Volunteer in Ruse (2)

We already (it happened really fast) started reaching beyond the unknown, the cultural changing and "леко, леко" our fearing. After some group activities and some energizers, we had our first encounter with Danube river where we sat in the shade of the elders telling stories, talking about what makes the difference between people and exchanging words: I give one, you have to give one back. I have in my mind "ef̱charistíes", "Mein Pferd auf mich wartet draußen" and some others. We started Bulgarian lessons today.

Who are them, the ones that already got under my skin? Despina - she is a little whirling, Jose - such a charming guy listening Paco de Lucia, Noelia - the serene one who fears her English won't be understood, Ramon - an instant talkative and a warm person, Alvaro - a nice and gentle guy. And Vincent - I find him the most interesting one. Not only because he is a writer, but because he knows a lot of things while his curiosity acts like he is a child now discovering the world, because he has a pink bag in which, beside other useful things, he has some riffled notebooks he fills with notes all the time. He comes from Belgium... and Greece, has special hands and he is a remarkable figure.

It's a melange of cultures and spirits here which come together in one of the five happiest flats on Yantra street and meet both good and not so good things. Last evening, from one of these rooms, you could hear about palinca, Sangria, Franco, Romanian political regime, regions and dialects, coridas and many others. There were some samples too.

Yesterday, I met again some already known places in Ruse and got nostalgic. In the morning, we paid homage in the street to Hristo Botev - a hero who fought for Bulgarians freedom, by a moment of silence accompanied by the sound of sirens. I had an evening to night walk through the center of the little Vienna with the Romanian and Greek girls and an African mathematics professor we met in front of our building. This place is full of statues, coloured fountains, both beautiful or communist buildings. 

A remarkable moment of the day for some sick and tired of fast and dry food teenagers was the visit to Kaufland from where we came back carrying heavy bags like some poor chicken faints under the hot sun. Uhuuu... we have food now... but nothing to cook in. We hope for good days.

On the neighbour roof there are a few garrulous seagulls. I hear cars rumbling through my window and I have no sleep. I am very courious about this day. 

(RO) Deja am inceput sa depasim barierele necunoscutului (s-a intamplat foarte repede), ale schimbarilor culturale si, incet-incet, din temeri. Dupa cateva activitati de energizare si de grup, am avut prima intalnire cu Dunarea unde am stat la umbra batranilor, povestind fiecare despre ceea ce ne face diferiti ca popoare, facand schimb de cuvinte: eu iti dau unul, tu sa imi dai altul. In capul meu rasuna "ef̱charistíes", "Mein Pferd auf mich wartet draußen" s.a.. De azi incepem cursurile de bulgara.

Cine sunt cei care mi-au patruns in felul lor pe sub piele pana acum? Despina este un mic titirez,  Jose - un tip fermecator care asculta Paco Lucia, Noelia - cea senina careia ii este teama ca engleza ei nu va fi inteleasa, Ramon - un vorbaret instant si o persoana calda, Alvaro - un dragut si finut. Vincent, insa, cred ca e cel mai interesant. Nu doar pentru ca este scriitor, ci si pentru ca stie foarte multe lucruri, iar curiozitatea se manifesta ca la un copil care acum invata lumea, pentru ca are o sacosa roz in care, pe langa altele trebuincioase, are niste caiete pline si frunzarite unde isi ia mereu notite. Vine din Belgia... si Grecia, ii tremura mainile extraordinar, dar este o figura remarcabila.

Este un melanj de culturi si de spirite aici care se strang intr-unul din cele cinci cele mai vesele apartamente de pe strada Yantra si fac cunostinta cu bune si cu mai putin bune. Aseara, dintr-una din aceste camere, puteai auzi vorbindu-se despre palinca, sangria, Franco, regimul politic romanesc, regiuni si dialecte, coride. Existau si mostre, desigur. 

Ieri am trecut pe langa locuri cunoscute din Ruse si am devenit putin nostalgica. De dimineata, l-am omagiat in strada pe Hristo Botev, un erou care a luptat pentru libertatea bulgarilor, printr-un moment de reculegere acompaniat de sunetul sirenelor. Am facut o plimbare de seara spre noapte in centrul micii Viene, impreuna cu romancele, grecoaicele si un profesor de matematica african intalnit in fata blocului in care locuim. E plin de statui, de fantani colorate si de cladiri frumoase, dar si comuniste.

Un moment remarcabil al zilei pentru niste tineri satui de uscaturi si mancare la minut, a fost vizita la Kaufland, de unde ne-am intors  tragand de sacose ca niste pui lesinati sub soarele puternic. Uhuuu... avem mancare de acum, dar inca nu avem in ce gati. Speram la zile mai bune. 

Pe acoperisul vecin sunt niste pescarusi guralivi. Masinile huruie la fereastra si eu nu am somn. Sunt tare curioasacum va decurge aceasta zi.