Welcome!

Welcome to those of you who have visited my previous (and half-finished) blog, monicainmoscow.blogspot.com. And welcome to those of you visiting my blog for the first time!

I am currently interning in the Regional Security Office of the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria. This unpaid internship was made possible through the United States Department of State Internship program. I highly recommend this program to anyone currently studying a foreign language or wanting to gain experience working abroad, whether it is during the school year or during the summer break. It is a very competitive program, but it is a great way to determine whether you can handle living and working abroad, as well as if you could be successful in a career in the government or a government agency.

Arrival in Sofia
Wheels down: 1:55pm Sofia time
("Wheels down" and "wheels up" are phrases used by government employees to indicate when a high ranking official has arrived or departed from the country they are working in - not that I consider myself a high ranking official)

I arrived to a cloudy Sofia on Monday, but because the following day, May 6th, was a Bulgarian National Holiday (St. George's Day and the Day of the Bulgarian Army), Monday was also considered a holiday and a free day from work. My first day at the U.S. Embassy was actually yesterday, Wednesday May 7th, and included the multitude of introductions and instructions that occur on the first day of a new job. I came home a little overwhelmed, but I blame some of my lethargy on the jetlag, which I am still trying to overcome. I hope to spend this upcoming weekend exploring the city and visiting some of the sights, but I may end up sleeping in and sleeping off my jet lag!