Article on Expulsion of Roma from France.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/world/europe/20france.html

Day trip to Sofia

Trip to the aqua park in Blagoevgrad

Goran from Macedonia and I

The weather here has been horribly hot around 100 and a trip to the aqua park is a must in this situation. =) So on Friday a group of us, caught a taxi and for around 2 leva made it to the water park. The entrance fee was 5 leva and I was very surprised at how nice it was. There was techno music playing pretty much the whole time, and a couple slides to go on. Unfortunately because of my hand I got to just stand in the pool keeping my left hand in the air. I'm sure I looked funny. Hopefully before the weather turns bad again I'll be able to visit.

 As I'm visiting water parks, eating out in cafes and living in a pretty nice dorm with 24 hour security. I can’t help but think about the other side of Bulgaria. For example today in Sofia I was talking to a Bulgarian who is the head of a certain sports federation (without going into detail) the stories of the corruption, and shooting in Sofia reinforced what I had read about before coming. He was telling me how the EU gives money to Bulgaria for integration of the Roma population, but that the money is just taken by the officials. I know the EU is poring money into Bulgaria, all around there’s signs with the EU logo and saying things like "funded by EU" such as road construction. But as your sitting and eating gelato across the way from Cartier, Swarovski and there’s a BMW parked in front of where your sitting its pretty easy to forget about the other side of Bulgaria. On the other hand all of the animals on the streets, the children asking for money, and all the little old ladies trying to sell you flowers to subsidize their state pensions bring you to the reality of Bulgaria. To say the least Bulgaria is in a sticky situation where a lot of the educated are going abroad to actually make a living, corruption is high, and the standards of this country are not up to the EU. As a tourist I think this place would be great to go, but living here I’m beginning to understand what’s under the mask.

Long Flight Chicago-Munich

German butter-cheese sandwich and beer. =)

In Blagoevgrad

In Bulgaria and already a visit to the notorious Bulgarian hospital

Coming to Bulgaria, and exploring the city I'd thought if I was to go to the hospital for anything it would be for either getting hit by a car due to lack of crosswalks, and crazy drivers or being bit by a wild dog. But no, instead I manage to cut my hand with a knife. It happened all very fast, but as soon as I cut it blood was everywhere and I rushed down stairs with a fellow student and went to the directors office, it just kept gushing blood and he wrapped a towel abound it and I was told a ambulance was coming. But then right after that he said it would be faster to drive me, so a short 3 minuet drive (the blood had already gone through the towel) we arrived at the hospital and was rushed into a room where nurses in flip flops and a doctor looked at my hand and started to give me stitches. I've never had stitches and the sensations of having string go through your skin, minus pain killers is something. I think I took it pretty well! I got a TB shot, and without even cleaning up the blood that was all over my arm I was sent on my way...! I'm not going to go into comparing hospitals to the one I went to here in Bulgaria, but it's definitely an experience I'll always remember. I'm now on antibiotics and my hand is a shade of green soon to turn blue.

At the airport on the way to Europa!!

My first flight from Scotland to Tunisia-1989

Bulgarian visa in hand, I'm ready to go!

Wow, what a week it has been! I was suppose to leave on Tuesday, however as fate would have it the Bulgarian Embassy called me last Wednesday to say my visa was ready and I needed to send my passport ASAP, so I sent it the fastest mail possible and my passport arrived Friday. I had called and the Bulgarian Embassy said they would send it when they got it ASAP, and if they had sent my passport back on Friday it would have been here on Monday, just in time for my flight but no. So without my passport I called Lufthansa to rebook my flight. Thinking it would cost max 150, I was a little upset but when I called and was told it would cost $2,000 to rebook my ticket for Thursday! I was then told I should cancel my ticket I'd bought 2 months ago for a fee of $250 and buy a new ticket 3 days before I wanted to leave...ughhhhh! One of the worst night ever. So I canceled my ticket and after looking at ticket to both London (where I had planned a 5 day holiday) and Sofia, I decided to just get a ticket straight to Sofia because with the time difference I would have only had Saturday in London and would have had to leave on a 9am flight to Sofia Sunday.
So now I'm stuck with a nonrefundable round trip London-Sofia ticket. On the small bright side, the Sofia-London ticket is for my Spring break, and I would just have to buy a one way ticket back to Sofia if I do end up going to England and Scotland like I'm planning for my Spring Break.

I'm a little heartbroken between of all the money I've lost because I did not receive my visa in time, plus the fact I'd been looking forward to going to London! =(

Now I'm set to leave Friday 11am from Seattle to Chicago to Munich to Sofia. I only have a 45 minuet connection time in Munich so if my Chicago-Munich flight is late there's a chance I might be stuck in Munich for a few hours, which I'd be ok with, since my Rotary host sister Annika will be in Munich for the day! =)

When I arrive in Sofia one of two this will happen: I get in at 3:50, and will make my way to a hostel with 2 bags, a carry on, a backpack and a purse and will get over my jet lag while I wait for the following day when a fellow American will be getting into Sofia and we will both be taking a taxi AUBG had arranged. My favorite part was the email confirming this
was the fact the lady arranging the taxi wrote that: the taxi driver is "very reliable, who doesn't speak much English." I'm glad he's reliable! ^^
The second scenario would be that AUBG could arrange a pick up on Saturday from the airport and I could check into the dorms Saturday night, but I'm not sure that will happen!

Anyways, even though I've had to deal with a lot the last couple days I'll be getting on a plane Friday to Europe! On the sad side for some reason my visa is only good for a 180 days, when I had asked for it to be good for 365 days, since I'm going for the whole year and all...! So I guess I'll have to figure THAT out when I get there!


Malea

Rick-Steves Surprising Bulgaria

On a brighter note...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2969914779368959680#

BBC Bulgarias Abandoned Children

An hour and 28 minuets of horror..a must watch. Really gives you an understanding of the conditions of the orphanages in Bulgaria.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=944239315372248151&ei=QQcPTPv0HJ2KqAOQ1e3tAw&q=Bulgaria%E2%80%99s+Abandoned+Children+&view=3##

Bulgarian Embassy Washington DC

My friend Andrew and I....we first met in Germany on Rotary Exhange and have met up in DC and Philadelphia over the years.

Washington DC Bulgarian Embassy