rocking the rakija!

Hello dear friends! I need to comment before I start that my blog is in no way, shape or form reflecting official Peace Corps policy..it is just mine! Now with that disclaimer out of the way....let it begin!

Allan and I and eight other volunteers arrived in negotino last Saturday where we were met by our host mom,slavitsa, who had a taxi deliver us and our two hundred plus pounds of stuff to the home she shares with her husband,Gotscha.  They are a lovely couple a few years younger than us and have gone way out of the way to make us comfortable.

Let me tell you what a typical day looks like, four days in.Allan and I wake up about 6:30 and take a shower...Slavitsa turns on the hot water heater for the bathroom before we get up and once were done the water heater goes off, until time for tomorrow's shower. This is the norm, electricity is very very expensive so we don't heat water just to let it sit there.

She serves us breakfast, Turkish coffee and bread, salami and cheese and olives. Allan and I walk about twenty minutes to the school where we have language lessons for four hours. After that we usually head for a quick cold drink in a cafe as there is no internet at home..this way we get our electronic fixes and catch up....

We then head for home and do homework.yes, we look like kids...We sit at the table together, scratch our heads over vocab and tense and Cyrillic alphabet while meanwhile Slavitsa corrects us from the kitchen.....da,da,da, or nay,nay,nay! She gets really excited about our language...and talks to us for long moments and then asks us if we understand! Not yet, but we're getting there!

And what is she doing while we do homework? Making ruchek, which is a heavy lunch served at four o'clock! After we eat and the four of us chat Allan and I either walk or go check out Gotscha.....because we live in the rakija making neighborhood and he is the reigning king of rakija!!! We have probably twenty 55 gallon drums of fermenting grapes in our garage that need attention....and by golly, they are getting it! Stirring, mixing, heating, distilling..our garage is a happening place!

And thank God, the end of the day is now near...the end of our days are about eight...go to bed, read til nine, sleep like babies until 630...repeat..and by golly, we are having a hoot!

So much more to share....but by now you may be as exhausted as we are, so will save! Thanks for all your comments and support..it is so appreciated!