4 days in Sofia

This is my first post in Bulgaria, on the Black Sea. I had to wait. I had to make sure that this wasn't just some huge complaint-fest. Rochester airport was tough. Did you know that if your luggage is overweight there is no such thing as paying more. At 80lbs the airline refused to take it all. That was my only bag and for 10 months worth of stuff, I thought that was pretty good. But I had to purchase a second bag and then pay extra bag fee. Just to get on the plane was $120.00, having already paid for a ticket. But thus is not a complaint because although the purchased bag was then left in London and leaving me without clothes for 3 days, I can laugh about the whole thing and just warn you all would-be travelers.

And when traveling internationally, there is no such thing as a layover. Anything under 4 hours is just a small respite. Anything under 2 is a mad full-on sprint to the next flight. So was the case in NYC and London. In New York I could have gotten a 10 minute manicure. In London I could have had a really great looking sushi and sake to ease my nerves. But no. The first night, Sunday, Bulgaria was on holiday and I stayed in a hotel. I was so tired so I watched FoxCrime on television. This is a network which only shows all of America's horrible crime dramas. So every kind of Law&Order, CSI, and Criminal Minds. It is all dubbed in Bulgarian but you don't really need to understand murder, rape and pillaging. These things transcend language.

Monday, I met Anton, the Center's manager and he took me around. My apartment that I share with Veneta, who I will meet shortly, is lovely. I have a balcony in my bedroom and the kitchen is much nicer/ bigger than the one on Morrison. No one speaks English. I was misled! And not that I am that obnoxious American but man, all the words are in Cyrillic. Going to the market I could only buy bread and strawberry jam. I couldn't figure out butter. I was too tired for anything else. But... FANTA LEMON!!!! I am back in a world where there is such a tart citrusy carbonated beverage. It is really pathetic but when I am in Europe, I could drink that everyday. I don't need booze, although I should be drunk all the time just to cope. I love Fanta Lemon and everyday since my first day here, I have had it at the end of a hard day, as if it were scotch or vodka or cold red wine- I love these things as well and will soon turn to them I'm sure.

I got Internet today, which is the real reason I am writing just now. My apartment connection was spotty and so I wanted to get the USB Modem for the laptop and the micro sim for the iPad. I did it all by myself. I went to the City Center and signed a lenient contract with GloBul. I had lunch at a cafe and I bought folders. It was a productive day personally, if not professionally. I didn't read one article or take notes on anything related to emporia, although... I might count days of shopping, in which I have socioeconomic interactions at the stores with ethnicities other than my own as research. I now have to figure out the oven, trolley system, how to get benadryl etc etc etc. Pictures to come very soon.