Did someone say globalization?

This happened a few weeks ago now and I kept forgetting to put it down on "paper". One evening, I decided to stop at McDonald's for a quick bite (I didn't have much time and wanted to sit somewhere warm on my way to the theatre). I got my Big Mac and sat down at a corner table. A few minutes into my burger, I overheard a conversation about the environment, the effects of global warming, and the negative impact of globalization. I turned around and saw five old men (over 70) sitting at the table next to mine. I was surprised at first. What were five retirees--who generally don't have money to spend on McDonald's food--doing here? Then I noticed that they didn't have anything on the table in front of them. They had simply found a warm place to sit and debate the current state (or perhaps deterioration) of the environment and to highlight the negative effects of globalization. On the one hand, it was very refreshing to see people engaged in such a discussion. On the other, it struck me as interesting (and also paradoxical) that the place they had chosen for their discussion was McDonald's--a symbol of globalization.

Now I know that I am reading too much into this situation, but just found it interesting. It was as though these men were sitting at the corner pub, but the pub had turned into McDonald's. By the way, there aren't many of the small hole-in-the-wall type of pubs left in Sofia... at least not in the city center. So in a way, it was no wonder they were sitting at McDonald's.

Globalization?

Redemption

I (perhaps like some of you) feel generally intimidated by passport/immigration officials (even Bulgarian ones). Well, since a few days ago that has changed. The reason: Two mornings in a row on my way to work I see two different passport officials sitting in the marshrutka (coming from the airport), falling asleep, affected by traffic jams and general annoyances, just like everyone else... just like me. Somehow that doesn't quite fit the previous image I had in my mind of an all-powerful, generally disagreeable official who only looks for ways to make your entry into the country miserable. I mean, how can you get intimidated by someone who is docilely sitting in a passenger van packed with people and whose foot you can step on at any point in time? :)

Comic Relief on the Way to Work

For all who need a little "mood pick-me-up", I have the following story (happened just this morning).

I am waiting for the bus or marshrutka, whichever comes first. (Under "theater season" in this post is a description of a "marshrutka" for non-Bulgarians who may have missed it.) 15 minutes go by. Nothing. Finally the marshrutka comes and it is already crowded as you can imagine. Well, I decide to get on anyway (I am already late for work... again)... one more person gets in after me. I think to myself, "This has to be it, no more people can fit here." Well, actually "there is always room for more" seems to be the motto of the marshrutka drivers... so we continue, stop again to "welcome" more passengers on board. 2 more get on. On our way again. Another stop. Three more prepared to get on (mind you, no-one has gotten off during this time). Finally, the driver decides to say something to the last person wanting to get on (a woman).

Driver: Шефке, май ще трябва да изчакаш следващата. Тук май няма да можеш да се качиш. (Translation: Boss, I think you will have to wait for the next one. I don't think you will be able to get on here.)
Woman: Е, айде сместете се само да се кача аз и за следващите вече няма. (Translation: Well, can't you squeeze together a little bit, so I can get on, and then we won't let anyone else on.)

So being the accommodating people that we are, we squish together and by some miracle, she manages to get on (well, leaning against the door). We continue. Then the fun part comes. We get stuck in traffic and at some point the driver decides to switch lanes, so he says:

Driver: Шефке, я погледни идва ли нещо от дясно и ако не идва да се престроя. (Translation: Boss, can you look to see whether anyone is approaching in the right lane, and if not, I will switch lanes.)
Woman: Идва един. Ааа, сега не идва. Давай! (Translation: There is one car. Ooook, now there is no-one. You can go!)

By this point, half of us are laughing... We are squeezed in so tight, but, hey, at least we are having fun! :) We have an assistant driver too... and we are all in this together. What camaraderie!

What the woman says next though completely does me in.

Woman: Може ли само малко място да ми направите, така за левия крак. (Translation: Could you just make a little room, just for my left foot.)

So there you have it! Definitely comic relief on the way to work. And I counted 30 people together with the driver.... all in a passenger van!?! Anyone else got funny "commute" stories to share?

A Slightly Complicated Question

Tonight as I was having dinner with my grandmother, she asked me, "Is America an attractive country?"

She caught me slightly unprepared for that question. My first reaction was to say "No." I don't think of the US as an attractive country--yes, there are definitely interesting things to see; the landscape is phenomenal in some parts; and some of the cities are pretty unique (like New York or Chicago, for example). However, I don't know why the word "attractive", in my mind, doesn't quite accurately describe what the US is like. Which led me to another question. What is the US like? How do I describe it to someone who has never been there? A country in which everything is of massive proportions, distances are large, and people very materialistic and individualistic (as well as workaholics), where society at large is pretty conservative, yet claims not to be? That applies, but those descriptions definitely don't do it justice. Make it seem like I don't have a very high opinion of the place where I spent the past 9 years. So, here briefly are a few of the positive things I have found about the US:
1. People are friendly, and although in most cases that is superficial, it still makes your day a whole lot more pleasant than when you are being frowned upon the whole time.
2. You can achieve almost anything you set your mind to. Many people will claim "the land of opportunities" is merely a cliche. I couldn't disagree more.
3. People are open to new ideas and aren't afraid of being different (and of not following the path recommended by society at large)--i.e., traveling the world for a year, joining the Peace Corps, volunteering, etc.

To end this story, I will also tell you something (slightly unrelated) that touched me. My grandmother then told me how when she was young and still living with her parents in their village, "Gone with the Wind" (the book) had become a big hit, and she had asked my grandfather (who was still courting her at that time) to buy it for her from "the city". She read it all in "one breath", as she put it. I don't know what exactly touched me about this story. The fact that she had the opportunity to experience something clearly "American" decades before I made it to the US to study? Or perhaps the fact that this book in particular transcends borders and time to touch the hearts of thousands of people? Or maybe it was the fact that her image of America stems from that book...and she will always view it as "attractive."

All wound up?

Yesterday, as I was making my way to the bus hurrying to make my yoga class (sidenote: I seem to be hurrying to and from everything these days, but that's probably a topic for another discussion), I had a run-in with an angry middle-aged woman. Here is the scenario as it took place and my best attempt to translate the conversation:

Bus arrives at the bus stop at which a HUGE crowd has gathered (as this is one of the main stops in Sofia and close to 20 different buses stop there). I am determined to catch it and start making my way through the crowd of people waiting for other buses (no easy task, because it was REALLY crowded). I near the last door of the bus (there are 4 doors) and seeing that about 10 people are standing next to it waiting to get on, I decide to make my way to the door before it. So, I politely say "excuse me" and try to squeeze by the woman in front of me. She suddenly barks out:
"Stop pushing, will you? You aren't the only one in a hurry." (At which I am completely startled, because I wasn't even pushing and clearly said excuse me, signaling my wish to pass by her. Plus, I had no idea she was even trying to get on the bus.)
Me: "I am sorry, I am not pushing; I am simply trying to get to the other door."
Woman: "Well, I am trying to do the same, so you'll just wait your turn!" (still in that very angry, disdainful voice)
At which I got really pissed off, because until the moment I actually said "excuse me" and wanted to squeeze by, she hadn't budged an inch. And I just couldn't just let that one slide. Who was she to talk to me this way? :) My response in a semi-sarcastic tone, just to see her reaction:
"Well, maybe you should push more actively if you are in a hurry."
Woman: "What disrespect!"
Me: "I am not the one being disrespectful. You are the one who was first rude to me."

Until that moment, she hadn't even turned around to face me, but guess that drew her attention, so she briefly turned around, probably thought I was 19 (like most people seem to) and just mumbled something else about how my parents should have brought me up better.

I thought two things to myself:
1) If this woman thinks I am disrespectful, I don't know how she would refer to the majority of people here who are far ruder and crasser than me at my best forced attempt of trying to be rude?

2) Most people here can be likened to springs that have been wound up too tight. At the slightest touch, they snap.

People-Watching at Some of Its Best

Last night I hit the jackpot in terms of my people-watching hobby. We were at the birthday party of a friend's (Eli's, for those who know her) ex-boss at a tastefully decorated small locale called Bukowski. In addition to enjoying most of the music the DJ was playing, I amused myself by observing some quite interesting scenes throughout the night.

Scene #1: The DJ is playing "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor. Approximately 10 women are showing their dance moves on the dance floor, while across from them five gentlemen (ages 35-40 approximately) are sitting sullenly on a very low couch, one of them lazily smoking a cigar. What I found most comical about this picture is that the five men were quite big... and the couch seemed, ahem... well, somewhat small for their size. The looks on their faces were priceless. Wish I had had a camera on me to capture the picture.

Scene #2: While talking to a couple of friends, my attention gets directed to a skinny, short woman next to the bar, who I notice is lighting the BIGGEST (I am not exaggerating here) cigar I have seen in my life. The masculinity of the gesture just didn't go with her exterior, if I may put it this way :)

Scene #3: (Quite a typical scene as I have come to realize) A couple at the bar is arguing loudly and gesticulating wildly. This went on for at least 40 mins (and it may have continued, but I left to go home at that point). Kind of sad to see this at a birthday party where people are supposed to be enjoying themselves, but I have come to know that (sadly) Bulgarian women especially like to make a scene. Blame it on our wild Mediterranean temperament ;)

Между Два Свята

Преди няколко дена, една приятелка ми напомни за следното стихче. И защото толкова ми харесва, пък и считам че е доста вярно, реших да го включа тук. (Съжалявам за латиницата, но просто нямах сили да го преписвам цялото на кирилица тази вечер.)

Благодаря много на Меги, която първа ми го изпрати.

edin pingvin mastilno cheren
naperen, stegnat i uveren
v edin prekrasen den poiska,
reshi se i poe na iztok.
prepluva ledeni okeani
preskochi zeeshti vulkani
prebori gorski velikani
i stigna nashite balkani.
i kakto pateshki vurveshe
(a toi suvsem nakonten beshe)
vnezapno chu pronizvasht kriasuk
i skri se v bliaskashtia piasuk.
kogato izpod trunki skriti
nadnikna i se okopiti
vidia edin beleesht glarus
bezsporno lekichko na gradus.
'bradched. zashto si v taia trunka?'
--dochu napeven glas da zvunka.
bradcheda leko se otruska,
perchema si s voda napruska
i s gordo vdignatata chovka
se priblizhi s manevra lovka.
'pin gvin'--podade svoita perka
i be mu vruchena manerka
sus ogneno mistichna technost
i topla bratovska surdechnost.
pingvinut vze, otpi, preglutna
i vurhu piasuka se gutna.
vulni ot ogun go obliaha
vulnite morski go zaliaha
i niakak tolkoz neponiatno
mu stana leko i priatno
i vduhnoveno, bez da chaka
subleche i zahvurli fraka
i dvama beli bratovchedi
sred divi ogneni obredi
reshiha che absurd e, bratko,
pingvinut da e tuk za kratko.

...
no eto che oktomvri mina
nastupi snezhnobiala zima
nebeto sinio se namrushti
i pin se zatuzhi za vkushti.
tova e moiata rodina--
sus vechna snezhnobiala zima
i tuk e hubavo, choveche,
no mnogo e ottam daleche.
i pin s bradcheda se sboguva,
produma, mnogo shte tuguva
i muzhki svoia frak obleche
za putia mnogo nadaleche.
napusna nashite balkani
prebori gorski velikani
preskochi zeeshti vulkani
i stigna rodnite okeani.
no neshto stranno tam se sluchi
sus iznenada toi nauchi
che nikoi drug ne beshe chuval
za tam kudeto be putuval.
ne biaha chuvali za piasuk,
ili za drugi ptichi kriasuk
ili za ognenata technost--
kliucha kum sladka, kratka vechnost.
ako svaleshe si toi fraka,
suvetut pochvashe da kriaka.
i bavno, neusetno, leko
umut zareia se daleko.

...
sega putuva pin godishno
mezhdu okeani i balkani
da mu napomniat e izlishno
za velikani i vulkani.
pin padnal beshe sam v kapana
na stara istina edna:
vednuzh preminesh li okeana
si vse ot greshnata strana.

5 Things I Currently Love About Sofia

Some of these are seasonal, others more permanent. There is more to add to the list, but these are the five things that jump out at me right this second.

1. Kinomaniaaaaaaa--The annual film festival that lasts THREE weeks starts tomorrow; I am in seventh heaven as I honestly thought it would only be a week long, like most international film fests in the U.S.

2. Proximity to Vitosha--National Park Vitosha celebrated its 72nd birthday last Saturday, 28 Oct. I managed a 4-hour hike with one of my mountaineer friends (i.e., walks quickly and does not get tired) last Sunday. I kept up pretty well, I think.

3. The lightly snow-covered trees in the park Borisovata Gradina (Честит Първи Сняг! It snowed for the first time today, 2 Nov.)--Gives the surroundings a magical air...

4. Theatre season (too many good plays to check out and so little time)--My Sofia theatre-watching debut begins next Friday, 10 November, when I will watch the comedy Marshrutka (a word that is really untranslatable in English). (Marshrutka are these passenger vans that are part of the public transportation in Sofia; they have specific routes, but then pick up and drop off passengers anywhere along that route; so, basically a hybrid between a bus and a taxi.)

5. Sofia by night (with all of my favorite buildings lit up)--No traffic jams and more peace and quiet. It actually feels calming to be walking the streets in the city center at night.