Reflections on the Past Twenty-Three Years

As I have just turned the ripe age of twenty-three and am leaving for Bulgaria in one week, I have been reflecting upon my life often in the last couple of days. Although these reflections have been numerous, I will sum them up by saying that I am extremely blessed. My family and friends, both old and new, are more than I could have ever asked for. I have friends who would do anything for me, and I likewise, and that in itself is amazing. It has been a bit difficult to realize that those who mean so much to me will be physically absent in my life for the next couple of years but at the same time, I know that they will be in my life forever and that two years is nothing in the grand scheme of things. To conclude this little ramble, I just want to say thanks to everyone who has become a part of my life in the last twenty-three years. It has been absolutly amazing and we've had times which I will never forget.

-Currently Reading: More Bulgarian Language Lessons
-Currently Listening To: "Seven Swans" by Sufjan Stevens, "Under the Iron Sea" by Keane, and "It's Crazy" by Drag The River

Seventeen Days and Counting

I've returned in one piece from Europe now and am in the process of preparing for my departure to Bulgaria. Which basically means I'm running around Colorado trying to see everyone before I leave, purchase any necessary things, and learn the oh so hard language of Bulgarian (Take a look at the Cyrillic alphabet, it makes no sense.) The schedule at this point is that I'll be leaving the morning of the 3rd on a flight to Washington D.C. where I'll have orientation until the 7th. I will then take a flight to Sofia, via Frankfurt, and arrive at the mountain town of Panichishte until the 11th. Finally, on the 11th I will move in with my host family for two months of intensive language, business, and cultural training. At this point it is hard for me to fathom that in just over two weeks I'll be living in an entirely different culture for the next 27 months. Nonetheless, I am extremely excited for the opportunity.

-Currently Reading: Bulgarian Language Lessons
-Currently Listening to: Ghost Buffalo - S/T

BULGARIA!

I have finally found out that I will be serving as a community development volunteer in the country of Bulgaria. I will be leaving on the 4th of August for Virginia where I will spend three days of traning before heading off to Bulgaria. For the first two and a half months I will be living with a host family about 90 miles outside of the capital, Sophia, learning Bulgarian as well as other aspects of Bulgarian life. The hard part at this point is that I have so much to do in so little time, yet I'm in the middle of my backpacking trip around Europe which makes it quite hard to apply for a Peace Corps passport and Bulgarian visa. Nonetheless, I'm extremely excited and can't wait to leave. Cheers!

-Currently Reading: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
-Currently Listening to: "The Animal Years" by Josh Ritter and "Pink Moon" by Nick Drake