days turn into nights... nights into days

so i'm sorry to report that there is nothing to report! i am officially home and officially settled in.
- get car insurance again: check
- get new phone plan: check
- talk to friends and tell them the story: check
- accept multiple wedding invites (*sigh*): check
- get job: check
- finish australia visa application: ongoing

i am back in the states and totally at peace with it. i thought i would go through a fairly lengthy period of bulgaria withdrawals and nostalgia, but it's safe to say it was more or less a passing thought and i'm over it. i do miss my friends terribly, though. but i know i will see them again. thanks to modern technology and applications like facebook, myspace, and skype, it's so easy to keep in touch with people. plus, when the volunteers return from bulgaria (around the same time i will be returning from australia) i will have connections across the country!!

i've also been keeping in touch with several of my students on skype. some of those kids truly amaze me with their skills. just the SPEED at which they can type... never mind the outstanding accuracy... is mind-blowing. i hope they continue to seriously study english throughout high school. they have such potential!! i do miss those students... the motivated ones who were sweet, behaved, and made my job fun from time to time.

so to clarify, in case i haven't yet already, my thoughts are as follows: bulgaria the country, or as a whole - whatevs. the people in bulgaria that i formed relationships with - cherish, love, and miss them bunches!

anyhow, i'm working at my dad's office right now. it's a pretty sweet gig honestly. i just answer phones and do some secretarial work (filing, faxing, etc). everyone at the office is nice, and it's a really laid-back atmosphere. right now i'm eating chips and salsa that someone brought back from lunch and listening to a cool new broadband radio station i found through iTunes. not too shabby. later today i'm going to stop by Outback, the restaurant i used to work at, and talk to my old boss. i just want to pick up some weekend shifts maybe and make a little extra money. he's a good guy and always treated me well, so i'm sure it will work out just fine.

life is a little slow perhaps, but very pleasant. my mom and i have been getting along, which is nice. we had one small argument but it was quickly resolved, and i'm happy to report that it's been mostly smooth sailing. OH, i can't believe i didn't mention it before!! i'm officially a master chef!!! i've been wanting to start learning how to cook for a minute. this might sound silly, but i want to be fairly "domestic" when i get married one day. i don't want everything to be fast food or frozen food. plus, i actually really enjoy cooking. it's very therapeutic.... chopping, measuring, stirring....

so i've made mexican lasagna (success), a tomato basil pasta dish with a spring salad (mild success), and a fabulous seared tuna with a mango salsa. the presentation alone was adorable, i can't even lie. my mom even took a picture of it. maybe i can post the pic somehow... we shall see.

lastly, on the australia front, i will hopefully be mailing my forms in tomorrow. i just have to get my boss to fill out my recommendation form today and then pick up my college transcripts real quick. done and done! i even printed everything out for lindsey. loves her... but she needs a little push. or maybe a big one. i'll keep ya'll posted on the process and my estimated departure day.

there's not much to blog about in the states, but i'm thinking maybe i'll pick it back up when i arrive in the land down under.

all for now.
xo