Ok Lack of Internet- Sorry

So a lot has happened since my site visit. I swore in! I am officially a volunteer. I have a pin of my own. The build up of anticpation, excitement, nervousness was all too familiar and was something I had been looking forward to for a very long time. On July 24th, 2009 around 10:30-11:00, 62 trainees became volunteers. After a small reception and a few interviews with radio and television crews it was time to pack up and leave. Most of the newly sworn in volunteers had opted to stay the night with their respected host families. However another volunteer and I had other plans. Due to the remotness and lack of consistent weekend travel we had to depart for our new homes literally 1 hour after the receiption. We had a 1:30 bus to catch. First I had to go to the first VAC meeting (Volunteer Advisory Committee) and introduce myself and promptly leave. We had a 2 hour bus ride to Sofia. Caught a mini shuttle and then walked to the South Station of Sofia. We had a 5 pm bus to take us to what is considered relatively close to our sites. ( I was still a good 40 minutes away) I arrived to the bus station around 9pm and had my Mayor and collegue waiting to pick me up. I arrived into my apartment around 10pm. Speaking of which this road goes through a gorge ...and the road is so narrow...once I get better internet I'll post a picture.

My town is about 600 people and in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains. I'm about 15km from the boarder of Greece and pretty far out in terms of other places. The village is at the top of a mountain valley tucked away. Every morning I see clouds/fog that even the best pictures don't do justice. Every night the sky is so clear that I've counted 26 shooting stars in a span of about an hour and a half. The town is translated (literally) "Strawberries" and that is because of the wild strawberries that grow in the forests. There is also word of a few ancient Roman soidler burial sites. Which I may have stumbled on. I am going to have a man from the town come and find out if this is indeed what I have found.

Then the next couple of days were filled with more awkwardness, you know those long pauses filled with charades and "what are you doing here?" questions. After about a week, it was aparent that I thought I had learned enough Bulgarian to get me around and was sort of at a loss of words. I couldn't figure out what they were saying...why? Well. The Rhodopian dialect is only spoken in the Rhodopes so I'm essentially learning all over again. It's pretty amazing.

Lots of work ahead. I have begun to get to know the area by hiking almost every eco trail and making maps/notes of what certain things could be used for at a later date. There are 2 cave systems very close to my town and they are gorgeous! I have begun translating and getting to know "who's who" in the community. Once that has happend people put aside that they don't understand me and put me to work. I already had my first English class and have continued to set up more...for the principal. Then I will be working closely with the lady that runs the cultural center for our town holiday which is September 6th. In which on September 6th representatives from a town in Serbia with the same exact name are coming. I think they want to set up a sister/twin city...which is exactly what I wanted to do for the tourism development side of things. So there could be a possibility that I'll be traveling there shortly.

I think that's a good month update. I'll fill this in later.