No Thanks, I'm Full

In a time of protests and riots, it's always been something to read about in newspapers and talk about with people as equally ignorant to the actual cause that is being protested about. I mean, unless you're in the belly of the beast, you never really know how they feel or what they are truly fighting for. We can only sympathize and move on with our routine lives. It's easy for us on the outside to talk about what is happening when we are just being fed the media's distorted and biased perception of an event. And yet, 97% of us are ok with that. We don't question. We are perfectly content with not fully knowing. We will let the really passionate protesters speak for the majority and hope that their small act can snowball into something bigger, possibly leading to change (and it has in many places which is why the world is in such turmoil). Most of us though, don't want to bank on the risks they are taking. Or the consequences that may come because of their actions. And yet, I give props to the people out there who are supporting their cause with such intensity.

Am I saying that what is mostly happening around the world is a good thing? No (but also yes...it's complicated so we aren't going to get into it). It is never right for innocent people to pay for the views of the few. Am I an expert? No. Far from it and while I condone standing up for what you believe in and trying to alter your future, it shouldn't be at the expense of innocent bystanders; aren't they the people you are hopefully going to help? Yes, future generations are important, but what and who is the immediate cause? You. And Them by default. But not when you take things to the extreme.

What caused this post might you ask? As I sat in the Canteen about 20 minutes ago, doing homework in preparation for my midterm tomorrow, I heard whistles. And clapping. And yelling. And the grand feeling of something big about to happen. AUBG had just released their deal to make meal plans mandatory for students, and well folks, students weren't too happy about it. Petitions have been passed around and signed and a mass protest planned. Which was today. Which I forgot about. So as I sat obliviously doing my homework, the passionate protesters of AUBG overtook the Canteen and began to shout. Posters, a megaphone, a shirtless boy with body paint, and about 200 students wanting their voice to be heard by administration. It's valid. Meal plans should be a student's choice.

For the first 15 minutes they shouted "No meal plan" and "Let us choose" and phrases of such nature. It was loud and there were a ton of people. The Canteen is a fairly confined space so the sound just bounced off the walls and reverberated in the floor. The energy of this group pulsed through my body. People flooded tables and shook chairs and slammed tabletops. It was quite the production. But the cool thing about accidentally being in the middle of all this was that they really cared about what was going on. The cause just coursed through the crowd and it was a small glimpse of what people all over the world have been doing for the past year and a half. It was exhilarating, what they were doing, and I applaud their courage for standing up and demanding their collective voice be heard. There is a small group meeting with the Provost and we will truly see how dedicated the university is to its students and what they think.

As I sit in the now empty Canteen writing this, everything has died down and it's almost like nothing happened. But for those of us who stayed, there is a hint of rebellion in the air. And that will eventually make all the difference.

I'm Jones, Bridget Jones

The past few days have seriously been the best since I arrived here in Bulgaria. The weather is turning around and especially today, I am so thankful to be in Europe.  Thursday night we went out, of course, partially because it's Thursday and partially because it was half-price drinks at three clubs/bars/restaurants. So, you yell half-price anything and everyone comes running, especially if it's alcohol (but it is Europe so...). I started the evening with Mary, Sabine, Keegan, Christian, and Alex and we went to All-Star Pub. It was really great-good company, good conversation. But the reason for this posts comes now. I couldn't resist sharing this because it's hilarious. 

We were walking to Club Bacardi, where we spent the rest of the night dancing to "retro" music, a.k.a. a mix of 90s and today, and as we were walking, I started talking in my British accent. If you know me, it's pretty often when I break into an accent, and of course then seemed like the opportune moment. So I'm talking like I'm a Brit and Mary brings up the topic of alter egos. And who do they dub me as? 

Bridget Jones.

It is ironic yet completely perfect at the same time. I look pretty similar to Renee Zellweger (I've been complimented before on this subject), I act like Bridget Jones with the awkward speeches and humor and I talk way too much sometimes. And I love the fact that she wears granny panties. The difference is this is all when I'm sober. It's funny because she's a heavy drinker, a smoker, and quite a vulgar lady, none of which are really me. So as we walked across the square, the Bridget attitude start to come out and it was kind of freeing (also because my friends said they would blame anything I did on Bridget). 

Here is a clip more of the hilarious awkwardness of Bridget Jones.

Awesome right?
So even though I didn't channel my Bridget Jones too much Thursday night, I feel that Bridget is going to come out eventually. I'll probably be sober, but the good thing (besides everyone else being pretty drunk) is that I just won't care at the point. I mean, What would Bridget Jones do?

Lent and the Crushin' Russian

Milka. Kinder. Mypa (pronounced Moora). Lion. KitKat. Nutella. 

What do all these have in common?

Let me help you even though I'm sure you know at least one or two of these, if not from the picture. They are all yummy, deliciously smooth, and tasty chocolate (I was in no way trying to undermine your chocolate or even sweets intelligence. I know too much myself so no judgment here...). And what do you think I go and do.

Give it up for Lent. WHAT WAS I THINKING??!!! 

I don't really know either but I did and I'm committed because today is day one. So here's to day one of Lent and to all the things that you have given up in hopes of making your life a little better or to have more time with God. Props to you because this is going to be a long 40 days. Why anyone would give up chocolate while they are in Europe is beyond me, but I'm just crazy enough to do it. 

So in hopes of turning myself around for spring and bathing suit weather, I went to Pilates tonight. But I'm not sure it could be considered Pilates with that music (it was very entertaining; I was practically laughing the whole time which probably didn't help me any) and the four different exercises wrapped into one class. And the instructor was Russian. That was just the cherry on top. From cardio-kickboxing to dancing to some serious abs while listening to Enrique, it was definitely a good workout. No complaints here. She counted in Russian and was silent but deadly; she didn't talk much, but man does she work you hard. And some of those moves I've never done before and I will never do outside of that aerobics studio. But maybe it's because of the music it was paired with. Some awkward moments, if you know what I mean.

Afterward I did homework with friends and we met on the third (American) floor and all was fine and dandy, but then I had to go back downstairs. I was top heavy, and not just because I was graced by being that way to begin with. My backpack was super heavy and with my legs being sore already I was scared of toppling down the stairs. Needless to say, I need to work out more and I need to gain a better tolerance if I'm going to commit to the Crushin' Russian.

MASH and other assorted candies

I wish I could go back to the days of Looney Tunes valentines and suckers and class parties in second grade. I wish I could go back to the days when it wasn't about love and whether you were single or in a relationship. I wish I could go back to the days when your parents were your valentine (thanks for being mine, Dad and Nikki). 

Yes, I know that it's a few days late, but I feel that it should be said. Valentine's Day is consumerism at its finest. Hallmark makes millions on the "holiday" that people either loath or love.  But really, there is nothing special about Valentine's that couldn't be celebrated any other day.  Men buy their ladies gifts and flowers and chocolate and take them on a usually expensive date while the single people have pity parties proclaiming they don't have someone special. 

I want to get back to the point where Valentine's Day is having a good time and celebrating life, whether you are married, dating, or single. Love is everywhere.  Everywhere. All you have to do is look close enough and realize it's not about getting chocolate and feeling lovey-dovey or depressed, it's about viewing this crazy life through the small window God gave us. And that is something to rejoice over. We all have valentines. And we are all loved. It's about moving past the physical love of this world and really looking for the heavenly love that we all have shining on us. 

I want to go back to the days of MASH. To the days of being silly and completely myself. And yet, I am back to those days; I never really left them. I have found them here, and at home, people that I can be myself with- in the craziest of times and in the most serious. And that is an incredible thing. I spent Valentine's opening a package from my parents, playing MASH to predict our futures, and going out to a wonderful dinner with my girls, and it was glorious in its simplicity. I was glowing with happiness. That is what Valentine's is all about: being with people you care about and just enjoying the fact that you get to live in a day utterly overflowing with love. It's something that I've realized recently. So don't sulk because there is no one romantic in your life; instead, feel grateful that we get to praise the greatest love everyday. I have been blessed with great friends wherever I go and to know that they care as much about me as I do about them. Now that is truly something to celebrate. 

(2) You know you're in Bulgaria when...

... people never move out of the way when you pass them on the sidewalk. You walk down the sidewalk and someone is coming toward you in the opposite direction and you are unwillingly called into a game of chicken. And I always lose, although I would just call it being polite. It's a little frustrating but hey, welcome to Blago. 

... you can't tell the difference between breaded fish, chicken, or cheese. Trust me, it's a guessing game 95 percent of the time. 

... you really learn a lot about the language by learning most of the alcoholic drinks in class. Of course, you don't actually learn about those in class though, if you know what I mean. 

... the buses are a better mode of transportation than trains. 

... you see an American film on television, but because of the terrible voice-overs you can't understand what's going on. You just stare and wonder why.

... (this just might be a special Kelsey case but...) people wink at me all the time. Doesn't matter the gender or if I'm at the supermarket or the club, somehow people get really twitchy with their eyes when they look at me. Awkward? It was until so many people did it that it has become a joke. 

... seeing name brands that you know like Lay's or Kitkat or Milky Way and saying to yourself "Yes, something I know!" only to try it and find it's a different taste than you thought. They've been mostly good turnouts.

Hodge Podge

It's been a week. Sorry folks. And it's kind of sad that not too much has happened. At least that is what I think, but since you are tuned in I might as well tell you about some of the mundane things that have happened in the past week. I do have a slight problem though, and this occurs when I journal as well, is that after a day and a half after the said day has occurred, I can't really remember what I did. So here is the best recollection I can give you.

Superbowl Sunday. That's right people, I was dedicated enough to stay up until 5 AM to watch the Superbowl. And it was great because my team won! Go Giants! I'm not actually a Giants fan but my friend Christian is and he needed some extra support amongst all the Patriot fans so I thought I would help out. It was really fun though, of course not as great as the real Superbowl Sunday you would have at home with pizza and wings and chips and candy. But still we tried to emulate the real experience and bought a 60 cm pizza and beer. It was a fun time and I was really thankful that I didn't have class until 12:30. Also, favorite commercial: Bud Light with the rescue dog fetching beer- awesome I tell you, awesome!  

The rest of the week: Monday was Monday. Tuesday was Piano Bar, like normal. That is so weird because Tuesdays are not normal drinking days for most people, but here everyday is a drinking day so what am I talking about. Wednesday wasn't anything special; I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, so not much to report on. I went to class and hung out with friends and ate a lot of food. Thursday was when the real fun began. My friend Sabine had entered into the AUBG Bowling Tournament so I went for support of course (we bought pre-game banitsa and pie-so healthy right?) and at the last minute I signed up thinking we would be on the same lane. We weren't. But I ended up bowling really well- a 92 and then 139, my highest score ever- and I was 11th out of all the bowlers. Can you believe that?! I went from hardly bowling a 48 three years ago to getting a 139. Dad, you would have been proud; my first 5 frames were either strikes or spares. It was crazy. But now I'm going to make a fool of myself because there is no way I'll ever bowl like that again, but it was great while it lasted! 

Friday was just ridiculous because I was going to Plovdiv with Mary and needed to go to bed and we couldn't get a movie to show and then we were kicked out of Skapto 1 because more than 5 people with alcohol is a party and though there was only one guy really drinking it was still a "party". It didn't feel like one. So the next day I rode 5 hours to get to Plovdiv and then walked around Old City and saw some really really beautiful things with Mary and a large, lovely group of girls from AUBG and we had a blast. The snow is so pretty despite the below freezing temperatures all day. We had Indian for dinner (nan=yum...) and then went back to the hostel because it was WAY too cold to do anything else and we had the greatest conversation about random talents and such. You know how a sleepover with girls is. We rode the bus back (bus systems here are way more efficient than trains) and had a chill day of making apple pie and reading the Tipping Point. I would recommend both to anyone. Now it's snowing non-stop and while I'm glad that Missouri has finally gotten some snow, please come here and take some back with you because I don't want it here anymore. It's beautiful, but a pain sometimes.

Sabine and I have decided to not plan anything. Because it never pans out. So why try, right? Nikki, you are probably mortified right now but it's so true, especially with me. Anyway, because it never does go as planned we just wing it and hope it turns out great. Prime example: me bowling and getting into the final. But time is a funny thing. And I'm probably not going to say anything that you haven't heard but I'm going to say it anyway. So, time is a fickle thing. Days seem long here and weeks short, and then a month goes by and you have settled into this new life. It just flows and rushes all at the same time. Time feels different here than at home and the reason to me is unknown. But it's kind of nice. Maybe it's because I'm 8 hours ahead of everyone and time is just this figment that rules our lives without us even knowing it, always having to make an appointment or running on a schedule or giving yourself a time limit on something. Hmmm...

Well now that I've taken 2 hours of your time, I will sign off.  Live honestly, lovingly, and excited to see new things. As the motto for this experience comes from the wisest animated movie I know-UP- Adventure is out there! So live it up people!

The Girl Code

Yes, we have one too.  I have come to realize, being here, how much I appreciate the girl code.  I wouldn't call it that at home for various other reasons but here it seems fitting.  It is a glorious thing and it makes being open and honest so much easier and it leads to knowing people deeper. And I have proof of this from the amazing friends that have been provided for me here in Blagoevgrad. I am truly lucky to have these wonderful ladies to talk to and hang out with. Whether it's shopping or cappuccinos or hours of conversations and TV shows, I am blessed to have this camaraderie in a place so foreign, even though I've been here for four weeks now. So nasdrave to my amazing friends Keegan, Sabine, Mary, and Esra, you are wonderful people and I am honored to know you. Let the good times roll my friends!

Mary and I in Munich. Day One.

Keegan and I enjoying kababs!

Typical Sabine-Kelsey behavior

Esra and I chillin' like villains

Olive Oil and Earwax

So it's been a pretty crazy week. Jesse's birthday party/ Piano Bar that led to a 2:30AM Tuesday, a dinner with the US Consul from Sofia on Wednesday, and my second and hopefully last doctor's visit. It all started a week ago...(cue the hazy screen and a fade into Saturday)...

I woke up last Saturday like it was any other day and I got ready to meet friends for lunch. I met up with them and noticed that I couldn't hear fully out of my right ear and it was really strange because I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. I had had a cold the past week but I was really congnisent of eating my oranges and drinking my juice in hopes that my immune system would kick in and nip this little cold's rendez-vous in the bud. So much to my surprise, I couldn't hear which just made everything that much more difficult. We has a really good weekend exploring Old Town (it's really beautiful) and vegging and watching TV shows and doing homework- but I couldn't knock this ear thing.

Monday morning I go to the health center on campus and talk to the doctor there who checks me out and says that he can't do anything. Immediately while we are still having a consultation he calls an ear, nose, and throat specialist to see if he could see me right then. I didn't think it was that serious but hey, I am not one to argue with a medicine man. So Hristiana was kind enough to walk me to the office and talk with them because she is native Bulgarian. So, the specialist looked in my ears and told me that I had an extreme build-up of earwax that was stopping the soundwaves from entering my eardrum. This was much to my dismay considering I had just cleaned my ears a few days earlier. The solution he gave me: olive oil. Put 7-8 drops in my ear and let it soak in for at least 30ish minutes for a week or so and then come back. Awesome. Not only did I need to get oil, but who was going to help me administer the drops?

I really appreciate Mary, who was the best, and put the drops in my ear. She is quite skilled too, considering all she had was the cap of the oil bottle. Talent- I think yes. So for the next three days Mary was kind enough to pour oil in my ear and I would proceed to take a nap because I had to keep my head tilted to keep the oil in to let it soak. So napping has been quite successful this week.

Disclaimer: this next part isn't super pleasant at parts, it's somewhat down right disgusting so I warned you. But please keep reading. 

The fateful day came and I walked to the doctor's office alone. It was easy to find after the first time and I didn't have to wait too long and the "operation" commenced. My shoulder was draped with a towel and he started by having me hold a basin to my neck under my right ear while he squirted warm water from a syringe into my ear in hopes that the wax would come out from the pressure of the water. After several failed attempts, he resorted to a suction tube that was about the size of the end of a shoestring. Well, after he stuck that deep into my ear I could hear everything. But that wasn't the end, oh no. The doctor then stuck a tube-ish thing in my ear and was picking around with this small tool. I felt like I was at the ear dentist; yep, recognize the suction tube and pick? He tried the syringe again and after a few times with that he put the basin down so I could see the (I'm sorry for the grossness of this) brown chunks that had been wedged in my ear. They were large. And I'll leave it at that. 

He finished with my left ear, although not as extensive as the right, I paid 30 leva, and was on my way. I felt like a brand new doll taken out of the box. My hearing, I don't think, has ever been this good. And I'm not sure if that is great or not; I went from hearing half of what people were saying to hearing every little noise magnified by a billion. Or so it feels, or should I say, hears? Bad joke, I know. 

Well, that is all for now. Hope you enjoyed my Bulgarian doctor's visit as much as I did. Nasdrave!

(1) You know you're in Bulgaria when...

 ...you don't seem to know how to open a door correctly. Push or pull, that is the question. 

 ...you go anywhere and order a coffee thinking you'll get a grande size and instead, receive a shot of espresso. 

...it snows 6-7 inches and the next day you still see girls wearing five inch high heels climbing through the mountains of snow or hobbling on sheets of ice. 

 ...you walk on the sidewalk only to be stopped by a car parked there. 

 
...banitsa is craved and tastes delicious any time of the day, especially after a really wild night of partying/ drinking (this is similar to the taco bell/Mexican runs made back in the States). 

 ...there is no Mexican or Chinese/Thai food to be found. Devastating I tell you, devastating! 

 ...food and hot drinks are served lukewarm. This is EVERYWHERE. Could be considered nice because then you can just dig in, but occasionally you just want that searing cup of coffee that burns your tongue, you know? 

 
 ...Tuesday nights are one of the big going out nights of the week (piano bar =drunk karaoke; awesomeness to its fullest.). Thirsty Thursday, I think not my friends. 

 ...you can go to a dinner with the US Consul from Sofia and it be completely "normal", especially when it's held in the cafe in the dormitory. 

 ...you walk to class and see the mountains or think about last night or what you plan to do for the next three remaining months of being here and think, "Dude, I'm in Bulgaria."