Quotes from the kindergarten

One month since my last post. Partly because I'm too lazy to post pictures and write, and partly because my life is boring (but what's new, eh?). I did go to Greece though. So there's that. Will do a post on that one.

Here is a little exchange between me and a four-year-old. All of it was said in Bulgarian (except 'six'). Quick Bulgarian lesson: six = shest. Sex = sex.

Child: What does "sex" mean?
Me: Six? Shest.
Child: No, sex.
Me: Six?
Child: Sex.
Me: Six? Shest!
Child: No, what does sex mean?
Me: Shest!
[child gives up]
And that's how you avoid awkward conversations.

I had an Easter Egg Hunt at the kindergarten which was new to the kids. I hid a couple of eggs and some candy for each of them. You know how you plan things with kids and then when it actually happens there's a lot more screaming and fighting than you planned? Yeah, me too. It was a lot of fun though and they all asked to do it again afterwards. The littlest one didn't get the concept of looking for eggs. He just followed me around saying, "Sasha, tell me where the eggs are! Please! Tell me! Saaaaashaaaa!"

After nap time:
Child: A gypsy stole my egg!
Teacher: Where are there gypsies in the kindergarten?
Child: Gabi is a gypsy!
Gabi: No I'm not!

Threats from the kindergarten teachers to get kids to behave:
-"That's it, I'm calling the police!"
-"Sasha will leave and never come back if you don't behave!"
-"Quickly! The police are coming!"
-"Hear that? Baba Yaga* is coming to get you!"
-"Lie down or you will have to study!"
-"Quiet kids, I just saw the police car drive by!"

*Baba Yaga is a witch who flies around kidnapping children and threatening to eat them.**
**Disclaimer: Baba Yaga is a fictional character.

I am learning a lot for when I may become a parent someday:
Me: Pick up your toys.
Junior: No!
Me: That's it I am calling the police. [fake dials] Here I go…calling the police chief right now…Hello, my daughter won't…
Junior: Okay, okay!
Me: Now let's look over your homework.
Junior: I don't wanna!
Me: That's it, I'm calling the president. [fake dials] Hello, Madam President, my daughter refuses to get an education…
Junior: Alright already!

Fool proof, parenting. Empty threats, for the win.

Kukeri in Shiroka Luka

This past Sunday was the celebration of the beginning of Bulgarian Orthodox Lent and I went to a small village in the Rhodope Mountains called Shiroka Luka. Every year on the first of March they have a kukeri festival. The holiday is called "Baba Marta" or Grandmother March and it welcomes springtime and symbolizes cycles and rebirth. The celebration began with the kukeri from Shiroka Luka parading through the streets, making their way towards the square. Kukeri are men dressed in costumes (usually sheepskin) decorated to look like large beasts with copper bells around their waists that ring as the kukeri jump up and down. The kukeri are supposed to scare away the evil spirits and provide a good harvest for the village.

It began with some folk theater which was too strange for me to even being to understand. The kukeri were dancing and one of them had their head taken off (not really though children, it was pretend). Then Baba Marta (who was always a man dressed like an old woman) had twins and they danced around shaking the babies. There was some whipping, cross dressing, plowing of Baba Marta (literally, with a plow), dancing devils and priests flinging holy water at us. Then kukeri from different villages around Bulgaria came into the square, each with a band, folk dances and their own decorated masks. It was quite loud with the music, singing and the copper bells ringing.

After that was over a band began to play Bulgarian folk music and people began to dance horo. I was hungry so I decided to dance until the song ended. Luckily, after about 45 minutes of the same song I decided to give up. The band ended up playing, without stopping, for about four hours. The day was beautiful and even though snow still covered the ground dancing made you warm enough to take off your jacket.

Everywhere were stands of people selling meat, potatoes, candy, bells, rugs and martenista. Another tradition on Baba Marta is to give friends martenitsa, which are red and white yarn bracelets, tassels or dolls called Pizho and Penda. You tie them on your friends' wrists, wishing them health and success. You wear all of your martenitsa at all times until you see a stork or a budding tree (usually at the end of March) which symbolizes the beginning of spring.

My camera works so I have a lot of pictures posted! Chestita Baba Marta! Честита Баба Марта!

 

Shiroka Luka from above.

 

 

Me and a kukeri.

 

 

Plowing Baba Marta.

 

 

Battle between the priest and the devil.

 

 

This is one cool looking priest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children getting twigs to whack the backs of the adults.

 

 

 

 

Lots of horo dancing in the square.

 

My martenitsa.

I have pictures!

Here are some pictures of my kindergarteners, the Valentine's dance competition that I helped judge and the snowfall. On February 13th one of the amazing volunteers in Razgrad, Abeth, organized a dance competition at her school including: modern, kiyuchek, ruchenitsa, biala rosa (horo) and break. The kids had numbers on their backs and every participant went on stage to dance, from goofy first grader to knee-high boots wearing twelfth grader. And the best part of being a judge is declaring an immediate dance-off. "You. You. Kiychek. 3 minutes. Wow me."

 

Smeeli eating breakfast.

 

It's hard to get Dobi's natural smile because whenever I take out the camera this is his go-to expression.

 

Princess and Prince.

 

The princesses posing.

 

Dancing the kiyuchek.

 

Crowning the princess.

 

 

My gate- see how high the snow is!

 

The outhouse in the back of my house. How many of you can say you have an outhouse?

 

My snowman!

 

Mariana and Zhivko working at the store.

 

Dobi pelting me with snowballs.

 

 

 

My neighbor Baba Nikolina.