Photo: Photo: Building re-construction, Sofia
May 29, 1993 BG PLAN had it's 1st annual meeting at the university. When I arrived at 9:50, Krasi told me he had seen Albena earlier that morning and thought she should be there. A few minutes later she arrived, and told me that Plamen had woke her up at 9:20 and had just managed to get to the meeting. About 190 of the 500 owners were there. A few people were obviously agitated and asked many questions. Plamen, Ogi, and Stefan did much of the answering. Nicolai, although he did not have to speak, was sweating very much through the whole thing. I was asked to speak briefly.
Monika told me she won her audition, and as a result has some additional future opportunities in the opera singing business.
Photo: Plaque with Mt Masala in background
May 30 - June 4, 1993 Worked mostly with Krasi on new products. Also, had a dinner with CDC and BG Plan staff on a couple occasions.
June 5-6, 1993 Took bus to Samokova, and then Borovesh. Hiked up to base of Mt Masala, but it was late in day and I did not want to go all the way to the top. The hiking paths were wet and there was much snow on Masala. I camped overnite and hiked back to Borovesh in the morning. Was in Sofia by 1 PM. For me the biggest part of the adventure was getting there and back by bus using my very limited language skills.
Photo: Mt Masala
June 7, 1993 In the morning Luba told me she had an offer to work as a secretary in Beirut for a Bulgarian businessman. She wanted to leave Bulgaria in the worst way. Her parents didn't know.
In a few days I would finish my assignment and spend a couple weeks seeing parts of eastern europe and Germany. To get to Budapest, the BG Plan staff recommended I go through troubled Yugoslavia rather than Romania. I went to the Yugoslav consulate and got in a line of people to get my transit visa. Most all the other people in line appeared to be poor, rough looking men.
Later in the day I found out that the diplomat and wife returned to the apartment and were surprised to find Luba working and all my stuff still there. They had been told I would have left before then. Stefan, Luba, and I moved my stuff out and checked me into the Hotel Europa, a hotel that caters to French and other westerners.
June 8-9, 1993 Hardly did any work for the last two days. Krasi helped me with mailing extra baggage home and other details.
Photo: Communist statue in Sofia
