Свински Грип

Given it snowed most of the day yesterday, I wasn’t too surprised to learn today that school was going to be closed. What was surprising was that the announcement came after we had taught all of our classes and returned home for the day. And school wasn’t being closed because of the weather. Instead, school was shutting down for a week because of the Свински Грип (“Svinski Grip” a/k/a Swine Flu). I wish I could say this news disappointed me, but I felt just like I did when I was a kid and I learned school was closed – I was ecstatic. I was even happier to learn that we wouldn’t have to make up the time during the summer. Noting my general disobedience and love of simple things – such as dogs and ice cream – a friend here recently called me the world’s oldest three year old. Maybe he’s right, but I’m not sure it’s such a bad thing.

This is our classroom. It will remain empty until next week thanks to the Свински Грип.

How's the weather?

People unfamiliar with Bulgaria frequently ask me what the weather is like here. As I noted in previous posts, Bulgaria has four distinct seasons – winter, spring, summer, and fall. The weather here is classified as "Continental." This means the summers are typically mild, while the winters are cold and snowy. In general, the weather here is not as extreme as it is in places like Wisconsin. By way of example, it reached a high of 78 degrees and a low of 57 degrees on July 4th this year in Sofia. This past Christmas, the temperature in Sofia ranged from a low of 19 degrees to a high of 30 degrees. Today, it’s been snowing almost all day. Much of it is melting, but, as you can see from the photos, some of it is sticking. And I'm freezing.

I miss the garden already. It could be a long six months.


And what happened to all the red-tiled roofs?

My Town

It’s difficult to believe, but we have been at our permanent sites for three months. During that time, we were essentially under “house arrest,” inasmuch as we were only permitted one overnight per month away from site. I’ve been itching to get out and explore Bulgaria, and I won’t take my newfound freedom for granted. But for now, I wanted to share some photos from my town (Peace Corps’ regulations prevent me from disclosing the name of my town, hence the reason I call it as such).

As you may recall, I’m living in a small town located less than 30 kilometers from Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. The town has a rich and proud history – among other things, it was the site of a crucial battle in the Serbo-Bulgarian War ultimately won by Bulgaria – but is generally the type of place that people don’t go out of their way to visit. It’s a place where people live and work, not a place which draws tourists. It’s neither an aesthetically pleasing nor hideously ugly town, but it’s a pleasant enough place to live.

Unlike in Boychinovtsi, few people here get around via horse cart or donkey cart, but there are some who do. We also have a nightly parade of goats and sheep. This is a shot of a local man riding in a horse cart next to the town church.


A few shots of the town center.




Some shots of the town from a nearby hill on the outskirts of town.





A recent shot of the Sunday market.


Many Bulgarians live in old communist block apartments. This one, farm implements and hanging laundry included, is fairly typical.


Almost every Bulgarian town I have visited has several abandoned buildings. This is part of a large complex of abandoned buildings in my town.


I'm not entirely sure what this building is, but it's not unusual to find abandoned buildings such as this.


Nor is this an atypical scene.

Recipe #5: Мусака (Moussaka)

Given Bulgaria borders Greece and Turkey, perhaps it should come as no surprise that мусака (moussaka) is both a traditional and popular Bulgarian dish. The Bulgarian recipe differs significantly from the Greek one, and is one of my favorite Bulgarian meals. Consisting largely of meat and potatoes, what’s not to love?

½ kilogram кайма (mincemeat half pork and half beef)
1 onion – finely diced
1 kilogram potatoes – peeled and diced
2 tomatoes – diced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley – chopped
3 eggs
1 cup кисело мляко (yogurt)
2 tablespoons flour
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown meat and onions in a frying pan. Combine meat and onions with potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, and salt and pepper (try substituting Old Bay seasoning for even more flavor) in large bowl and stir together. Transfer contents from bowl to large baking dish. Bake uncovered 60 minutes or until potatoes begin to soften. Whisk together eggs, yogurt, and flour, and pour evenly over casserole after potatoes have started to soften. Continue baking until top browns and potatoes are soft.

A pan of Bulgarian moussaka.

Recipe #4: Кюфтета (Kyuftetta)

Кюфтета (Kyuftetta) is a traditional Bulgarian dish served year round. Кюфтета are basically small, flattened meatballs which can be either grilled or fried. I’ve taken some liberties with this recipe but, in all honesty, I’ve eaten my share of кюфтета since I’ve been here and, when it comes to fried кюфтета, I like mine the best.

½ kilogram of кайма (mincemeat - pork and beef)
1 bell pepper – seeded and finely diced
1 onion – finely diced
2 cloves garlic – finely diced
½ cup crushed Corn Flakes
1 egg
1 tablespoon fresh parsley – chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and form into small patties. Fry, in a small amount of sunflower oil, or grill until done.

Getting Cultured

This evening I did something which I rarely do, but which I always enjoy. I went to listen to some classical music. More specifically, I went to hear the Armenian General Benevolent Union Sofia Chamber Orchestra perform with the Vasil Spasov Jazz Trio. Of course, I don’t have a musical bone in my body. Moreover, it’s difficult for me to pretend being cultured, and I find the pretentiousness that inevitably accompanies any performance of classical music rather amusing. But as I was sitting and enjoying the show, two thoughts jumped into my mind which I couldn’t shake. First and foremost, I thought how pleasing to the ear well played classical music is. I dare say it is the best of all music, and it will be a real shame if we ever lose it. Second, I couldn’t help but thinking about New Orleans and how much I love its smoke-filled jazz bars. A smirk filled my face as I lost myself in thoughts of fresh seafood, beignets, and hurricanes (the drink not the weather system). All thanks to the Armenian General Benevolent Union Sofia Chamber Orchestra.

Here’s a short clip from one of the songs.

довиждане лято, здравей есен

Like much of the US, Bulgaria is a place of four seasons. Unless I unexpectedly return home early or extend my stay, I’ll be in Bulgaria for eight full seasons and parts of two others. It’s difficult to believe, but two of those seasons have already come and gone. We arrived just in time to see spring (пролет) usher in summer (лято), and summer has now given way to fall (есен).

Having roots in Wisconsin, early fall conjures up images of crisp air, colorful leaves, apple orchards, migratory birds heading south, and, of course, football. As the days grow shorter, folks reluctantly bring in their docks and store their boats for the winter. Lawnmowers are replaced by snowblowers. And the sights and sounds of children playing outside until dark become but a memory. For many families, summer is largely a time of leisure, and fall offers one last chance to play in the sun.

Conversely, summer is the busy season in Bulgaria. Gardens are tended to and cellars are stocked. And fall in Bulgaria means not a final chance to play in the fading summer sun, but rather a final opportunity to prepare for winter (зима). More fruits and vegetables are jarred, and charcoal is delivered, chopped, and stored. As in the states, the air becomes crisp, birds head south, and it’s apple-picking time. Soon, I hope, the leaves will begin changing. But there will be no football, at least there won’t be any Американски футьол (American football). Still, this is a great time to be in Bulgaria.

This has become an increasingly common sight in my town. Large piles of charcoal are being delivered in anticipation of winter.


We have three different apple trees in our yard. I have been picking an apple or two every day after school. It almost makes up for the lack of football.



I have no idea what varieties of apples we have, but the big red ones are tart yet sweet, very crisp, and very juicy. Almost like a honeycrisp. I'll just call them Bulgarian Delicious.