Ne Razbeerum Bulgarski Mnogo Dobre (I don't know Bulgarian very well): But I am learning!

Thursday was a big day for my Bulgarian skills. Here is a brief recounting of my linguistic adventure.

Cab driver: I have so far avoided most taxi cabs. Not because there are any problems with them, but because Blagoevgrad is very walkable and we just haven't needed them. However, I was attending a lecture at the other university in town and I needed a cab to get there. Luckily we just covered talking to the taxi driver in Intro to Bulgarian and with some help on pronouncing the school and building I needed, I had my phrase! I was ready, but secretly scared. Many of you may not realize how nervous I get when communicating. This is especially true when I know there will be an expectation of actual conversation. I am not that great at small talk and small talk in another language was a daunting thought. Anyway, I got into the cab, stated the destination in Bulgarian, and off we went.

Then the cabdriver said Kude Ste? and my brain froze. I remembered we covered this in class but I honestly blanked. I stupidly stated the my destination phrase. He repeated Kude Ste? So I used another phrase I have memorized "Angleeskee" in a very apologetic tone. He was kind and repeated Kude Ste and listed different places in Bulgarian that I recognized. I finally understood: "Where are you from?" I had those answer phrases memorized, so I was able to say I was from the USA, Kansas! Oh, Kansas City! he said and then I think he asked if it was as hot in Kansas as it is here! Anyway, we muddled through and I made it to the university for a fascinating talk on Digital Narrative (thankfully in English!).

Grocery Store: So from that pathetic, but triumphant conversation I headed to the grocery store. Unfortunately, I completely failed to understand the cashier. Major language fail, but I got my purchases without being arrested and decided to chalk it up as a win.

Reception with City Officials: With the mixed results from the day, I was not entirely thrilled about the AUBG reception for city officials that evening. We have fabulous students who were acting as translators, but I was still worried. I shouldn't have. I am not sure if it was the protein at dinner or what, but I was able to follow some of the conversations, remember some Bulgarian phrases, pronounce them correctly, AND use them at the correct time. I left the event with a request to be interviewed by the local Blagoevgrad paper and a feeling of accomplishment.

All in all, I feel good about finally having conversations (actual back and forth) in Bulgarian with people who did not speak English. Learning a new language is a bit like graduate school-the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

But I will triumph at some functional level. I promised a student that by the time she graduates we will be able to have a conversation about Bulgarian literature in Bulgarian, so I have to.

Luckily I didn't specify graduating from AUBG...I really hope she is considering graduate school!