First few days in Osikovo ..

Oats and fruit in the morning with Jen the other volunteer, before starting work at 8 up at Lisa and Euan's. Most mornings are taken up with helping Euan fell trees and with land clearing on Baba (Grandma) Mitka's farm, followed by fruit picking or preserve making. Lisa and Euan don't have a fridge, so a lot of effort goes into preserving foods in jars for the winter.
Fresh apple, pear or grape juice made most days. Home made goats cheese and bread with most lunches; tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers and aubergines from the garden usually appearing in some sort of meal. Everything tastes so good! I help Euan do a water run every other day from a nearby spring; loading up the horse drawn cart with water to then be emptied into containers up at the farm.
It gets really hot between 1 and 5, so we have a break to do what we want. Probably should have a sleep, but I love exploring the abandoned houses and surrounding countryside. So many horse flies and wasps, everywhere!
The small amount of locals smile and wave, saying 'zdrasti' (hi) or some other long words in Bulgarian. They always try and start a conversation but I really don't know enough yet to say more than hello, or goodbye. They are only living on around 120 lev a month, which is around £60, but all seem so content. Osikovo, and Voditsa are two of the poorest villages in Bulgaria. Many of the elderly are on their own, and have livestock to look after. Its very much a communal effort though, and neighbours or friends look out for each other - bartering eggs for cheese, or milk for a particular vegetable.

Its a very simple way of life out here, but so peaceful. Lisa and Euan take us to their friend Ban and Anna's for a bonfire one night and to meet all those helping out at the festival in September in some way. Such nice people, and we sit around a fire with traditional Buglarian food and beers till 2 am. Each of their friends have volunteers working on their farms from all over the world, and translating each others words and stories becomes hilarious after a few beers. Everyone else speaks at least 2 or three languages; fell slightly put to shame that I can only speak English!
Learning so much from Lisa and Euan, and witnessing incredible scenery and culture. Bus into the local town of Popovo to look around the fruit markets, and get a little internet in the library. Women have greater facial hair than I do, and armpit hair too. I have seen and experienced so much already, and I don't have time to write about it all, but its beautiful out here. You can buy a farm in the village for around £1500, its incredibly tempting.
Looking forward to the arrival of the Gable sisters on Monday!