| 3, August 2001: Updates... |
| Another Friday afternoon---I made it through another week!!! Today marked the last day of Model School, and Imust admit that my students made me cry about 5 times. They are so wonderful and sweet. The broughtme flowers and gifts, and made me promise not to forget them-as if I ever could! Today we had a huge ceremony with each class perfoming something different. There were poems, chants, skits and a few songs. Liz and i compbined our classes 8b and 10b and they sang "Leaving on a Jetplane" and they sounded so great. It was really neat---except that it is extremely hot here and the ceremony was outside. Other than that, we finished school really early-around 11 instead of 12:30-which means I had time to come write another journal. Things here have been interesting to say the least. Dan, one of the CED trainees has been going through some problems with the legal office back in DC and was sent to Sofia yesterday where he will fill out paperwork and then be sent back to the US. He will attempt an appeal with the legal office and if he wins he will be sent back here. I don't know the details but I do know that he has the support of Steve Taylor-the country director- and the rest of us. We are told the appeal process will last more than 3 months. I feel bad because it sounds like a simple misunderstanding-but then again-I don't know the details. All I know is that it is really hurting the moral of the group. People are dropping like flies, and now we are a group of 50. It's kind of sad. On to a happy note...my fate has been decided. The TEFL staff decided yesterday where each of us will be living for the next 2 years, and we will find out on Monday. I can't wait!!! As soon as I find out I will post it on the web site. It will be too difficult to email each person individually, so keep checking back! I'm currently working on my secondary project-even though I'm not even a volunteer yet. It is a web page for the Tracian tours, and I'm pretty ecited about it, even though it will keep me incredibly busy for the next 4 weeks! But then again, this is the reason why I'm here. The tour was incredible, and it's a shame that more people don't know about it. In a few years Bulgaria will be a major vacatoin spot, especially once they are admitted into the EU (which should happen by 2007). I'm glad to be a part of it. The man who runs the tours is wonderful-he has been the director of the history museum here in Panagyurishte for a long time, and you can see his passion for these tours to be set up. Besdies getting the information out there, they are looking for investors because one of the newly found sites in Starocel (found last year) needs new roads leading to it. The amount needed for everything to be done is approximately $250,000 so start writing me checks!!! (just kidding). I should head out now and grab some lunch, but I am still working on getting pictures up here! Please be patient!!! I love you and miss you all, please write to me!! Love, sarah |