................................Day one!

After a little unexpected detour, I am finally in Varna, Bulgaria.  I received such a warm welcome from Magi, Sara, my new friends Svetla and Vladi and the entire staff at Karin Dom. 

I  arrived late last night during a storm, driven by the grounds keeper...a short and stocky older man named Vlestco.  (Sounds like a Russian spy novel, huh?).  He is wonderfully kind though...and showed me that I had hot running water and comfy apartment.  Priceless.

The picture of the bed is because that is the first thing that Ellie has asked to see.  She wanted to see where I was sleeping, and the Russian Diet Pepsi (Pepsi Lite)...that's for you, Jen.

After a good nights sleep, I visited the school briefly, had lunch with staff and started the training.  Only...as fate would have it....we did not have the correct cable to hook my laptop up to the screen projector...so I had to punt.  Showed pictures of my handsome sons and darling daughter, told a story, and then just talked for two hours about what ABA is and began discussing reinforcement... what it is and what it is not.  Without the aid of visuals it was a little challenging, but doable.  You all know that I can talk.  Some confused faces, others not so.  Hopefully tomorrow will go a bit better.

I've only seen a small portion of the city from my drive in and a quick walk to the market, but it is lovely.  Today has been rainy and overcast...but I can see the Black Sea! 
I hope tomorrow clears and I can take pictures of the grounds.  It is beautiful!
caio
denise

KINDERGARTEN NEWS!!!
Dear Mrs. Spellman's Class,
I am glad you are checking into my computer journal.  Bulgaria is very far away, but the computer will help it seem a little closer.  It is the season of fall here, and the temperature is much like it is Granby.  Only today, we had rain.  

I had a chance to visit the school I will be working in for the next two weeks.  The children are mostly preschool and kindergarten age.  I was able to see some children writing numbers, doing puzzles and learning how to wash their hands.  I also learned my first word in Bulgarian:
"Abtorapa"
spoken like:  "ahv-toe-gara"
it means:  bus station

Maybe someday you will take a city bus from the "Abtorapa" to a new place.

Have fun,
Ellie's Mom