Bye to Bratsigovo

Leaving is bitter-sweet. It is time to move on to other things, yet at the same time I feel as though a good friend has died. I've had a busy last week. We had a German consultant in town helping us with the new information center we just opened. The volunteer who will replace me was also in town for a few days to see where he will be living for the next 2 years. I did a lot of translating and guiding them around the municipality.

This blog was created with the specific purpose of relaying my Peace Corps experience to interested readers. As my Peace Corps service in Bratsigovo has ended, so will this blog. I will end with a list of things I will miss about Bratsigovo.


- The view of the mountains out the window from my apartment.

- Being invited to a friends house for dinner where everything is homemade and homegrown from the meat, eggs, vegtables, and alcohol.

- Taking walks through this small cobble stone road town.

- Living in a place where everyone knows my name.

- The sound of horse hoofs clacking outside my window.

- Visiting the orphanages, teaching the children how to cook, play football (American football), and goofing around with them.

- Going to Tiffani's after dinner and having a drink with Chicho colo, the bar owner.

- Meeting with friends after Tiffani's at a tavern, drinking rakiya, smoking cigars, and joking around.

- Traveling Bulgaria and discovering new places.

- Paying $7 a month for someone to do my laundry for me.

- I'll miss gorchitsa, mayonaisa, ketchup, smily, nyamachka, mexikanets, kruf, and all the other people I gave nicknames to.