Smiles, good memories, and lots of tears

Last weekend I was able to visit the host family I lived with during my pre-service training here in Bulgaria. This had been the longest I've gone without seeing them as it hadn't been since last fall so I was really looking forward to seeing them. I don't think I would have believed someone if they told me before I came here I would have become so close with them but it definitely happened. This is a family I truly love and consider my own. Veneta (my baba) is a true grandma in every sense of the word. She's been there whenever I've needed her, remembers what foods I like and cooks them for me, I'm always welcome to visit her, and she's given me extremely thoughtful gifts along the way. I don't have enough words to represent how much I love her. Thus, I was pretty quiet and started crying as soon as I walked through the gate to the street (this crying continued on and off all day and has started again now that I'm writing). To me, acts of kindness and showing love through actions are worth more than any words and stick in my mind. I'm so happy to have been placed in Veneta's home and I have appreciated becoming part of her family. It was an awesome weekend as Veneta had all 3 of her granddaughters there - her biological one Vicky (who is 2 1/2), me, and Johanna, the volunteer who lived with her last year during training. We had a great time hanging out, playing, and taking tons of photos. Vicky even knows some English words and songs from her parents and BabyTV, needless to say we did a lot of dancing. I'm so happy for Veneta that she's able to have Vicky for a long visit, I hope it becomes an annual summer thing.

I truly hope I'm able to visit sometime down the road and see them all again. I never knew how hard it would be to say goodbye to people that I honestly have no idea if I will ever see again.

So yeah, it was an emotional weekend which led to a tired Monday. I've only got a week left so I'm trying to appreciate it all, it's hard to believe I'll be in MN a week from tomorrow.

Peace, Love, Literacy, and Reckless Curiosity.