Weeks 16 - 18

The last three weeks...

It's been bittersweet. A lot of saying, "this is our last time" walking down a certain street or eating at one of our favorite restaurants. Some people were saying they couldn't believe we're about to leave because it feels like we just got here, and some were saying it feels like we've been here for ages. But I think one thing we could all agree on is that "time is just a feeling."

Intention in every last moment...

Weeks 16 and 17 were the last two weeks of classes and week 18 was finals. In an effort for the study abroad students to spend as much time together as we could, we organized some events. The students from the University of Maine brought their annual Maine Day to AUBG. It was a long day spent out on the lawn in the sun playing games, listening to music, dancing, and even learning the Maine Stein Song. 

The next week we organized a toga party, a relatively popular theme for college parties in the US but seemingly unheard-of in Europe. We went to all the second-hand stores in the town to buy sheets and curtains to make our togas. We reserved the party room on campus which just opened back up after a lift of COVID restrictions. Some of the girls organized a vote and handed out superlatives to each study abroad student. We even brought little notebooks for writing goodbye messages to each other. 

Departure...

Many of us came to Sofia, the capital, to stay and spend one last night together before half of the students flew out. We had a nice big family dinner then headed to a karaoke bar where we belted out on all the songs that we had sung so many times this semester. Once we left the karaoke bar, no one wanted to go back to the Airbnbs. This was the last night for half of the group. So we headed to a large plaza and sat on the edge of a fountain there. We talked, we sang, we laughed, we hugged, we reminisced. And we did this for three hours. No one wanted to rip the band-aid and call it a night because that meant we had to say goodbye, but our lack of access to a restroom determined our departure. 

People began making their rounds where everyone cried, and if they say they didn't, they're lying. Luckily, I didn't have to say goodbye to anyone because I was going to the airport the following morning to see off those who were flying out, and I get to spend a few more days in Sofia with the others. I haven't had to do my second round of farewells, but based on how the first round went, it won't be pretty. I'll be honest, we were loudly sobbing and nervous laughing in the airport like crazy people.

But how lucky are we that it's so tough to say goodbye?

Wise words...

Around week 17 I asked the study abroad students to send me quotes that encompass their semester in Bulgaria. I was expecting some sort of inspirational words that reflect the importance and significance of studying abroad. But what they sent me is quite the contrary. Maybe these quotes still attest to my intention, but that's for you to decide. Here's what they said: 

• "It's not an adventure until something goes wrong." - Quoting a dad. 
• "Good morning, Sunshine!"
• "Money is expensive."
• "Are we in Europe?"
• "Waterbike" - This was the day he learned about jet skis.
• "I'm not proud of it, but I'm not ashamed of myself." 
• "I'm going back to pet my chicken."
• "Sauce ages. Sauce ages!" - An attempt at pronouncing "sausages."
• "Hello! I'm a Belgian guy, and I need you all to come sing with me!"
• "Oolala"
• After a pair of girls tested positive for COVID in January, they arrived with their suitcases at the quarantine hall to live in isolation for two weeks. One of them looks around in their room smiling brightly as if she had just entered a hotel room and says, "Well, here we are!"
• "There's nothing worse than the last bite of a really good meal."
• "So you have 3 siblings?" "No, I have two sisters and one brother."
• "Show those guys how to play!"
• "Who knew 21 hours on a bus could be such a bonding experience?"
• "Time is only an illusion..."
• And a special mention to all the hard work at trying to pronounce "y'all": "ya ool," ""yawl," "youl," "ya alllll"

After 18 weeks and 15 blog posts, I can sum up everything I've written into one piece of advice:
Move. Go anywhere. Get out of your hometown every once in a while because there is so much in this world to discover.
And, if you can, find good people while you're at it. They might just become your people.

Julia Dick