Developments in my Culinary Experience and a New Friend

So, I had a small adventure today in the world of vegetable shopping. I bought what I ascertain to be a kolrabi (I have never bought one before, but have seen them), known here as "alabash." I was looking for carrots, which the next vegetable lady over had, but they were kind of sad and old looking. So, I decided to ask what this purple thing was.



Next thing I know, not only am I receiving a small vocabulary tutorial, but I am being coached on how to prepare the thing. Bulgarians do a number of cold vegetable salads, often involving shredding or mashing or chopping. I am a huge fan of said salads, and was greatly appreciative of this new addition to my bulgarka repetoire. The end result is my shredded kohlrabi salad, with a little parsley, vinegar, or the ever present salt and sunflower oil. It is pretty tasty!


Work is going along decently considering that I am floundering at best in the local language and still have much to learn about the organization. I am figuring things out slowly, and trying to envision how I will fit in this little branch of the organization for the next two years. I am also trying to establish an organizational routine, with to do lists and a calendar on my computer. This way I can not only keep myself organized, I can also keep track of things for the distantly, but ominously, looming quarterly reports for Peace Corps.


The non-profit (or NGO as is termed here, I think the US is the only place that uses the term "non-profit") world here is going through some pretty big changes with EU acession. I think that NGO's are expecting that they will more easily find funding, which may be true as the EU definitely funds a ton of projects. What my organization needs to realize though is that they are going to quickly become very small fish in a very big pond. In other words, jut because money is available for bird conservation, doesn't mean that it will go to BSPB. An idea for my stay here taht occurred this week is to work on transferring fundraising and PR skills.



My other non-work related news is The other news is that I am starting to befriend my wine lady. This is she, on the left, posing rather goofily for the camera. She is super friendly, so I stop by to visit her when it is dead at the store on the weekends. Another key is that she is willing to talk really slowly and repeat things a lot for me, which is pretty much a requirement for any possibility of friendship with a non-English speaking Bulgarian at this point. We were born in the same year, btu she is married with a little boy.

We have great fun running giggling across the street to the automated coffee machine, looking at wines and just sitting around, all the while, she attempts to help me understand more Bulgarian. Furthermore, we have at least two common vices (wine and coffee), always a great start to an aquantance!