LG's Excellent PC Adventure

One of the first things I managed to accomplish upon arrival in SZ was to find a dry cleaner for my shirts and suits. Locating a 'hemichesko chistene' was no mean feat and, once I found them, I wasn't about to let them go. They charged me 2 leva per shirt which is about what I paid in the States. My shirts were lightly starched, ironed and put on hangers or a hanger anyway (all five shirts neatly stacked on one hanger). The collars were beginning to look a bit grey but I just figured that the dry cleaning stuff here wasn't as effective as that at home. The other day I went in with four shirts and a new woman was behind the counter. This wasn't a problem because I knew what to ask for and how much to pay. Unfortunately, the new woman didn't know how much to charge and told me I owed the equivalent of 3.5 leva per shirt. We then had a long discussion which may or may not have involved a theory of macro-economic parameters, supply and/or demand, the influence of pre-accession into the European Union on small market post-socialist economies and why had the price of cleaning my shirts had nearly doubled! Finally, she said that the 3.50 leva price was for 'dry cleaning' and ironing with starch and hangers. The 2.50 leva price was, it seemed, for 'washing' and ironing with starch and hangers. The 2.00 leva price was nyama (non-existant). Fine, just wash them and etc. and I'll pay 2.50/shirt. When I got back to the office I told Toni about this conversation and repeated the word for 'washing' only to learn that it wasn't the word for washing, it was the word for ironing. It seems that I've been taking my shirts in and having them ironed and starched for six months now. Not cleaned, which explains the grey collars, just ironed and starched. So Toni called the 'hemichesko' people and explained that the lunatic American really did want his shirts cleaned too. They explained in return that I'd owe more money when I picked them up. Fine. I picked them up today and the woman gave me back 2 leva. Go figure. You may wonder how a purportedly intelligent person might not notice that his shirts hadn't actually been cleaned and I can tell you that there are a couple of good reasons. First, of course, I are a idiot. Also, it was Winter and the shirts didn't get all that dirty.....

I rode the trains this weekend. Whenever I've travelled in the past I've taken buses but the train schedule was more convenient so I finally got to ride a train. I took the train out to Varna on the Black Sea and rode it across the green Thracian Plain. All the crops are beginning to come up and the country is remarkably lush and beautiful. The last part of the trip skirts the foothills of the Stara Planina or Old Mountains before, finally, winding down to the sea. Varna is Bulgaria's main Black Sea city and the PC has a small contingent of volunteers lucky enough to be posted there or nearby. This, by the way, would be a good time to steal Germany because its entire population seemed to be in Varna this weekend. The city itself is quite pretty and is busily gearing up for its summer rush of tourists. There is a large pedestrian area in the center of town that begins at a magnificent cathedral and runs down to the sea. They also have a modern well-stocked supermarket. When Sara and I were in Saedinenie we began talking about how much we liked eggplant parmigiana and for months have threatened to cook one together. We were able to find all the ingredients in her supermarket and managed to make one excellent dinner on the first try. Sadly, there was no convenient way for me to bring any of the leftovers home with me, so Sara got them all. Better planning will see me making the next one at my house.

Last week it became apparent that Malcho couldn't continue on as manager of the knitting enterprise. His true aspirations seem to be along the lines of becoming a two and a half foot tall rap artist. At any rate, someone had to let him know that his services were no longer required. Rumyana works most closely with the project so I just assumed that she'd give him the bad news. When I talked to Petya and Darina about it, they both said that there was no problem with firing him and either of them would do it when he came to the office on Friday. I suggested that we say something to him like, "This isn't the right business for you. I'll help you start up something that's more suited to your skills. etc." Petya just said, "no, we'll just tell him he can't do the work and we have to find someone else." A little strong perhaps but direct, candid and honest. Well, Malcho showed up for his meeting on Friday and Rumyana was awol. As soon as Malcho walked in, Petya made a 'very important' phone call and indicated with much head bobbing that she'd be tied up for a very long time. Toni disappared into the ladies room and Darina had the look of someone who didn't move fast enough. So I fired Malcho. I was forced to rely on two memorized phrases and a lot of hand gestures. Eventually Darina came to our assistance and translated for me. It was a thoroughly unpleasant experience but it's over and we can begin looking for someone who can do the job.

A couple of the groups from the Film Club are ready to begin filming. Thanks to Chris and Lisa we have two video cameras now and can film two angles on each take. That's film talk for being able to film two angles on each take. Hopefully, we'll get started this week and have a movie or two finished by the end of summer.

A final word on Holidays. May 24th is Sts. Cyril & Metodii Day and is a national holiday in Bulgaria. Sts. Cyril & Metodii, as you may recall, were Bulgarian priests who formulated the Cyrillic alphabet and it's an important day on our calendar here. This year, the holiday fell on a Tuesday and the Monday before it was declared a day off too. It isn't exactly a holiday, but everything shuts down nonetheless. It's a bit like the Friday after Thanksgiving but here it's an official day off. Unlike the day after Thanksgiving, however, the whole country will now work on Saturday to make up for the extra day off. So we get a four day weekend followed by a one day weekend. This Saturday is the makeup day for last Monday and I, like ninety-nine percent of the rest of the country, feel some sniffles coming on..cough, cough.