busy bee gives thanks

so this is going to have to be short and sweet. i haven't blogged for a while, because there is not much to report. lately, the days have been kind of blending, with a few mild peaks and some serious lows. plus, i always write about my crappy days or feelings of doubt, and i'm over complaining via my blog all the time. (i've probably said that very same thing before, but i really mean it this time-- hence the lack of blogs).

today is of course thanksgiving. many people asked if i missed the fam and/or the states. well, the answer to that is quite simply, yes of course.... every day, now that you mention it! however, thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. in fact, it ranks quite low on the list. maybe even dead last. it's a nice tradition and all, but we don't have a huge family get-together and i'm not exactly partial to the majority of food served. in any event, i do like the meaning behind the holiday, which of course is being thankful. i taught a lesson about thanksgiving to my students. we drew those little "hand turkeys," like the ones you make in primary school, and i had the students write four things they were thankful for. so, i suppose it's only fair that i list four things i'm thankful for:

1. being an American. i've always been rather patriotic, but as of late, my feelings have strongly intensified. my travel experience is still very limited, but i really do love my country. it is truly the land of opportunities, ideas, and well... convenience! boy do i miss the days where if i needed something, i could pop into the local wal-mart and buy it!
2. family and friends. as cliche as it may be, i truly could not have made it this far into my peace corps service without their love and support. of course i have my fellow volunteers, and enjoy spending time with and talking to them... but sometimes you need your mommy and daddy. or your best friend who can always finish your sentence.
3. the fact that this experience has given me the time to think about something i have ignored with a fair amount of success back home: God. i still haven't found the discipline to read the bible as much as i would like... but i have been reading other christian literature and found it quite interesting (for lack of a better word). and comforting at times. my favorite verse i've read is: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (James 1:2-3). I especially love this verse because i feel like "faith" can mean so much more than religious faith... it can be faith in yourself, faith in other people, etc.
4. the INTERNET. i really can't imagine life without it. whether it's silly little messages between my friends and i on facebook, talking on Skype, finding lesson plans when my brain is out of creative ideas, or downloading new movies and music when i just need to relax... my computer is my world! props to Al Gore for inventing the internet (haha!). but seriously, i love modern technology.

this was a bit longer than i planned. what can i say... when i start talking, it's hard to stop me. but now it's getting beyond late and there's STILL work to be done. i hope everyone had a lovely thanksgiving and remembers to be thankful for the many things we so often take for granted :)

shenanigans

today started out like any other day. i finally started bulgarian lessons again, and boy am i off my game! but it's no biggie, i will get back to the flow of things soon. then i had my mini-lesson with one of the students (see picture), helping him prepare for TOEFL (an exam like the SAT, specifically for kids who speak english as a 2nd language). finally, i had my regular ninth grade classes. the first went quite well, and miraculously enough the kids have actually gotten better... opposed to worse, as much of the other classes have.

oh but the second 9th grade class.... sheer madness. we began the lesson in typical fashion with me yelling over all the students, instructing them to listen, walking around and opening their books for them, since apparently they are without function in their arms/hands... and the lesson continued. but suddenly, 20 minutes into class, the students declare that they are "on strike" because it is too cold.

say what?

i don't know what the heating policy is as far as the school building goes.... it probably has to be below freezing (and that's no joke), but as a southerner not quite used to the cold, i assure you, it was not that bad. anyhow, i just kind of sat there as they started to pack up their books, even though we were clearly not finished. i mean, what's a girl to do? well, i just talked with the few students who actually wanted to finish the activity and tried to ignore the loud, swirling chaos that surrounded me..

take the good with the bad

just a quick note, because i don't feel much like writing today. in fact, i don't feel like doing much of anything. all i want to do is sleep. i don't know where this sudden lack of motivation came from, but it's been lingering for over a week now. i thought the trip to veliko turnovo for halloween would turn things around, and while i did have fun... i was only that much more disappointed to return home.

one small silver lining... the boy in my class who i can't stand... in fact, i think god's sole reason for putting him on this earth was to test me and make me want to throw myself off the balcony... actually participated in class today! it was a brief participation and then he went back to annoying me (making noises, not working, and distracting other students). BUT, he at least volunteered to read from the text. a first!

then of course, obama was elected president. wahoo? literally every other volunteer here is liberal... although i think some of them don't really know what they believe, it's just so darn hip to go for obama these days... the point being, it just makes me really homesick. and i am about to delete my facebook profile, i swear. i'm sooo tired of everyone's holier than thou attitude.... calling conservatives "bitter" and "sore losers." i mean, really... would they be ready to rally around McCain, and even more importantly, Palin?? me thinks not. but enough about that, it's over.

sooo close to london i can almost taste it!