My Invite is Here!!!! Bulgaria Here I come!

Map of Bulgaria


I am an official Peace Corps invitee to Bulgaria! My staging event, which is the place PCV meet in the United States before service, is August 4th in Philadelphia or Washington D.C. We leave the country for Bulgaria August 7th, 2006. Can you believe it… an African American girl in Bulgaria? I am so excited.

It’s funny how my life always comes into full circle. My sister went to Bulgaria on a mission’s trip when we were in High School. Our youth pastor took about 15 young adults and teenagers on a trip that changed their lives. I didn’t get a chance to go, but I really respected my sister’s experience. She told me about how nice the people were to her and the sense of hospitality that every Bulgarian extends to foreigners. But most of all I remember her experience as a missionary. They only stayed in Bulgaria for about a week, but the presence of God was felt in that place. People there have a deeper sense of faith than we have in the states. Literally God healed the sick, demons were casted out, and people heard the voice of the Lord. I am not joining the Peace Corps to convert people; I just hope I can find a church community to belong to.

I am also excited because one of the Profs at the University is from Bulgaria!!!! I went to her house about four weeks ago to discuss Bulgarian culture. I didn’t know for sure that I would be going to Bulgaria at the time, but I had a small feeling that it might happen. She is also married to a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) that served in Latin America. Anyhow, this woman has family in Bulgaria i.e. her parents, sisters, and brothers. She extended her Bulgarian hospitality to me and offered to put me in contact with her family members. Yeah. I just need to find out what city I will be in so that I can meet up with them.

Furthermore, my former Youth Pastor has taken trips to Bulgaria at least four times over the last ten years. I can’t wait to ask him about his experiences in Bulgaria.

Pray for me!!!! I need to stay focused so that I complete all the School work I have to do before the Peace Corps. We are in finals week and I should be studying, but I am writing this blog. Heehhejejeje . I also need to be strategic (I guess this word is coming from the Strategic Planning Class I studied for yesterday) in planning to move from PA back to Chicago and Chicago to Bulgaria.

Money, Money, MONEEEY!! I want to save money so that I can travel while I am in the Peace Corps. This means frugal living until my departure date.

Hey I am also thinking about running the Marathon in Athens Greece!!! Greece is literally right beneath Bulgaria.

From the Eastern Part of the States BULGARIA HERE I COME!!!!!!

Crystal