Fulbright Greece/Bulgaria

First anniversary

bantonucci — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:22:49 +0000

In a few days it will be the first anniversary of the start of our Fulbright-Hays adventure. I don’t think I finished packing until it was almost time to leave for the airport. I wore a sweatshirt to the airport because it was cool here when we left. The plan was to leave the old sweatshirt with Jill before I boarded. But I walked through security wearing the it, and as it worked out I was glad to have it. I was cool that weekend in Chicago. It even rained one day, and another layer was welcome. I’d packed for mostly hot weather, not cool and rainy.

Every once in awhile I get the feeling that most people have forgotten about the trip and the program, but then something happens to change my mind. Quite a while ago, Jennifer mentioned that the sixth grade classes in the intermediate building would be studying Greek mythology. Maybe I could talk about my trip when they were finished with their projects. That discussion was months ago. Well, about three weeks ago Jennifer asked if I was still interested in talking Greek mythology to four classes of sixth graders. I said yes immediately. I decided to show pictures of the landscape and talk about how the physical environment could shape some of the concepts and stories of the ancient Greeks. This presentation would be a version of the original project required by the program that I completed back in the fall. The students were great. Since they had finished their projects, they knew about Zeus, Mt. Olympus, Athena, and Delphi. They came up with questions only kids could think of: “Did I do any hunting while I was in Greece?” “Why don’t a lot of Greek statues have any arms?” They were very attentive, and the best part is they applauded after every presentation. You don’t hear applause very often with high school students. It made it all quite worthwhile.

The purpose of the program

bantonucci — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:57:18 +0000

I’m pretty sure this is what they had in mind when we were selected: It’s been almost seven months since I returned from my amazing trip to Greece and Bulgaria. Back in January, we went to Tim and Ann’s for dinner. Trudi and Fred were there. I was the after dinner entertainment. I narrated a Greece and Bulgaria PowerPoint that I had shown for the Sodus Lions Club the night before. Every time I look at the images on the screen some memory, or feeling, or smell comes back that I hadn’t crossed my mind since I returned. Last week the Sodus High School art department hosted an exhibit of student and staff photographs. I submitted six pictures from Delphi, Sozopol, Rila, and Pella. On Wednesday I presented another PowerPoint for Rob’s high school art students in Geneseo. I had to do some research to prepare, but I think his students enjoyed it. Rob’s student teacher Thea spent ten weeks in Greece studying the art and architecture in many of the same places I went to. In addition, she’s a big fan of Bulgarian pottery. She has tried to no avail to duplicate the distinctive Bulgarian designs. So she and I had a lot to talk about. I showed a Bulgarian bowl and a ceramic bird whistle to Rob’s classes. I wish I had brought back more. Hopefully, Rob’s students learned a little about Greek and Bulgarian art and art history. And I think I’m probably doing what Sen. Fulbright had in mind when he started programs that foster cultural exchange.

So I’ve had dinner parties, service club meetings, photography exhibits, and art class presentations since I last posted.

Old acquaintances…

bantonucci — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:55:59 +0000

I finished the year by meeting up with the two Fulbrighters who are the geographically the closest. I had already planned to go to New Hampshire after Christmas to see Jill’s parents, so I contacted Ann and Mark to see if they would like to get together. After a couple e-mails we decided to meet at the Athens restaurant in Manchester, N.H., about an hour and fifteen minutes from Keene. The Athens is owned by a Greek family and serves authentic Greek food. Ann and Mark had met there prior to our trip. I had never been to Manchester before. I had to circle the downtown with its one way streets several times before I found Central Avenue and the restaurant. Ann was already there, and Mark arrived soon after. The food was good; the portions big. Mark selected an appropriate Greek red wine, of course. The three of us talked as if no time had passed. We caught up on news we each had heard or read from Greece and Bulgaria. We talked about the Greek riots that occurred near places we had visited like Syntagma Square in Athens and the Roman arches in Thessaloniki. The riots seemed puzzling to us. From our point of view, it seemed difficult to understand the reasons behind the violence in such an outwardly peaceful country. We felt that there must be underlying problems that sparked them. And we also talked about the status of our projects. Mark brought pictures from Greece and Bulgaria he had printed. He let us chose our favorites to bring home with us.

Post trip

bantonucci — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:58:39 +0000

Several people have asked me about what has happened since I returned from our trip, so I’ve decided to update the blog. I’ve done a presentation at the public library recapping my trip and taught a lesson on the environment of Greece as it relates ancient mythology. I’m scheduled to do a presentation at the BOCES Library Leadership Conference in January. I’ve submitted my required education project. I have my Greece posters up in the library. And when I thought maybe most people have forgotten about my trip, the study hall monitor and the night cleaner have both stopped me in the hall at different times to ask me about my trip. It kind of seems like a long time ago until I look at the pictures again, and it all comes back with a rush. Would I do it again? Yeah, in a minute.

The picture above shows me and my granddaughter at a cottage on Conesus Lake wearing matching Bulgaria shirts last August.

Final post from Bulgaria

bantonucci — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:09:15 +0000

This will probably be my last post from Bulgaria. We toured Plovdiv this week with its wide pedestrian malls and old town with its National Revival architecture. We ate dinner in a restaurant built over Roman ruins and bought pottery directly from a potter in her tiny pottery studio. The next morning there was a little mix-up with the bus. It looked too small to hold all of us and our luggage too, but the driver was able to cram everything in. He whisked us off to the Todoroff Wine Cellar which has been recently been expanded and remodeled. We received a lesson on how to evaluate wine and then we tasted three of their varieties. We were served an excellent lunch (and more wine). After cleaning out the wine store, we were back on the bus. The wine and that big lunch was the cause of some serious “busnosis” that swept the Fulbright crowd on the way back to Sofia. Most of us were sucking air on the way back (but not Mark). We really liked the cities and villages we visited on our tour, but it was good to be back to the familiar haunts of Sofia. Many of us thought it was like coming home.

Speaking of home, the Fulbright days are quickly running out. It seems like a long time since we were in cool, rainy Chicago for our orientation. Yesterday “the ladies” put together a Fulbright quiz and slide show during our wrap-up session that spanned our whole experience here and in Greece. We all got a little wistful watching that. Today was a free day for shopping, figuring out what to pack, doing the last laundry, and generally getting ready to go home. Tomorrow morning our last group activity will take us up to Vitosha Mountain via the gondola followed by lunch. Sunday evening we have a farewell dinner, and then the taxi will pick many of us up at 4:45 a.m. to begin the journey home. Wow! What a trip it’s been! I’ll be going through my notes and pictures for weeks. The memories and the frendships will last forever.

Bourgas

bantonucci — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:29:09 +0000

We arrived at the Black Sea port of Bourgas. On the way we drove through some of the hotel construction along the shore. Gorgeous hotels and souvenir shops are crowded next to each other. It was easy to see why the biggest industry in Bulgaria right now is construction. This area is booming! We also toured the coastal town of Nessebar with its unique architecture and numerous churches. We had lunch overlooking the sea. The teachers of the English Language High School of Bourgas met with us this morning. Despite poor funding, the school had an exciting program with a number of extra curricular activities and sports. We met several teachers and two student council officers. We had dinner on our own tonight and everyone seems to be thinking about the trip home. Tomorrow we leave for Plovdiv and head back toward Sofia.

On the beach

bantonucci — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:56:46 +0000

We’ve crossed most of the country since Saturday morning. A long bus trip took us to Etura for lunch and a tour of the Etura Ethnographic Complex, a sort of outdoor museum similar to Colonial Williamsburg. After we arrived at the ancient capital Veliko Turnovo, we hiked around town for amazing views of the hills and then up to the top of the fortress where the Bulgarian king lived. After working up a hiking sweat in the 90 degree heat, we got to meet the English lanugage department of Veliko Turnovo U. They didn’t seem to mind we were pretty disheveled. The landscape became less hilly, and farming seemed to be the main acitivity in that area. After stops in Arbanassi and Shumen, we arrived at the seaside city of Varna. Our hotel is across the street from the beach umbrellas and sand. It has a gorgeous view of the beach and the harbor.

Culture in Sofia

bantonucci — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:05:26 +0000

We’ve had a week of immersion in Bulgarian culture. Lectures by experts in art, literature, history, dance, the economy, and politics have been have been punctuated with an amazing folk music concert and terrific Bulgarian food. We visited two private high schools and had the chance to hear about the challenges in high school and college education. Bulgarian schools are just starting to deal with a high stakes state tests that rank schools nation wide. Some of the issues seem very similar to those in American high schools. This afternoon we walked to the Fulbright offices to compare notes about our curriculum projects that we’ll submit after we get home. Tomorrow we’ll be back on the road heading for Veliko Turnovo, Shumen, and Varna. (Check your Bulgaria maps.)

P.S. For additional cool info, click on the “Myra’s Blog” link to the right.

Bulgarian monuments

bantonucci — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:39:46 +0000

Just a quick post for today: We visited two of Bulgaria’s national monuments today, the Boyana Church and the Rila Monastary. Both date from the Middle Ages, and both had outstanding art work. We’re going out for pizza soon, so I’ll have to continue this post later.

We had a tour of the tiny, recently restored Boyana Church by a historian. He was animated and passionate about the church and its paintings. The Rila Monastary was off the beaten path to say the least. Its ornate murals were amazing. We met an artist who has photographed both churches in 360 degrees and posted the photos on the web. I’ll post the link here when I get it. We did not get to see any of the libraries in the monasteries either here or in Greece. They are pretty much off limits unless you are a monk or serious religious scholar. Yesterday was a day off, so we took a taxi to Vitosha National Park and climbed the fourth highest mountain in Bulgaria by gondola, chair lift and foot. What a view!

Where the buffalo roam

bantonucci — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:09:12 +0000

After a long bus ride north we found ourselves out in a rural area of trees and small scattered villages. We stopped in a small hotel near Lake Kerkini, a man-made lake supplied by a river from Bulgaria. Prof. Pyrovetsi narrated a boat ride across the lake to the bird sanctuary with thousands of birds. It was very impressive. We also stopped at a water buffalo ranch after off-roading along the river with Hays (our bus). It took a while to get there, and I don’t think Thanassi (our driver) was too crazy about driving a thirty passenger bus through a cow pasture The rancher told us about the trials of raising these animals with subsidies. He was very animated and excited about the whole thing. (Dimitri translated.)

Thursday a six hour bus ride through rural southern Bulgaria brought us to Sofia. First impression: Sofia is a little rough around the edges. We have met the Fulbright staff, and Dani will be our new guide in Bulgaria. But so far things haven’t run as smoothly as they did in Greece. The hotel is excellent though. The city looks a little more run-down, and no one mows the grass or trims shrubbery here. Today we had a lecture on ancient civilizations and a tour of the National History Museum with Dani and an archealogist narrating. But by the time we got to Boyana Church it was closing. Tonight we have a dressy reception here where we get to meet a group of invited guests.