It is What it is (some random thoughts)

We have been living in Bulgaria for some time and the Galloway family has a saying… “It Is What It Is”.  I cannot remember when we originally began saying it or how it became a part of our everyday lives, but it is now what we say when things happen here in Bulgaria that are the way they are.  It is how we cope with the different way of doing things.

My son says it is an Alabama saying, but I have heard it here in Bulgaria and from other Americans also, so who knows.  We realize that when you encounter a different culture it will not be the same as the culture that you are used to.  We have to embrace the differences and realize that it is not better or worse, it is just different.  Here are some differences:

       

 Driving and Roads:

     Every two-lane road is actually a three-lane road (pass at your own risk). There are pot holes in the road that will damage your car.  There are some big potholes!  We call them pot graves because some you could bury a person in. The Police are constantly pulling people over to the side of road for “inspection”. You park your car wherever there is some space (middle of road, sidewalk, etc.) There is no warning about workers ahead…pay attention.

           

·      Beaches

  The sand is very different from Gulf Coast beaches….coarser.

   Some topless and completely nude people…ages 2 to 80.

           

·      Food

   You cannot find a rib eye steak or any other steak for that matter!

   All the restaurant menus are the same.

   Best vegetable and fruits I’ve ever had in my life.

·      People

   Eastern Europeans are very family oriented.

   Public urination is not against the law.
  Women will clean the urinal next to you while you are doing your business.

   Some bathrooms are equipped with a hole in the ground only.
   Eastern Europeans will use a tool until it is absolutely broken and will use anything to       get the job done.

We have enjoyed getting to experience life from a different perspective.  Eastern Europe is a fascinating place; it has a lot of beauty and history.  Growing up in America we heard a lot about Greece and Italy, but because the Ottoman and Communist governments hid Bulgaria from us, we did not realize all the history and beauty here.  We enjoy getting to unfold and learn all about this hidden treasure of a country and learning all of the differences of how things are done and of course we continue to say, “It is what it is”.

The Rila Monastery

Monday we picked up our first summer guest, Gantt Bone.  He is a 17 years old that decided to forgo his summer and come spend the entire 9 weeks in Bulgaria with us.  We are so excited to have him here to join us with all God has in store for this summer.  We will definitely be keeping him busy with all the activities we have planned this summer and we will keep everyone posted as we go.

We decided to introduce him to Bulgaria this week as his sleep patterns get "adjusted".  Plus the fact that I've wanted to visit the Rila Monastery for 5 years and have just not been able to get there yet.  When we arrived in November it was too cold, and when the snow finally melted last month, the rain started in.  So, needless to say, when I saw the slightest ray of sunshine today, I said, "Today is the day!"

It was so beautiful and entirely worth the wait.  If you would like to learn more about the monastery, you should look it up!  A monk came to these mountains and lived in a cave up here in the 10 century.  It is one of Bulgaria's most famous and important landmarks.  The colors in the church and in the paintings are amazing!

The Rila is also the tallest mountain in the Balkan region.  I can't wait until it gets a little bit warmer and we will be hiking up to the Seven Lakes even higher in elevation than the monastery.

There is also a beautiful river up there and you might even get to see some pigs along side the road on your way back down the mountain!