New furniture and getting a handle on life.

Well we are now wired with the internet in our apartment, so maybe it won't be a month between blog updates from now on. We are still adjusting to life here is Bulgaria. Our language learning is growing everyday, but still there is so much to learn. We are starting to hear words on the street that we recognize, and we are feeling more confident about going out and about. We've even eaten at a couple restaurants and figured out the menus and ordered all on our own. Still we stumble along. Today we went to pay our water bill and they wouldn't take it. The lady said something to us and pointed at the balance. We assumed she wouldn't take it b/c we didn't have exact change, but come to find out it was because the water company owes us money. We have a credit. How silly we must have seemed trying to pay for a bill that said we were getting money back.

Our teammate Donna arrived two weeks ago and our other teammate, Michelle, will arrive on Tuesday. We will all be learning Bulgarian for the next several months and trying to develop as a team. It will be exciting to see what the Lord has in store for us.

Well thats all for now. We'll keep posting pictures when we have something interesting to share. The pictures are more interesting anyway right?

Blessings to you all.

We finally have chairs in our apartment.

Our first meal in our new apartment.

One week in Bulgaria

We have now been in Sofia for one week. Thus far we have been trying to set up our new apartment while living in the apartment of a previous missionary and finding our way through the city. We hope to move into our new place very soon, after we purchase a bed. We start language school this week which is exciting. We both are ready to know more. It has been interesting playing charades everywhere we go.

We made our first big purchase last week; we bought a couch. In fact it was the first piece of furniture that we have ever purchased together. It is bright orange and has a pull out sleeper and a storage area. I will try to post a picture the next time we make a trip there. So the funny thing about this couch is what happened when it was delivered. We decided to not have the couch delivered up to our apartment on the fifith floor but rather just to the entrance of our building. We saved about $50 this way. We thought no big deal, we will take it up the elevator. Well wouldn't you know it, the elevator quit working just when the couch arrived. Gabe and I ended up hauling the two large couch pieces up five flights of stairs. (91 steps to be exact.) We were quite a site as our apartment neighbors began going out for the day and squeezing by us in the hall. We did it though, and I must say that I feel considerably stronger today.

We are learning more and more everyday about Bulgaria and the Bulgarian language. We are feeling well, even when we feel moments of culture shock. Thankfully at this point they are just moments.

Clava na Boga. Glory to God.

Love, the Hillmans