After training in Philadelphia for 2 days I boarded a bus to New York with my fellow Peace Corps volunteers. We are the 26th group to go to Bulgaria, hence the nickname ‘B – 26’. It took almost 25 total hours of buses, airports and planes, but we finally made it to our destination in Sofia, Bulgaria. When we landed I had absolutely no idea what to expect and was so exhausted I slept for the majority of the bus ride to our hotel. Those first few days were spent learning about our programs, taking language classes, and going over safety measures and precautions. The hotel was in a mountain range and the landscape was beautiful. We were able to run or hike every day and there was always a new trail to discover or different path to take.
The last day at the hotel we found out our Satellite groups. These groups consist of 4 – 6 people who live in the same village during Pre-Service Training (PST). We study the language and technical skills for 11 weeks before we are sent to live on our own. Our last night was celebrated with a dinner banquet. A Bulgarian dance group performed in traditional Folklore attire. When they were done the volunteers were able to join in. Bulgarian dancing is a very unexpected exercise that takes a lot of practice and patience. Eventually the only people left on the dance floor were the Bulgarians who were apparently in much better shape than us Americans.
I see you are wearing your favorite plaid shirt
ReplyDelete