Saturday Softball

Last Saturday some 'Varna Regioners' along with some volunteers from farther away meet up in Shumen at the top of one of the surrounding hills next to a giant monument to play some friendly pick up games of softball. There was fire grilling and camping that took place afterward too.

Most of them got there Friday night actually but I was delayed due to a Youth Parliament Meeting. You see, Friday night was August 12th, the International Day of Youth, so we had a meeting with our local village members, the municipal staff and the Russian youth leaders from the Kamchia Longoz camp to celebrate. I got to meet some people who are active in their own villages and interested in organizing some joint activities with me this year. We also talked about the 1st Annual International Folklore Festival in Kamchia, for which I am planning on having an American act. There will be folk acts from Avren, the Russian kids, our Moldovan twin municipality and hopefully me and some other PC volunteers doing a medley of American fad dances (YMCA, Electric Slide etc). It was a nerve racking meeting, having to speak in front of tons of people in a foreign language, but the cocktail/food reception after made the experience worth while. I got free food and to get some numbers from people, along with "na gosti" invites.

The next morning is when I went to Shumen to play ball. Its not too far away, but transport is difficult here sometimes and they had already started the first game by the time I got there. So, I joined the team that was down a player, the one that happened to already be winning by like 6. yay. We ended up winning that one and then took a break for relaxation, breathing and beverages. I went to the city center for some unfinished phone business and to grocery shop for snack food. When I got back they had redone the teams. These teams were more competitive then the previous ones and it was a more fun game, we did win again though. I think it was me.

score keepers, monument in background

dog 'Otis' watching

Then we collected firewood and enlisted the 'fire maestro' to make the fire. This was a long process because we didnt have an ax and we also didnt want to buy firewood. Therefore, we had to gather a very large amount of sticks and break them with our arms, feet or knees. We made a ton of food, juice and dip and settled in for the night around the fire. Scary Stories (brief mention of Chief Featherhead).