If I must be honest, I have no idea where I left off exactly, but there are some crucial moments that happened these past 3 months that I would love to share. So instead of you listening to me ramble, I'm going to give a brief description of each interesting thing, a short description, and a few pics to let you really feel it. Sounds good?
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| Bender Fortress - Bender, Transnistria (separatist territory in Moldova) |
Prom
Like the US, Bulgarians go all out for prom, but, unlike the US, they have a short parade of the students who are constantly counting . . . well, yelling . . . from 1 to 12 to the Prom destination (a local restaurant in most cases)! Congrats, Grads!
Wrap-up Seminar
The End-of-the-Year event where all the Fulbrighters get together and say, 'Goodbye' came a lot faster than expected. I loved hearing about everyone's presentations, and taking a dip in the Black Sea. You all will be (have been?) missed <3
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| AK and I telling Sadie to raise the camera because we tall <3 |
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| My Fulbright gals! |
Paris
Bless Jackie and Andy for their hospitality! A former teacher of mine, Mdm Pontius invited me to her humble abode in Paris to surprise two of my former educators who were also visiting! We strolled through Versailles, the Louvre, and went to an amazing 3D art exhibit in L'etoile des Lumieres filled with Gustav Klimt's work! Merci Beaucoup Mdm et M. Pontius <3
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| Le Louvre! |
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| Klimt's 3D works |
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| Le Tower Eiffel! |
Italy
My cousin Meegan and her fiancé, Joe, were headed to Italy and I couldn't resist a meet up with one of my favorite travel companions #MeeganAndKeegansEuropeanAdventures. I headed for a few days to Milan followed by a trip in Venice. Il Duomo was stunning (Milano), and the Venetian canals are as romantic as they seem! AND THE PIZZA! La mia bella Italia <3
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| Il Duomo - Milan |
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| Venice! |
Istanbul
In June, I became a somewhat professional tour guide in one of my favorite places: ISTANBUL! Dragging Tajia, Dan, AK, and Epax around with me for a weekend was cok guzel (very nice). We literally hit all the hot spots--Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Suleyman Mosque, Grand Bazaar--and, of course, I introduced them to lahmacun and ezme. If you haven't tried either of these, you need to go now.
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| Topkapi Palace! |
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| Gul Park |
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| Suleyman Mosque |
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| Istanbul sunsets |
Camp Golden Gate
2 weeks on the Black Sea Coast in a gorgeous resort with some of the brightest students from 13 different nations? I couldn't pass it up! Teaching Culture and Communication (I think it was mostly my students laughing with me in all of our activities), I had an amazing time from students all over the world!
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| The beaches of Albena |
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| Day trip to Varna |
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| Fun in the sun! |
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| Holi! |
Moldova
After camp, I decided to take the scenic route home. Hitting Moldova, supposedly the least visited country in Europe, I caught a glimpse of this quaint destination. Chisinau is a bustling micropolis with a handful of attractions. However, Orheilul Monastery, nestled atop of a hill in central Moldova, was worth the trip!
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| Orheilul |
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| Chisinau! |
Ukraine
I LOVE UKRAINE! Taking the gruelling 22 hour overnight train from Chisinau to Kiev was a trip and a half. But, upon arrival in Kiev, Ukraine's capital, I realised I came to the party. Kiev is both Soviet and Sophisticated, Cosmopolitan and Cosmonaut. Moral of the story, it's out of this world; I loved everything: the gold-topped churches gleaming in the distance, the affordability unseen in most EU nations, and the genuine friendliness of Ukrainians. Lviv, the smaller, more Gothic cousin, in the West showed up with stunning squares and castle views! And, hey, I've never felt safer (seriously!).
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| St. Sophia |
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| Kiev Pechersk Lavra |
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| Motherland Statue - Kiev |
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| Opera House - Lviv |
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| C'est Lviv! |
Poland
Krakow, like Lviv, is a stunning city. The old town, surrounded by the stoic city walls, showcases market square with St. Andrew church. Of course, the castle, the cobblestone streets, and the cathedrals dotting the cityscape make it just a tad bit better. An incredible fusion of modern and old! However, my time was certainly an emotional one. I visited Auschwitz-Birkenau camps which are simply overwhelming. Everyone must go to truly understand the magnitude of the Holocaust.
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| Market Square - Krakow |
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| Birkenau |
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| Auschwitz |
Spain
ESPANA!!! How can you not love Spain? The sunsets, the sangrias, the tapas, the sun! What more can you ask for? I fell in love with Barcelona, Park Guell, and La Sagrada Familia! What a place! Madrid didn't disappoint, and, **muchas gracias** to Paula for being my tour guide on her bday! The Royal Palace is stunning; I understand why the Spanish were after so much gold! I will be back soon, Spain!
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| Barcelona |
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| Park Guell |
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| Paula and I in front of the Palace! - Madrid |
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| Inside the Palace! |
Iceland
I literally went from 100 F (37C) to 50F (10C) in a short flight. But ICELAND! Around every corner is a natural wonder! Reykjavik, the capital, is cute town overlooking the bay. But the real action was my tour of the Golden Circle and the South Coast. Several geysers, 2 waterfalls, 1 black sand beach, a natural park, glaciers galore! All in 1 12 hour tour! What a trip!
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| Reykjavik! |
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| Seljalandsfoss |
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| Skogafoss |
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| A geyser named Skogar |
Home
I finally returned to the US! How my sisters have grown! How I missed my family, margaritas, and frozen cookie dough. . .maybe in that order? ;) 3 weeks is never enough, but just enough to get your passport with your Bulgarian work visa after USPS sends it to you in 6 days instead of 1, 2, or 3 days, but I'M NOT BITTER LOL! To summarise, I got my passport con visa 1 day before I left. Yikes!
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| My crazy (and sleepy) sisters |
Sweden
I can never just get to my destination, can I? Taking advantage of the $300 flight from Pittsburgh to Stockholm and then the $17 flight on Wednesday to Bulgaria, I just couldn't pass up another detour. So, here I am, back in Europe, jet lagged, and travel-worn (lol) ready for my next adventure. Today consisted of a visit to an ancient shipwreck, and yet another palace! Stockholm is just picturesque with it's colourful homes, and city-sprawled islands. However, I'm ready for Fulbright round 2. I'm ready for my next adventure. I'm ready for the laughter of my students and new found friends alike. I'm ready to learn just as much as I teach. And, more importantly, I'm ready for bed!!! See you soon, Bulgaria <3 ще се видим скоро
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| Vasa in the Vasa Museum! |
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| Royal Palace! |
This site FulbrightBlogaria.blogspot.com is not an official Fulbright Program site. The views expressed on this site are entirely those of Keegan Scott and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or any of its partner organizations.
