So yesterday after not working out in waaaaaaaaaaaay too long, my body was pissed. It said really mean things to me like:

"Look what you've done to me! I used to have muscle and stamina and now I'm a weak lame-o"
"I hope your happy with yourself, this is so awful and it's all your fault"
"I'm gonna make you pay for being so lazy for so long"
"I just can't believe you have to take two breaks and quit early in a 20 min. workout. I'm so ashamed of you!"

It wasn't good and it hurt my feelings that my body was so mean to me. Jeez, I was trying to work out and change the pattern of laziness. I didn't deserve to be yelled at like that by my own self!

Today on the other hand was completely different. I've been sore at the tops of my legs and whenever I lifted my arms all day, but when it came to working out...my body was right on board!! I made it through the whole workout without taking breaks. There were a few times that I didn't do the last couple sit ups or arm lifts, but those were just a few reps.

Today myself told me:

"I'm so proud of your for sticking with this. I was testing you yesterday to see if you were serious"
"I'm so proud of you!"
"Keep going because I know you can do it"
"Girl, you are rocking my world, keep it up!"

Summer o' fitness, watch out because I'm so ready for you!!!!

Since I've last posted, I got engaged!! The wedding is next year and I'm so in love that I cry when I think about it for too long. Nick makes me so happy and I cannot wait to start our life together.

The full scoop is here: http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/MelodyJones&NickVaccaro

But that's not what I want to post about today. Today I started a summer fitness contest with my sister and friend. The plan is each of us will do the "Jillian Michaels 30 day shred" 3 times a week every week in June and July. The workout is only 20min. long but it's tough! The winner gets to be healthier and thinner. If one of us does not do the work out 3 times in a week, she owes the other two $10 each. The only exception is if we're on vacation, an hour walk can substitute.

Tonight I did my first workout. Oh. My. Goodness. I felt like I would die on the first push up. Then there were the "butt kicks" which are just like you think. Oh and the arm weights while leaning....if there is a hell, I was in it. In the 20 minutes I took two breaks, and quit about five minutes early. I just couldn't go any further. It was quite a pathetic effort and i felt like a giant lame-o.

The whole thing is my fault. I haven't worked out aside from an occasional hike or walk in the park in like A YEAR! Usually I work out more in the summer but last summer work was so crazy and it didn't happen. Then fall and winter and a slothy spring. So now I'm in the workout mix.

By the end of July I want to:
feel healthier in my skin
lose 20lbs
have more stamina
be at level 3 in hardness of the workout video
write about my summer o' working out
be on track for a more active lifestyle....this past year just hasn't been me.

I made it through my session with the trainer. I have a feeling that he thought that I was a weak weenie. Everytime he'd say do this and then I'd do it without complaint...he'd look surprised. Then he said that he needed to work me harder.

I think he expected some complaining along the lines of "This is too hard, and I'm tired".

I'm paying good money to do things that I don't want to do and wouldn't struggle to push myself to do unless someone is standing over me watching. Why would I complain??

Whenever I watch Biggest Loser I get so irritated at the whining that they do. Do they want to be fat forever? Suck it up people. Suck. It. Up.

fyi: http://www.freeshippingday.com/ WHICH IS TODAY!!

Go out there and consume consume consume...but not pay shipping :-)

And i found out that if Omaha schools are canceled tomorrow, then Girl Scouts is closed but I still get paid...which means that I would get to start my two week xmas break 1 day and 1 weekend early.

Cross your fingers!!

I've decided to take on the commitment of teaching Sunday school at my church (second unitarian universalist 2UU)with the 3&4th graders, but only on the first Sunday of the month. I would commit to more...but that's just how they do it so that no one is stretched too thin.

The education director gave me a giant book with the curriculum, but then said I can adapt it or make up my own. So that's pretty exciting.

Here's the opening song that we'll be singing that cover the 7 UU principals. Sung to Do-Re-Me:

One-each person is important
Two-Be kind in all you do
Three-We're free to learn together
Four-And search for what is true
Five-All people need a vote
Six-Build a fair and peaceful world
Seven-We care for Earth's lifeboat
That will bring us back to me and UU (repeat)
(last verse) That will bring us back to me and UU YOU!! (point to everyone)

The first lesson I'll be teaching is called "In another's shoes". We'll be reading a story and doing activities that relate to empathy, seeing things from someone else's point of view, and acts of goodness.

I'M SO EXCITED!!

I can't believe Obama's speech. It was honest and addressed what people say when they are home with their families and surrounded by "safe" ears. He spoke about deep concerns that blacks have with the white population. I was thinking...ok yeah yeah yeah because I've heard it a million times. But then he finished that and moved over the other side that NOONE speaks of. White concerns about blacks and other minorities. The dissent that we are not allowed to feel because we are white and "priveledged" and anything that we might see as injustice to us couldn't be because we're white.

When he was talking about white concerns about affirmative action, immigration, and jobs oversees, I was dumb founded. Absolutely have I heard and even spoken some of those sentiments! What I've never heard is a politician take a contrversial issue and admit that it exists, it's not going away soon, won't be fixed overnight, but slowly we can work together to change it over time.

Also, I'm glad to see that he stood by his former Pastor. I have a lot of family in the south and have heard some outrageously racist things come from my own grandparents, aunts and uncles, BUT I still love them even though I hate what they say sometimes. We can love people, care about them, and have them involved in our lives even if they don't believe all the same things that we do. And just because I was rasied with family in my life that spoke of "nigger town" and to this day would be unaccepting if I dated outside the white race does not mean that I have those same feelings and use that same language. So it can be the same of Obama and his former Pastor.

I wish that I could hear this kind of honesty on a regular basis from both parties. Democrats, Republicans, and Independants should take note. This is what America needs, leaders who can address what is really wrong in our country and who tell us what we need to hear vs. what they thing we want to hear.

I do hope that Hillary and McCain take note. No matter who wins the general election, I'd like to see this become more of a trend. Our country isn't perfect and it's about time that a politican addresses an unspoken issue so that dialogue happens which always promotes change.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hisownwords

My friend Stephanie is on a road trip across America and she came by for a visit. The funny thing was that we both had just purchased brand new cars!!! Here's a pic of the two of us. Note that she is doing her road trip with in-transits. Just loving that new car.

Here's a picture of me signing the paperwork

The BBC reports:

"Strike shuts Bulgaria's schools
Thousands of teachers have begun an indefinite strike in Bulgaria, demanding a doubling of their pay.

State schools and kindergartens across the country cancelled classes and sent children home.

Teachers rejected a 32% pay rise offered during talks with the education ministry last week.

The average monthly wage of Bulgarian teachers is 440 leva (£157; 226 euros), according to the government. The strike is expected to expand on Tuesday.

At least 100,000 people work in Bulgaria's schools."

Yeah right! Take 440 and divide by two and then you'll be at a more accurate number. This equals out to about $140 a month. It's a pretty crappy pay. Though I hope in this strike that the teachers will actually strike. Last time they went on strike the teachers at my school taught their classes but wore ribbons to show they were striking in spirit....uhh sorry Bulgarians, but that doesn't mean anything. I dare you, the Bulgarians, to actually strike and demand to be paid a decent wage!!

this probably didn't solve my problems, but it did make me feel better:

Dear US Bank,
I would like to thank you for NOT express sending my new ATM card like you said you would which has now stranded me in a foreign country, not emailing me back promptly, and having a customer service person burp loudly on the phone when I called last Sunday.

I would like to think that my business matters to you a small amount, but it seems as though I would be incorrect.

Thank you for being so unhelpful in a very stressful situation.
Melody

so it turns out that even though the bank said they would express mail me my ATM card...they didn't. I called them and they sent it regular mail. When I called them, I made it very clear that I was out of the country, needed to have it mailed to me here, and only had two weeks to get it done...and that i needed that damn card ASAP! Why was that guy such a twit? Why did US Bank never email me back after I emailed yesterday asking about my card? So now hopefully, my card will arrive on Tuesday to a city that is now where I live. But my host mom said that it wasn't a problem to drive me there when it arrives. We are going to call the post office to let them know in advance that the card is coming and we are expecting it.

Funny story:
My mom called me today. I'm not sure what she was saying but she talked to the baba. Baba said "I'll go and get Melody. She will come" and then my mom would say something and she would say it again. I guess they went around and around for a while. Both sides having not the slightest idea what was going on on the other side.

In other news Baba said I'm now ready to get married b/c i've been cooking, doing laundry, and working in the yard. Horray for me.

Last night a guy told me that he wanted me to find him an American girlfriend. I told him that he wouldn't like dating american girls b/c if they cook dinner, then they expect the man to do the dishes. And if you are both at the table and the man wants beer, she'll point to the fridge and say "it's over there". That is NOT how it works in Bulgaria. The women here basically do everything for the men and children of the family. The guy was shocked and agreed that he didn't want to date an american girl.

I told my host mom and she laughed and then later she told Gosho (the dad) that he had to wash the dishes. He looked shocked and asked why. She said that she grilled the meat, made the salad, and fried the potatoes, plus she served the entire meal. Poor guy looked totally confused! Then she told him what I told her and he laughed and she laughed and we all know that later she'll do the dishes. Though I'll never be that type of wife, I have no judgements about their life b/c they have one of the strongest marriages, nicest and smartest kids, and are happier than almost everyone I know. Clearly, it's working for them, and I applaud their happy family!

Preparing myself to leave Bulgaria is the strangest feeling. When I left the states, I always knew that I would return. In a very real sense, I didn't leave so much as took an extended absence from America. Now i've made a life in Bulgaria. I have friends, family, and work. The time has come to give it all up and return to my mother country. My stuff cannot be boxed up and stored at my mom's house. What is too expensive to ship must be given away, sold, or thrown away. The language that I speak daily will be forgotten after a short time. I am leaving the people, culture, food, and my life. When I come back, my students will have grown up and I will have missed all of it. I'm not ever going to live here again and I'm OK with that. It's what I want but it feels so strange to mentally prepare for something so permanent. The next time I come to Bulgaria I will be a tourist and not so much a local as I feel now.

I'm not complaining. Only mentioning that's what I'm feeling and it's not easy.

Tomorrow I head to my Close of Service conference and I can't help but think about the last two years and how they have affected me. Where I came from and where I am now. For sure I've made some great friends that I love like family. In a very real sense we are family. Here is a picture of my first Peace Corps family, my training site. From the very beginning we have been great friends and I love all three of them so much! Thanks Jessie for the picture from swearing in. Kathy, Eric, and Stephanie, I love you guys!! So here's the day I swore in as an official peace corps volunteer with the first three pcvs that really loved me and still do:


"The best group ever from the castle of knowledge!"

Due to the randomness of what is and is not appropriate on a blog, I'm making mine unavailable to the general public. If you'd like to keep up on my life, just open a lj account, drop me a comment, and I'll add your name so you can read the entries. Sorry it has to be this way. If you dont like it, email Uncle Sam.

kathy and I freezing our butts over the morning after our hike! Me jumping over the fire on Baba Marta day! And finally, a sweet little bunny from the kindergarten play!

Back to the First of March. I said Baba Marta came to my school and here she is: There were also two students dressed in the traditional garb who made a martinitsi on stage with Baba Marta: Here is a shot of the kindergartners wearning their martinitsas:

So after all that celebrating it was time to have another one on March 4th! Me and several of my friends took a bus up into the Rhodopi mountains to the picture perfect town of Devin. It's actually famous for their mineral water that they ship all over the country and the Balkan region. Sunday morning we arose to find that the scheduled bus wasn't running to the famous village of Shiroka Luka that we needed to get to. This would totally be a case of Bulgarska Rabota! Why the bus that runs everyday to this village would not be running on the day of a gigantic festival is beyond me. But no worries, we took a couple of taxis and made it there. The roads are very curvy and my stomach was ready to be out of that car in the 1/2 hr it took to get there.

Finally we had made it to the most famous Kukerie festival in Bulgaria. Before the festivities started we got ready by drinking some dancing green apple spirits and taking pictures. Here's Carin, Rachel and Kellen with a little Kukerche :-) Right before this picture a guy wearing Kukerie came up to Rachel and just followed her around for a while as she proceeded to be scared and tried to hide behind Kellen. We all laughed and expressed how impressed we were that the guy found the person in our group who would scare the most easily and provide the highest level of entertainment. Then we found a great spot to watch the upcoming show. No sooner did we grab our spot and they announced that there was a car parked in the center that needed to be moved. Seeing that it wasnt our car, we paid no attention. Then a lone dancing gypsy man started dancing inside the roped off circle. He danced until the old Babas came out to Horo (dancing in a big circle). During this whole time we saw another group of pcvs. We waved to them but they didnt actually come over b/c they were looking for a good spot. It was too bad that they didnt come over by us b/c we had a great spot and there was still a lot of room for them. They ended up getting spots in the back of the crowd and only the tallest of them could see well. Maybe the most wild thing they missed was the parked car. No one came to move it and so a bunch of men came by and PICKED UP THE CAR and moved it! Soon after this, the Kukerie came out. It was totally awesome. Kukerie are traditionally men wearing costumes made of goat hair and gigantic bells attached to them. They are supposed to be scary to make the ghosts and bad spirits leave. This is all tied up in spring, planting, and the cycle of life. At one point they had a scene where a woman died and then in her place a baby came to life. The whole them reminded me of what I studied in undergrad. There's a history of traditions that involve blood shed, death, rebirth, and then spring can come out to play. We all were wearing our Martinitsi which has red to symbolize blood and then the kukerie who in a way symbolize death and ward off all the bad spirits so that we have have a good harvest this year. Kukerie come in all differnt shapes, costumes, and sizes. Villages from all over Bulgaria sent groups of Kukerie to dance in the big show. Plus the town of Karlovo donated free wine for all the dancers to drink during the day. One village has brought a priest with him who blessed Rakia, bread, meat and cheese. They passed the Rakia around to all the Kukerie in the circle which they all took a drink from. It was very strange to see a priest (Popa) blessing what is clearly a Pagen ritual but eh, who cares. My favorite were the little Kukerche. Little kids dressed in the costumes! It was all around awesome.

There were people from all over the world and a ton of hippies. I usually have a firm stance against hippies but it somehow seemed appropriate and we had a fantastic time. After all the dancing by the Kukerie there was a gigantic Horo that went on for who knows how long. We danced for a while. For a very short time, I was leading the Horo. So of course I had to yell out "Look at the Amerikanka leading the Horo! I am a Bulgarka!" Every where people were smiling and slinging back spirits. We laughed ate, drank, and were merry until the moment we left. The horo was still going on and by this time it had been going on about 3 or 4 hours. I have no idea when they actually stopped. Bulgarians can horo like nobodies business! It was a really great day to be in Bulgaria.

More pictures can be found at: http://flickr.com/photos/harm1020/

Today is a really cool holiday in Bulgaria. In fact, I may go as far as to say it's the coolest. To celebrate the month of March everyone gives each other red and white bracelets and they tie to each others wrists on the first of the month. There are many differnt varieties with wooden beads, ones that you pin to your sweaters, ones in shapes of a Bulgarian girl and boy, and many others. Right now I'm covered in different Martinichis (the bracelets). There are many different stories about what the red and white means and it all boils down to a white thread that ended up getting covered in red blood but by the end of the story the heroes ended up living to the end. So that original thread that is now red and white was the first Martinichka.

This morning I came to school and a teacher greeted me with the phrase, "Chestita Baba Marta", and gave me a braclet. My first one of the day. She then told me that I couldnt go into the teachers lounge. I waited with her in the entrance way. After a bit the kindergartners came into the school. Soon after their arrival our radio journalism students put on a really good program all about the traditions of the holiday as well as an interview with the actual Baba Marta (Grandmother March). People wear the red and white decorations to appease her and make it so that winter will soon be gone. When she is happy, the month of March is lovely and when she is not, March can be very cold. She is the reason that March is such a tumultous month for weather. Whatever we can do to keep her happy, we'll do!

After this all the kids went outside and Baba Marta came out and greeted us. She talked to all the kids and gave them bracelets to keep them healthy and happy. Then we walked over to the fire that was started. Another tradition of today is to clean the house in the morning because Baba Marta loves it when things are clean (spring cleaning!!). All the trash that is gathered is put onto a fire for good luck. The rest of the day no one will cook or do any difficult work. So we cleaned our classrooms and brought the trash to the fire. Each class dumped the trash on the fire and then all the kids jumped over it for good luck. With the kindergartners two teachers held the arms of each child to help them jump high enough. I missed all of this last year b/c I was snowboarding with my grandfather durning the holiday. I made sure to email him and remind him to celebrate the holiday today! All the kids eventually jumped over the fire and even I took a nice big jump! I didnt get burned and this should mean good luck for me all year.

I am now covered in red and white decorations and tonight I will have to remove many of them. A person just can't seriously walk around with 20 bracelts. But I will keep a few on and when I see a stork for the first time, or a budding fruit tree after March 22nd (official spring) I'll take them off and tie them to a tree. This will bring me good luck. Something else that I could do is to put one under a rock since I'm unmarried. This should bring me luck in love and I could certainly use some luck in that area. The children also put them under rocks and the next day, Baba Marta will have taken the bracelets and have left them candy or a 5cent coin.

This is a very important luck and can influence a persons entire year. No one wants bad luck all year so we try and stick to all the traditions. Plus they are really fun and everyone likes fun!

It's the first of March which means a huge holiday in Bulgaria! I'll explain later :-)

Here's a martinichki for luck, health, and love!

Oh man, I played american football this weekend and got my butt kicked!!! It was hard work! My legs are just two long (ok well short) sticks of soreness. The volunteer support network, which i'm on, had an event in the mountain town of Vratsa. We had an american football and played a game. It wasnt very competitive, but there was plenty of smack talk. It was plenty cold too but being that we werent a bunch of wussies, we played without coats. I actually tackled two different people. I'd like to think that I was the MVP of the game. Other people might tell you that I wasn't, but those people would be wrong.



Here are some of my friends at the game:



and here's a picture of stephanie enjoying the first snow of Montana:

The Ultimate Rejection Letter

---

Herbert A. Millington
Chair - Search Committee
412A Clarkson Hall, Whitson University
College Hill, MA  34109

Dear Professor Millington,

Thank you for your letter of March 16.  After careful consideration, I
regret to inform you that I am unable to accept your refusal to offer me
an assistant professor position in your department. 

This year I have been particularly fortunate in receiving an unusually
large number of rejection letters.  With such a varied and promising field
of candidates, it is impossible for me to accept all refusals. 

Despite Whitson's outstanding qualifications and previous experience in
rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at
this time.  Therefore, I will assume the position of assistant professor
in your department this August.  I look forward to seeing you then. 

Best of luck in rejecting future applicants.

Sincerely,
Chris L. Jensen

So I'm working with the 4th graders and we are learning the song Help!, by the Beatles.  It's going really well expect that the girl who has the word 'independance' in her line of the song cant stop laughing and neither can any of the other kids.  There is only one thing that can make kids laugh so hard in class and that's sex.  So i asked them what was so funny and after some weird looks and embarrassed feet shuffling, one girl told me that independance sounds like something that only boys have.  AHHHHHHHH.  I got the joke, independance=penis.  Awesome.  The word for penis in Bulgarian is pretty similar to the English word.  Take the pen in independance and as 'is' to is.  Go ahead and say that out loud and then say independance.  I have to hand it to the kids, it is pretty funny.

It's hard to quantify why I'm such a stud but part of the reason has to do with the fact that I can do anything on earth (except change a light bulb.  For that I must have one if not two erics and/or and electrician).  Today I unclogged my own kitchen sink drain!  I'm now flying high on an "I dont need no man for nothing" vibe.  Oh Peace Corps, you have brought out the handy man in me.  From unclogging toilets w/o a plunger, to replacing parts of the shower, to unclogging drains.  I'm invincible!

First I bought some Mr. Muscle which is essentially drain-o as well some some powder versions of the stuff.  For two days I tried these methods.  All the while the water in my sink continued to get murkier and murkier.  I called a boy that I know for advice and although his intent was good, his advice was not.  He suggested I put my hand over the drain and try to plunger it.  This only ended up with me having really wrinkly and stinky hands plus a clogged sink.  So by this point my entire apartment smelled like drain-o, I had wrinkly hands, and I was high from the fumes.  This was not a good sign and yet I still didn't want to call my school and tell them I had a problem. 

I decided it was time to go to the hardware store.  I didnt even know what I needed but I knew that was the place for advice.  Totally unarmed w/o my dictionary (which i havent carried around with me since my first few months in country) I tried to explain that "There's a place in the kitchen where water goes.  It has a hole in the bottom.  Under the hole is a tunnel where the water goes.  Somewhere in that tunnel is something and now the water is just sitting there and wont go down."  They understood perfectly and a guy who was just in the store said to use Mr. Muscle.  I said that hadn't worked.  So then the guy pulls out the powdered stuff because it's stronger.  Again, I had to say that the powders didnt work.  I was starting to get nervous that they weren't going to be able to help and I'd have to cave in and call the school.  He then pulled out another powder and asked if I had tried it before.  He said it was different because you added hot water instead of cold water to get it to work and it was the strongest I could buy.  I told him that I didnt think it would work because of all the cold water just chilling in there.  He agreed.

Finally he had an idea that would work.  He told me to shove something down the drain and I said, uhhh I dont have whatever you're talking about.  I thought he meant wire, or something to that extent.  Whatever he said, I knew I didnt have one.  So then he goes in the back room and comes back with the word "wire".  I said that I understood but didnt have one.  The man walked out of the shop with a pair of pliers and came back with a gigantic length of wire.  He said just shove it down the sink and that should fix it.  I tried to pay him but the wire was on the house!  That's one of the things I love about Bulgaria.  They told me that my Bulgarian was really good and I thanked them for the help.

I came home and fiddled, fiddled, and fiddled.  Nothing was happening.  I sat on the couch for a minute break and when I walked back to the sink, it had drained a considerable amount of water.  I was so pleased with myself that I bought myself a box of cheerios! 

*well i bought the cereal earlier but now i can say it was an award to myself and i feel less guilty about how much it cost me!

Somewhere on my way home from Madrid, my ipod was stolen.  I'm not sure how it happened and I'm not even sure that I care.  All I know is that I need a new way to listen to music on my long bus rides across Bulgaria.  So this month I'm going to start pricing them and try to figure out which one I should get.  I asked my fellow teachers where in town they sold mp3 players and none of them even knew what in the heck I was talking about.  I realized I was asking the wrong people.  It wasn't my accent that was confusing them.  They really just had no idea what in the heck I was talking about.  So I asked my fourth grade boys. 

BINGO

After talking with the boys for about 5 minutes, I walked away knowing where they were sold, the cost, and how many songs I could get at each price range.  After I walked away, they were still arguing about the best models and the best stores in town.  So now I just need to go to these stores and figure out how to get the best bang for my buck.  Just like in America, the kids know everything about computers and all things that are cool to go with them.  They know way more about cell phones than I do, even though I sold them for four years and they are very internet savvy. 

I have a feeling that these kids are not unique to Bulgaria but represent a global trend by young people.  I grew up with computers and had one when I was 15.  These kids have them from birth and will surpass me in computer knowledge, if they havent already done so, within a few years.  The world is changing so fast and the future is going to show a smaller world than it already is.  Everything we do will affect everything else.  My kids are not going to be just Bulgarians, but global citizens along with all of their wiz kid peers from countries all over the world.   Like a native language, technology is best understood by people who learn it from birth.  I cant wait to see the world in about 10-15 years when these kids start making their marks.

In today's world I think it's even more important for people to join programs like the Peace Corps and to travel abroad to see how other people live.  I've really begun to realize while being here how interconnected everything is and I strongly feel that this experience will make me a better person in any future path I take. 

From the very beginning of my Peace Corps adventure, I've been looking for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) in Omaha.  I couldnt find a single one.  It was amazing actually.  How could a large city like Omaha not have a single RPCV.  I didnt believe it then and I dont believe it now. 

While searching online yesterday I finally found what I had been looking for, a Nebraska RPCV yahoo group.  Sadly, the group is inactive and full of spam messages.  So I emailed the owner of the group and asked to take it over.  I showed him the <lj user=pc4women> group as an example of something that I've helped create.  Hopefully he gives me the reins and then I'll promote the fuck out of the group online and see if anything bites.  If he says no, and i doubt he'll do that, then I'll be forced to create my own. 

I think emailed my country director to see if he had any information about the number of pcvs that Nebraska has sent out over the years as well as if there is an established RPCV association in Nebraska anywhere.  He sent me the reply:

I love how "the woman" was bolded and italised.  That kinda made my day :o)
No matter what happens, I'm excited to have some kind of work awaiting me when I get home.