The chocolates were a hit today! My students thought it was wonderful that I was the one giving them chocolate rather than the other way around.

[caption id="attachment_2826" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Chocolates!"]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/dsc01734.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2826" title="Chocolates!" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/dsc01734.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a>[/caption]

I told them that I was following the Bulgarian tradition by giving them chocolates. They were surprised by the fact that this wasn't a tradition in the States.  They wanted to know why we don't give our friends chocolate on our birthdays.  Well, I don't have an answer for this.

It's pretty great. First because you get to eat chocolate. But second because you get to tell everyone: Hey today's my birthday! Then people wish you health and happiness and all sorts of wonderful things.

My students and colleagues were all really wonderful today.  I got lots of warm wishes, smiles and laughs. That's pretty priceless. And in my mind makes for a great tradition. (Oh and I have some left over chocolate.  I never thought about how that might happen.)

I got two pretty hysterical pieces of advice today.<!--more-->

The first was from one of my best students. This students works very hard and earns 6's. (Um, for everyone else who is unfamiliar with the Bulgarian grade scale this is like an "A" in the States.) She wishes me health, luck, love, wealth, happiness and 6's for all of my students.  Clearly, I had to tease her about this.  She laughed and said: Think about how great that would make your life. I said: I think that would make your life great. Her response: Yes. But students would love you. <em>Oh, right</em>.

Then, on my way to my Bulgarian lesson at school, I ran into two of my favorite campus guards.  One doesn't speak English and the other one speaks a really good amount of English.  They are both at least 65 years old if not older and really cheerful and funny.  I had my box of chocolates with me so I stopped to give them chocolate.

They asked me how old I was.  Then we talked about my sign for a minute--Taurus--and how two of us have the same sign. Then I said: I have to go in for my Bulgarian lesson. And then they told me: You're old enough to know this now. At this moment, I can only think, this is going to be good.

Me: Know what? English Speaking Guard: The best way to learn Bulgarian... in, well, two or three months... is, you know, with a Bulgarian. I laugh. The old men engage in winking and nudging each other like high school boys. <em>Yep</em>.

And until then, I go to my lessons and think about how I really should study Bulgarian more regularly and seriously.  But the actual truth is that I just think about how funny old Bulgarian men are and try to pay attention in my lesson.

I also got a plate of cookies with my name spelled out on them. That was cool. No one has ever done that for me before.

[caption id="attachment_2827" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Cookies with My Name"]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/dsc01736.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2827" title="Cookies with My Name" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/dsc01736.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a>[/caption]

So that's that. Birthday number two in Bulgaria was pretty darn good! Thanks to each of you for all of the warm wishes.