Minute By Minute, That’s How You Win It

If you have yet to figure it out readers, each post title is a line of lyrics from a song that I find personally helpful or necessary for my trip here and my blog. If any of you ever want to know more about the songs or what they are feel free to let me know! I know I have comments to answer and I am sorry I have yet to do that but I will get on it!

Ladies and gentlemen I can tell you that there is no better hopeful feeling than realizing you are dancing a Bulgarian dance that you have never learned, it is a circle dance and you are holding a Bulgarian woman’s hand to your right and a Pakistani mans hand to your left-laughing, cheering, and stumbling through. For a cultural sociologist this is a moment that you hope for all your life, and at 23 I have been lucky enough to have this experience. We had our goodnight dinner for the first week FISI attendees, and the dancing was fantastic. We were so free and the nationalities that could barely communicate on the dance floor were still managing the YMCA together and cheering each other on. If every head of state, or country leader had this experience I swear that world peace would be possible. 

Jake lead that dance!

And turn around!

After that on Saturday we went to the Saeve Dupka Cave and the Troyan Monastery. The cave was gorgeous, if you have seem “Tom and Huck” from the 90’s with Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Bred Renfro- the cave looked like the one in that film! We really enjoyed exploring, stumbling around, and testing the acoustics. Sam wore his “foot shoes” which Rebecca said in response to his declaration of love for them: ‘you are wearing foot shoes, you have no rights.” Of course she was kidding, but it is great the fun remarks that have occurred! It seems like every minute there is a fun joke that occurs, or we exchange an interesting story. 

Then we went to the monastery which to say was breathtaking would be an understatement. The line to touch the icon was out the door, and the inside was a gorgeous blue and clearly hundreds of years old. George, one of the Fulbright Professors heading to teach near Sofia, told us about how the Greek Orthodox services work and the differences between America and Europe. It was great to not only get to explore a gorgeous monastery but also gain fun facts.

After the monastery there was a type of market/carnival taking place in the street leading to the monastery. Alex bought some Turkish Delight, which I have never tried and I was grateful he offered me a piece. Readers the orange kind is delicious!! I suggest trying it! This Bulgarian couple saw K.C. taking pictures of the fruit and wanted their picture taken, which was a wonderful cultural exchange. There was also a monkey that people could take pictures with so of course I could not resist- it was an adorable monkey! The trip lasted most of the day and we were exhausted when we got back but none of us I think cared very much.

He ended up driving the car

I think we all needed that day out though, we have been kind of sequestered her at the resort. Which is a beautiful place and we are very lucky to be hosted here. But being out in the culture, in a colorful market, around the population, visiting national treasures really did us all some good. For me, being in the culture itself helped cure my homesickness! It helped us get out and just relax while learning first hand about our new home.

Which reminds me, FUN FACT TIME!!! I am a huge Mark Twain fan, and in googling Tom and Huck last night because of the caves, I found out that there is a new version of Tom and Huck coming out in October 2013, with Jake T. Austin from Wizards of Waverly Place starring. Why is this a fun fact you ask? As you stare at your screen, thinking, “such an odd woman.” WELL it was filmed in Bulgaria last August! How fun is that? I have to wonder if they will have even a small premiere here to give back some more to the country.

Today I was able to sleep in, then hit the sauna which helped me de-stress. It was nice to just relax and feel the calm now that I have adjusted to being here. Then I got to have a lot of fun with everyone here making plans for Transylvania at Halloween, and where I should go for Christmas. George organized a trip to see Elysium at the local movie theatre. It was wonderful to go and work on communicating with a non-English speaking movie theatre worker, and try to use our Bulgarian. The movie was fantastic, I definitely recommend going! I just thought of 6^th grade Latin, and my graduate course on Immigration the whole time. With some Existentialism fit in of course ;) A local woman helped us figure out how to buy our tickets and took our photo!

At dinner we arrived in time to find K.C. watching these kids that are in our group- Ben and Annabet. Adorable children who decided we all needed “spa treatments” with their sandals! So I got my hair brushed with a sandal, then they picked out ice cream for us to have for dessert and Annabet sat in my lap “helping” me eat it. It was adorable readers, she would just look up at me, and this innocent 5 year old would say “kisses!!!” and then kiss my nose, or cheek. Then when I wasn’t holding her on my lap with both hands I would feel her tiny fingers find mine and pull me closer so she felt safe. It makes me even more excited for when my sister has children. I love kids, and getting to watch these two was very fun. They tell you that you will learn a lot about yourself when doing Fulbright, but no one told me I would learn a lot about myself while a 5 year old brushed my hair with a fork, Little Mermaid style. 

I also got to skype call with my mom, sister, and Nunny. My Nunny is the most amazing woman in the world. If I could be 1/20^th of the person she is when I am her age (if I make it to 92!) I would feel complete. She is overly loving, and she supports everything I do. I told her about traveling around and no matter what I do she just tells me she is proud and supports me. It was great to see her smiling face again as a year away from it permanently, would be heartbreaking for me. 

It has been a great weekend. Just hanging out, getting to bond even more and make plans together. The other people here are very accepting of my illness, of my staunch equality focus, and of how easily I laugh at myself. It is fantastic to be around people who have the same mission you do, but recognize that we are all getting to the same result a different way and that is ok. Bonding with these people over the last week has been the experience of a lifetime, and if they ever read this I hope they know how they have added to my personhood, and my respect for life. 

Tonight’s song is “Seize the Day” from Newsies on Broadway. Newsies is my favorite movie and the soundtrack got me through the tough parts of life. The Broadway musical has only increased my passion for it, as well as added a new generation of activists to New York! 

"DAVEY
Now is the time to seize the day
Stare down the odds and seize the day
Minute by minute that's how you win it
We will find a way
But let us seize the day
Courage cannot erase our fear
Courage is when we face our fear
Tell those with power safe in their tower
We will not obey!
DAVEY & JACK
Behold the brave battalion that stands side by side
Too few in number and too proud to hide
Then say to the others who did not follow through
You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
DAVEY, JACK, and CRUTCHIE
Now is the time to seize the day
Stare down the odds and seize the day
NEWSIES
Once we've begun
If we stand as one
Someday becomes somehow
And a prayer becomes a vow"

Read more: Newsies-Original Broadway Cast - Seize The Day Lyrics | MetroLyrics