you and cant wait to show you around. Jamie, I love you too and hope everythings great for you! And Shannon and Jen, you already know how much you mean to me. Thank god for that photo us that sits over my bed. Roxy....check your damn email and delete some of them because all my emails that i send to you keep getting returned...i love you though roxy star!
Rebecka, Give owen and yourself a big kiss...I miss you guys soooooooooooooo much! Send me some pictures please! I know you have my address now...and dont put it of miss queen of procrastination!!! I want to see you, tony, and my nephew! i dont have any pics of you guys!!! MISS YOU!!!!
Okay Peace Out...ill talk to you all later! Dont worry about me...just think about a funny time we had together and laugh! yay! love always, Shaina Rose

Last night I partied with some gypsies and was molested by one right after i met his wife. Scary! Anyways, the discoteque rocked...a lot of fun! I was lucky enough to meet my Host Dad Georgi's nephew last night who is really cool, speaks english, skate boards, and is 23. When i saw his etnies and DC sweatshirt I knew we would get along great. We stayed out til 5:30am and Im going to bump into him at the discoteque tonight. YAY! Hmm...well I'm really tired because i only got 5hours of sleep so my with as at an all time low and i just want to go him and pass out. SO tootles for now. Man, Im really starting to miss everyone know....you;re all in my dreams. Seriously. It's weird, all my dreams still take place in the states....anyways, ill post again soon so stay tuned. Love always, Shaina Rose
oh yeah, Yodel Lay is a Bulgarian song they play every where all the time and i think they played it 10 times at the discoteca last night. scary!

WOW WOW WOW!!! I still cant believe I am here! There are horse drawn carts, herds of goats roaming the town, and eurotrash boys and girls galore! I am located in a small town called Strelcha. It is very tiny, about 5,000 people and a million goat turds on the street.
I got to language class 4 hours a day with 4 other peace corps traniees (pct's) It is the end of the first week of classes and I think I have learned a lot. I can order beer in the cafe's, and really that's all that's important, right?
Seriously though, the people are truly amazing. So warm and welcoming...they make me feel right at home. My family is awesome. The house is big and clean and super comfortable. They have a beautiful garden and for dinner we feast on the bounties of the garden. Sweet tomatoes and delicious cucumbers. Every night before dinner Georgi (my host father), and grandpa partake in rakiya and cigarettes. What more could i ask for???
Baba Dink see's me off to school every morning with a kiss and a hug. I feel like a kid again. So far the Peace Corps rocks. Next Wed. we travel to Pazardjik for our first HUB meeting. I cant wait to see the other volunteers, especially my ex-roomie Kate. She's a kick-ass chica. Well, that's about it for now. I found a much better internet cafe than the other one I went to so my entries will be coming much more often.
On the menu for tonight-----Drinking and the Discoteque! A well earned fridaynight! Ive started already so if there's lots of typos...kiss my butt...hehe just kidding! Love you all immensly and miss you all terribly...MAMA...I wrote you a nice long letter via snail mail....kisses and hugs...Peace Out, SHaina Rose

So today was the last day of staging! THank GOD! It was a lot of dumb icebreaker games and useless crap...hours and hours of it! Tomorrow morning we board a bus and and truck on over to JFK in NYC and leave for Sofia...I can't wait!!! The other Peace Corps Volunteers are very cool. I guess they would be since theyre doing the Peace Corps like I am, and you know I am the coolest! Just Kidding...Oh, there is also a Rick Moranis lookalike in my group which is fairly entertaing...everytime i look at him all i can hear is "Feed me Seymore!"

Phily is cool. A fun city...lots happening...I went on a walking tour today and saw all of the historical sites and made fun of the whole tour with my roomate Kate..she is a pretty hip chick and we get along smashingly. Man, i think i am still in a state of shock and just kind of going with the flow...and will be for the next 2 years I think. Well, I'm pretty sure there's a guy waiting to use the computer...so that's all for now! I will update again as soon as possible! I love you all and can't wait to tell you some real interesting stories!

ADIOS!!! MUCHOS BESOS! PEACE!

Today I went and saw Faranheit 9/11 all by myself. It has been a long time since I went to the movies by myself and it was quite enjoyable. The movie was amazing!!! It is an emotional rollercoaster and really makes you think and question the world around you...and shows how immoral goverenment is and how so many people are blinded by the almighty dollar...including myself...but i guess the first step is admiting you are an addict, right? It all reminded me of this conversation I had with Shannon about emotion and how emotion controls reason...and then from there I realized that governement and corporations function on reason alone...scary. Michael Moore illustrates that point when he tries to get congressmen to enlist their own children to fight the war in Iraq. It's easy to send other people's kids over to fight a war...
Man, it really sucks realizing how messed up the world is and how sad it is that all this people in government, congressman, senators, the cabinet, they were all young once and idealistic and knew what was right and what was wrong and then as they grew older they realized that some things were not so wrong and it didnt matter if they ignored certain facts in the pursuit of something they desired...I mean, everyone thinks their a good person. I'm sure Ken Lay from Enron thinks he's a good person, but he has committed so much evil and hurt some many people and ruined so many people's lives! It's scary! How do you reach that point where you're no longer a good person and not realize it? How do they(Halliburton and others) lie to themselves and convince themselves that sending kids to die for the sake of new business contracts and potential finanial gain in Iraq? How can they look in the mirror? I just hope that when I'm old I don't decide that my ethics and morals can be ignored for the sake of a profit or anything for that fact. That I will always stand by my principles and beliefs. I hope that when im old i wont become disillusioned or realistic...because if realistic means ignoring my heart and killing my empathy for other then forget it! I guess I am a tree hugging, peace preaching hippy...because in the long wrong what's wrong with that? At least I wont kill innocent people to attain what i believe in. And that's that.

My sister is leaving me! Now I dont have anyone to play with, no one to punch while we're driving in the car, no one sneak around the house and try to scare, no one to make fun of, no one to play TYB with, and no one to blow on...! I'm soooooo sad! This sucks...I hate leaving everyone behind...is the Peace Corps really worth it??? I'm starting to have my doubts...I'm getting more and more scared as the date approaches...it's Aug.2nd and I leave on the 6th...It's getting a little too real for me...yuck! I'm getting that barfy feeling just thinking about it!
Well, Dara Lou Lou Head, I had a great time with you here...even though you hog the bed and practically push me off the side...at least you didnt try and cuddle with me! Man, this sucks! I'm really going to be sad when we drop you off at the airport! (she's upstairs performing her hour and a half daily prep routine as i type) I can't wait til she and jamie come to Bulgaria and visit me! Or everyone else who has said they are going to visit me! (My mom & Ray, jen and shannon, and Loren) If I left anyone out youre gonna have to remind me! anyways...i better get going, i've got to brush my teeth...they're feeling a tad furry...like i could make yarn out of the hair and knit a sweater with it...mmm...pretty! well..that's all for now!

The Ultimate Politics Survey
Describe your stance on:
Abortion: My body, My decision, Your Body, Your Decision
Affirmative Action: Neccessary in a racisit coun try
Age of Consent: 18
Animal Testing: Horrible
Death Penalty: Totally barbaric and outdated
Downloading Music/Movies: When I see Brtinney Spears digging through a trash can for food, and Tom Cruise on the meridian with a cardboard sign, then I'll oppose piracy.
Drug Decriminalization: is the way to go! The war on drugs is a fraud!
Factory Farming: a not-so distant future
Free Trade: =free slaves
Funding of Arts: has been cut by republicans who insist we live like bible-thumping hillbillys.
Gay Marriage: People can marry whoever they want...
Gun Control: fine with me
Immigration: Welcome to America!
Hardcore Pornography: can make for a very entertaining evening!
Human Cloning: creepy
Miltary Draft: just plain wrong
Minimum Wage: should be higher
Prostitution: the oldest profession, and should be legal to protect the women.
School Vouchers: bad idea
Taxes: good if they went to something useful like healthcare
United Nations: needs more power
Universal Health Care: excellent idea!
War on Terrorism: a scam
Welfare: good for those who need it...
Take The Ultimate Politics Survey
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The Ultimate Death Survey
What do you think happens after you die? the big sleep
Do you believe in heaven? yes, a credit card with no limit at Neiman Marcus, that I never have to pay back & the discoteque in the sky!
Do you believe in hell? yes, and it is called planet earth
Do you think you will be judged after you die? nope
How many people would attend your funeral? 800
Would you rather that people cry or laugh at your funeral? laugh and cry and the same time
What's better? A shot in the head or downing pills? pills, pills, pills
What should be written on your tombstone? Get the party started!
Would you rather die childless or divorced? childless
Do you want to die in the morning, afternoon, or night? morning
If you had a million dollars to leave, who would you leave it to? my family
What kind of flowers do you want at your funeral? roses
On your deathbed, which moment will you most remember? my whole life
Have you ever watched someone die? no
What's the most gruesome death you can imagine?
How often do you think about death? every other day
Is fear of dying your number one fear? no
Do you believe in reincarnation? sorta
Have you ever wished someone you loved were dead? never
Do you consider life short or long? short
Do you think you have a soul? yes
Assisted suicide for a terminally ill person is: perfectly fine and dandy
If you were cremated, where would you like your ashes? on someone who loved me's mantle
Would you choose to be immortal, if you could be? yes
Take The Ultimate Death Survey
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After an exotic meal of macaroni & cheese, fried alligator, fried okra, fried everything, and frozen cool whip for dessert...we made it to the Super Gator Airboat Rides famous for their super GIANT gators! As we stepped out of the car and began spraying OFF on each other, we were kindly informed by the airboat captain, "There aint no 'skeeters here".
We ventured down to the water through a quaint waterfront trailer park village. As the adults fought over the front seat, Dara, Ryan, and I settled into the back. I made Ryan switch seats with me so I could be by the edge. Except for the intense sun beating down on us and exruciatingly oppressive humidity...it all felt strangely like a Disneyland Ride, a down home version of the Jungle Boat Cruise.
VROOM!!! The Airboat Ride begins...we cruise at a windy 5mph past stinky dead turtles and movie sets of swamp people houses...oh wait they werent movie sets!
As we sat anticipating the rumored SUPER 12foot monster alligators, we saw something in the distance...barreling down the river towards our boat, straight towards my mom in fact, with it's mouth wide open...was a surly 3 foot 'gator pissed that he cant get anymore marshmallows! As he cruised along my side of the boat and i peered over the side at him, i was informed this one's name was "JUmper" ! I quickly leaned back into the boat and used the zoom on my camera to take a nice picture.
We were warned to put in our earplugs or have our eardrums blasted to oblivion because the Captain was crankin up the airboat and we were really going to cruise now! I heeded his advice, Dara didnt and now she must learn sign language.
Finally! We were going at least 25mph through giant lilly pads...and past a cute louisiana fisherman...
As we passed through clumps of giant water lillys that grew past our heads, the boat stopped and we were stuck...haha i guess that was a little of the Louisiana swamp humor...not very funny when it is hot as hell and the humidity is so thick that Dara's hair is floating over hear head like she's underwater.
He handed us Giant Lilly Pads to wear on our heads a sun hat...and as an old lady reached for mine, I ripped it away from her hands and put it on my head...I wanted to wear lilly pad on my head dammit!
Well, that was all fun and we finally headed back for dock. When we got there and exited the boat, my mom exclaimed "Wow! What a fabulous boat ride!" and then forced us (me, dara, ryan, and david) to stand arround in the intense heat while the asked the captain a million and one questions. Finally, when they were satisfied...we all piled back into the cars and headed over the Louisiana border for a quick tour of Sulpher, LA...about as beautiful as it's name. I even saw a kid that looked like popeye...and that was that.
We made it back to Houston, Tx and I couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief as we reach civilization.
I saw "The Village" last night and it rocked! Go see it...I screamed and held onto Dara for dear life throughout the movie! I've got to go because now we are headed to the Galleria. THe 2nd largest mall in the US complete with a hotel and ice skating rink!
Lates!