My Other Car Is A BUS/VAN/TRAM!!! Busses and Vans

My Other Car Is A BUS/VAN/TRAM!!!

Buses and Vans

20 People on the Van

Time for the daily adventure – catching the bus or Van.  Let’s start by talking about the buses here in Plovdiv.  As I said earlier, there are five different companies.  Some of the companies have been purchasing new buses.  But most of them are still using very old vehicles.  Many of the buses I ride on should have been scrapped years ago.  Often their transmission systems are broken, and they cannot get out of second gear.  Or they have lost so much of their transmission torque; they do not have the power to go over the train track bridge (the only hill – if it can be called that – on the route).   The other day, I got on the buss, and was confused by the sounds it was making.  It sounded just like an old steam locomotive.  As it chugged along, there would be a loud pressure escaping sound every couple of seconds.  I was sure this bus was not going to make it over the train bridge, but it did.  Because I am on the bus for a long time, I often try to sit in the back row.  The problem with doing this is that the seats in the back can be broken or missing backs.  The busses are also used to transport the high school kids in the city.  So… when the schools are starting, or switching sessions, there will be hundreds of young riders scrambling on and off the buses.  The kids (and pensioners) do not pay the conductor.  They all have plastic passes with their pictures, and they just flash them to the conductor. 

The real joy of riding a bus is a summer time trip.  None of these old buses have air conditioning.  In fact, if you sit in the back, you will be on top of the engine, and that heat will rise into the bus.  The other thing about summer riding is that there are really no windows to open up.  And …even if there are windows to open, Bulgarian have a very strong superstition about drafts, and they will NOT open them.  We have friends and colleagues who will catch a cold, or have sore muscles, and they will claim it happened to them because they were sitting in a draft – two weeks ago!!  So…. Everyone will sit very quietly in the stifling bus – that has now turned into a natural sun-oven with temperatures climbing toward 100+ on very hot days. Also, everyone knows which side the sun shines into the bus, and everyone will try to sit on the other side.  (If the busses were boats, we would all capsize!)   The only good thing about hot summer days is that I can walk home – and not have to suffer another trip in the “oven on wheels”. 

But the real adventure of the Plovdiv transit system is the VAN.   All the vans are white, slightly bigger than a Dodge caravan, and have windows all around.  Inside, they all look the same.  There is a bench seat in the front where the driver, and two passengers can sit.  There is large sliding door on the right side where passengers get in and out.  There is a small seat which can fit two thin people behind the driver.  Then there is a space to stand, and then two short bench seats facing each other (with no room for your legs and feet on the floor between them), and then another short bench seat, and then the final row in the back.  On the same side as the door, there may be two very small seats facing forward.  Between the single seats and the small bench seats there is a very small “alleyway” to walk to the seats.  In total there are a possible 15 seats – if everyone was very small.  But realistically, there are only seats for about 12 people.  A van ride gets real interesting if you have 20 people in it (like I did this morning). 

Ok – now that you have picture of the van, let me explain how it works.  A van is part bus, and part taxi.  They all have numbers just like the bus, and specific routes to drive.  However, you can flag down a van anywhere along the route.  You do NOT have to get to a bus stop to get them to pick you up.  You can also get let off anywhere along their route.  Another important thing to remember about vans is that they ONLY take cash!  They do not allow students and pensioners who have those plastic pass cards.  This can be good during the school year when the kids have mobbed the regular buses.  It is also good because most of the old people could never get on and off the van - - but I am getting ahead of myself. 

There is one more important thing to know about the van.  There is NO conductor taking money on a van like there is on a bus or tram!  That means you have to pay the driver.  It also means he has to give you change - - and then he also has to give you that little lottery–like bus ticket!  The most important part of all this is that he does all this while driving.  This is a “jump on, and jump off” process. Vans are always in a hurry! You get on, slam that big door shut (these doors do not close at the “touch of a button”), give the driver his fare, and try to get to seat before he has shifted into third gear.  Yes – these vans are manual transmission.

Now – in case you are confused about the driver activity, let me try to clarify it.  The drivers see you flagging him down.   He puts his blinker on, and pulls to the side of the one lane street.  As you slam the door shut, he is checking the traffic, and shifting into first gear.  Between shifting, he will put his hand up, and you put the money in his hand.  Most often, he has the ticket already in the same hand you are putting the money, and you grab the ticket.  He will then slam into second gear, and you generally have to grab something to keep from being thrown toward the back of the van.  I always have exact change for Vans because I am trying to avoid injury, and get to a seat.  However some folks give them a 2Lv bill, and have to wait till the next gear shift when he has a few seconds to grab change from the dash board, and give it to you.  So… he drives, shifts, steers, takes fares, and gives tickets - - all at the same time.  I really get worried when they are talking on their cell phone, and smoking while doing all those other things.  And… I have seen them doing ALL of these things at once!  

Another interesting thing about the vans are those sliding doors to get in and out of the van.  They really are an oxymoron.  They almost never slide!  It is generally easier to get in, than to get out.  You have to realize these doors are opened and closed about 40-50 times each run.  There is a real art to getting out of van.  Each door has a handle with a button on the top.  You push down on the button to release the door latch and push back.  But often the latch will stick, or the door will have been slammed shut so that it cannot be moved back.  To open the door, you have to get yourself in a slightly crouched position.  It is best to use both hands.  With one hand push down hard on the button. Then with the other hand pull back hard on the handle. And-  (this is where the real trick is) - at the same time you begin to pull back on the handle, you slam your shoulder (like you were a football lineman) into the side of the door.  This will generally push the door out slightly, and allow it to actually move backward.  And always remember that speed is important – jump on and jump off !   

She Needed Help to get out!!!

The door is where much of the drama on a van happens.  If you were living in Bulgaria you would know about the fashion-culture and way women dress.  They always wear stiletto shoes, short skirts, (or tight pants), have enormous handbags slung off their shoulder, and are often carrying another large plastic bag.  In addition to all this, they are generally small and very thin, and can sometimes be talking on their cell phones. OK – now think about the process to get the door open on a van, and try to picture how someone with two bags, stiletto shoes, and talking on a cell phone can open the door.  They CAN’T! But it is amusing to watch them try.  Eventually, someone standing near the door will move to help them, and they bounce out, and go on their merry way.    

The other thing about Vans is that they are the fastest transport vehicles in the system.  I’m convinced all of the drivers have previous experience as race car drivers some place in Europe.  Many of the seats have been pulled up from their anchor bolts because riders have grabbed a seat handle during a lurch forward, or screeching stop, and pull the seats up from the floor.  Most often there is one floor to ceiling pole near the back of the sliding door for the people standing to grab hold of.  However, I have noticed that some vans are missing this pole, and only have the post holder showing where it once was.  It is amazing to watch these vans weave in and out of the other bus and car traffic.  But if you want to get some place quickly using public transport, this is the way to go. 

So.. that is a small part of our life here in Bulgaria.  Like most other things, we really don’t think about it much.  It is just part of the daily pattern.   But the next time, you pull your car with the heated seat, out of the heated garage that is less than 50 feet from your kitchen table where you have breakfast and coffee, please remember how very lucky you are to live in America, and have what you have – even if you don’t realize it!     

Thanks for reading

Mike

SCHOOL! WHAT IS IT LIKE? PART 2

Well looks like my weekly school blog has turned into a monthly one, but here is installment two.

There has been a lot going on since returning from the holiday break. First my energy went into getting the final approval for a large project to be implemented during this last semester of school. Petya and I have been working on it since last summer, but parts of it were slow in coming together. The review committee had a number of questions and the holidays slowed us down, but we got word today it has been approved and is in Washington DC waiting funding.  We will be purchasing 13 computers, Bulgarian Educational software, a printer and retraining teachers on the use of computers with a focus on how to integrate technology into daily lessons.  We will then introduce the kids to the computers. Skills will be varied for both teachers and kids as some use home computers and others have never touched one. Right now we have a couple of old computers in the library and the kids immediately run to them and start clicking away. It will be a MAJOR challenge to teach them to use the computers appropriately and to set up systems for usage, with consequences for undirected use. Getting all the teachers on the same page will be equally difficult, but my optimism and the positive impact keep me hopeful that it can be done. EXPECTATIONS: one of my favorite words and one rarely used here is the key!

Tuesday of this week we had our second International Art Exchange Award program. Twenty two students had their art work sent first to the states and then to participating schools around the world. We will receive pictures from students’ world wide in return. Once again we invited the parents, and they were excited to see their children recognized as participants in this exchange. On display were pictures from last year’s exchange. A slide show of others and a Google Earth trip to some of these locations were all a part of the program. So much more could be done with this exchange program, but the resources are in English, making it difficult for most of our teachers to take advantage of them. Just opening the eyes of the kids to a world outside their neighborhood is rewarding.

Analiya 4th grader had two entries in the exchange.

Gulishen a 3rd grader is quiet in class but scrappy with the boys during breaks!

Kuzman a 4th grader and all around good kid.

Roberto a 4th grader, a bright kid but one who has a lot to prove and someone you are always conscious of in the classroom.

Moving on: next week I want to start a special small class for the best third and fourth grade English students. Those that love the language, are in school everyday and in general show an enthusiasm for learning. We’ll only meet once a week but I hope to build their speaking confidence, strengthen their base and introduce reading. I know this is a lot for just under 20 hours. It will be fun though working with kids excited about learning and without the discipline problems. Without any support the challenge will be communicating effectively with them, but somehow we will get it done.Here are some of the kids being invited to participate for their love of learning and who will be my joy for the next few months.

Raiyna 3rd grade. Bright, delightful young lady in every way.

                                                 Lilly 3rd grade: every class has a "junior" teacher and she is it. One of the best in English!

Boris, 3rd grade. He always has that smile and somehow is able to stay out of the fray of wrestling with the other boys.

Nacko, 4th grade. An average student, but thoughtful and a hard worker. Was very excited when asked to join the class

Kraci, 4th grade: Excels at everything he does.

Ramzie 4th grade: A quiet, caring young lady who works hard always doing her best. I like to watch her think!

Elena 4th grade: I noticed her on my very first day of school. Confident, intelligent and dynamic individual.

Head-shakers in the last few weeks. There are many. The things that angers and frustrates me more than anything else is how the education of the children is the last thing considered when making decisions. Last time I mentioned several canceled classes for inane reasons. It is a constant. Petya was instructed by the school principal to shorten one of her third grade classes. The principal’s 4^th grade daughter was in school and needed help with HER English homework!!  There was another incident of a document needing to be delivered to the other building immediately, and although I did the running, the person who delivered the message told the teachers Petya had to go to the directors office…..next class canceled. Trying to set up desks in a way that makes teaching easier…..not allowed because it makes the cleaning ladies’ work more difficult. If we change the room arrangement (from straight rows) in any way it must be returned at the end of each class. The time taken to set up and break down out of a 40 minute session is precious.  My anti-littering competition with “cleanest rooms awards” never got off the ground. Again it was because the cleaning ladies who were an integral part of it could not be convinced that the small effort of putting a sticker on the door of the clean rooms everyday for a month would make a change. Some teachers and kids worked hard during the first few weeks cleaning their rooms ever day. When the promised awards did not come……the effort slacked. This is an example of the frustrations of limited language as I could not convey my passion and expectations clearly or easily. I could explain the how but not the why convincingly.

Tsveti, a big lady with a big heart!

Ending on the positive side, as I was talking with one of my favorite teachers yesterday, conversation turned to my departure, in part because the application for another volunteer was just submitted to Peace Corps.She is a large dynamic individual with a great sense of humor. She always has the staff laughing as she regales us with stories. Her long career has been here at Naiden Gerov working with the Roma kids. She knows how to interpret their mixed language phrases, incorporates music as a critical teaching tool and has been flexible enough to let me do whatever I want in her classroom (1^st grade this year) . She "gets it" commenting after every lesson, about the interactive aspect of the lesson and how that is the way kids learn.  I let her know how much I enjoy working with her. She indicated she had not worked with the previous volunteers (youth workers here more than three years ago) and did not want to work with anyone else. She said we were connected because we teach from the heart. I was touched.  There are actually a number of teachers in my school who teach from the heart and although their ways of doing things are not what I am used to or consider “good practices”,  they need to be  recognized for what they do and why they do it.

Symbols

Symbols

We just got back from Rome, and we are working on a long blog with lots of pictures.  However, there was also something we learned during this trip, which we did not expect.   Our visit to Rome gave us a little better perspective on our life here in Bulgaria. 

Lynn and I are often amazed at “fashions” in Bulgaria and some of the things being sold in the windows of the upscale stores popping up around Plovdiv.  Walking around Rome, we began to see why there are so many “imitator’s” here.   Rome was filled with small specialty stores selling very high-end “designer”  shoes, bags, clothes, etc.   We found Louis Vuittan,  Burberry, and other handbags selling for as much as 450 Euros.  (By the way 450 Euros is almost equal to our combined monthly salary here!)  Dress shirts for small boys were 75 Euros, and Lynn was sure the little boys would have the shirts “hanging over their pants” within 30 minutes of putting them on.   Shoes were prices anywhere from 200 to 500 Euros – and there were not any diamonds on them!   But in Bulgaria, we see many stores widows “hyping” Italian designs, or designer names.    We still don’t know anyone who can afford these items here in Bulgaria (at least none of the people we know can purchase them).  However, there are some folks here who seem to have the money to buy them.  We noticed that many of the Bulgarians on our plane back had shopping bags filled with expensive items (or they were already wearing them).    It almost seemed like Bulgaria is the “poor stepchild”, who is constantly striving to  try to be like their rich relatives. 

In addition to this, it was much easier to see (and experience) the real differences between Eastern and Western Europe.   Things worked in Rome!  There were signs, and it was easy to find your way around.  It was well lit, and walking was easy.  The busses and subways worked, and machines cleaned the streets daily.  In contrast, when we arrived back last Sunday night, we got onto an old “double decker” bus that did not have any working reading lights.  It also did not have very good springs, and rattled along during the 2 hour trip to Plovdiv.  The public toilets in the airport were not clean, and we had to “re-remember” to put the toilet paper in separate basket.  On the city bus home from the bus station in Plovdiv, we noticed the “call buttons”  telling the driver to stop at the next stop were NOT operational (which is normal).  And in the morning, there will be the Roma (Gypsy) street cleaners out “sprucing up” the roads with their twig and stick brooms instead of an army of mechanized street cleaners.  Finally, as we started the final 7 minute walk home from the bus stop, we were not able to walk on the sidewalks because those are for car parking.  We were walking in the back streets, and “sharing the road” with other cars. 

None of these are really big issues.  It is just the way it is.  It is not good or bad!  They are all small symbols of the differences between countries – even countries which are only a short 70 minute plane ride away - -  One hour-plus and a world apart. 

Thanks for Reading. 

Mike

A SYMBOL OF PRESTIGE

A SYMBOL OF PRESTIGE

Yankee Swap.  The concept of this gift exchange is foreign to many Americans and the rules and details are discussed annually at our family Christmas gatherings. We thought it a fun way to share some of our traditions with our Bulgarian friends.  The gifts they brought clearly reflected their understanding of the “swap”.

The gift I chose from under the tree and was left with at the end of the evening was a leather purse “чанта/ chanta” in Bulgarian. It is an absolutely essential part of a woman’s life and for the most part the bigger the better. I could do a whole blog on Чанти, but not now.

Krum fessed up and said it had been in his house for years. It was obvious it was a vintage piece, and very well made especially compared to what is bought today. The leather was rich but not yet supple as it was clear it had barely been used. I accepted it graciously, knowing I would never use it and would have to find a home for it upon departure along with many many other things that are part of our daily lives.

Ah, but without knowledge, one can not have appreciation. Two days latter, Vesse our Bulgarian friend and language tutor was here for a lesson. As part of our lesson, we usually have to tell her in Bulgarian what has happened to us during the week. The party details took forever to recount, and of course when we tried to explain the Yankee Swap, there were numerous questions.  We showed Vessse our gifts and her eyes lit up when she saw my purse.  She has one (bigger than mine) as a keepsake of her mother.

During Communist times, being a teacher was a prestigious position. Only teachers had purses like this. They were not used daily but brought out and slung over the shoulder for special occasions, school celebrations and holidays. The women paraded with their students as part of the festivities, and each had these distinct bags that set them apart as “teachers”.  Vesse’s mother and grandmother were teachers as is Vesse. She was encouraged by both to study hard so she could become a teacher.  I’ve met Krum’s mother Irene (my mother’s name as well). She is a teacher, one of my favorite kinds: a kindergarten teacher. This had been her bag when her work was held in high esteem, unlike today.

So it seems appropriate that I should come away with this purse. Instead of trying to find a home for it here in Bulgaria, I will bring it home with me and hang it upon the wall with the many other mementos from previous generations of my own family. It has come alive with this story and worth preserving and sharing.

Lynn

What A Difference A Year Makes!

What A Difference A Year Makes!

What a difference a year can make.  Lynn and I are constantly surprised at what we can do in the second year of service, and how much our perspective, outlook, and impact has changed.  This year, the holidays are a good example of this difference.

Last year, Thanksgiving was great.  We had 13 volunteers with us, and it was just like being in the US.  However, there was lots of stress trying to put it all together.  We spent weeks looking for turkeys, and had several bad starts tying to make pumpkin pie, and other things.   This year was a breeze.  We really did very little planning for our 10 guests, and everything went smoothly.  Knowing what we were dong meant we had more time to share Thanksgiving traditions with our Bulgarians friends this year.   The way we did that was with food.  We have learned sharing traditional foods (either Bulgarians sharing with us or us with them) is a great way to explain cultures.  American pies can not be found here in Bulgaria.  In fact, you will not even find standard pie plates.  Their Tikva squash has the shape of a pumpkin, but is a dull gray color.  However, the tikva is very sweet.  We made “Tikva pies” for everyone during the Thanksgiving week.  Monday was for my colleagues.  Tuesday was the second pie for our Conversational English class.  Thursday there was a Tikva and an apple pie for Lynn’s colleagues at school.  We used the pies to explain the family Thanksgiving traditions, and they loved them. The only thing left were a few crimbs.  There were many requests for recipes, but Lynn is not sure that even if the directions were written in Bulgarian, they would be able to make them without seeing one being made. Maybe some things are better left a mystery!!

Christmas this year will also be very different.  Although Lynn or I have not purchased any gifts yet (we will get each other some small things next week), we have been very busy – in a good way.  And… it will continue until we leave for Rome on December 27. 

On December 10-11, our NGO had their annual meeting (and Holiday party).  We had about 65 people attending the meetings, and the dinner.  These are all Roma families we have helped, and the dinner was much more of a celebration than a dinner meeting.  There was lots of music and dancing sprinkled in between plenty of homemade wine and rakia.  But everyone was up and attending the meetings Saturday morning. 

Immediately after the annual meeting concluded Saturday, Lynn and I were off to Na Gosti (visiting friends) with a person who has an office on the same floor where I work.  Mimi and I have become close, and talk often.  She has one son working on Cape Cod, and another daughter in College here.  The day before going, Lynn and I got a lesson in making traditional Bulgarian holiday bread.  It is called a “holiday Pitka” (roll).  Actually it is large round bread, decorated with symbols of “good” things from Bulgaria.  This includes strawberries, grapes, apples, birds, wheat, and other things.  Our Tutor (Vessi) helped us make it.  Mimi’s family was impressed, and it was really good.  We combined the Bulgarian Pitka with their traditional Bulgarian dinner and one of Lynn’s American Apple Pies.  The entire evening was wonderful. 

Just before our Annual meeting, I started pushing to have a Holiday party for my colleagues.  Last year, (in late January) we all went out to a small restaurant for dinner - - but that was all.  I got people interested, and convinced them we should have it at someone’s home.   Lynn and I actually wanted to do this at our place, and share more American Holiday traditions with our friends.  So… this past Thursday evening, we had nine of us here in our small (but efficient) apartment/home.  And it was GREAT!  I had explained the concept of a “Yankee Swap” to all my colleagues.  This was not easy because there is not even a good translation of the ward “swap” in Bulgarian.  And then to get them to understand that you really don’t want to purchase a gift, just find something in your home which you don’t want and bring that as a gift was a challenge.   Maria is living with her grandmother, and asked if she could swap her, and Ivan said he had an old cot that he wanted to get rid of.  They got the idea!  And – just like in the US - everyone had a great time giving (and taking) other peoples gifts.

Another wonderful part of this party was the preparation.  Other than making Christmas cookies and another pie there was very little else for us to do. EVERYONE brought something.  At one point almost everyone was working in our little kitchen.  They were putting traditional Bulgarian Christmas eve foods into the oven to warm, cutting up appetizers, preparing breads, and pouring drinks.  This is not generally the way we see things done when we Na gosti.  When Lynn commented that it felt very American having everyone in her kitchen, we were told it is very normal among good friends.  That was good to hear, and even better to watch!  I think what was most exciting was to see all these people who we have come to care about deeply, relaxing and enjoying each other. They really don’t take or make time for themselves, and this seemed to be an exception. When we watched a bit of a video tape, what stood out was the laughter. It was 1:30 before the party ended. We had Bulgarian language tutoring Friday morning at 9AM.   We were not as “sharp” as usual - - but it was worth it.  Most importantly, I think my colleagues will do this again next year – even if we are not here to share with them.   

This evening, we are going to a free concert at the large music high school in the old city section of Plovdiv.  A girl’s choir will be performing, and we have been trying to get to one of their concerts for several months.  They travel outside of Bulgaria, and are suppose to be very good.  Going to Christmas concerts performed by students is something we have enjoyed doing for years now and it is so nice to keep a tradition like that alive while we are here.  After we get back from that, we will be skyping into the Garrigus Christmas party in Massachusetts.  With luck we will hook Scott into the call as well. Not the same as being together, but a great substitute. It will also be great to spend a few hours catching up with people we don’t normally have a chance to see.

This coming Tuesday evening, we will have a Christmas party with our conversational English class at the YMCA (where the classes are normally held).  We did this last year, and had a wonderful time.  This group of people has taught us so much about Bulgaria.   I expect we will have 12-15 people attending.   Wednesday evening is Lynn’s school Christmas Party.  Last year, Lynn was sick, and we did not attend.  We have been to other social events with them, and it is always fun.   Thursday, Lynn, Petya, and I will go to a Christmas Concert with the Plovdiv Symphony.   This will be the first time we have heard them.  We have been told they are good, and I’m sure we will enjoy it. 

Then it will be a quiet Christmas Eve here, and skyping with my family in Connecticut.   We will try to get to a Christmas Eve service.  Last year, the service times were not listed, (or maybe we just misunderstood) and we ended up attending on Christmas day.  Then it will be packing up for our Rome trip.  We have to be in Sofia December 26, because our flight on Monday is very early in the morning. 

This year is so very different from last year.  And it is much better!  One of the few things that is the same about this Christmas and last is that we are not with family.  Actually, this year we are spread out even more.  Scott is in Iraq.  We are in Bulgaria.  Shawn and Chrissy are in NYC.  Everyone else is in their home.  But – everyone is safe and healthy – and those are really the most important things. 

Lynn and I continue to be amazed by our experience with the Peace Corps.   We have never questioned our decision to try this.  It is very different from what we expected, and it is so much more.  Our holiday wish to all of you is to Never ever give up on your dreams. Always be willing to take chances, and to step into unknown places.  None of this is easy, but our experience says that it worth it – VERY worth it! 

Have a Merry Christmas – and a Wonderful New Year!

Thanks for Reading – Keep Dreaming!

Mike

My Other Car Is A BUS/VAN/TRAM!!! How It Works

My Other Car Is A BUS/VAN/TRAM!!!

How It Works

I know I have talked about walking A LOT here in Bulgaria, and there have also been one or two blogs which mentioned that I miss my car (all the parts of it).  However, I have not really explained the transportation system here in Plovdiv.  Although it may look like the public transportation system in any other town, it is really much different.  Yes – it does have taxis, buses and trams, and vans, but that is where the similarities stop.  So… let me try to explain how city transportation works here in Plovdiv. (Oh – by the way the Sofia city system is much different than here.  Plovdiv is much better!) 

Before we even start talking about the buses, I need to explain a little bit about the system, because it is very different from what an American would expect.  There are NO BART (bay area rapid transits) or NYC transit systems.  Plovdiv has five different bus companies.  Each company has its own routes.  But most of the company’s routes overlap.  For example on the major roads near the city center, all of the companies will have bus routes there.  Every bus has a number on the front and side window.  (By the way, these numbers are NOT lit up at night, and can’t be seen in the dark.)   The most important implication of this spider web of five different companies is that you may not pay just one fare to get where you want.  THERE ARE NO TRANSFERS because; there is no way for the companies to get funds from their other competing companies.  The impact of this for the  riding consumer is that you will have to figure out the bus route which will get you to your destination without getting off, and getting on – and paying twice!.  That generally means you will take much longer routes to reach work.  Efficiency and timeliness are not considerations here.  Public service is not high on the priority list either. But, I have never heard any Bulgarians complain about the system.  In the US, there would be thousands of irate citizens converging on city hall to complain about the non-integrated public transit system.  But not here!

Oh – there is one other important thing to know about this system.  Yes – every bus and tram and van has a number.  And they all go different places, and their routes overlap.  But  - - there are duplicate numbers.  For example, there is a #3 tram, and a #3 van.  There is also a #4 Van, and a #4 bus.  And their routes overlap.  So… when you are struggling to figure all of this while looking at very small bus/tram/van numbers on a large city map, it is very easy to get screwed up.  When we first got here, that did happen a few times until we had memorized more of the system.  It was a little bit of an adventure to jump on the #3 Van expecting it is going one place, and end up in the other part of the city because you really wanted the #3 tram.  Thankfully, we got that figured out very quickly!

Another interesting part of the transit system is the ticket payment process.  This system works, but I am amazed at the simplicity of it.  Every bus or tram has a driver and a conductor.  The conductors collect money (it costs one Leva – like one dollar), and gives you a ticket.  Every conductor has his own system for holding each type of coin, and where to keep the bills. It appears to me that the conductors have to purchase their own bill/change purse because none of them are the same. Although they will give you change, it is best not to give them more than a 5 leva bill. But the most interesting part of the system is the ticket.  Each ticket has a number on it.  These tickets look almost like a “little league Lottery ticket”.  The conductor knows how much money he/she starts with, and the beginning number on the ticket pack.  Each number is a Leva.  At the end of the run (or day) the ticket numbers have to agree with the amount of cash he has taken in. 

If you take a intercity bus from the bus station to another city, often you pay the bus driver, and he will use a similar system.  However, then the tickets all have different leva amounts on them.  So, if I pay nine leva to go to city of  Smolyn (three hours south of us), I will get a 5Leva ticket,  and two 2Leva tickets.  It all seems “old world” to me, but I have to admit that it works. 

Trams are  longer than buses, and have fewer riders

Now that I have helped you figure out where you are going, and what bus to take, and you have gotten your ticket from the conductor; it is time to talk about the trams.  They are a story all by themselves.  Most of the buses and trams are second hand from Germany.  You can almost always find some German language label somewhere in the vehicle. 

The trams are the oldest vehicles in the system.  They are electric, and connected to wires above the road by long flexible rods which “ride along the wires”.   However, the trams are the slowest form of public transit, and the most prone to problems.  When the trams are going through an intersection, there will be multiple wires and wire connections they have to transverse.  The tram will have to carefully “crawl” through the intersection hoping to keep the poles on the correct wires, and to get safely through the “wire intersections” above the road.  Often this does not happen.  And when one of the rods “flys off and up”, the tram will stop - - in the middle of the busy intersection - stopping traffic in all directions.  Then the driver will put on heavy gloves, and go to the back of the tram to pull down the rope connected to the rod, and reconnect the rod to the wire.  Although this generally only takes a few minutes, it does mess up the traffic in that intersection.  All of the other car drivers in the city understand this problem with the trams.  They will do everything they can (including cutting off the tram) to get in front of the tram. I am always glad Trams are very big because those little cars will get hurt much more than we will if we hit them when they are cutting us off. 

So… that is where we will stop for this time.  My next  "transportation" blog will talk about the ‘Grand Prix” race car drivers of the Plovdiv City Transit System, and the joys of riding in non-air conditioned buses with all the windows closed when it is 95 degrees outside.  Till then - -

Thanks for reading

Mike

SCHOOL! WHAT IS IT LIKE?????

School. What is it like? That has been a tough one to answer, and probably the reason I haven’t written any blogs about it.  Unless you have experienced teaching in an American ghetto, it will be difficult for you to imagine what it is like day to day. We can look at it from many perspectives, examining it by looking at the students, the teachers, the administration, the facilities, and lastly the educational system at a national level. Each can be scrutinized regarding their attitudes, their behavior, their motivation, their level of performance etc. Of course each of those could be a PhD dissertation. So, instead of trying to tackle the whole thing I’ve decided to write a weekly update, highlighting the good and the bad from each week. In time it should hit on the many variables of teaching in the Bulgarian educational system.

Yesterday was a classic day, with a number of individual events that are quite typical. A year ago, I would have been beyond frustration, shaking my head and wondering how this could be. Yesterday, I just accepted this as the way it is, decided what I had any control over and how I wanted to proceed next!

My first class was my only 6^th grade class. It follows a 20 minute break (like a recess for the whole school). The problem with this time slot as well as first period is getting the students to class on time. It is not unusual to start a 40 minute class with about 8 kids. The rest stroll in as they please, often eating whatever it was they purchased at the break. Some are up to 20 minutes late. They might have to ask to enter the class and explain their tardiness, but there are no consequences for being late. They are not expected to make up the time, to complete the work on their own, nothing. In reality there are no consequences for most behavior….only the most extreme. This a fairly large class of 25, but lately less than 18 have peen present. Non-stop talking is an ongoing issue.  Teachers constantly try to talk over their students, yell at them to quiet them, or bang a very large stick on the desk to get their attention. The kids are the quietest when they are writing. I don’t know if it is because this is the one constant in their educational lives or because it requires intense concentration. The first activity I tried failed. With the smaller groups we have been doing an opening exercise, standing in a circle and quickly greeting the person next to us, practicing my name is… what’s your name…..how are you….this is……he/she is…..etc.  With almost everyone present, arriving at different times, I just could not get it to work. Separating those who were pushing, jabbing, teasing etc was a constant. If I got the talking under control it was for less than a minute.Because their English is so poor, only a handful can do this without me modeling every word for them. I gave up.  We moved on with the lesson, and the rest of the class was a bit better if you think calling out, talking, combing hair, doodling, or doing nothing at all are acceptable. We sang some songs about days of the week and months of the year and had a hands on activity (sitting at their desks). when the bell rings, they do not wait to be dismissed. They are up and out!

With an hour and a half break I decided to hustle the 8 minutes to the other building ( our school is housed in two buildings a few blocks away from each other) to observe a 3^rd grade class who’s behavior has been worse than usual. LOUD is the first thing that comes to mind followed immediately by PHYSICAL. However, as I was approaching the school 2 ½ hours into the day I saw many of the kids on the street heading home. When I got to school, the teacher explained the kids were supposed to have Art, but the Art teacher had something else to do, so the kids were released for the day. THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL!!! 

OK move on to something else. Petya ( my counterpart) appeared with news that she was just told that she would be on vacation starting tomorrow, until Dec 20. Apparently the central government decided that employees could not carry more than 10 days of vacation, leave, or whatever they call unused paid time into the new year. My thought was did they not see this as a problem sooner?  Because our directors call on Petya to do so much extra work, she has accumulated about 20 extra days over the last few years. If she does not take them now, she looses them. She may loose some of them anyway, as they are expecting her to be back for the last few days before break to write all the monthly reports for the assistant director  that need to be submitted to the central government. Why Petya does all the secreterial work for our little school is a question we keep asking ourselves. The anser seems to be because she knows how to and no one else is paid to do it. 

We talked about my covering classes for her, but decided against it. We are trying to get a major funding proposal finished before Christmas and this will give us time to work on that. Also the assistant director had been assigned to cover for her ( but will be teaching health and safety, not English). Apparently she will be paid extra for these hours. We are both convinced that if I am there, she will find a reason to not be in class, but continue to be paid as if she was. We both suspect the classes will be dismissed early a number of times as well. So, there will be no English for 3^rd and 4^th grade for the rest of the month. 

As part of the paper trail, Petya had to sign and submit a form to the school secretary. However, the secretary was not at school during the lunch break and Petya had to wait until 1:00 to drop the paper off ( that was all she had to do). Oh, but at 1:00 she has a class.  Too bad for the kids. They get written off, don’t have English and the paper gets delivered on time.

While she was waiting for the secretary to show up I returned to the other building for a class with a few of the teachers who want to learn English. I wasn't seeing anyone. Inquiries led to one not being interested today, one having a name day and going out with friends,one unaccounted for, and the last not in school because he is on vacation using up his extra days! Back to the other school for classes.

When Petya returned (the one secretary is in the other building) we prepped for two back to back classes. Planning, if there is any, usually occurs in the few minutes before class and consist of identifying a topic to be covered. The classes were OK. Nothing extraordinary  either good or bad. Finishing up the day though took a little time as Petya had to enter marks for the months of November and December into the mark books for the three third grades (I don’t know what happened with the fourth grades?)  This took about 10 minutes as we quite randomly gave each child a number (1-6) six being  an excellent. They were not based on anything other than general impressions of their English. There have been no tests, no quizzes, no grades on daily work, and no measurable marks of any kind since September. Sometimes a student would get the same mark for both months sometimes a different mark for the two months. If they were a “good” child they would generally get a higher mark whether their English was good or not. The lowest mark was a 3 even for those who rarely attend and really don’t know anything. The reason being, it really doesn’t matter, because the government has decided that no child in the elementary level shall be retained. In general, marks are not reflective of what a child knows.

So that was my day at school. Unfortunately, after more than a year, none of those events surprised me. Do they bother me? Absolutely. Do I loose sleep over them? No, not anymore. Have I given up? No. Though many of these problems are systemic and I have little or no power to change them, I can still try to raise questions, help an individual teacher change what happens in his/her classroom, and put my energy into making a difference for these kids.They need every ounce of help they can get. The good news... when the classes found out they would not be having English for the rest of the month they were very disappointed. Though I won't be teaching English to the majority of my classes in Dec, my plan is to work with them teaching them 4 square and other outdoor organized games. This will be in Bulgish...a combination of English and Bulgarian. Life goes on!!!!

lynn