LEARNING IS NOT SO FUN!! Well as like always a lot has happened in the last two or three weeks! Who knows if that is right I have lost track of time, in fact I can't remember what year it is!! WINK WINK! I have come to realize that I really miss sandwiches and Wal-mart......I never thought that I would ever miss Wal-mart but they have just made it toooooo easy! To clarify I am going to be working strongly with Anti-Trafficking and I feel very overwhelmed and lucky to work with this tough situation that is all over the world! I am learning all the things I dislike about myself here and I feel that this learning and growing process only makes sense to start there! However, I have learned I am a quick learner!! =) I have had the past 6 days off because I had to go to the Peace Corps Headquarters to do a biopsy on a lump in my breast that they found!! I have also Learned that I am stronger than nails because I survived the biopsy without anesthesia.........excuse me for a moment I just got a flashback!! My friend was there for support and without her I would have been miserable!! No worries the doctors all say the same thing that I am fine but that this is necessary procedure because I am still new in the Peace Corps. There was a holiday here for the past two days as well so I have had about a week of rest! While I was in Sophia for my check up I ate McDonald's twice and remembered quickly how crappy American food makes me feel! I also learned that I hate the feeling of being "played" if you don't understand this terminology I don't like to feel taken advantaged of. For example, while I was walking the streets with my friend I noticed something pressing on my bag and when I turned around my wallet was sticking out and their was a little girl with a scared look

on her face because I had just caught her trying to steel my wallet. I think with one look I scared her straight!! I was sooooo mad that I couldn't even speak Bulgarian anymore and I went off in ENGLIGH....go fugure! Everything ended up being fine and I learned I have the reflexes of a cat and the temper of a LION!!! WInk! Anyways everything is fine now! I will go back to work tomorrow! On a funny note I have LEARNED that sometimes giving someone the benefit of the doubt is appropriate!! The other night I was on skype with my host mother and she asked if I was going to her daughters birthday and I said no I woulnd't be able to make it....after this she said FU.......As I am sure you all can picture the look on my face........I replyed FU? Do you know what that means in English.........She said no.......So I told her what it meant in Bulgarian......she said ohhhhhh! Later in the converstation I saw her write FU again and then she erased it.....when I asked her about it she said she didn't know that's what she wrote and that she was trying to type ok it was just that the Bulgarian keyboard was off and she made a mistake! I then switched my keyboard to Bulgairn and typed in OK.....it did not match up so as you can imagine I was ANGRY! I told her that I would definatley not be visiting her again and that I was mad! Later the next day I was talking to another volunteer about the situation and they told me that if I type the letters FU on the american keyboard in bulgarian it should type OK...............oppppps!!! I learned that I should have gave her the benefit of the doubt and that she really wasn't saying FU!! I apologized and we are fine!! =) WOW this is my life and I am sure you are all loving to hear about it! I would like to give a shout out to my brother and ALicia for having a new baby puppy! To my sister Amanda for being BRAVE......and a wonderful mother! I miss my neice like crazy and I talk about her all the time! Congrats to the ladies in my life who are getting married and to Amanda Beim for getting married! To my sister Alex for doing so wonderful in school and soccer ............GREAT JOB keep it up my love! Thanks to everyone who has kept me updated in their lives I do enjoy it! Congrats to Meg and Casey for getting ready to become wonderfully new PARENTS! To Chris and his family thank you for being you!! I could keep going on but thank you to everyone who has sent me food, clothing, and love...you know who you are it means a lot! Well I am tired of writing so I wish you all well and I will leave you with.............LIFE IS LEARNING AND BOY AM I LEARNING FAST!

Love ME